Improvements in Shelf Supports
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
Improvements in Shelf Supports,
I, CEDRIC CHIVERS of 39 Gay Street, Bath, Bookbinder, do hereby declare, the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It has heretofore been proposed to support the shelves of book-cases and the like
by means of brackets or projecting pieces riding in grooves or on bars or rods and
held in position by wedging action.
The present invention relates to improvements in the arrangement of parts by
which such wedging or binding action can be most efficaciously employed, and that
when desired simply with a single bracket at each end of the shelf.
According to this invention a groove is provided in either end of the book-case or
article to which the bracket is to be applied and in such groove is a guide and wedge
piece consisting of two reversely inclined wedges, one of which is firmly secured to
the bracket, and the other preferably loosely secured thereto, the arrangement being
such that increase of the pressure on the bracket causes increased binding 'action'
between the wedges and the edges of the grooves. The shelf preferably rests in the
bracket which is thus held in position. If preferred the binding action in the
grooves can be secured by lever instead of wedging action, and for this purpose
crossed pivoted levers are employed, the outer ends of which form the shelf support,
any downward pressure on which causes the pivoted levers to bind in the grooves.
It will be evident that the wedges or levers may have roughened edges so as to
increase the biting action and that springs may be employed to normally hold the
parts in binding position even when no weight is on the bracket.
I, CEDRIC CHIVERS, of 39 Gay Street, Bath, Bookbinder, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
It has heretofore been proposed to support the shelves of book-cases and the like by
means of brackets or projecting pieces riding in grooves or on bars or rods and held
in position by wedging action.
The present invention relates to improvements in the arrangement of parts by
which such wedging or binding action can be most efficaciously employed, and that
when desired simply with a single bracket at each end of the shelf.

page_text: According to this invention a groove is provided in either end of the book-case or
article to which the bracket is to be applied and in such groove is a guide and wedge
piece consisting of two reversely inclined wedges, one of which is firmly secured to
the bracket, and the other preferably loosely secured thereto, the arrangement being
such that increase of the pressure on the bracket causes increased binding action
between the wedges and the edges of the grooves. The shelf preferably rests in the
bracket which is thus held in position. If preferred the binding action in the
grooves can be secured by lever instead of wedging action, and for this purpose
crossed pivoted levers are employed, the outer ends of which form the shelf support,
any downward pressure on which causes the pivoted levers to bind in the grooves.
It will be evident that the wedges or levers may have roughened edges so as to
increase the biting action and that springs may be employed to normally hold the
parts in binding position even when no weight is on the bracket.
To clearly explain my invention. reference is made to the accompanying drawing in
which,
Fig. 1 is an elevation of one end of a book case or support showing one form of
bracket applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a section of same on the line x-x.
Fig. 3.is an elevation of one end of a book case or support showing another form
of my invention, and
Fig. 4 is a section through same on line y-y.
.In Figs.. 1 and 2 the end of the book or other case a or it may be a supplemental
support or an upright of any suitable description is grooved at band in such groove
slides a wedge c. secured to or forming part of a bracket or support d for a shelf e
(Fig. 2).
This wedge may have a serrated or grooved face of any kind. As shown it is
provided with longitudinal serrations f which hold on the sides of the groove if the
latter. is formed in a wooden upright. The angle face of this wedge abuts against a
moveable wedge g which is held to the bracket d by a screw h passing into same the
head of said screw lodging in an angular slot i on the bracket through which slot the
screw itself also passes. The outer face of the wedge may be provided with serrations
such as to engage with the side of the groove. It will be seen that weight applied
to the bracket & will draw down the wedge c and force it against the side of the
groove and the action will also force the wedge g out against the opposite side of the
groove so that the parts bind thereon the shelf being readily moved up or down by
slightly loosening the parts.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the bracket consists of two levers d d¹ suitably shaped for carrying
the shelf e each lever carrying an extension g¹ or c¹ which forms its outer end (and
which may be serrated as at j¹¹) above which extensions the two levers are pivoted
together. It will be seen that weight applied to the brackets or levers d d¹ will cause
the ends g¹ c¹ to open and bind in the groove b. To assist the action and to keep the
parts more certainly in position when no weight is on the bracket a spring / may be
lodged in recesses formed in a projection m carried by each part à or d¹ of the
bracket or a spring may be located at any other suitable point.
To provide an adjustment for the shelf e in case the parts d d¹ (by reason of any
inequality in the groove) should not be level set screws n n may be situated about
the ends of such parts so that a level support for the shelf may be obtained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a shelf support a bracket carrying a part fixed thereto adapted to bind in
one side of a groove in an upright and a moveable wedge part adapted to abut
against the fixed part and to bind in the opposite side of the groove substantially as
described.
2. In a shelf support a bracket consisting of pivoted levers the ends or extensions
of which are adapted to be forced against the sides of a groove in an upright by the
weight of the shelf substantially as described.

page_text: 3. The construction of shelf support substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
4. The construction of shelf support substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane London Chartered Patent Agent.