Clip for Anchoring Cross Members in Telescoping Shelf Supports

A clip for anchoring cross members in telescoping frameworks for shelf supports, having a base member permanently secured on the cross member of the framework and an anchoring member mounted on a section of the main framework and a tension plate movable into anchoring relation with the anchor member, said tension plate having outwardly extending lips to receive the side margins of said base member.

In shelf supports, such as are commonly employed in retail stores for display of merchandise, a principal objection to the type now in common use is the time it takes for assembly and dissembly, because of the necessity of applying nuts and bolts, or screws, to the members of the structure. It is the object of this invention to provide novel means for quickly assembling, or disassembly, of the shelf support, without the use of bolts or screws.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the anchor and tension plate.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the assembled anchor and tension plate, and the base member to be mounted thereon, and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of a framework having the anchor member and cross member mounted thereon.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a section of a shelf support frame adapted to be joined to abutting sections telescopically. These sections are channel shaped, the male section 1 being smaller than the female section 1' and the section 2 being angular, for forming the cross bars, as well as for forming end members of the framework. An anchor member 3 has the legs 14, 14 extending downwardly and bent inwardly adjacent their extended ends and the legs 6, 6 extending outwardly and being bent downwardly adjacent their extended ends as shown in the drawings; each downwardly bent portion having an opening as 15 formed therein. A tension plate 7 has the outwardly and downwardly extending legs 8, 8 which have the tips 9, 9 formed on the ends of the legs 8, 8 which are adapted to be received in the openings 15, 15 in the ends of the legs 6, 6. As the plate 7 is mounted on the frame, with the tips 9, 9 inserted in the openings 15, 15, the plate is moved rearwardly against the frame, placing the plate 7 under tension and anchoring the same onto the frame 1. The outwardly and downwardly extended legs 8, 8 fit tightly between the downwardly turned portion of the legs 6, and the framework section 1, and the plate 7 is at an angle when the tips 9 are inserted in the openings 15, and it requires pressure to move the lower end of the plate 7 rearwardly abutting the side wall of the framework section 1, and after it has been so moved, the continuing tension of the legs 8 and 6 hold the plate securely in place.

The base member 11, formed of flat, rigid material, and having one end overturned, as 16a, and the other end tapered downwardly, is permanently anchored on a frame section, such as where it is desired to place a cross support between two frameworks, to receive shelving. The tension plate 7 has the outwardly extending lips 10, 10 which may be punched out of the material of the plate and and extend outwardly, and which are bent inwardly to form means for receiving the side margins of the base member 11 and will be guides for positioning the cross bar. The overturned end of the base member will provide stop means for the base member as it is mounted on the clip.

The clip may be used to engage cross bars, and to anchor same at top or bottom of the framework and may be quickly and easily assembled and dissembled without bolts or screws, at any desired position on the framework. To dissemble the framework, the telescoping members may be disengaged by depressing the buttons 17, 17 which extend outwardly through the passageways 16, 16 and the sections disengaged by withdrawing the female section 1 from the male section 1'. The tension plate 7 may be grasped by the downwardly extending end and moved outwardly, and upwardly, releaving the tension on the anchor member 3, and then removed from engagement in the openings 15 and the clip dissembled. Shelves may be mounted in the usual manner by engagement with the openings 18, 18 at selected positions.