US267426A - Sectional show-case - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) l 3 Sheelts-Sh-eet 1.

P. HENRICHS.

SEGTIONAL SHOW CASE. No. 267,426. Patented Nov. 14, 1882.

#Zik

N. PEYERS` PhuwLuhegmphcr. washington. D. C.

( o Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

` P. HENRIGHS. SEGTIONAL SHOW OASE.

a 8 w 7M 4.

. u N r 1a 6 nu .Tu a/rv m fu M r P E 6.

A im m sa www,

A rlgglugwf- (No Model.)

P. HENRICHS.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 SEGTIONAL SHOW CASE.

Patented Nov. 14, 1882.

iINTTE STATES PETER HENRICHS, OF

SECTIONAL ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOW-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,426, dated November 14, 1882.

Application filed November 16, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER HENRrcns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania7 have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sectional Show-Cases; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters or figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to the construction of sectional show-cases for exhibiting various articles. My show-cases are intended principally for use in stores on the counters for exhibiting line articles ot' merchandise; but their use is not coniined within such limits, as cases constructed, in whole or in part, asI shall hereinafter describe them may be used for bookcases, pigeon-hole cases, and wardrobes.

rIhe various features of my invention will fully appear in the following general description and claims.

My device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Figure lis a perspective view of a double case, the case being shown as open. Fig. 2 is a like view of a single case. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are views showing details of construction, and will be fully explained hereinafter.

The body of the case consists ofa stationary part, A, and a swinging part, B. IVhen the case is double, as shown in Fig. 1, its stationary part A is of double the width of that part in a single case, or about that, andit is provided with two swinging parts B B. In other respects the details of construction may be the same. However, in the drawings I have shown the two cases constructed somewhat differently for the purpose of illustrating alternative constructions of certain parts, which are, however, susceptible of application on either case.

In a previous patent granted to me May 8, 1877, No. 190,586, I show a case with a stationary and a swinging part. Much of my present invention consists of improvements on the construction there shown. These improvements are as followszrst, in the construction of the stationary part of the case, including its base and top; second, in the construction of the swinging parts or wings, including the manner of hanging the same and overcomingfriction in theirmovement; third, in the con- (No model.)

| struction and adjustment of the shelves. This latter is not in any sensean improvement on anything shown in said patent. y

The above-named improvements are as follows:

The stationary part of the case, whether single or double, is constructed as follows: It is composed of a base, C, a body, A, and a top, D. The body A possesses no special peculiarities of construction. The base C differs from that shown in the patent referred to, in that it has an extension, U,out under the wing, (or, if double, it has extensions each way out under the wings.) This extension of the base is of very great importance, as it gives the lwhole case a firm base, and the swinging of the win gs is not affected by any unevenness in the counter or other object sustaining the case. Further than this, it enables me to hinge or pivot the wing wholly independent of the body A. The wings are pivoted by devices shown in Figs. 6 and 7 at the points b b on the extension C and the extension d of the top. The extensions C extend the full width of the beyond, giving a solid and base-like appearance. On these extensions I inlay curved inetallic tracks I I I, which come up flush with the top of the base. On the under side of the bottom ofthe wing are also inlaid similar metallic tracks, which are so placed that they will overlie the tracks ou the base. One or the other of these sets ot' tracks may be ofBabbitt or other frictionless metal, or both may be, it' desired. Even where both are of iron the effect in avoiding friction is very great.

If desired, friction-rollers may be used on the under side of the bottom ofthe wing. In practice I nd it desirable to raise the track nearest the pivot very slightly above the others, especially at its inner end, as it prevents any tendency to sag the wing 'at a distance from the pivot.

The inner tracksthat is, the ones nearest to the pivotare constructed as shown in Fig. 8, where it will be seen that the lower one is provided with a lug, i, at its outer end, and the upper one-that is, the one on the swinging section-is provided with a catch, i. Vhen the swinging section is thrown out so that it stands at or about at rightan gles to the stationary section, these catches engage and prevent wing, and finish with an ornamental molding IOO the case swinging farther out. The object of this is to keep the swinging case always over the extension G of the base, and thus always sustaining the section B and preventing a strain upon its pivots. When thus constructed, the weight of the swinging section liever comes wholly upon the pivots, but is borne by the base C', and the points of contact between these parts B and C are always on the metal tracks. As before stated, the swinging sections are pivoted at the points b Z1 on the extension C and d. This makes the swinging section wholly independent ot' the body A. Then the swinging sections are sustained upon the base, as described aliove,they might be hinged to the post ofthe body A, with far more likelihood ot' being sustained than where the case B swings free; but such a construction must be weak, especially when it is necessary that the posts be very small, to give a proper finish to the case. By the method of hinging the case B above mentioned the construction is very strong. The hinge I use to mount these is intended to give very great strength to the pivotal point. These hinges are shown in Figs. 6 and 7. I do not make any claim in this application to the hinge shown in these figures, but intend making it the subject of another application. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the irons forming the hinge. Fig. 7 is a section on the line m m in Fig. 6, and shows the base or top, as the case may be, upon which the part l of the hinge is mounted. Part l ofthe hinge is let into the base or top, as the case may be, and part 2 is let into the end ofthe section or wing B. The pivot-bolt is a headless screw, which passes through both parts l and 2 and down into the wood below. Any strain upon this pivot-bolt by the action of the wing is sustained by the whole length of the screw and the wood in which it is set, and also by the partl and the wood in which itis set. The whole construction is very strong, and will sustain a great amount of racking without giving wayin the least. It is much stronger than it would be it' the pivot-point were a part of either ofthe parts l or 2 and depended on their attaching-screws to sustain the racking, and it is also much stronger than it would be if the bolt 3 were alone depended upon without the faeing-piece l. To hinge in this manner it is desirable that the top of the body extend over the wing either thc full width of the wing, as shown in my former patent, and in Fig. 2, or it may simply extend far enough to give a bearing for the pivot and to cover the seam or joint and exclude dust. This slight projection is shown at l in Fig. l. Such a construction as this gives a very tine et'ect, especially in doule cases, and it enables me to put glass tops in the wings, as at b b, which gives more light in the case and adds to the beauty. Itis very advantageous to do this in double cases. In double cases the central or stationary part is double the width (or may be) ofthe wings, and still affords free access, when the case is open, to all the articles on exhibition, because access may be had from either side. This part being so wide, the central top partwould be very much shaded if the top D extended out over the wings, while if made, as shown, with glass tops on the wings the light is unobstructed. Besides this, it makes the wings lighter and makes them look more open and airy.

The construction shown in Fig. 2, so far as the base and top are concerned, is intended more especially for cases where the molding` is silvered or nickel-plated. The object of it is to give as light and fragile an appearance as possible. It will be noticed that the glass panels extend from the top to the base, no cross-rail being used either at the top or bottom. The base and top are finished with a molding having at least two members. As shown it is an ogee. 0n the stationary partt'. c., below and above the part A-this molding is solid, while on the extension C only one member of the molding is used, and the companion member is upon the swinging section B. XVheu the case is closed the molding is complete and uniform around the case. The real base of this case is the part having thereon the member M of the molding, and so of the top. The parts L L and L L of the compartments bear the other member of the molding. In the stationary part these members are joined and in the swinging part they are separate; but when the case is closed the molding all around the case appears solid. In fact, when the case is closed it is hardly observable that it is a sectional case. This ei'ect is helped by the manner of hinging the swinging case, as no hinges are visible. This construction is as applicable to the case shown in Fig. l as to any other. Otherwise than as just described the construction in both Figs. l and 2 is the same.

The shelves are made of racks and arc very light, both as to weight and appearance. They are constructed as follows: F F are end crosspieces, and are made of cast-iron. They are so formed as to be very light. Their inner rib or ange is provided with square notches f', into which fit the ends ofthe longitudinal strips Il, which also have a kerf or notch, h, which receives the rib. A pin, L, passes through the strip H, which is of wood, and is bent up against the under side of the piece F. This pin can be turned around at pleasure from the piece F, as shown by dotted lilies in Fig. 5, and the strip H can thereby be easily removed. The rack when thus constructed is very strong. Theouterlongitudinalstrips,G,areformed with a rabbet, as shown in Fig. l, at g, and in Fig. 3. These strips are thicker than the others, so the iiange or rib formed by therabbet sets up above the face of the other strips, H. This has the effect ofa bead along the edge ofthe shelf and prevents things from slipping otf. This is very useful, especially on the wings, as a sudden opening or closing of one of them might knock things oi the shelf. This rib is also useful when it is desired to lay a pane of glass on the IIO IIS

rack, whichI often do to form a tight shelf for ping ledge while being opened and when at small articles and still maintain the light, airy appearance. (This is shown in Fig. 3.) The bead g in such a construction of the shelf serves as a protection to the edge of the glass as well as a bead along the edge of the shelf. These shelves are sustained and adjusted in the case as follows: E (see Fig. 4, also Fig. l) is a corner-iron, which is attached in each corner of each compartment of the case. It is provided at intervals of about an inch with ledges e,

. which form sockets for the points c of the end pieces, F, of the shelves to rest in. The corner-piece E is of cast-iron, and is made very light, and is so fashioned as to be ornamental. It may be nickeled, bronzed, or otherwise ornamented, and give a handsome effect. It will be readily seen that the shelf can be adjusted at various heights by putting the ends c in the proper sockets e.

Of course I am aware that book and other shelves are adjusted by placing the sticks on which they rest in different notches in cornerpieces in the case; but it will be observed that my construction is different, in that a part of the shelf itself enters the notch, and that no cross-strips are used for the shelf to rest upon; and, also, by the socketshaped form of the notches andthe form of the ends e', which form the corners of the shelves, the shelf, when in place, is held so it cannot sag or move laterally.

I am also aware that cases have heretofore been made with movable sections, having molding on their base, that corresponds to the molding on the case proper, but are not supported by said base when open. My device differs from that, in that the molding on my swinging section is a segmental section ofthe molding on the base which supports the swinging section, and when opened carries the section with it, leaving, however, the lower part upon the base.

I am also aware that doors have been pivoted in the overlapping and nnderlapping ledges ofa case, but not sustained by the lower ledge while being opened. I am also aware that doors have been sustained while being opened, but allowed to hang from the hinges while open. My device differs from both of these, in that I provide an underlapping ledge and pivot the swinging section at the rearand near the stationary section, so that when the sections are separated the one opened will have been sustained during the swinging movement and while at rest. Therefore What I claim is- 1. A show-case having a stationary section, with its base underlapping the swinging section, which is pivoted at the rear of the overlapping and underlapping parts near the Stationary sections, as described, so that t-he movable section will be sustained by the underlaprest, either open or closed.

2. A show-case having a stationary section, with its base provided with friction-tracks and underlapping and its top overlapping the movable section, as described, which is pivoted at top and bottom in the overlapping and underlappng parts, and when opened is sustained by the underlapping part, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a sectional show-case, a stationary part having a base, G, with extension G', anda top, D, with an extension, d, in combination with a swinging section, B, having a glass top, b,

mounted on said extensions C and d, substantially as shown.

4. A show-case havin g a stationary section, with its base underlapping the swinging section, which is provided with a segmental molding, that completes the molding upon the case when the section is closed, and is pivoted at the rear of the overlapping and underlapping ledges, near the stationary sections, as described, so that the movable section will be sustained by the underlapping ledge while being opened and when opened or closed,the whole combined and arranged as set forth.

5. In a sectional show-case wherein the swinging section is mounted upon an extension of t-he base of the stationary section, the combination, with said base and swinging section, of curved frictional tracks, arranged snbstantially as shown, and having upon one of said tracks, and its companion, catches, substantially as shown, for preventing the swinging section swinging beyond the underlying base.

6. In an exhibition-case, a shelf consisting of a rack formed of metallic end pieces, F, having a rib or flange with notches f, and longitudinal strips H, having notches h and clasps 7L', substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In an exhibition-case, a shelf consisting of a rack havingmabbeted longitudinal strips Gr g, and intermediate longitudinal strips, H,

the upper surfaces of which are on the -same ICO IIO

Images