Rotary Shelf Assembly

This invention relates to a rotary shelf assembly which includes a rotatable vertical post supporting a plurality of shelves. More particularly, the invention relates to such an assembly which is adapted to be mounted in the corner of a cabinet frame and, to this end, each shelf is circular except for a section the edges of which are perpendicular to each other and which, in one angular position of the post, are alined with the sides of the cabinet frame at the corner of the latter. A V-shaped door is secured to these edges so that the door turns with the post and the shelves to present the shelves to an opening in the frame. To support the post for turning, upper and lower bearing elements carried at the ends of the post cooperate with upper and lower bearing members which are vertically alined and are secured to the cabinet frame.

Such assemblies usually are assembled at a factory or a shop and installed in the cabinet in that condition. Accordingly, the assemblies include means to adjust the vertical spacing of the bearing elements to accommodate the vertical spacing of the bearing members in each individual cabinet.

The general object of the invention is to provide a rotary shelf assembly with a new and improved means for adjusting the bearing elements so that the adjustment may be made easily either during or after the installation of the assembly while the overall construction of the assembly remains comparatively simple and inexpensive.

A more detailed object is to achieve the foregoing by mounting the lower bearing element on a slide which is disposed in the lower end portion of the post for endwise movement and the slide is moved down relative to the post by a cam which is disposed within the post and coacts with a cam follower on the slide, the cam being moved along the follower by a manual actuator mounted on the post.

Another object is to form the cam follower as a surface disposed on the upper end of the slide and inclined to the horizontal and to form the cam as a block which is movable transversely in the post by the actuator and which has a downwardly facing surface complemental to and engaging the cam follower surface.

The invention also resides in the novel construction and cooperation of the particular components of the shelf assembly.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a cabinet assembly embodying the present invention and shown mounted in a cabinet frame.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the parts in a moved position.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5--5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6--6 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the slide, the cam and the manual actuator.

Although the invention is applicable to a wide variety of applications, it is shown in the drawings for purposes of illustation as embodied in an assembly including a hollow tubular vertical post 10 rotatable about its longitudinal axis a (FIG. 2) and supporting one or more shelves 11 in the frame 12 of a cabinet. The shelves are mounted in a corner of the cabinet as defined by perpendicular walls 13 and 14 and a door 15 associated with the assembly is V-shaped so that each half alines with one of the walls when the door is closed. Each shelf is circular except for a sector which has perpendicular edges 16 to accommodate the door and the shelf is centered about the axis a.

The post 10 is disposed between and alined with upper and lower bearing members 17 and 18 secured respectively to parts 19 and 20 of the cabinet frame 12 and the bearing members coact respectively with bearing elements 21 and 22 on the upper and lower ends of the post to journal the ends of the post for free rotation about the axis a. Each shelf 11 is mounted on the post to turn with the latter by means of a collar 23 which encircles the post and the collar is fastened at the desired location on the post by a set screw 23a threaded through the collar and bearing against the post. The bore 24 of a central cylindrical hub 25 on the underside of the shelf fits snugly on the collar and rests on a radial flange 26 formed on the latter, the hub and the flange being clamped together by bolts 27. An enlargement 28 on the side of the collar is received in a complementally shaped part of the bore 24 to fix the angular relationship of the collar and the shelf. The door 15 abuts flanges 29 along the edges 16 of the shelves and is secured to these flanges as by nails 30. Thus, the shelves and the door are in a fixed position on the post and turn bodily with the post. When the post is angularly positioned to place the door in the closed position with its halves alined with the cabinet walls 13 and 14, the door is positioned in the access opening 31 (FIG. 2) in the cabinet frame 12. When the shelf assembly is turned about the axis a as permitted by the rotatable mounting of the post 10, successive portions of the shelves are presented to the access opening.

The vertical distance between the upper and lower bearing members 17 and 18 varies from one cabinet to another due to such factors as the tolerances used in making the cabinets. Because the shelves 11 usually are assembled on the post 10 at a factory or a shop, it often is necessary to adjust the bearing elements 21 and 22 relative to the bearing members during installation so that the bearing members and elements are in firm but freely rotating engagement with each other. The present invention contemplates the provision of a novel assembly which is readily and easily adjustable both during and after installation of the assembly to accommodate individual variations in the distance between the bearing members. To this end, the bearing element 22 is mounted on a slide 32 which is disposed within the post 10 near the lower end thereof and is slidable axially in the post and a cam 33 inside the post engages a cam follower 34 on the slide to selectively move the slide and hence the bearing element 22 axially of the post. The cam is moved transversely of the post to move the slide by means of a manual actuator 35 mounted on the post and engaging the cam. With this arrangement, the post is simply rotated to a position where the actuator is easily accessible to make an adjustment.

Herein, the upper bearing member 17 is a downwardly opening socket and is on a circular plate 36 secured to cabinet frame part 19 by screws 37 and having a central boss 38 which defines the socket. The latter receives the upper bearing element 21 which is a trunnion in the form of a molded plastic cylinder received in the upper end portion of the post 10 and projecting out of the upper end of the post and into the socket. The cylinder is adjustably held in place in the post by a set screw 39 which is threaded through a hole 40 in the wall of the post and bites into the side of the cylinder. In the form shown in the drawings, the lower bearing member 22 is a cylindrical trunnion upstanding from a rectangular plate 41 which is secured to the frame part 20 by screws 42. The lower bearing element 22 is a socket formed in the outer end of the slide 32 to receive the trunnion 18. The trunnions 18 and 21 and the sockets 22 and 17 are alined along the axis a of the post and define the axis of rotation of the post.

In the preferred embodiment, the cam follower 34 is a flat surface on the upper end of the slide 32 and inclined relative to the horizontal and to the axis a, herein at an angle of about 45 degrees to the axis, so as to have a higher side 43 (FIG. 4) and a lower side 44. The cam 33 is an upright block smaller in cross section than the interior of the post and disposed above the slide. The lower end of the block is inclined to provide a surface 45 which is complemental to and engages the cam surface 34. In cross section, the thickness of the block 33 in the direction that the surface 34 is inclined is less than half the internal diameter of the post 10 (see FIG. 3). The sides 46 of the block are arcuate with the same radius as the inner wall of the post and the edges 47 of the block are flat.

The actuator 35 holds the cam block 33 against endwise movement longitudinally of the post 10 while traversing the block horizontally in the post. Herein, the actuator is a horizontal screw projecting through diametrically opposed holes 48 and 49 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and is threaded through the cam block. The screw is held against axial movement by a shoulder 50 under the head 51 of the screw and by a snap ring 52 received on the end of the screw. Thus, when the screw is turned, the block moves along the screw transversely of the post. As the block moves away from the lower side 44 of the cam surface 34, it cams the slide 32 endwise relative to the post and projects the slide outwardly through the lower end of the post. Because the socket 22 in the slide usually is resting on the trunnion 18, the slide cannot move down and, as a result, the block rides up on the cam surface as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 and, through the screw acting on the upper edges of the holes 48 and 49, lifts the post.

It is desirable to have the socket 22 made of a bearing material and, at the same time, to have the cam surface 34 be smooth, hard and wear-resistant. To this end, the slide 32 herein is made in two parts 53 and 54 with the lower part being made of a molded plastic material and the upper part being made of a sintered metal such as iron. An annular flange 55 at the lower end of the part 54 abuts and limits the downward movement of the post 10 on the slide 32 as shown in FIG. 4. A longitudinal key 56 (FIG. 5) extends upwardly from the flange and is received in a vertical slot 57 in the lower end portion of the post to prevent the slide from turning in the post and to maintain the desired orientation of the post and the slide. The parts 53 and 54 are held together against relative rotation by a tongue 58 depending from the part 53 and received in an upwardly opening groove 59 in the upper portion of the part 54 (FIG. 7). The tongue extends diametrically across the part 53 and is T-shaped in cross section and the groove similarly extends diametrically across the part 54 and is of complemental T-shape. Diametrically opposite the key 56 is a small vertical rib 60, exaggerated in size in FIG. 6, which makes a force fit with the post and prevents the post from rattling on the slide.

The hole 40 for the set screw 39 is vertically alined with the hole 48 for the screw 35 and are diametrically opposite the center of the door 15 as shown in FIG. 1. As a result, when the shelf assembly including the door is turned through about 180 degrees, the heads of both of these screws face the opening 31 in the cabinet frame 12. Accordingly, the screws are readily accessible to effect an adjustment of the post 10 on the slide 32 and of the trunnion 21 in the bearing member.

With the foregoing arrangement, the shelf assembly is installed by first securing the bearing plates 36 and 41 to the cabinet frame parts 19 and 20 respectively with the socket 17 and the trunnion 18 alined vertically. With the trunnion 21 projecting beyond the upper end of the post 10 and held by the set screw 39, the post with the shelves 11 attached is oriented in the cabinet frame with the socket 22 in the slide 32 resting on the trunnion 18 and the trunnion 21 projecting into the socket 17. This leaves a vertical distance b (FIG. 1) through which the post and hence the shelves and the door may be adjusted. The vertical location of the door 15 in the opening 31 and the amount the door should be raised are noted and the post is turned to place the door inside the cabinet frame with the screws 35 and 39 exposed at the opening. At this time, the post usually is resting on the flange 55 and the cam block 33 is at the lower side 44 of the cam surface 34 as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2. The screw 35 is then turned clockwise as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4 so that the cam block 33 travels along the screw. Because the slide 32 cannot move downwardly, the cam block slides up on the cam surface 34 as illustrated, for example, in broken lines in FIG. 2. This raises the post on the slide as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The screw 35 is turned until the post and hence the door have been raised the desired amount. For example, the screw is turned until the cam block has been elevated a distance c (FIG. 4) so that the screw lifts the post and hence the door an equal distance d until the spaces e and f (FIG. 2) above and below the door are approximately equal.