Improvements in Supports for Shelves for Book-cases 'and 'the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: .Date of Application, 15th Oct.. :1894
Complete Specification Left. 13th July. 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Supports for Shelves for Book-cases 'and 'the like.
A communication from abroad by DAVID E. HUNTER, of 146 Franklin Street,
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, Superintendent of
Factory.
I HERBERT ELBRIDGE DAVIDSON of 21 Bloomsbury Street, London in the
County of Middlesex, 'Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in supports for shelves, for book-cases
and the like and consists briefly in the employment of grooved standards or
uprights which may be suitably graduated carrying adjustable brackets which in
turn support the shelves.
The uprights contain a groove or grooves of dovetail. or approximately dovetail
shape, which groove may be formed in a metal bar by a combined process of rolling
and milling out, or by rolling and compressing or in other ways, the groove taking
a shape most suitable for the purpose.
The grooves may be cut away in places for the purpose of introducing the butt
of the brackets therein, such butts being shaped approximately to correspond with
the interior of the groove or being of a shape which will readily bind therein.
To hold these brackets at any suitable point. in the uprights various means may
be employed, a set-screw, or thumb-screw passing through the butt or through the
bracket and having a head readily accessible for reaching with a tool or key
being a convenient means, such set-screw by pressing on the back of the groove
forces the butt of the bracket up against the sides of the groove and so holds it
therein. The butt of the bracket fits the groove in such a way that a considerable
lateral movement may be given to the brackets while the set-screw enables it to
be held in the position in which it is placed. The uprights .or standards may be
graduated in many suitable ways so as to enable the brackets to be evenly
adjusted.
The brackets may carry spurs or points to engage with the shelves and to
prevent them sliding on same, while to prevent the shelves from tipping up suitable
lugs or projections may be provided on the brackets.
Dated the 15th day of October 1894.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 &.56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent, .
For the Applicant.

page_text: A communication from abroad by DAVID EDGAR HUNTER, of 146 Franklin
Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, Superintendent of
Factory.
I, HERBERT ELBRIDGE DAVIDSON of 21 Bloomsbury Street, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Merchant, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in supports for shelves for book-cases
and the like, and consists briefly in the employment of grooved standards or
uprights which may be suitably graduated carrying adjustable brackets which in
turn support the shelves.
The uprights contain a groove or grooves of dovetail or approximately dovetail
shape, which groove may be formed in a metal bar by a combined process of
rolling and milling out, or by rolling and compressing, or in other ways, the groove
taking a shape most suitable for the purpose. The grooves may be cut away in
places for the purpose of introducing the butt of the brackets therein, such butts
being shaped approximately to correspond with the interior of the groove, or being
of a shape which will readily bind therein. To hold these brackets at any suitable
point in the uprights various means may be employed, a set-screw or thumb-screw
passing through the butt or through the bracket and having a head readily
accessible for reaching with a tool or key being a convenient means, such set-
screw by pressing on the back of the groove forces the butt of the bracket up
against the sides of the groove and so holds it therein.
To clearly explain the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings
in which are illustrated some forms which the invention may take, but it will be
understood that these are given by way of example, and that various other
arrangements of parts may be employed.
In these drawings :-
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan of a bracket and standards, the latter being arranged
to hold four brackets.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of same, a part of the standard being broken away.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a stack or press to show better the arrangement
of the adjustable brackets, and
Fig. 4 is an elevation of another arrangement of an adjustable bracket, a part of
the standard being broken away.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 it will be seen that the standards are provided with
grooves a, which grooves may be formed as described from a solid bar, or may as
shown be composed of channel irons, the sides of which may be bent in as shown,
said channel irons being secured to a central web or stiffening plate b. The
bracket c is provided with a butt piece or pieces d which slide in the grooves a or
are guided by the flanges or engaging surfaces of the channel irons.
at
To hold the bracket in the desired position a long screwed rode is employed
suitably supported in the bracket. This screwed rod passes through the butt
oue end and bears in the form shown against the back of the groove a thus forcing
the bracket forward until it becomes firmly jammed between the opposite side walls
of the groove.
The other end of the screwed rod is at the front edge of the
bracket so that it may be readily reached for adjustment without disturbing the
contents of the shelf or of other shelves, said rod end being preferably provided
Fig. 2 is an elevation of same, a part of the standard being broken away.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a stack or press to show better the arrangement
of the adjustable brackets, and
Fig. 4 is an elevation of another arrangement of an adjustable bracket, a part of
the standard being broken away.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 it will be seen that the standards are provided with
grooves a, which grooves may be formed as described from a solid bar, or may as
shown be composed of channel irons, the sides of which may be bent in as shown,
said channel irons being secured to a central web or stiffening plate b. The
bracket c is provided with a butt piece or pieces d which slide in the grooves a or
are guided by the flanges or engaging surfaces of the channel irons.
To hold the bracket in the desired position a long screwed rode is employed
suitably supported in the bracket. This screwed rod passes through the butt dat
oue end and bears in the form shown against the back of the groove a thus forcing
the bracket forward until it becomes firmly jammed between the opposite side walls
of the groove. The other end of the screwed rod is at the front edge of the
bracket so that it may be readily reached for adjustment without disturbing the
contents of the shelf or of other shelves, said rod end being preferably provided

page_text: with a squared end as shown adapted to receive a suitable and convenient key.:
The butt of the bracket may be dropped into the grooves a, or the sides of the
latter may be cut away at intervals to allow them to be inserted.
It will be noticed that the screwed rod is not centrally located at its point of
contact with the standard but is considerably to one side of the central line in such
a manner that when the pressure is applied by rotating the rod a twisting strain is
exerted upon the bracket which causes the bracket to radiate laterally upon the
standard and to become firmly pressed against the end of the abutting shelf
which rests upon it upon a suitable ledge g. It will thus be seen that the rod or
set screw becomes a duplex locking device in that it firmly secures the bracket to
the standard, and also firmly presses the bracket against the ends of the abutting
shelf, thus securing the whole construction against the lateral and vertical strains.
to which the shelf supporting brackets are liable.
So far as is known to him my correspondent believes himself to be the first to.
employ the locking device for shelf supporting brackets whose acting end is next
or adjacent to the standard, and operating end at the immediate front edge of the
bracket. He also believes himself to be the first to employ means acting upon a
standard or support to clamp the end of bracket adjacent to said standard upon the
latter, and at the same time impart lateral or side movement of the bracket toward
and to grip the shelf end.
In Fig. 4a set screw e' is employed in place of the screwed rod e, such set screw
being adjusted by any convenient tool such as a long box screw driver.
The set
screw may also be arranged to impart a lateral movement to the bracket. Various
other methods of employing the fastening devices may however be employed. The
uprights or standards may be graduated in many suitable ways so as to enable
the brackets to be evenly adjusted. The brackets may carry spurs or points to
engage with the shelves and to prevent them sliding on sume, while to prevent
the shelves from tipping up suitable lugs or projections may be provided on the
brackets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
from abroad by my foreign correspondent, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combination a standard or support, a bracket adjustable on same, and a set
screw locking device adapted to secure the bracket upon the standard, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
2. A standard having substantially parallel engaging surfaces arranged with a
shelf supporting bracket upon said standard and a set screw locking device adapted
upon rotation of the set screw to secure the bracket upon the standard and at the
same time impart a lateral radial movement to the bracket toward and to grip the
shelf end substantially as described.
3. The combination with a standard of a shelf bracket adjustably secured
thereupon of a shelf sustained at one end by said bracket and a means acting
upon the standard to clamp said bracket thereupon and at the same time cause said
bracket to radiate or swing upon its points of contact with the standard toward
and to grip the end of said shelf substantially as described.
4. The combination with an adjustable shelf supporting bracket provided at its
side with a shelf support; of a clamping device having its acting end at the inner
end of the bracket adjacent to the standard, and extended longitudinally of the
bracket, with its operating end at or near and accessible from the outer or front
end of the bracket so that it is accessible for purposes of adjustment without
requiring removal of articles from the shelf or shelves, substantially as described.
5. The combination with an adjustable shelf supporting bracket; of a rotatable
clamping device having its acting end at the inner end of the bracket, adjacent
and to act upon its standard, and carried longitudinally of the bracket, and having
its operating end at or near and accessible from the front end of said bracket,.

page_text: said operating end being squared or fitted for the reception of a suitable operating
device, substantially as described.
Dated the 13th day of July 1895.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent,
For the Applicant.