Knock down store display fixture

An improved frictional connection or joint for interconnecting parts in knock down display fixtures. The joint is of a telescopic type having a flat strap which is attached to one member and telescopes into an opening in a second member. Spaced apart clips are provided on the strap for frictionally engaging the interior member opening when the strap is moved to a position such that both clips are within the opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to store display fixtures and more 
particulary to an improved joint construction for a display fixture which 
is readily knocked down for shipment and reassembled with only a hammer. 
It is desirable to have store display fixtures which are either totally 
disassembled or only partially assembled for shipment in order to minimize 
the size of the shipping container, thereby reducing the shipping and 
storage costs. Assembly of the display fixture after shipment often 
requires the use of several tools. Commonly, parts are telescoped together 
and are held together either by friction or with bolts. There are several 
disadvantages to using bolts for assembling display fixtures. The use of 
the bolts require the availability of tools and a degree of skill in 
following assembly instructions. Also, there is a risk that the bolts will 
be lost during shipment or that the manufacturer may accidently provide 
insufficient bolts. Furthermore, the manufacturer must carefully drill 
holes in the parts so that the holes properly align to receive the bolts 
during assembly. 
Problems also sometimes occur with parts which are held together by 
friction. If manufacturing tolerances are not accurately maintained, the 
parts either may not go together or may not stay together. For example, 
legs on display fixtures sometimes are telescoped into the bottom of the 
fixture frame and held in place with friction. If the legs become loose, 
they will fall from the fixture if the fixture is lifted for any reason. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, an improved knock down display fixture 
is provided with novel frictional connections for attaching parts to the 
fixture during assembly. The connection is particularly useful for 
attaching base leg assemblies to rectangular cross-section openings in a 
fixture frame. 
A member such as a base leg assembly is attached to the end of an upright 
or tube having a rectangular cross-section. Initially a flat strap is 
welded or otherwise attached to the member. The strap telescopically 
slides into an open end of the upright or tubular frame member and abuts 
one side of the tube. The strap is dimensioned to slide into the tube with 
a minimum edge clearance to prevent edgewise movement of the strap within 
the tube. Two clips are welded or otherwise attached to the strap in a 
spaced apart relationship. The clips are dimensioned to have an 
interference fit with the interior of the tube when the strap is 
positioned abutting the tube side. 
In assembling the connection, the strap is angled relative to the tube to 
permit the first clip to enter and slide into the tube until the second 
clip reaches the end of the tube. At this point, the member and the 
attached strap are pivoted until the strap abuts the interior side of the 
tube. Finally, the remainder of the strap and the two clips are driven 
into the tube, for example, with a hammer, until the second clip also 
engages the interior of the tube and the member abuts the end of the tube. 
Thus, the member may be attached to the tube by loosely inserting the 
strap into the tube most of the way and driving the strap and attached 
clips in only a short distance. Frictional engagement occurs only during 
the end of the insertion, for example, during the last 1 inch of insertion 
for a strap on the order of from 8 to 10 inches in length. Thus the 
connection differs from other telescopic connections which are loose 
throughout the insertion and require a bolt or other fastener for holding 
the parts together and it differs from frictional connections which are 
tight during the entire insertion operation. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an 
improved connection for use in knock down store display fixtures and the 
like. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved frictional 
connection for connecting a member to the end of a tube having a 
rectangular cross-section. 
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the 
following detailed description, with reference being made to the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Turning now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a display 
fixture 10 is illustrated in accordance with the present invention. The 
display fixture 10 is designed so as to be easily knocked down for 
shipment in a relatively flat carton. The display fixture 10 generally 
includes a frame 11 formed from three spaced, parallel uprights 12, 13 and 
14, two upper cross tubes 15 and a lower cross tube 16. The uprights 12, 
13 and 14 and the cross tubes 15 and 16 are welded together to form a 
rigid structure. One of the upper cross tubes 15 extends between the 
uprights 12 and 13 and the other upper cross tube 15 extends between the 
uprights 13 and 14. The three uprights 12, 13 and 14 have open upper ends 
17 and the outer uprights 12 and 14 also have open lower ends 18. Each of 
the uprights 12, 13 and 14 also is provided with two parallel rows of 
vertically spaced openings 19. 
Two hanger arms are located within each of the upright openings 17, with 
left and right slant hanger arms 20 and 21, respectively, located in the 
openings 17 in each of the outer uprights 12 and 14 and with two identical 
horizontal hanger arms 22 located in the opening 17 for the center upright 
13. Each of the hanger arms 20, 21 and 22 is provided with a vertical 
section 23 which telescopes into one half of an upright opening 17. A 
suitable spring loaded plunger 24 is located on each vertical section 23 
for engaging one of the spaced openings 19. By selectively engaging the 
plungers 24 with the openings 19, the height of each individual hanger arm 
20-22 is individually adjustable. The spring loaded plungers 24 may be of 
a conventional design, or, they may be of an improved design such as is 
shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,230 to David W. Acuff. Furthermore, the 
openings 19 which receive the plungers 24 may be of either a circular or a 
rectangular cross-section. 
In accordance with the present invention, an improved frictional connection 
or joint 30 is provided between the frame 11 and two base leg assemblies 
31, as shown in detail in FIGS. 2-6. Each base leg assembly 31 includes a 
horizontal base tube 32 having opposite ends 33 and 34. A separate leveler 
foot 35 is attached to each base tube 32 adjacent each end 33 and 34 for 
adjustment to floor irregularities and to arrange the display fixture 10 
with the frame 11 extending vertical. 
An elongated flat member or strap 36 is attached by a weld 39 to the center 
of a top side 37 of the base tube 32 and adjacent an outer side 38. The 
strap 36 projects upwardly from and perpendicular to the base tube 32 and 
extends parallel to the outer side 38. The strap 36 is attached to the top 
side 37 at a location spaced inwardly from the outer side 38 by the 
thickness of the metal in one side 42 of the tubes 12 and 14, as best seen 
in FIG. 4. The strap 36 is rectangular in shape and has two parallel edges 
43 and 44 which are spaced apart by a distance slightly less than the 
spacing between two opposed sides 45 and 46 of the uprights 12 and 14. Two 
clips 47 and 48 are attached to the strap 36 with spot welds 49. Each of 
the clips 47 and 48 has a side 50 sloping away from the strap 36. The side 
50 on each clip 47 and 48 extends to a bend 51 spaced from the strap 36 
and then the clips 47 and 48 terminate at an inwardly bent portion 52 
which may be a continuous side extending across the width of the clips or 
may be divided into two or more fingers, as shown. Although the clips 47 
and 48 are illustrated as being separate from but welded to the strap 36, 
it should be appreciated that the clips may be formed integrally with the 
strap 36 by stamping the clips from portions of the strap. However, the 
clip 48 must be formed without significantly weakening the strap 36 
adjacent the base tube 32. 
The clip 47 is attached to an end 53 of the strap 36 so that the bend 51 on 
the clip 47 extends past the strap end 53. The other clip 48 is attached 
to the strap 36 with the bend 51 close to but slightly spaced from the 
weld 39 between the strap 37 and the base tube 32. Prior to attaching the 
base leg assemblies 31 to the frame 11, the total thickness of the strap 
36 plus the height of the clips 47 and 48 to the bends 51 is slightly 
greater than the spacing between the side 42 and an opposing side 54 of 
the uprights 12 and 14. Consequently, there is an interference fit between 
the strap 36 and the attached clips 47 and 48 with the interior opening in 
each upright 12 and 14. 
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, assembly of the joint 30 is illustrated. 
Prior to attaching a base leg assembly 31 to the frame 11, the clip 47 on 
the strap 36 is positioned adjacent the upright opening 18 and the base 
leg assembly 31 is tilted relative to the frame 11, as shown in FIG. 5. 
Tilting provides sufficient clearance to allow the clip 47 and the strap 
36 to be moved into the upright opening 18, as shown in FIG. 6. By 
maintaining a slight angle between the strap 36 and the upright side 42, 
sufficient clearance is provided to allow the clip 47 and the strap 36 to 
move into the upright opening 18 until the clip 48 abuts the upright 
opening 18. At this time, it is necessary to tap the base tube 32 with a 
hammer to drive the clip 48 into the upright opening 18 until the base 
tube 32 abuts the upright 12 or 14. It will be noted that the clip 47 and 
the strap 36 are easily positioned within the upright 12 or 14 until the 
clip 48 abuts the upright 14. It is necessary only to drive the strap 36 
and the two clips 47 and 48 into the upright 12 or 14 the short distance 
required to move the clip 48 into the upright. However, once the joint 30 
is assembled, tight interference type fit occurs between the uprights 12 
or 14, the strap 36 and the two spaced apart clips 47 and 48 to tightly 
hold the strap 36 against the upright side 42. Consequently, the joint 30 
is very stable against lateral movement between the leg base assemblies 31 
and the frame 11. Thus, the joint 30 differs from prior art frictional 
connections in which an interference or tight fit takes place throughout 
insertion of the leg assembly to the frame and it also differs from prior 
art joint constructions in which the leg or a portion of the leg assembly 
fits loosely into the frame and is held in place with a separate connector 
such as a bolt or screw. 
Various modifications and changes may be made in the above described 
display fixture 10 without departing from the spirit and the scope of the 
following claims. For example, the display fixture 10 has been described 
as being of a type which includes a generally flat frame and six hanger 
arms 20-22. However, it will be appreciated that the joint or connection 
30 may be used in other types of display fixtures to form a tight 
connection between fixture parts while permitting the fixture to be 
shipped in a knock down condition.