Improvements in Adjustable Shelving.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Shelving.
I, GEORGE STIKEMAN of 742 Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings and State of New York United States of America, Salesman, 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 has relation to adjustable shelving for libraries and stores, and
has for its object the provision of a novel structure comprising suitable upright
supports, and horizontal shelving attached thereto, and vertically adjustable thereon,
of such form and arrangement, that the separate shelves of a line of shelving may
be independently detached or adjusted.
This invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement
of parts, as hereinafter described and specifically claimed.
As the shelving embodying my invention is especially adapted for use in
libraries, provision is made for dividing the room or compartment in which the
structure is erected, into aisles or alcoves, and in the accompanying drawings, I
have shown a room or compartment so divided.
Figure 1 is a horizontal section or architectural plan of a library, fitted with my
improved shelving.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of a line of shelving.
Figure 3 is a side elevation and transverse section of the same.
Figure 4 is a transverse section enlarged of one of the shelf supporting pillars
or uprights.
T
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the supporting pillar in a modified form, and
Figure 6 is a détail perspective view of one of the shelf supporting brackets.
The shelves A, of any suitable length, may be made of wood, metal, slate, glass
or other material, and are secured at their ends to the metal brackets or end
pieces B, B, on the outside of which are formed or fitted two or more projections a, a,
vertically aligned and serving as means for the support of the brackets upon the
supporting pillars or parts, and providing for the arrangement of the shelves at any
desired height, each shelf being adjustable independently of all the others.
C, C, designates the shelf supporting posts or pillars; each such post or pillar
is preferably formed of two pieces of flanged iron c, c, secured together by flat
or T shaped iron plates d, d, bolted to the sides of the pieces c, c, and the whole
inserted at the lower ends in sockets E, E, which are fastened to the floor.
Upon the outer faces of the pieces C, C, are formed or attached, upwardly
curved teeth or hooks e, e, which are adapted to receive and hold the pro-
jections a, a, formed on the outside of the brackets or end pieces B, B. These
teeth or hooks are of sufficient width to receive and hold easily the projections
from two aligned shelves, and hence each shelf, of a line of shelves, is independently
adjustable, and the shelves may be arranged in alignment, or otherwise as the
conditions of use or expediency may require.
Necessary bracing to stiffen the structure will depend entirely upon the shape of
the room, and the position of the posts or pillars.
At any desired height on the posts or pillars, framing to support flooring is
secured, such framing consisting of beams or girders F, F, bolted or riveted at
their ends to the posts, and the flooring made of iron or other material.
When a metallic shelf is used, it should be flanged on its front edge, and the
flange rounded and undercurved to prevent damage to the books, in removing or
replacing them, and such metallic shelves should be flanged at their ends, and the
[P27

page_text: flanges secured to the outside of the end pieces or brackets B, B, as shown in
Figure 3 of the drawing at A¹
As will be understood, the conditions of my invention require that each shelf
should have a bracket at each end, in order that each shelf and its brackets, may
be moved independently of others.
In Figure 5 I have shown a modified construction of the supporting pillars C,
- which may be used instead of the form shown in Figure 4. In this construction,
the T shaped iron plates d, d are formed with hooks e, which support the shelves
and between these plates a single plate c', is arranged and secured to the T plates
by bolts, in lieu of the two plates c, c, as shown in Figure 4.
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 :-
First An adjustable shelf structure comprising the upright posts C, C, having
upturned teeth or hooks on their edges, the shelf supporting brackets B, B, con-
sisting of metallic plates having their lower horizontal edges flanged to receive the
shelves, and having each two vertically aligned laterally projecting pins a, a, at or
near its rear edges, said pins being parallel with the line of shelves and adapted to
enter said hooks, substantially as described.
Secondly The posts C, formed, each of two T-shaped iron plates d, d, and two
plates c, c, secured between and bolted to said T-plates, said posts being formed
with upturned teeth or hooks to support. shelf brackets, in combination with the
shelf supporting brackets B, B, consisting of metallic plates having their lower
horizontal edges, flanged to receive the shelves and having, each, two vertically
aligned, laterally projecting pins a, a, at or near its rear edge which are designed
and adapted to enter the teeth or hooks of the posts C, substantially as described.
Thirdly In a shelf-supporting structure, the shelf supporting posts C, con-
sisting of the T plates d, d, and the plates c, c, secured between the plates d, the
plates c, c, being formed with upturned teeth or hooks substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of May 1892.
GEORGE STIKEMAN,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.