Display structure

A plurality of generally rectangular frames (21) releasably hinged together and having display panels (36) mounted in display areas defined by the frames. Each frame is of tubular metal of rectangular cross section and includes a horizontal top frame member (19), having downturned end portions, and a U-shaped bottom frame member (21), having laterally spaced vertical tubular side frame portions with longitudinal slots. Connector pins (26) make sliding connection between the top frame member and the bottom frame member. Display panels in the display areas are formed with laterally projecting mounting tabs (37) that are received in the slots of the side frame members, and of the connection pins if necessary, to hold the panels in place. Supporting legs (15), which may also be of tubular material, have pivoting yokes (32) at their upper ends that slidingly engage the bottom frame portions of the frames, and clamping elements (39) releasably lock the bottom frame portions against sliding movements in the yokes: for table mounting, simple nonpivoting supports (142) are provided. Lighting fixtures (121) are slidably secured to the tops of the frames.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to display structures, and more 
particularly to such structures that include panels for educational or 
advertising purposes. The invention involves such structures that are 
free-standing, that may be knocked down to occupy a minimum of space for 
storage, that may be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled for 
shipment in a compact package, and in which displays may be quickly and 
easily changed when desired. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The display structure of this invention comprises frame means enclosing at 
least a pair of generally rectangular frames each defining a display area 
and each including a horizontal tubular top frame member having downturned 
opposite end portions with open lower ends and a U-shaped tubular bottom 
frame member having a horizontal bottom portion and a pair of laterally 
spaced, upturned side frame portions with open upper ends laterally spaced 
for alignment with said downturned portions. The end portions of one frame 
member include connector pins received in respective open ends of the 
other frame member, and the side frame portions have apposed longitudinaly 
slots to the interiors thereof. Display panels, each disposed in a 
different display area, have outwardly projecting mounting tabs at the 
opposite side edges thereof, the tabs being received in the slots of 
respective side frame portions and having lower ends engaging the lower 
ends of said slots to be supported thereby. Hinge means connect the frames 
for pivotal movement relative to each other on at least one vertical axis, 
and the display structure may further include tubular means for pivotably 
supporting said frames so as to enable the angular relation therebetween 
to be varied. The tubular means are preferably of rectangular cross 
section. 
Embodiments of the invention having three and four display areas are 
specifically shown, and are provided with means for illuminating the 
display panels comprising lamp fixtures removably and slidably secured to 
the top frame members. 
Various advantages and features of novelty which characterize my invention 
are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and 
forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the 
invention, its advantages, and objects attained by its use, reference 
should be had to the drawing which forms a further part hereof, and to the 
accompanying descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated and 
described certain preferred embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIGS. 1-5 show a first display structure 10 produced in accordance with 
this invention. It comprises a plurality of generally rectangular frames 
11, 12 and 13, that are supported in vertical positions by a generally 
U-shaped support 14 which includes a pair of vertical leg portions 15 
extending upwardly from a bottom cross bar portion 16. A pair of foot 
implements 17 are secured to the leg portions 15 adjacent their lower 
ends, by screws or like fasteners 18. For the purpose of the present 
example, the frames 11, 12 and 13, as well as the support 14, are shown as 
being fabricated from cross-sectionally rectangular tubing, preferably of 
metal. 
The frame 12 is shown in FIG. 1 as being a central frame, the frames 11 and 
13 being disposed at opposite sides of the frame 12. Each of frames 11, 12 
and 13 comprises a top frame member 19 including a horizontally disposed 
top frame portion 19a having downturned, laterally spaced opposite end 
portions 20, and a U-shaped bottom frame member 21 having a horizontally 
disposed bottom frame portion 21a bent upwardly as indicated at 22 to 
provide vertical side frame portions 23 and 24 laterally spaced by the 
same distance as end portions 20 of top frame member 19. The downturned 
end portions 20 have welded or otherwise rigidly secured therein connector 
pins 26 that are slidably received in the upper ends of the vertical 
portions 23, 24 of the bottom frames members 21. 
For the most part, the vertical frame portions 23, 24 are identical, the 
inner wall of each having a slot 28 therein that extends longitudinally 
for a substantial portion of the length thereof, the bottoms 27 of the 
slots being preferably above frame portions 21a by equal, substantial 
amounts. As shown in FIG. 3, the slots 28 of the frame portions 23 and 24 
of frame 11 are apposed, for a purpose which will hereinafter become 
apparent. The same arrangement exists between the slots of the frame 
portions 23 and 24 of frames 12 and 13. 
Frames 11 and 13 are pivotably connected to opposite sides of frame 12 by 
hinges including hinge elements 29 on frame portions 23, cooperating hinge 
elements 30 on frame portions 24, and loose hinge spindles 31. The hinges 
enable the frames 11, 12 and 13 to be disposed at various angles relative 
to each other. Since only frames 11 and 13 rest on support 14, hinge 
portions 30 in frame 13 are located to rest on hinge portions 29 of frames 
11 and 13. 
A pair of generally U-shaped yokes 32 are provided with mounting stems or 
pins 33 that extend downwardly into the ends of the leg portions 15, the 
yokes 32 slidably receiving the bottom frame portions 21a, as shown in 
FIG. 5. Each of the yokes 32 is provided with a plate-like clamping member 
34 which overlies the bottom frame portion 21a, and which is releasably 
secured to the yoke 32 by a set of clamping screws 35. For initially 
positioning the several frames 11, 12 and 13 at desired angular 
displacements with respect to one another, the clamping members 34 are 
loosened to permit sliding movements of the bottom frame portions 21a with 
respect to the yokes 32. When the desired positions of the several frames 
are established, the clamping screws 35 are tightened, so as to hold the 
frames in their desired angular relationships. With reference to FIG. 5, 
it is to be noted that the stems 33 are cylindrical in shape, so as to 
permit the yokes 32 to rotate with respect to the legs 15. 
Each of the frames 11, 12 and 13 supports a different one of a plurality of 
generally rectangular display panels 36 that are adapted to having printed 
or otherwise mounted thereon pictorial or printed matter, or any means of 
conveying a message, not shown. The panels 36 are formed to provide 
outwardly projecting tabs 37 at the opposite edges thereof, the tabs 37 
being elongated in a vertical direction. The tabs 37 are adapted to 
project through the slots 28 in the vertical frame portions 23, 24, and 
have their lower ends resting on the bottom ends 27 of the slots 28, as is 
best shown in FIG. 2. The panels 36 are preferably rigid, the tabs 37 
thereof being preferably of a thickness only slightly less than the width 
of the slots 28 in the vertical frame portions. When it is desired to 
mount a given panel 36 in its respective frame 11, 12 or 13, it is only 
necessary to remove the top frame member 19 from engagement with its 
respective vertical frame portions 23, 24, after which panel 36 may be 
positioned above the upper ends of the vertical frame portions, the tabs 
37 aligned with their respective slots 28, and the panel 36 moved 
downwardly until the lower ends of the tabs 37 engage the lower ends 27 of 
the slots. With the panel 36 thus put in place, the top frame member is 
replaced on the upper ends of its respective vertical side frame portions 
23, 24. 
In FIGS. 1, a pair of lamp fixtures 38 of appropriate structure are shown 
as being provided with mounting arms 39, the lower ends of which are 
connected to yokes 40 similar to the yokes 32, slidably mounted on the top 
frame members 19. Yokes 40 are provided with clamping plates 41 and 
clamping screws 42, as described for yokes 32. 
With the above-described arrangement, display panels 36 may be quickly and 
easily removed from their respective mounting frames and replaced by 
similar panels, without affecting the angular relation between the frames, 
and the entire structure may be quickly and easily assembled for use or 
disassembled for storage or shipment. By removing the spindles 31 from 
their respective hinge elements 29 and 30, by temporarily removing plates 
34, 41, and by disconnecting the foot elements 17 from the support 14, the 
display structure may be boxed or crated so as to occupy a minimum space. 
Assembly or disassembly of the structure can be achieved in a few minutes 
time. 
Although three panel supporting frames are shown as being mounted on the 
support 14, it will be appreciated that only a pair thereof may be hinged 
together and mounted on support 14, if desired. 
FIGS. 6-14 show a second display structure 50 produced in accordance with 
this invention. It comprises four rectangular frames 51, 52, 53 and 54 
that are supported in pairs, in vertical positions, by a support 55 
including a generally U-shaped principal support 56, a pair of U-shaped 
secondary supports 57 and 60, and a pair of foot elements 61, 62. Support 
56 includes a pair of leg portions 63, 64 that extend upward from a bottom 
cross bar not shown, and the foot elements are secured to the leg portions 
by fasteners 66. Frames 51, 52, 53 and 54 and supports 56, 57 and 60 are 
shown as being fabricated from cross-sectionally rectangular tubing, 
preferably of metal. 
Frames 51 and 54 are shown in FIG. 6 as outer frames, and frames 52 and 53 
as inner frames. Each of the frames comprises a top frame member 70 
including a top frame portion 71, having downturned opposite end portions 
72, and a U-shaped bottom frame member 73 including a horizontally 
disposed bottom frame portion 74 bent upward as indicated at 75 to provide 
laterally spaced vertical side frame portions 76, 77. Portions 76, 77 have 
welded or otherwise rigidly secured therein connector pins 80 that are 
slidably received in the lower ends of downturned portions 72 of top frame 
portion 71. 
As in structure 10, the vertical frame portions 76 and 77 have slots 81 
extending along their inner walls for a substantial portion of the length 
thereof, the bottoms 82 of the slots being spaced above the frame portions 
74. The slots continue through pins 80, as shown at 83 in FIGS. 8-10, to 
depths less than the full inside dimension of portions 76 and 77. 
Frames 51 and 52 are pivotably connected by hinges 84 and 85 including 
outer hinge elements 86 on frame portion 76, cooperating inner hinge 
elements 87 on frame portion 77, and loose hinge pintles 90, as shown in 
FIG. 8. The hinges enable frames 51 and 52 to be disposed at various 
angles relative to each other. Similar hinges 91, 92 are shown between 
frames 52 and 53, and hinges 93 and 94 are shown between frames 53 and 54, 
thus enabling relative angular relations between all the frames such as 
that shown in FIG. 7. 
Support 65 is very similar to support 14 of FIG. 1, except that leg 
portions 63 and 64 are somewhat shorter: they carry at their upper ends 
yoke elements 95, 96 having plate-like clamp members 97 and 100 secured by 
pairs of clamping screws 101, and include cylindrical stems 102 to enable 
the yokes to rotate with respect to leg portions 63, 64, a locking screw 
103 being in each case provided if desired. 
Secondard supports 57 and 60 are of similar structure: they consist of 
bottom cross bar portions 104 and 105 adapted to be clamped in yokes 95 
and 96 respectively, and have upturned leg portions 106, 107 and 110, 111 
on which frames 51, 52, 53 and 54 are pivotably mounted by further pivoted 
yoke elements 112, 113, 114 and 115, all respectively, like those just 
described. It will be evident that by suitable sliding adjustments in the 
various yoke elements the frames can be brought to any desired angular 
relation within a wide range. 
As in FIG. 1, each of frames 51-54 supports a different one of four 
generally rectangular rigid display panels 116. As suggested in FIGS. 
8-10, panels 116 are formed to provide outwardly projecting tabs 117 at 
the opposite sides thereof, the tabs being elongated in a vertical 
direction. The tabs are adapted to project through the slots 81 in frame 
portions 76 and 77, and have their lower ends resting on the bottoms 82 of 
the slots. At their upper corners tabs 117 are cut away slightly, to 
engage the unslotted portions 120 of connection pins 80. Bottom frame 
members 73 are sufficiently resilient to spring slightly, in the absence 
of upper frame members 70, so that tabs 117 can slide past end portions 
120 as panels 116 are inserted into the frame. Thus the panels are quite 
secure in the frames even before members 70 are replaced. As before, tabs 
117 are of a thickness only slighly less that the width of slots 81 in the 
vertical frame portions. 
In FIG. 6 a plurality of lamp fixtures 121 of appropriate structure are 
shown as being provided with hollow mounting arms 122, for mounting on 
frame portions 70 by yokes 123 to which they are secured as by welding. As 
shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, each yoke 123 may be closed at its bottom by a 
plate 124 pivoted about a fastener 125, to secure the yoke and light 
fixture at the top of the frame. Panels 116 are of height less than the 
inside height of frames 51-54 to enable this. Electrical energization for 
fixture 121 is supplied through mounting arms 122 and bushings 126 by 
suitable electric cords 127. 
FIGS. 16-18 show a third display structure 130 produced in accordance with 
the invention. It comprises three rectangular frames 131, 132 and 133 like 
frames 51, 52 or 53, and 54 of FIG. 6, pivotably interconnected by hinges 
134, 135 and 136, 137 like hinges 84, 85, and carrying panels 140 
similarly constructed and mounted. Appropriate lamp fixtures 121 and 141 
are also provided. 
The third display structure is specifically intended to be mounted on a 
surface such as a table or desk rather than on a floor, and a simplified 
support structure for this purpose is shown to include a central support 
142 and outer supports 143. Support 142 comprises a pair of feet 144 
having central notches 145 sized to receive the rectangular metal frame 
132, and interconnected by suitable panels 146 secured to feet 144 by 
fasteners 147. For convenience, supports 143 may comprise no more than 
duplicates of feet 144. 
From the foregoing it will be evident that I have invented a display 
structure configuration by which a plurality of display panels are mounted 
and illuminated for effective presentation to observers, the structures 
being adapted for use with varying numbers of panels and for mounting 
either on a floor or a more elevated surface. The arrangement is easily 
dismantled into a small space for shipment, and quickly assembled for use 
with no more complicated tools needed than a screwdriver: once assembled 
the display panels are easily replaced when a change in subject matter to 
be displayed is desired. 
Numerous characteristics and advantages of my invention have been set forth 
in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and 
function of the invention, and the novel features thereof are pointed out 
in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and 
changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and 
arrangement of parts, within the principle of the invention, to the full 
extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the 
appended claims are expressed.