Adjustable merchandise display structure

A merchandise display system has a carrier supported by an array of adjustably interconnecting arms from a mounting base. The mounting base is connectable to a mounting structure in a variety of different orientations so that the carrier can be displayed as desired. The mounting base has a clamp structure which is engageable with a horizontal counter edge, or with a vertical post or partition edge. Where no such edge is available the clamping structure can be detached allowing the mounting base to be mounted directly on a vertical wall surface, e.g. by wood screws.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 a) Field of the Invention
 This invention relates to a new or improved adjustable merchandise display
 structure that is designed primarily for use in retail premises to provide
 a prominent adjustably positioned display to selected items of
 merchandise.
 b) Description of the Prior Art
 Numerous display structures have been developed over the years and designed
 to display various items of merchandise in retail stores. Some of these
 display structures have involved the use of adjustably interconnected
 arms, and such arm structures have been used in many other applications to
 provide an adjustable support arrangement for various articles. For
 example U.S. Pat. No. 153,943 Gray and U.S. Pat. No. 249,587 Clark
 demonstrate the use over one century ago of adjustable arm mechanisms for
 supporting dental trays.
 U.S. Pat. No. 339,061 Joseph discloses a furniture clamp which can support
 a shaft extending either horizontally or vertically, and which includes a
 clamping screw which can be used for attachment to tables or the like.
 U.S. Pat. No. 454,553 Whitten shows a book supporting attachment having
 three sockets arranged at right angles to one another and including a
 screw clamp which can be affixed to a furniture projection.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable arm
 structure which is adaptable for attachment to various structures in a
 retail environment and which can be manipulated to display merchandise,
 e.g. tobacco products at a selected height above a countertop.
 The invention provides a merchandise display system comprising a carrier
 supported by a plurality of adjustably interconnected arms, one said arm
 being received in a mounting base that is adapted for connection to a
 mounting structure, said mounting base comprising: a) a U-shaped clamping
 bracket comprising a flat web plate from a first side of which project two
 parallel limbs which define with the web a channel, an adjustable clamping
 means being associated with one said limb and operative to coact with the
 other said limb to clamp said bracket to the mounting structure; b) an
 attachment plate which lies parallel to an opposite side of said web plate
 and is detachably connected to said web plate by threaded screws that pass
 through aligned holes in said web plate and said attachment plate
 respectively, said holes being positioned for mutual alignment in a
 plurality of different orientations of said plate relative to said web;
 said attachment plate having connected thereto a sleeve that defines an
 axis lying parallel to said attachment plate, said sleeve being sized to
 slidably receive said one arm therein and including releasable locking
 means operative to secure said one arm at a selected longitudinal position
 therein; a first swivel joint inter-connecting an end of said one arm with
 an adjacent end of a second said arm, said swivel joint including a swivel
 clamp that is operative to lock together said first and second arms in a
 selected relative orientation thereof.
 The U-shaped clamping bracket is preferably fabricated from a sheet steel
 plate bent to form a channel section, the flanges of the channel section
 constituting the parallel limbs. The sheet steel plate is of sufficient
 thickness to provide the desired degree of strength and rigidity to the
 mounting attachment. The web plate is substantially rectangular and has
 four regularly spaced threaded apertures therein. The attachment plate is
 similar in size to the web plate, and also has four apertures therein
 arranged at the same spacing as the threaded apertures. Threaded fasteners
 such as screws can be passed through the apertures in the attachment plate
 to engage with the aligned threaded apertures to secure the attachment
 plate to the web plate.
 It will be appreciated that because of the uniform distribution of the
 apertures the attachment plate can be secured to the web plate in
 different orientations at 90.degree. intervals. If desired, additional
 matching apertures could be provided in the web plate and in the
 attachment plate to enable their interconnection at angular intervals
 other than 90.degree..
 The adjustable clamping means can be of any suitable structure, and
 conveniently comprises the arrangement of a clamping screw in threaded
 engagement with one limb of the clamping bracket and having at one end a
 toggle driver and at the other end a clamping head presented towards the
 other limb of the bracket so that rotation of the clamping screw can be
 utilized to clamp the bracket, e.g. onto the edge of a countertop in a
 retail premises. If no countertop is available, then the clamp can
 alternatively be attached to a vertically extending member, e.g. the edge
 of a partition wall or the like. In either situation the attachment plate
 can be oriented relative to the clamping bracket so that the arm of the
 display mechanism that is received in the attachment plate sleeve is
 arranged at the desired orientation.
 In the event that no suitable structure is available for engagement by the
 clamping bracket, the mounting base can be disassembled by withdrawing the
 clamping bracket, and securing the attachment plate directly to a vertical
 wall surface, e.g. by screws passed through the holes in the attachment
 plate and engaged into the wall structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 As seen in FIG. 1, the merchandise display system of the present invention
 comprises a mounting base 2 which provides support for an adjustable arm
 structure 4 which in turn carries a product case 6. As is more clearly
 seen in FIG. 5 the mounting base 2 comprises a mounting bracket 8 of metal
 plate formed into two U-shaped channels each comprising horizontal upper
 and lower flanges 10, 12 interconnected to opposite ends of a vertical web
 plate 14.
 Each of a pair of clamping screws 16 extending parallel to the plate 14 is
 in engagement with a threaded hole in a lower flange 12, the screw having
 an enlarged head 18 at its upper end and a radial toggle bar 20 extending
 through its lower end. It will be understood that rotation of the clamping
 screw will cause the head to move towards or away from the upper flange 10
 and enable the mounting brackets to be clamped onto a counter edge portion
 22 by tightening each screw so that its head presses against the counter
 portion and clamps it against the underside of the upper flange 10. In the
 embodiment illustrated there are two clamping screws 16 which adds
 security and a degree of stability, although in some circumstances a
 single screw will suffice, and in other circumstances more than two screws
 may be desired.
 On the rear side of the web plates 14 are two rectangular steel attachment
 plates 24 each of which carries a sleeve 26. The sleeves 26 are mounted on
 a wall 28 that extends at right angles from each plate 24. The attachment
 plates 24 are substantially identical in form, and the wall 28 of each
 provides support for a respective sleeve 26, the sleeves being in axial
 alignment. As better seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 each sleeve 26 is of
 substantially C-shaped form defining a generally cylindrical through
 passage 30, a gap 34 extending between the limbs 29 of the sleeve receive
 the wall 28 with clearance and opens into the cylindrical passage 30. Each
 sleeve 26 is secured to the associated wall 28 by a pair of screws 31 in
 threaded engagement with the wall. Additionally, each sleeve 26 carries a
 clamping screw 23 which passes through clearance holes in one of the limbs
 29 and the wall 28 and is in threaded engagement with the second limb 29.
 It will be evident that tightening of the screw 33 will be effective to
 narrow the gap between the limbs 29 and the wall 28 and thus constrict the
 cylindrical passage 30, binding the sleeve 26 to the cylindrical arm 40.
 On the other hand slackening of the screw 33 will allow the sleeve 26 to
 relax, releasing the engagement between the sleeve 26 and the arm 40 so
 that the latter can be moved longitudinally relative to the sleeve 26. As
 noted, the wall 28 is received with clearance in the narrow gap 34 between
 the two limbs 29 so that tightening of the screws 33 will have the effect
 of narrowing the gaps 34 and thus constricting the cylindrical passage 30,
 the sleeve 26 being of a resilient metal which can readily accommodate the
 deflection involved.
 The attachment plates 24 are rigidly secured with respect to the mounting
 bracket 8 by means of four short machine screws 23 which pass through
 corresponding holes 25 in the plates 24 and are received in threaded
 engagement in holes 27 in the web plates 14. The two sets of holes 25 and
 27 are arranged in identical square patterns and can be readily aligned to
 secure the attachment plates 24 to the mounting bracket 8 as seen in FIG.
 5. It will also be appreciated that because of the regular spacing of the
 two sets of holes, the plates 24 can likewise be secured to the mounting
 bracket 8 at orientations angularly spaced by 90.degree. from that shown
 in FIG. 5.
 A first tubular arm 40 of the adjustable arm structure has an outside
 diameter corresponding to the bore of the cylindrical passage 30 so that
 when the passage is in unconstricted form the arm 40 can be inserted into
 and adjusted longitudinally relative to the passage 30. Once a desired
 position of adjustment has been achieved the screws 33 are tightened to
 lock the arm 40 relative to the attachment plates 24.
 An adjustable pivot joint 42 interconnects the upper end of the arm 40 to
 one end of a second arm 44, this joint being shown in greater detail in
 FIG. 2 to which reference is now made. A tubular fitting 46 defines a
 socket that receives and is rotatable relative to the upper end of the arm
 40. The fitting 46 terminates in a flat circular plate 48 extending
 diametrically thereof. A second tubular fitting 52 is attached to one end
 of the second arm 44 and likewise has a diametrical circular plate 54
 thereon. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the circular plate 48 has an annular
 ring of radially extending ribs 56, these ribs being at successive angular
 intervals, e.g. of 10.degree.. A similar array of ribs (not shown) is
 provided on the confronting surface of the plate 54. The plate 48 has a
 central square-section hole 60 therein which aligns with a round central
 holes 52 in the plate 54, these holes being sized to receive a carriage
 bolt 64 passed therethrough, the bolt being received in non-rotatable
 condition in the square hole 60, passing through the round hole 62 and
 being in threaded engagement with a knob 66. It will be seen that
 tightening of the knob 66 on the carriage bolt 64 will cause the plates 48
 and 54 to be pressed against one another so that the interengaging ribs 56
 become locked and the arm 44 is thus secured in a predetermined fixed
 angular orientation with respect to the arm 40. To reposition the arm 44
 relative to the arm 40 it is merely necessary to slacken the knob 66 to
 provide sufficient clearance for disengagement of the confronting ribs,
 whereupon the arm 44 can be swivelled to a new location and locked therein
 by tightening of the knob 66.
 By virtue of the rotatable connection between the fitting 46 and the arm
 40, the arm 44 and all the elements supported thereon can be pivoted
 around the vertical axis of the arm 40.
 The arm 44 as seen in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 1 comprises telescopically
 arranged tubular sections 44.1, 44.2, the outer of which carries at its
 end a clamping bracket 48 formed with a tubular bore 70 to receive the
 smaller diameter section 44.2. A radial slot 73 extending from the bore 70
 to the exterior of the clamping bracket separates the two limbs 72. A
 screw 74 carried in one of the limbs extends across the gap and through
 the other limb, being engaged by a threaded knob 76 which can be manually
 operated to tighten or to constrict the bore 70 about the inner arm
 section 44.2. A rod-shaped key 78 carried in the clamping bracket 68 is in
 sliding engagement with an axially extending groove 80 in the arm section
 44.2. The key 78 permits the arm sections 44.1, 44.2 to be telescoped in
 the axial direction, but prevents relative rotation therebetween.
 At the free end of the arm section 44.2 is attached a tubular fitting 82
 which terminates in a flat circular plate 84 formed with a central bore 86
 and arranged in confronting relationship with a similar plate 88 formed
 with a central square hole 90, the plate 88 being formed at the end of a
 fitting 92 which terminates in a cylindrical pin 94. A carriage bolt 96 is
 sized to pass through and engage the square hole 90, pass through the bore
 86 and be threadedly engaged by a rotatable lever clamp 98. The
 confronting faces of the plates 84 do not have serrations or ribs, but are
 relatively smooth, and a friction disc 100 is interposed between them as
 indicated in FIG. 3.
 From the foregoing it will be understood that when the plates 84, 88 are
 pressed against opposite sides of the friction disc 100 and the lever 98
 threaded onto the carriage bolt 96, rotation of the lever in one sense
 will serve to clamp the elements together and thus fix the pin 94 at a
 desired angular disposition with respect to the arm 44. However when it is
 desired to reposition the pin it is merely necessary to slacken the lever
 clamp 98 slightly, and the pin can then be adjusted continuously
 throughout the full range of angular movement rather than being confined
 to 10.degree. adjustment increments as is the joint 42.
 As seen in FIG. 1, the product case 6 is a generally box-shaped element
 having rectangular upper and lower walls 102, 104. The front and the sides
 of the casing can be open, or can be of transparent material to reveal the
 product 106 displayed therein. On the underside of the lower wall 104
 there is a downwardly extending tubular socket 110 sized to receive the
 pin 94, and carrying a clamping screw 112 which can be tightened to form a
 secure attachment to the pin 94. The pin 94 has a short section 94.1 that
 is of reduced external diameter, this section being aligned with the
 clamping screw 112 when the product case is supported on the pin. The
 effect of the reduced diameter section 94.1 is to ensure that any surface
 deformities created therein by engagement of the clamping screw 112 will
 not exceed the diameter of the remainder of the pin 94, and therefore will
 not interfere with the mounting attachment of the socket 110 on the pin
 94.
 The display structure described and illustrated can be attached to a
 counter surface as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 by means of the mounting bracket
 8, and the arms 40 and 44 and pin 94 adjusted in position with respect to
 the mounting base 2 to orient and locate the product display case 6 in a
 desired location. The adjustments available are briefly as follows:
 1) axial and angular adjustment of the arm 40 with respect to the sleeve
 26;
 2) angular adjustment of the arm 44 above the upper end of arm 40;
 3) extension or retraction in the length of the arm 44;
 4) angular adjustment of the pin 94 with respect to the arm 44; and
 5) rotation of the casing 6 about the axis of the pin 94 and socket 110.
 It will be understood that adjustment in the position of the product case 6
 can be achieved rapidly and relatively simply by manipulation of the
 previously described adjustment control elements.
 Where no horizontal counter edge is available to provide a mounting for the
 display system as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a vertical wall edge or
 partition edge 114 or even a post (not shown) can be utilized as indicated
 in FIG. 6. To accomplish this requires a minor manipulation of the
 mounting base. Specifically the four machine screws 23 interconnecting the
 attachment plate 24 to the web plate 14 are removed whereupon the mounting
 bracket 8 is rotated through 90.degree. and reattached to the mounting
 plate by the same four screws. The mounting bracket can then be clamped to
 the vertical structure 114 as shown in FIG. 6. As is evident from FIGS. 5
 and 6, the mounting bracket 8 is formed of two individual U-shaped
 sections, which in the configuration shown in FIG. 5 form with the
 attachment plates 24 a unitary structure. However in the configuration
 shown in FIG. 6 the mounting plate sections are rotated through 90 degrees
 from the position shown in FIG. 5 and the gap between them is now aligned
 with the junction between the plates 24. Accordingly, one of the mounting
 plate sections 8 can be displaced longitudinally of the arm 40 and
 attached to the partition edge 114 at a location vertically spaced from
 the other as shown in broken lines in FIG. 6, this providing a more secure
 attachment of the structure. The spacing between the two mounting brackets
 longitudinally of the arm 40 can be adjusted continuously to achieve the
 desired support characteristics.
 Where no vertical or horizontal edge structure is available, the display
 system can nevertheless still be mounted to any suitable vertical surface
 that is available. To do this, the attachment plate 24 is removed from the
 mounting bracket 8, and then connected directly to a vertical surface as
 indicated in FIG. 7 by means of elongate wood screws 116 or the like
 tapped into the vertical wall surface. In this arrangement the sections of
 the brackets can be vertically separated as discussed above relative to
 FIG. 6. Wall anchors or the like (not shown) can be used if necessary.
 Similarly the attachment plate 24 could be mounted to vertical panels or
 the like by various forms of attachments including threaded fasteners
 passed through aligned holes in the attachment plate and the panel.
 The display structure disclosed is intended to accommodate rather
 lightweight merchandise within the product case 6, i.e. weighing of the
 order of 2 kilograms. In this structure the mounting bracket 8 is of 1/4
 inch steel plate. The vertical tube 40 is of 18 gauge steel, 3/4 inch
 diameter and 18 inches in length. The tube section 44.1 is similar in
 structure to the tube 40, the tube section 44.2 being slightly smaller,
 and the combined length of these tube sections being adjustable from about
 12 inches to about 18 inches.
 Where the merchandise within the display case 6 is of high value, the case
 may be fully enclosed and have a locked access door (not shown).