US2251799A - Refrigerator shelf - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 5, 1941. ENAVE 2,251,799 I REFRIGERATOR SHELF Filed Nov. 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 96 .4. T W W Aug. 5, 1941. A. E. NAVE 9 REFRIGERATOR SHELF Filed Nov. 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 5, 1941 REFRIGERATOR SHELF ilfred E. Nave, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Serve], Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 11, 1931, Serial No. 173,953

6 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus broadly and is particularly concerned with an improved type of adjustable shelving for refrigerator cabinets.

Objects of the invention include, to provide an adjustable shelf construction which maybe adjusted with comparative ease to a plurality of vertical positions; to provide a shelf of this type type which is simple in construction and easily installed in a refrigerator cabinet.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the upper portion of a refrigerator cabinet showing shelving installed therein embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed plan view of the improved shelf and adjacent supporting structure, the shelf being shown in fixed adjusted position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 2but showing the shelf released from its supports ready for vertical adjustment;

Fig. 4 is a view in section and elevation taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the upper portion of a refrigerator cabinet showing a modified type of adjustable shelving installed therein;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the shelves of 5 together with the adjacent supporting structure;

Fig. '1 is an enlarged view in section and elevation taken substantially on the line 'I-'|, Fig. and,

Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of the shelf of Fig. 6 showing the released" position in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings in detail and first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, a refrigerator cabinet is generally indicated at C and has therein a wall or liner 5 which forms the boundary of a food compartment 6 in which the improved adjustable shelves are mounted.

Each of the shelf assemblies includes a shelf proper, consisting of a main frame I which is spanned by a plurality of bars 8 forming the body or supporting portion of the shelf, the bars 8 in this instance being shown as welded to the upper portion of the frame I. Rigidly secured to the one side member I of the frame I is a guide bracket in the form of a channel member 9 in which a slide bar I!) is mounted, the said bracket having a portion 9' which is bent around the frame bar and snugly engages the latter. As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a slide bar I0 is provided and is formed with front and rear offset portions Illa adapted to-engage supporting brackets II which may be secured to the side walls of the liner 5 in any suitable manner, the brackets ll being formed with a plurality of adjusting indentations or notches ii. The slide bar Ill may be and preferably is formed with a handle l3 which is accessible from the front of. the cabinet when the door of the latter, not shown,-is opened.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the drawings, the operation or method of adjustment of the improved shelf will be obvious. When it is desired to raise the shelf to any one of a plurality of vertical positions as defined by the indentations or notches I2, it is only necessary to grasp the handle I3 and pull the slide bar Ill forwardlyuntilthe outwardly bent or offset portions Illa clear the brackets II as shown in Fig. 3. whereupon the shelf may be raised or lowered as desired until the said portions again register with one of the notches l2, whereupon the handle I3 is pushed inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2.

This type of shelf is not only easily adjusted and readily accessible for adjustment, but it has the advantage of rigidity and ruggedness in construction which is ofttimes lacking in shelves of the adjustable type.

Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive show a modification in structure wherein the cabinet is indicated at C, the liner at 5' and the food compartment at 6'. In this instance, the shelf comprises a frame generally indicated at "la having thereon bars la. The side portion 1b of the frame I has secured thereon a centrally located one-way or stop bracket l4 and end supporting hinge brackets l5 and IS. The guide bar I6 is bent or offset at an intermediate point to provide a locking portion ii, the opposite ends of the bar being bent or turned inwardly as at H and I1 to engage in notches or indentations is formed in side supports ll, there being a plurality of notches to provide a plurality of vertical positions for the shelf. By referring to Fig. 7. itwill be noted that the lock bracket l5 projects laterallyand overlies the portion I6 of the bar is above but not below said portion, to thereby limit the rotational movement of said bar in one direction. To adjust this type of shelf, it is only necessary to lift or raise the shelf at an angle as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8-, the ends I! and I1 then clearing the notches l8, permitting the shelf to be released from both supports 98 and adjusted to the desired vertical position in the refrigerator compartment.

This type of shelf is alsoreaclily accessiblefor adjustment from the front of the food compartment and may be quickly. and easily adjusted.

It will be understood that certain minor I changes in details of construction and design may be adopted within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. Shelving for the food compartment of a refrigerator cabinet'comprising notched or indented supports associated with the side walls. of said,-

compartment, a shelf proper having means at one side adapted to engage in the notches of the ing bracket, said bar being accessible for manipulation from the front of the compartment.

4. Shelving for the food compartment of a refrigerator cabinet comprising supporting brackets fixed to opposite side walls of the food compartment and having notches or indentations arranged in vertically stepped relation therein,

i a shelf proper having a frame member which at one side is adapted to engage in the notches of the adjacent supporting bracket and at its opposite side is provided with a guide bracket, and a locking draw bar slidably mounted'in said guide bracket and having portions which are ofiset laterally to engage in the notches of the opposed supporting bracket and to be freed from said bracket when the'locking bar is slid forwardly,

- said bar being provided with a handle accessible from the front of said compartment.

5. Shelving for the food compartment of a refrigerator cabinet comprising supporting brackets fixed to opposed side walls of, said compartment and having notches or indentations arranged in vertically stepped relation therein, a shelf proper bounded by a frame member which at one side isadapted to engage in the notches of the adjacent supporting bracket and at its oppoadjacent support and a locking draw bar slidably mounted at the opposite side of the-shelf and having portions adapted to engage in. the notches of the adjacent supports, 'and be released from said notches by movement of the bar inwardly and outwardly of the, food compartment.

2. Shelving for the food compartment of a resite side is provided with a guide bracket of channel shape in cross section, and a locking draw bar slidably mounted in said channel and having portions which are offset laterally outwardly tov ward said wall for engagement in the notches of frigerator cabinet comprising supporting members on opposed side 'walls of the compartment and having vertically stepped notchesor indentations therein, ashelf proper having a frame provided with a bracket at one side. thereof; a locking draw bar slidably mounted insaid bracket and having portions which are offset to A engage in the notches of the adjacent supporting member or be released from said notches when the draw bar'is drawn forwardly, and means associated with the opposite side of said frame permitting releasable engagement with the notches. of the opposed supporting member.

- 3. Shelving for the food compartment of a refrigerator cabinet comprising Y supporting brackets fixed to opposed sides of the said comthe adjacent supporting bracket, said bar being releasable from said notches through sliding movement forwardly with respect to the compartment.

6. Shelving for the food compartment of a refrigerator cabinet comprising supports associated with the side walls of said compartment providing a plurality of vertically spaced shelf receiving notches or indentations, a shelf proper extending substantially the distance between said supports and having a frame of substantially rigid construction, said frame comprising opposed side members and front andrear members, one

partment and having notches or indentations arranged in stepped relation vertically therein,

a shelf proper having a frame of open construction which at one side is adapted to engage in the notches of the adjacent supporting brackets, and

, a sliding bar mounted on the opp site side of said frame formovement inwardly and outwardly of engage. in the notches of the opposed support of said side members being adapted to be engaged in the. notches of the adjacent of said supports, the other of said side members being provided with a bracket; an extension from said shelf movably mounted in said bracket so that said extension may be moved to assume more than one position while said shelf is in its operative vposition, said extension being adapted when moved to one position to be engaged in the notches of the other of said supports to hold Said shelf in 5 its load-bearing position, said extension being the compartment and having portions adapted to j adapted when moved to another position to be released from said notches so that said shelf may be vertically re-positioned.

ALFRED E. NAVE.

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