Mmh 10, 1942.
T. L. ATKINSON
‘ -
2,276,141
SHOE RACK
Filed Nov. 14, 1941
3
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Tmman L. K’Mngon
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Patented Mar. 10, 1942
2,276,141
UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,276,141
SHOE RACK
Truman L. Atkinson, Ludington, Mich.
Application November 14, 1941, Serial No. 419,046
8 Claims. (01. 211-s7')
This invention relates in general to racks for
supporting various articles thereon and is shown
in this particular instance as being applied to a
shoe rack.
The invention is most useful wherein a plural
ity of rods or similar supporting means extend
between end members, and resides speci?cally in
the means by which the ends of the rods or sup
porting means are clamped or held in place
against the end members.
,
One of the objects of this invention is the pro
vision of end members in a device of this char
acter provided with means which are so formed
as to receive and hold the ends of the elongated
supporting rods.
A further object of the invention is the provi
sion of end members having spaced apart legs
provided with bracing means between the legs
Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a shoe rack em
bodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation
showing one of the bracing means before a rod
is inserted in the loops provided therein.
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 after the loops
have received the rods, and
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through one of
10 the loops showing the opening at each end there
of slightly enlarged. .
While, for purposes of convenience in illustrat
ing the invention, a shoe rack has been speci?
cally designated, it is to be understood that the
invention may be applied equally as well to other
devices without departing in any way from the
spirit thereof.
Referring now more particularly to the draw
which are so formed as to receive the ends of
ing, I have illustrated end members having a
the elongated supporting rods.
20 substantially inverted U-shaped form to provide
Another object of the invention is to form the
front leg members I and rear legs 2 connected
bracing means between the legs of a ?exible or
spring material which will be capable of having
a suf?cient force as to successfully clamp the
ends of the rods in place.
A still further object of the invention is the
provision of loops in the downturned ends of the
bracing means to receive the ends of the rods,
such loops forming an opening with the adjacent
leg, which opening is smaller than the end of
the rod which it receives, thereby placing a
tension between the bracing member and the
adjacent leg whereby the rod is clamped and
held in place.
A still further object is to form these loops so
that the opening between them and the adjacent
leg will be larger at each end than in the center
thereof to thereby facilitate entrance of the rod
therein.
Other objects and purposes of the invention
at their upper ends by an arcuate portion 3. In
each end member one or more braces 4 may be -
located each of which extends between the front
and rear legs I and 2. The rear end of each
brace may be turned downwardly as at 5 so as
to be substantially parallel to the rear leg 2 and
bear ?ush thereagainst. Likewise the front of
each brace 4 is turned downwardly as at 6 in the
30 same manner and these downturned ends 5 and
6 may be secured to the respective legs 2 and I
by welding or any other desired means
While the same effect may be had regardless
of whether the ends of the braces are turned
upwardly or downwardly, for convenience herein
they have been shown as being ‘turned down
wardly. In this case. then, the rear end 5 of each
brace 4 has an inwardly extending loop 1 formed
therein a short distance above the point where
such end is secured to the leg. Likewise the front
downturned end 6 is provided with an inwardly
will appear more fully as the description pro
ceeds.
extending loop 8 a short distance above the point
where the front end is secured to its adjacent
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and
leg. It will be evident that each loop in conjunc
related ends said invention, then, consists of the
means hereinafter fully described and particu 45 tion with the adjacent leg against which the
downturned end of a brace bears will form an
larly pointed out in the claims.
- opening to receive the ends of elongated rod
The annexed drawing and following descrip
members 9 or an equivalent structure. In the
tion set forth in detail certain means for carry
ing out my invention, said means constituting, 50 form illustrated the rods 9 are tubular and are
all secured to one end member, and rods H] are
however, but one of various ways in which the
secured to the opposite end member and are
principle of the invention may be employed. adapted to slide within the tubes 9 thereby pro
In said annexed drawing wherein like refer
viding a’ telescoping arrangement for adjusting
ence numerals refer to like parts throughout
the length of the rack. In some instances, how
the various views:
ever, it may be desirable to dispense with the>ad-'
2
2,276,141
justable feature in which case the opposite ends
or the equivalent of such stated means be em
of the rods 9 would then be received in the loops
in the opposite end member.
It is preferable that both the end members
and the braces which extend between the legs
thereof be formed of a ?exible strap metal, but
it would be sui?cient if one or the other would
be formed of such a material so long as at least
one side of each opening which receives the ends
of the rods is ?exible. The openings provided
by the loops and the adjacent leg members are
smaller than the ends of the rods which they re
ployed.
I, therefore, particularly point out and dis
tinctly claim as my invention:
1. A device of the class described comprising,
end members formed of a length of strap metal
bent in the form of an inverted U, a brace of
?exible sheet metal extending between the legs
of each end member, the ends of each brace be
ing turned downwardly parallel to the adjacent
leg of each end member and secured thereto, an
inwardly extending loop in the end of each brace
ceive so that when the rods are inserted in these
above the point where it is secured to the leg of
openings a tension will be set up primarily in
xthe end member to thereby form an opening with
the braces themselves and possibly in the leg . 5 the adjacent leg having a ?exible side, rods ex
members as well which provides a clamping
tending between the end members to support
action to secure the rods in place.
articles thereon, the ends of said rods being re
ceived in said openings, and said openings being
Fig. 3 illustrates clearly the condition of each
smaller than the ends of said rods, whereby the
brace and the legs on an end member before the
?exibility of a side of each opening will clamp
ends of the rods are inserted in the loops.
andhold the rods in place.
Fig. 4 illustrates clearly the condition of the
'2. ‘The combination of elements de?ned in
various elements after the rods have been in
claim 1, wherein said openings are larger at the
serted. Due to the ?exible nature of the brace
ends ‘thereof than in the center, to facilitate en
it will be seen that the downturned ends of each
brace will be forced inwardly toward each other ;, trance of the rods therein.
3. A device of the class described comprising,
and that portion thereof which extends between
the legs will be bowed slightly downwardly. It
will be evident that two forces cooperate in hold
ing the rods in place. One force will be the
end members having spaced apart legs thereon,
'
a brace of ?exible material extending between
the legs of .each end member, the ends of each
tendency of the downturned end portions 5 and ;
6 to return to their normal position abutting
against the adjacent leg, and the other force
will be exerted by that portion 4 of the brace
extending between the legs which tends to re
brace being turned downwardly parallel to the
adjacent leg and secured thereto, an inwardly
turn thatportion to its normal straight position.
adjacent leg, rods extendingbetween said end
members to support articles thereon, the ends
After the formation of the end members with
the braces thereon as above described, the rods
may be assembled therewith easily and quickly
extending loop in the end of each brace above
the point where vit is secured to the leg of the end
member to thereby form an opening with the
of said rods being received in said openings, and
said openings being smaller than the ends of said
rods, whereby the loops will be forced away from
the adjacent legs and clamp the rods inplace.
4. A device of the class described comprising,
by inserting the ends of the rods in ‘the loops
where they will be securely held without the all.
necessity of any additional securing means, the
end members having spaced apart supporting legs
tension of the brace as above explained being
thereon, a brace of ?exible ‘material extending
su?icient for this purpose. It will also be evident
between the legs of each end member, the ends
in this particular construction that a certain
amount of ?exibility in the leg .portions them 45 of each brace being turned to a plane substan
tially parallel with the adjacent leg and secured
selves will permit a small amount of give, which
thereto, an inwardly extending loop in the turned
amount would ordinarily be greater if the braces
end of each brace spaced a short distance from
were not formed of such material. It may be
the point where such end is secured to the leg,
mentioned here that the braces adjacent the bot
said loop in conjunction with the adjacent leg
tom of the legs may not be bowed quite as much
thereby forming an opening, rods extending be~
as those braces thereabove because of the fact
tween said endmembers to support articles there
that the legs themselves may be spread slightly.
in, the ends of saidrods being received in said
Nevertheless, the inherent tension in the various
openings, and said openings being smaller than
parts as above outlined will be su?icient regard
less of the location of the braces to securely hold 55 the ends of said rods whereby the loops will be
forced .away from the adjacent legs and clamp
the rods in place.
the rods in place.
To facilitate the insertion of the ends of the
5. vThe'combination of elements de?ned in claim
rods in the openings provided by the loops and
their adjacent leg members, since the openings
4, wherein the ends of each loop are spaced a
themselves are smaller than the rods, the loops
are preferably formed as shown in Fig. 5 wherein
the material at each end thereof is ?ared slightly
away from the adjacent leg portion as shown at
H. Each .end of the opening then will be large
greater distance from its adjacent leg than vthe
center thereof, to facilitate entrance of the rod
therein.
6. A device of the class described comprising,
end members having spaced apart supporting
enough to receive the end of -a rod for a short 65 legs, a braceextending between the legs of each
distance, when the rod is then forced entirely
through the opening the distance of the center
thereof from the adjacent leg will be small
enough to set up the tension and thereby securely
hold the rods in place.
Other modes of applying the principle of my
invention may be used instead of the one here
described, .change being .made as regards the
structure herein disclosed provided, however, that
themeans-stated by-any of the following claims
end member having its ends bent to abut against
said legs, each end :of the brace being secured
to the adjacent leg a distance from the bend in
said brace, an ‘inwardly extending loop in each
end of ‘the brace between the bend therein and
the point where ‘it is securedto the adjacent leg,
and rods extending between said end members,
the endofra ‘rod beingreceived and clamped be
tween a loop and the adjacent leg.
'7. A device of the class described ‘comprising,
2,276,141
end members having spaced apart supporting legs
thereon, bracing means between the legs of each
end member, a plurality of article supporting
means extending between said end members, and
means integral with said bracing means to clamp
the ends of said supporting means against the
legs of the end members.
‘
8. A device of the class described comprising,
end members having spaced apart supporting
3 .
legs thereon, bracing means between the legs of
each end member, a plurality of article support
ing means extending between said end members,
and loops integral with said' bracing means be
tween which and the legs the ends of the sup
porting means are received to clamp the ends of
said supporting means against the legs of'the end
members.
,
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,
TRUMAN L. ATKINSON.