Shelf supporting bracket arrangement

A shelf support apparatus includes a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending channel members facing each other and crosspieces which extend between the channel members and supports the shelf. Each channel member defines a guideway therein. The side of each channel member which faces the other channel member has two spaced apart front walls defining a slot between them. The slot extends along the length of the channel member. A plurality of support means are formed on each front wall of each channel member and extends into the guideway of the channel member. The support means are preferably longitudinally spaced along the channel members. Each crosspiece has relatively narrow portions extending through the slots in a pair of channel members and relatively wide support portions disposed within the guideways in the pair of channel members. Each end portion of the crosspiece is supported on support means extending into the guideways in the pair of channel members. The crosspieces, and therefore the shelf, can be readily repositioned along the channel members without removing the crosspieces from the guideways in the channel members.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a new and useful apparatus for supporting a shelf 
or the like. It relates particularly to a shelf support apparatus which 
can be manipulated into a variety of different shelf supporting 
arrangements, which provides strong and secure support for the shelves, 
and in a way which maintains an aesthetically pleasing appearance. 
Shelving systems can be regularly found throughout retail stores and 
warehouses for supporting and displaying articles of merchandise. In the 
applicant's experience, it is important for such shelving systems to have 
certain characteristics which make them desirable for use in such 
establishments. Specifically, they should provide strong and secure 
support for the articles supported thereon. They should be easily 
adjustable for repositioning the shelves to accommodate different kinds 
and sizes of articles. They should also be of simple construction, and 
should present an aesthetically pleasing appearance. 
The present invention provides a shelf support system, and components for 
such a shelf support system, which achieve the foregoing objectives. The 
components are relatively simple in construction, and are readily 
assemblable and adjustable into a variety of different shelf supporting 
arrangements. They provide a strong and secure support for display 
shelves, and in a way which produces a neat, efficient, and generally 
aesthetically pleasing appearance. 
In accordance with a preferred form of the present invention, the shelf 
support system includes longitudinally extending pairs of channel members, 
and shelf-supporting crosspieces which extend between the pairs of channel 
members. The channel members have longitudinally extending guideways for 
receiving, supporting and guiding end portions of the crosspieces. The end 
portions of a crosspiece can be inserted into the respective guideways in 
a pair of channel members while the crosspiece is in a first orientation 
relative to the channel members. In that orientation, the crosspiece can 
move freely, in both longitudinal directions, in order to position it at a 
desired height in the channel members. The crosspiece can then turn, 
through about 90.degree. to a second orientation in which its end portions 
can engage support members which are in the guideways, and which will 
support the crosspiece in a strong and secure manner. A crosspiece can be 
rotated back to its first orientation when it is desired to change the 
position of the crosspiece, or to remove the crosspiece from the channel 
members. 
With the invention, the support structure for the crosspieces is mainly 
inside the channels. Thus, it is substantially hidden from view, and that 
enhances the aesthetic appearance of the shelf support system. Further, 
the fact that crosspieces which are not being used to support shelves can 
be readily removed from the channel members also enhances the aesthetic 
appearance of the shelf support system. Still further, the specific 
structure of the channel members is such that they could even be 
incorporated as integral parts of a building wall, if desired, rather than 
formed as separate members.

DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 shows a shelf assembly 10 which is formed by the principles of the 
invention, and which supports a series of shelves 20 for items of 
merchandise. The shelf assembly 10 includes a top part 12, a base 14, and 
a plurality of longitudinally extending tubular channel members 16 
extending vertically between the base 14 and the top part 12. Extending 
between, and supported by respective pairs of the channel members 16 are a 
series of crosspieces 18. The shelves 20 are supported on respective pairs 
of the crosspieces 18. 
Each crosspiece 18 is associated with a pair of channel members 16. The 
crosspiece extends between a pair of channel members and has end portions 
25 (FIG. 3) which extend into the pair of channel members 16 and are 
releasably supported within the pair of channel members 16. The end 
portions 25 of a crosspiece 18 can be released from the channel members 
16, in order to change position of the crosspiece in the shelf assembly 
10, or to remove the crosspiece from the shelf assembly 10. 
Each crosspiece 18 is a longitudinally extending member with a center 
portion 24 and a pair of end portions 25. The center portion 24 comprises 
a relatively wide, planar body 27 and spaced apart ribs 48 extending 
perpendicular to the planar body 27. The end portions 25 are planar, 
preferably coplanar with the planar body 27, and include (i) relatively 
narrow neck portions 26 which extend through longitudinal slots 22 in a 
pair of channel members 16 and (ii) relatively wide support portions 28 
which are supported within the pair of channel members 16. Spaced apart 
ribs 48 extend upward from the planar body 27 of the crosspieces 18 when 
the crosspieces are supported in the channel members 16, and serve to 
laterally align and support a shelf 20 on the crosspiece 18. 
Each channel member 16 is preferably a longitudinally extending, generally 
box-shaped tubular member (see particularly FIGS. 2 and 3). Each channel 
member 16 includes a back wall 30, a pair of parallel side walls 32, and a 
pair of coplanar front walls 34. On each channel member 16, the coplanar 
front walls 34 are spaced apart from each other and define the 
longitudinally extending slot 22 in the channel member. Each front wall 34 
has an outside surface 36 and an inside surface 38. The front walls 34 of 
each pair of channel members 16 which support a crosspiece are parallel to 
each other, and have outside surfaces 36 which face each other (see FIG. 
3). Thus, the longitidinal slots 22 in each pair of channel members 16 
which support a crosspiece 18 are in facing relation with each other. 
On each channel member 16, the back wall 30 and the side walls 32 have 
inside surfaces which, together with the inside surfaces 38 of the front 
walls 34 define a longitudinally extending guideway 39 within the channel 
member 16. When a crosspiece is connected with a pair of channel members, 
the relatively narrow necks 26 of the end portions 25 of the crosspiece 18 
extend through the facing slots 22 in the pair of channel members 16, and 
the relatively wide portions 28 of the crosspiece are disposed in the 
guideways 39 of the pair of channel members. 
Support means are provided at longitudinally spaced locations within the 
guideways 39 of each channel member 16 for releasably supporting the end 
portion of a crosspiece 18 therein. In each channel member 16 the support 
means preferably comprises pairs of support members 40 which extend into 
the guideway 39 in the channel member from the inside surfaces 38 of the 
front walls 34. The support members 40, as shown, are integrally formed 
with the fronts walls 34 of the channel member. When the channel members 
16 are formed of metal, the support members 40 can be stamped out of the 
front walls 34. It is also contemplated that other types of support means 
can be used, such as pins or screws sticking through the front walls 34 
and into the channel member 16. 
When a crosspiece 18 is supported by a pair of channel members 16, the 
relatively wide portions 28 at the ends of the crosspiece 18 rest on 
respective support members 40 in the pair of channel members. In that 
orientation, the crosspiece 18 cannot be removed from the channel members 
and the support members 40 provide strong and secure support for the 
crosspiece. The support members 40 are longitudinally spaced along the 
channel members 16 so that the respective support members 40 which support 
both end portions of each should be at the same height from floor level. 
Thus, the crosspieces 18 and the shelves 20 will be level. 
A crosspiece 18 is readily releasable from a pair of channel members 16 for 
changing the height of the crosspiece, or for removing the crosspiece from 
a pair of channel members 16. The relatively wide portion 28 of the 
crosspiece 18 has a geometry which is similar to the geometry of the 
guideways 39 in the channel members. Thus, it can be lifted off a pair of 
support members 40 to release it from the support members. Once released 
from the support members 40 in a pair of channel members 16, the 
crosspiece can be turned through a 90.degree. angle to an orientation in 
which it can move freely into and out of the pair of channel members, and 
can also move freely in both longitudinal directions in the channel 
members in order to change the position of the crosspiece. 
FIG. 5 schematically illustrates how the position of a crosspiece 18 in a 
channel member is changed. The crosspiece is shown at A in a first 
orientation in which one of its relatively wide portions 28 rests on a 
pair of support members 40 in a channel member 16. The crosspiece 18 can 
be released from the support members 40, by lifting the crosspiece 18, in 
the direction indicated by arrow 42, to bring its relatively wide portions 
28 to the position indicated in phantom at B. The crosspiece 18 can then 
be turned through about 90.degree. (see arrows 44) while its wide portions 
28 are still inside the channel members 16, to bring it to a second 
orientation indicated in phantom at C. When it is in the orientation shown 
at C, relatively wide portions 28 of the crosspiece will be clear of the 
support members 40, and the crosspiece will be able to move freely in both 
longitudinal directions. Thus, to change its position the crosspiece 18 
can then be moved in a desired direction, e.g. upward, in the direction of 
arrow 42, to a position above the next set of elongated support members 
40D. The crosspiece 18 is then turned back through 90.degree. to the first 
orientation A and rested on the elongated members 40D, as indicated at D. 
As can be seen from the foregoing description, in order to change the 
position of a crosspiece 18, the crosspiece 18 is lifted, turned through 
90.degree., repositioned, turned back through 90.degree., and placed in 
the newly desired position. The relatively wide support portions 28 of the 
crosspiece 18 remain in the guideways 39 of the channel members 16 while 
the crosspiece's position is changed. Thus, repositioning the crosspieces 
18 in the channel members is an efficient operation. 
The crosspieces 18 are also easily inserted into and removed from a pair of 
channel members 16. To insert a crosspiece 18 between a pair of vertically 
extending channel members 16, the crosspiece is first positioned as shown 
in solid lines in FIG. 6, at an angle to the horizontal. The crosspiece 18 
is turned about its longitudinal axis (i.e. to the orientation shown at C 
in FIG. 5) so that its end portions 25 can move through the slots 22 and 
into the channel members 16. The crosspiece 18 is then pivoted, in the 
direction of arrows 46, into the position shown in phantom in FIG. 6, with 
the relatively wide support portions 28 within the channel members 16 and 
the relatively narrow neck portions 26 disposed in the slots 22. The 
crosspiece 18 is then shifted longitudinally until it is aligned with the 
desired support members 40, and is turned about its longitudinal axis and 
rested upon a pair of support members 40 in each channel member 16. In 
order to remove the crosspiece 18 from a pair of channel members 16, the 
above-described insertion process is simply reversed. 
The shelf support apparatus of the present invention will securely support 
a shelf, and yet presents an aesthetically pleasing appearance since the 
support members 40 which support the crosspieces 18 are within the channel 
members 16 and thereby hidden from view. Moreover, the channel members 16 
can even be incorporated in a building wall, which can further enhance the 
aestethic appearance of the shelf system. 
The crosspieces 18, which may be made out of plastic or metal, preferably 
include the planar body 27, on which a shelf 10 can rest and the 
upstanding ribs 48 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which resist lateral shifting of a 
shelf. More specifically, if a shelf has depending rims at its ends, the 
upstanding ribs 48 define channels which can receive the depending rims to 
secure the shelves against lateral shifting. Where the shelves do not have 
depending rims, the upstanding ribs 48 still define stop surfaces which 
prevent lateral shifting of the shelves. 
From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the shelf support 
apparatus of the present invention provides crosspieces 18 which provide 
strong, secure, yet easily releasable support for shelves 20. The shelves 
20 are readily repositioned by the simple operation of moving the 
crosspieces 18 within the guideways 39 in the channel members 16. The 
shelf support apparatus of the present invention is simple, easy to 
manufacture, and easy to assemble, and presents an aesthetically pleasing 
appearance.