US2938634A - Display rack divider - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1960 D. M. GANZ DISPLAY RACK DIVIDER Filed July 31, 1958 INVENTOR.

M m 6 m M L FIG. 4.

DISPLAY RACK DIVIDER Daniel M. Ganz, 2707 Fox Road, Baldwin, N .Y.

Filed July 31, 1958, Ser. No. 752,224

7 Claims. (Cl. 211-184) The present invention relates generally to racks and fixtures for the display of relatively fiat stacked articles, and in particular to an improved removable and adjustable divider arrangement for use on racks or fixtures suitable for the display of greeting cards. This is an improvement over my earlier filed application Ser. No. 498,731 filed on April 1, 1955, and entitled Display Rack Divider, now Patent No. 2,869,732.

Known display racks for the merchandising and sale of stationary items, such as. greeting cards, usually include a stepped base having respective pairs of spaced walls fixed thereto and defining a plurality of tiers or troughs which are adapted to receive plural stacks of cards or like flat articles in side by side relation. In that the plural stacks of cards or similar fiat articles which are to be displayed in the respective troughs of the rack vary in width, it is frequently necessary to adjust the width of the dividers which are employed on the rack in accordance with the width of the respective stacks of card. Further, it is often necessary to change the location of the respective stacks of cards on the rack which also requires the facility for adjustment of the divider arrangement.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable divider arrangement for use on display racks which adapts such racks to accommodate plural stacks of cards or like articles in side by side relation.

In my copending application there is provided a divider for use on a display rack which includes a downwardly opening clip engageable over one of the trough-forming walls of the display rack. A divider body, which extends substantially at right angles to the clip and to the troughdefining Walls, is mounted on the clip and for pivotal movement in a plane extending substantially transversely of the trough. In use, the divider body is movable into a position straddling the space between the Walls of the trough and thereby define a partition across the trough. Although such divider arrangement has been found to be very eflicacious in use and serves admirably to divide the troughs into compartments of adjustable widths, there has been presented the practical problem of pilferage when the dividers are employed on racks in stores. Since the divider is held on the rack only by the use of the clip and is readily removed from its supported position on the trough wall, it is relatively easy matter for a passerby to remove the divider. Although pilferage does not necessarily represent a great monetary loss, it i a source of annoyance to the storekeeper and frequently results in interleaving of adjacent stacks of cards and the attendant need to rearrange or restack the cards;

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved divider arrangement which may be accommodated in a display rack and is effective to completely subdivide or partition the trough or individual ends of the rack with reasonable provisions to preclude the unauthorized removal of the divider arrangement from the rack. To advantage, the divider arrangement according to the present invention is suited to partition bins or v United States Patent O 2,938,634 Patented May 31, 1960 troughs of varying widths and may be moved to adjusted positions along the length of the respective bins or troughs.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a divider for use on a display rack of the type which includes front and rear walls defining an elongated trough adapted to receive plural stacks of cards in side by side relation, which divider comprises an elongated carrier member adapted to lie in the trough and extend lengthwise thereof beneath the respective stacks of cards. At least one divider body is arranged to extend in a plane substantially transverse to the carrier member and means are operatively connected between the divider body and the carrier member which mount the divider body for pivotal movement in the plane and for displacement lengthwise of the carrier member into further planes substantially parallel to the first named plane. The pivotal mounting for the divider body facilitates the adjustment of the divider body to fit bins or troughs of varying widths; and the facility to displace the divider body lengthwise of the carrier member enables the user to adjust the location of the partitions provided by the divider bodies in accordance with the widths of the stacks to be accommodated in the rack.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment illustrating features of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a somewhat conventional display rack or fixture for greeting cards, having a divider arrangement embodying features of the present invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an elongated carrier member and divider body employed in the present divider arrangement;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section showing the relationship of the divider arrangement with respect to the front and rear walls of a trough of the display rack or fixture; and

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view, on an enlarged scale and with parts broken away, showing the divider arrangement as removed from the rack.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1 a display rack or fixture 10 which is of conventional construction and includes a number of troughs or bins in a step-like or tier configuration. Specifically the rack 10 includes a stepped base 12 having a number of horizontal ledges, such as designated by the numeral 14, and risers, such as designated by the numeral 16. Fixed to the respective risers are upright walls which are slightly inclined with respect to the vertical (see Fig. 3), one pair of Walls being designated by the reference numerals 18, 20. The walls 18, 20 serve as front and rear walls of elongated open-topped troughs or bins 22, which bins are adapted to receive stacks S of greeting cards C or like flat articles. I

In accordance with the present invention, a divider arrangement, generally designated by the reference numeral 30, is mounted within the respective troughs or bins 22 to separate the adjacent stacks S of greeting cards C from each other. The divider arrangement 33' includes an elongated carrier member or rod 32 which is adapted to lie in the trough or bin 22 and extend lengthwise thereof contiguous to the front corner of the trough 22 defined by the ledge 14 and the front wall 18. Extending in planes substantially transverse to the trough 22 are a number of divider bodies 34 which are mounted on the carrier member for pivotal adjustment to a partitioning aeaaese 3 position between the walls 18, 20 of the trough 22 and for adjustment lengthwise of the carrier member 32. The divider bodies 34 are each of identicalconstruction and are fabricated of any appropriate material, such as a styrene plastic, and include a body section 34a;:having diverging side edges 34b, 34c which merge into a rounded end 34d. Integral with the lower'end 34a of the divider body is a sleeve section 34) formed with a through bore of a diameter appropriate ,to snugly accommodate the carrier member or rod 32. Accordingly, the respective divider bodies are mounted to pivotin planes extending transverse of thetrough 22 with the carrier member 32 serving as the pivotal axis. Further the divider bodies may be placed within the trough 22, with the carrier member 32 serving as a track or rail.

The installation of the divider arrangement 30 on the rack is relatively simple and is achieved substantially as follows:

A carrier member 32 is assembled with the required number of divider bodies being determined by the length of the trough 22 which is to accommodate the divider arrangement and the number of stacks S of cards. C or the like which are to be accommodated within the trough 22, with a certain latitude for change during normal use. Initially the carrier member 32 is cut to be substantially equal in length to the overall length of the trough so that the carrier member 32 by abutment with the end walls of the trough (not shown) is confined against longitudinal displacement when placed within the trough. Thereupon the carrier member 32 is placed within the trough; and upon pivoting the respective divider bodies 34 into their operative positions across the width of the trough between the front and rear walls 18, thereof,

the carrier member 32 is urged into the forward corner of the trough as seen in Fig. 3. In some instances it may be desirable to rotatably secure the opposite ends of the carrier member 32 to the adjacent trough wall 18, as for example by beating brackets or the like. 'However practical experience indicates that such securement is not necessary since the carrier member 32 is urged into its required position incident to the movement of the respective divider bodies 34 into their operative position. When the stacks of greeting cards S are then placed into the respective troughs or bins 22 the stacks somewhat overlie the rod 32 and as a practical matter it'is dif- -ficult if not virtually impossible for a customer to remove any one of the divider bodies 34, unless of course the entire assembly of the carrier member or rod 32 and the plural divider bodies 34 are removed from the supported position within the trough.

If for any reason the number of divider bodies 34 in the assembly is insufiicient, or there are too many 'divider bodies, it is but a simple matter for the proprietor to remove the stacks S of cards, lift the carrier member 32 out of its normal position and add or remove dividers as required.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be used without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention therein.

What I claim is:

l. A divider for use on a display rack including front and rear walls defining an elongated trough adapted to receive plural stacks of cards in side by side relation comprising, an elongated carrier member adapted to lie in said trough and extend lengthwise thereof, at least one divider body extending in a plane substantially transverse to'said carrier member, and means operatively connected between .saiddivider body and said elongated carrier member mounting said divider body for pivotal movement in said plane andfor displacement lengthwise of said carrier member. 7

2. A divider for use on a display rack including front and rear walls defining an elongated trough adapted to receive plural stacks of cards in side by side relation comprising, an elongated cairier' member adapted to lie in said trough and extend lengthwise thereof, at least one divider body extending in a plane at right angles to said carrier member, and means operatively connected between said divider body for pivotal movement in said plane and for displacement lengthwise of said carrier member into adjusted positions in further planes parallel to said first named plane;

3. A divider for use on a display rack including front and rear walls defining an elongated trough adapted to receive plural stacks of cards in side by side relation comprising, an elongated carrier member adapted to lie in said trough and extend lengthwise thereof, a plurality of divider bodies extending in planes at right angles to said carrier member, and means operatively connected between each of-said divider bodies and saidelongated carrier member independently mounting said divider bodies for pivotal movement in said planes and for 'displacement lengthwise of said carrier member into further planes parallel to said first named planes.

4. A divider for use on a display rack including front and rear walls defining an elongated trough adapted to receive plural stacks of cards in side by side relation comprising, an elongated carrier rod adapted to lie in said trough adjacent the front wall thereof and to extend lengthwise of said trough, at least one divider body extending in a plane at right angles to said carrier member, and a sleeve operatively connected to said divider body and slidably supported on said elongated carrier rod and mounting said divider body for pivotal movement in said plane and for displacement lengthwise of said carrier member.

5. In combination with a display rack including a base and walls which are spaced apart and extend in substantial parallelism, pairs of said walls defining an elongated trough for receiving stacks made up of 'a number of flat elements in adjacent and side by side relation, a divider arrangement for each of said troughs of said display rack including an elongated carrier member disposed in said trough, a divider body extending in a plane transverse to said trough, and slidable meanson said carrier member and operatively connected to said divider body mounting same for pivotal adjustment into a position between said walls and abutting the rearmost one of said walls, said divider body being adjustable lengthwise of said carrier member. a

6. In combination with a display rack including a base and inclined walls which are spaced apart and extend in substantial parallelism, pairs of said walls defining an elongated trough'for receiving stacks made up of a number of flat elements in adjacent and side .by side relation, a divider arrangement for each of said troughs for said display rack including an elongated carrier member disposed in said trough adjacent the front one of said walls, a divider body extending in a plane'transverse to said trough, and slidably engaged on said carrier member and operatively connected to said divider body mounting same for pivotal adjustmentinto a position between said walls and abutting the rear Zone of said walls, said divider body being adjustable lengthwise of said carrier member; Y

7. In combination witha display rack including a base and walls which. are spaced apart and extend in substantial parallelism, pairs of said walls definingan elongated trough for receiving stacks made up ,of 811111111- ber of flat elements in adjacent and sideby side relation, a divider, arrangement for each of..said troughsfor said display rack including an elongated carrier member disposed in said trough, a plurality of divider bodies extending in planes transverse to said trough, and slidable means on said carrier member and operatively connected to said divider bodies mounting same for pivotal adjustment into a position between said walls and abutting the rearmost one of said walls, said divider bodies being adjustable lengthwise of said carrier memher.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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