US3058597A - Merchandise display rack - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1962 cs. J. PERKINS 3,058,597

MERCHANDISE DISPLAY RACK FilEd Sept. 19, 1960 Inventor George J.P erk|'r:$

j 14W, ammy/[9mm :H-Hornegs 7, 3,058,597 Patented Oct. 16, 1.962

3,058,597 MERCHANDISE DISPLAY RAK George J. Perkins, 44 Hawthorne Road, Barrington, Ill. Filed Sept. 15?, 1960, Ser. No. 56,873 Ciaims. (Cl. 211-71) This invention relates to a display rack for use at a check-out counter and more particularly is concerned with a display rack adapted for attachment to a cash register for supporting auxiliary equipment and merchandise display containers at a point overhanging the counter.

With the advent of extensive trading stamp merchandising techniques in present day supermarkets, it has become expedient to provide semi-automatic trading stamp dispensing machines for each check-out counter. It is desirable that such machines be located for convenient access and viewing by both the check-out clerk who must Operate the stamp machine and by the customer who wishes to obeserve and verify the clerks operation of the stamp machine. It is also desirable that the machine location is such as not to block or interfere with the efiicient flow of goods through the check-out station. Moreover, it is desirable that the side and rear sections of the stamp machine be masked from and inaccessible to the public.

The principal object of the present invention is to meet the above needs by providing a novel display rack arrangement for convenient mounting across the top of a cash register to support a compact machine outboard of the register and in overhanging relation to a check-out counter and to support impulse type merchandise display containers adjacent and outwardly of the machine to be viewed by customers observing the action of the machine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a standardized rack structure of the above type that is conveniently adaptable to most register arrangements and to both right and left hand counter arrangements.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a rack structure of the above type that mounts to the register without interfering with the location of other display structures commonly located directly above or to the rear of the register.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a familiar supermarket checkout station arrangement illustrating a cash register equipped with the rack of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the rack and is taken on the line 2-2 which is shown in both FIG. 1 and 4;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the rack with parts thereof cut out;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating details of a multiple mounting hole arrangement; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating an alternative seat structure on the rack.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated a familiar check-out station arrangement having the usual cash register 10 situated alongside an elongated check-out counter 11. In accordance with this invention, a novel display rack arrangement is provided and is shown as comprising a rack structure designated generally at 12 mounted lengthwise along the top cover 10C of the register total section of the cash register to extend outboard thereof for supporting a trading stamp dispenser D or other similar type compact machine at such outboard location and for supporting display containers C for impulse type merchandise such as combs, mechanical pencils, and other similar items, the display containers being supported adjacent and outwardly of the dispensing machine and arranged to extend crosswise and partially mask the machine.

=With this arrangement, both the stamp dispenser and the display containers overhang the check-out counter and are conveniently visible and accessible both to a customer being serviced at the counter and to the check-out clerk. The stamp dispenser preferably is of a push button operated type so that the check-out clerk upon noting the total purchase recorded 'by the register may then quickly punch out the corresponding number of trading stamps which are automatically delivered by the dispenser machine. It is important that the dispensing machine be visible to the customer who normally may be expected to observe and verify the clerks operation of this machine. There is advantage in locating the machine adjacent the display containers since the machine acts to attract the customers eye to the location of the impuse type merchandise in the display containers.

It will be noted that the rack also provides increased display space at the check-out counter location, and this location is the most highly prized region in the store. With this arrangement it becomes possible to merchandise small highly desirable impulse type items which normally, due to the ease with which such item could be taken unnoticed, have not and cannot otherwise be offered to customers through self-service channels of distribution. The display rack arrangement, however, locates the items where they are under the constant surveillance of the check-out clerk and where they are repeatedly brought to the attention of the customer watching the stamp dispenser machine.

Since the figures appearing in the register total section of the cash register are located at eye level for the convenience of the average woman check-out clerk, there is important advantage in the use of the present rack arrangement which is mounted to the register cover and which extends horizontally therefrom so that the rack and the articles displayed on it are themselves also at the eye level of the average woman. This is not only con venient to the check-out clerk but more assuredly brings the rack to the attention of the customer who is usually a woman.

The display rack of this invention includes a mounting bar 14 which, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, has a generally channel-shaped cross-sectional configuration and is provided, within its channel pocket, with lengthwise spaced pairs of contact slugs 15 fixed along its underneath side in transversely symmetrical relation to the midwidth plane of the mounting bar. -In the arrangement illustrated herein, four slugs 15 are shown in a rectangular array and they are adapted to provide stable seating engagement against the top cover C of the cash register which, as illustrated, may be of a bluntly peaked configuration. It should also be noted that this mounting bar arrangement is also directly applicable to registers having flat faced top covers and the universal adaptability of the mounting bar to these various register cover shapes simplifiges and facilitates manufacture and distribution of the rac The mounting bar is also provided with lengthwise spaced, lengthwise elongated slots 14S approximately at the location of the contact slugs to receive and be engaged by anchor screws 16 such as are normally employed for fixing the top cover 10C to the register 10. The elongated slots are located and sized to permit of mating the mounting bar to substantially all existing register arrangements, it again being important to achieve universal adaptability to arrangements of the existing registers.

The mounting bar extends lengthwise along the top cover of the register and on the counter side thereof projects outwardly to overhang the counter to a substantial extent. At an intermediate section along its length, a cross bar 17 is fitted with a set of three mounting holes 17H spaced to accommodate attachment of the cross bar to the outwardly projecting end of the mounting bar. Using the center and left-hand mounting holes of the cross bar, it is adapted for attachment to the mounting bar so that the center point of the cross bar is offset to the right relative to the center line of the mounting bar. Correspondingly, using the center and right hand mounting holes in the cross bar, it is attached to the mounting bar so that its center point is offset to the left of the center line of the mounting bar. This arrangement accommodates ready adaptation of the rack to either the righthand or the left-hand types of check-out stations.

The cross bar, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is generally of angular cross-sectional configuration having a vertical flange 17F depending from along its outboard edge and the cross bar is joined to the mounting bar so that the end of the mounting bar abuts this flange.

The cross bar is arranged to receive seat structure 18 for supporting and confining a set of display containers C which, as illustrated herein, may comprise a clear view type of circular plastic drum. For this purpose, the seat structure may comprise a plurality of open centered generally cup-shaped seat rings 18 each having an annular base or floor 18B for supporting engagement with the base of a drum and an upstanding circular flange 18F to confine the drum against accidental displacement. The seat rings are preferably afiixed to the cross bar by spot welding.

Corresponding right-hand and left-hand sets of mounting holes 14LH and 14RH (see FIG. 6), are provided at a location along the mounting bar 14 that is outboard of the register and adjacent to the seat structure 18. Each set of three mounting holes is adapted to mate with holes in an attachment flange 19F of an angular mounting bracket 19 for the stamp dispenser machine D. With the set of holes 14LH, the dispenser is secured to the mounting bar for left-hand check-out station arrangements and with the opposite set of holes, the bracket is secured facing in the opposite direction to adapt the bar torighthand check-out station arrangements. For purposes of illustration, the mounting bracket is illustrated in the preferred position in relation to the seat structure. With reference to FIG. 1, when the seat structure 18 is ofiset to the rear, the stamp dispenser D faces forwardly and is located so that the dispenser is approximately flush with the forward edge of the seat structure. With this arrangement, the display drums mask the dispenser to customers approaching and waiting in line at the checkout counter but expose the dispenser machine to a customer being serviced at the check-out counter.

An alternative seat structure arrangement is shown in FIG. 7 wherein a rectangular seating frame 20 elongated in a direction crosswise of a channelshaped mounting bar 14 is shown as providing a common mounting pocket for a set of three display drums of any suitable shape. Once again the seat structure ha a base flange 20B supporting the drums and an upstanding side flange 29F confining the drums against accidental displacement. It will be apparent that the shape and size of the drums as well as of the seat structure is subject to variation.

The important features of this invention reside in the provision of a display rack mountable to a cash register to extend outboard thereof and provide mounting locations for display containers and for a stamp dispenser machine. The machine is not only functional for semiautomatically dispensing trading stamps but it attracts the customers eye to the display containers. The entire arrangement is spaced substantially above the counter so as not to block the flow of traflic through the counter. Moreover, cigarette racks and related items which have conventionally been attached to project upwardly and rearwardly of the register do not conflict with the present rack. Finally, the rack construction is such that it is adaptable to both left-hand and right-hand check-out station arrangements and it is conveniently adaptable to numerous different existing register constructions. This rack location lends itself to the mechandising of small impulse type items since the rack is under the constant surveillance of the check-out clerk.

It should he understood that the description of the preferred form of the invention is for the purpose of complying with Section 112, Title of the United States Code, and that the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

I claim:

1. In an arrangement wherein a check-out counter is located adjacent and parallel to a cash register and at a lower elevation than a top cover for the register total section of the cash register and wherein a support rack is mounted on the register for holding display mechandise in the view of a customer at said counter, the improvement wherein said support rack comprises an elongated mounting bar of channel shaped transverse cross-section and presenting underneath contact structure mating with the upper face of said top cover to locate said bar in a mounted position to extend along and project outboard of an end of said cover that is adjacent said counter, a cross bar fixed at an intermediate section thereof to a portion of said mounting bar completely outboard of said register, and container mounting seat structure fixed along said cross bar.

2. In an arrangement wherein a check-out counter is located adjacent and parallel to a cash register and at a lower elevation than a top cover for the register total section of the cash register and wherein a support rack is mounted on the register for holding display merchandise in the view of a customer at said counter, the improvement wherein said support rack comprises an elongated mounting bar presenting underneath contact structure mating with the upper face of said top cover to locate said bar in a mounted position to extend along said cover and project outboard of an end of said cover that is adjacent said counter, machine mounting seat structure fixed to an intermediate portion of said mounting bar completely outboard of said register, a cross bar fixed at an intermediate section thereof to an end end portion of said mounting bar located further outboard of said register, and container mounting seat structure fixed along said cross bar.

3. In an arrangement in accordance with claim 2 wherein lengthwise spaced pairs of contact slugs are fixed in transversely symmetrical relation to a midwidth plane 5 v 6 v I of said mounting bar to provide a stable contact sur- References Cited in the file of this patent face arrangement for cooperation with said cover. I UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. In an arrangement 1n accordance w1th claim 2 wherein said mounting bar has lengthwise spaced, length- 1,620,407 S361? 1927 wise elongated mounting slots to receive and be engaged 5 2,080,365 Laslter May 1937 by cover anchor screws for fixing the mounting bar and 117,771 Soplnsk1 May 1938 the cover conjointly to said register. 2,185,907 A1XandeT 1 1940 5. In an arrangement in accordance with claim 2 2,296,028 Gnbble P 1942 wherein said container mounting seat structure comprises 2,599,909 George 1952 a plurality of circular seats spaced apart and fixed along 10 2:776:757 Schoenlaub 8, 1957 the top of said cross bar.

Images