Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
We, WILLIAM HERMAN WINSLOW and FRANCIS AXEL WINSLOW, both citizens
of the United States of America, and both residing at 366, Carrol Avenue, Chicago,
Cook County, Illinois, U.S. A., Gentlemen, 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; -
Our invention relates to certain improvements in shelving construction adapted
for use in libraries, stores, offices, etc., where it is desired to support great numbers
of shelves for various purposes. It consists therefore in certain novel features of
construction adapted to produce a light, substantial and rigid frame-work upon
which shelves may be supported, a description of which will be found in the follow-
ing specification, and the essential features more definitely pointed out in the
appended claims.
The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings furnished herewith, by
means of nine figures, of which, Figure 1 is a side elevation of our construction
in its preferred form; Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, certain of the staying
members being broken away; Figure 3 is a detail view of a clamp used in this
construction partly in side elevation and partly in vertical cross section, the line of
section being shown at 3-3, in Figure 5; Figure 4 is a detail horizontal section
in line 4-4, of Figure 6; Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section through
the construction, certain parts being broken away to enable the view to be made
as large as possible; Figure 6 is a vertical cross-section in line 6-6, Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a horizontal cross section in line 7-7, of Figure 5; Figure 8 is a detail
side elevation of one of the brace blocks; and Figure 9 is an end view looking in
the direction of the arrow 9 in Figure 8.
Looking at Figures 1 and 2, the main portions of the construction will be seen
to consist of uprights, longitudinal connecting members, transverse connecting
members for staying the frame work and diagonal bracing members. The
uprights in this construction are intended to support shelves, the latter being
formed with suitable clamping means by which they may be secured to the up-
rights. As seen in Figures 5, 6 and 7, these uprights will cach, except the end
ones, be seen to consist of clamp bars, a, suitably spaced apart and connected by a
series of transversely extending struts, a¹, riveted or otherwise secured to the
clamp bars. A foot, a³, is secured to the clamp bars at the lower end which may
be screwed to the floor and at the top of the clamp bars is secured a cap, a³, (See
Figs. 4 and 6).
The outer uprights are each composed of a web, a³, upon the inner face of which
are secured clamp bars similar to the ones above described. Upon the outer face
of the web, a, is secured an ornamental covering, a5, the object of which will
appear later on.
All of the uprights are connected by a number of tie rods, 6,

page_text: which pass through certain of the struts, a¹, and through the webs of the outer
uprights, where they are provided with nuts for tightening up the frame work.
These nuts are hidden by the ornamental covering plates a³, thereby making a
finished appearance to the end uprights which are the only ones exposed to view
when the shelves are in place. Around these tie-rods are tubes, b¹, which space the
uprights apart, these tubes extending between the struts and between the webs
upon the outer uprights and the strut upon the upright next to it. The
caps, a³, at the tops
of the uprights are also connected by a pair
of tie rods, b, which extend between the finishing cap, a, upon
the outer uprights and through the intermediate ones. These tie rods are also
provided with nuts upon their ends for tightening up the same and are also fitted
with tubes extending between the caps. It is obvious that when the nuts upon
the various tie rods are screwed up, a comparatively rigid frame is formed, but
in order to ensure perfect stability of the same we provide sway braces, C, extend-
ing diagonally as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5. These sway braces are prefer-
ably composed of tubes, c, provided upon their ends with blocks, c¹, 4, (see
Figs. 8 and 9) adapted to engage certain members. of the frame work. The
blocks are formed with concave surfaces, 3, to enable them to embrace the
tubes, b¹, of the longitudinal members, B1, B2, and with shoulders, c, to engage
the struts, a¹. They are also provided with screw-threaded stems, ³, threaded in
the tubes, c, whereby the distance between the two blocks upon each tube may
be increased or diminished. The blocks, e, engage the longitudinal member, B₁,
and web, at, of the end uprights and are also provided with stems, cb, which; how-
ever, are not threaded but swivelled loosely in the tubes, so that after the uprights
and longitudinal members are put together, the sway braces may be inserted in
the position shown in the drawings, the tubes being given a few turns, thereby.
tightening the sway braces in place and at the same time stiffening the frame..
To guard against any lateral swinging of the construction we provide stay
rods, D, (See Figs. 2, 3 and 5) one end of which may be secured to the wall of
the building and connected to the frame work in any desired manner here shown
as a clamp, D, having two sockets, d adapted to engage the under side. of the
longitudinal members, B, and a hook, d, embracing the stay rod, D. Set screws, d²,
are threaded in the hooks, d', and impinged upon the stay rod so that by tighten-
ing up the screws the frame work may be rigidly clamped to the stay rod...
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said-in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1: The combination with a series of supporting uprights and a series of longi-
tudinal bracing members consisting of tubes bearing against the uprights and
tie rods passing through the latter and through the tubes of a series of diagonal
bracing members having crotched end pieces adapted to embrace the tubes, suit-
able bearing faces to rest against the uprights and intermediate portions screw-
threaded upon the end pieces whereby said diagonal bracing members may be
extended longitudinally to tighten up the structure; substantially as described.
2:-In combination with a series of supporting frames containing the longi-
tudinal bracing members, B, B, and the transverse bracing members, D, the
clamp D, having the two sockets, d, adapted to engage the under siles of
the bracing members, B, the hook, 6, adapted to embrace the upper side of the
transverse bracing member, D, and a set screw adapted to crowd said members.
together; substantially, as described.
3: In a shelf supporting frame the combination of uprights having free
oppositely extending edges arranged in pairs transversely of the frame,, a series
of connecting devices uniting the members of each pair, said connecting devices
317

page_text: being secured to the middle portions of the uprights and being spaced away from
the inner edges of the latter, and longitudinal connecting members connecting
the middle portions of said connecting devices; substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1898.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents for the Applicants.