Shelf support system

Abstract

A shelf support system is provided for supporting one or more shelves at selected elevations on a vertical surface. In one form of the system, a standard is provided with vertically spaced-apart slots which are concealed when the standard is viewed from the front. A shelf support is provided with an attachment portion for fitting into the slots of the standard. In another form of the system, a shelf support is adjustably mounted to a shelf retainer for clamping the shelf between the shelf support and shelf retainer, and the shelf retainer is in turn attached with screws to a hanger which includes an attachment portion for mounting to the slots in the standard on the wall. In another form of the system, the hanger is not used, and an attachment portion is provided at the rear end of the shelf support which is adjustably attached to the shelf retainer and which is mounted directly to the standard.

1 . A system for mounting one or more shelves to a generally vertical surface, said system comprising: 
 (I) a least one standard for being attached to said vertical surface, said standard having rearwardly extending, spaced-apart, first and second walls and having a front wall extending across said first and second walls to define the front of said standard, said standard first wall defining a column of vertically spaced slots, said standard also having a lateral extension extending laterally beyond said first wall to conceal said slots from view when said standard is attached to said vertical surface and viewed looking generally toward said front of said standard; and    (II) at least one shelf support having 
 (A) a shelf support platform upon which at least a portion of a shelf can be disposed, and  
 (B) an attachment portion that 
 (1) is located at one end of said shelf support platform,  
 (2) extends adjacent and rearwardly beyond said standard lateral extension, and  
 (3) has at least one tab that 
 (i) is located rearwardly of, and extends generally adjacent to, said standard lateral extension and standard front wall,  
 (ii) has a cantilevered portion passing through one of said standard first wall slots, and  
 (iii) has a foot portion depending downwardly from said cantilevered portion adjacent said standard first wall below said one slot to hold said shelf support on said standard.  
 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The system in accordance with  claim 1  in which said shelf support platform has a generally U-shaped, transverse cross section defined by first and second, generally parallel, spaced-apart legs which are joined by a connecting web along the length of the bottom of said shelf support platform.  
   
   
       3 . The system in accordance with  claim 2  in which 
 said shelf support platform first leg extends rearwardly into said attachment portion; and    said shelf support platform second leg has a rearwardly facing, vertical, abutment surface for engaging said standard front wall.    
   
   
       4 . The system in accordance with  claim 1  in which 
 said shelf support attachment portion includes a rear wall generally parallel to, and behind, said standard lateral extension; and    said at least one tab extends from said rear wall.    
   
   
       5 . A system for mounting one or more shelves to a generally vertical surface, said system comprising: 
 (I) at least one standard for being attached to said vertical surface, said standard having rearwardly extending, spaced-apart, first and second walls and having a front wall extending across said first and second walls to define the front of said standard, said standard first wall defining a column of vertically spaced slots, said standard also having a lateral extension extending laterally beyond said first wall to conceal said slots from view when said standard is attached to said vertical surface and is viewed looking generally toward said front of said standard;    (II) a shelf support having 
 (A) a cantilevered lower clamp jaw on which at least a portion of a shelf bottom surface can be disposed,  
 (B) a pair of spaced-apart, vertical channels which open toward each other, and  
 (C) a vertically oriented screw shank-receiving aperture for receiving the shank of a screw;  
   (III) a shelf retainer having 
 (A) slide portions received in said shelf support channels,  
 (B) a cantilevered upper clamp jaw for engaging a top surface of a shelf,  
 (C) a horizontally oriented screw shank-receiving aperture, and  
 (D) a vertically oriented, threaded bore aligned with said shelf support vertically oriented screw shank-receiving aperture;  
   (IV) a first screw having a head bearing against said shelf support and having a shank extending through said shelf support vertically oriented screw shank-receiving aperture and into threaded engagement with said shelf retainer vertically oriented, threaded bore for adjustably holding said shelf support to said shelf retainer to position said lower clamp jaw at a selected distance below said upper clamp jaw thereby clamping said shelf therebetween;    (V) a hanger for mounting said shelf retainer to said standard, said hanger including 
 (A) a front panel defining a horizontally oriented threaded bore for alignment with said shelf retainer horizontally oriented screw shank-receiving aperture,  
 (B) an attachment portion that 
 (1) extends from said front panel adjacent and rearwardly beyond said standard lateral extension, and  
 (2) has at least one tab that 
 (i) is located rearwardly of, and extends generally adjacent to, said standard lateral extension and standard front wall,  
 (ii) has a cantilevered portion passing through one of said standard first wall slots, and  
 (iii) has a foot portion depending downwardly from said cantilevered portion adjacent said standard first wall below said one slot to hold said hanger on said standard; and  
 
 
   (VI) a second screw having a head bearing against said shelf retainer and having a shank extending through said shelf retainer horizontally oriented screw shank-receiving aperture and into threaded engagement with said hanger horizontally oriented threaded bore to hold said shelf retainer to said hanger.    
   
   
       6 . The system in accordance with  claim 5  in which said shelf support lower clamp jaw is defined by a rim around a concave region.  
   
   
       7 . The system in accordance with  claim 5  in which said hanger attachment portion has a rearwardly extending wall extending from said front panel generally perpendicular to said front panel, and has a rear wall that extends from said rearwardly extending wall and that is generally parallel to said front panel.  
   
   
       8 . The system in accordance with  claim 7  in which said at least one tab extends from said rear wall.  
   
   
       9 . A system for mounting one or more shelves to a generally vertical surface, said system comprising: 
 (I) at least one standard for being attached to said vertical surface, said standard having rearwardly extending, spaced-apart, first and second walls and having a front wall extending across said first and second walls to define the front of said standard, said standard first wall defining a column of vertically spaced slots, said standard also having a lateral extension extending laterally beyond said first wall to conceal said slots from view when said standard is attached to said vertical surface and is viewed looking generally toward said front of said standard;    (II) a shelf support having 
 (A) a cantilevered lower clamp jaw on which at least a portion of a shelf bottom surface can be disposed,  
 (B) a pair of spaced-apart, vertical channels which open toward each other,  
 (C) a vertically oriented screw shank-receiving aperture for receiving the shank of a screw,  
 (D) an attachment portion that 
 (1) extends from said lower clamp jaw adjacent and rearwardly beyond said standard lateral extension, and  
 (2) has at least one tab that 
 (i) is located rearwardly of, and extends generally adjacent to, said standard lateral extension and standard front wall,  
 (ii) has a cantilevered portion passing through one of said standard first wall slots, and  
 (iii) has a foot portion depending downwardly from said cantilevered portion adjacent said standard first wall below said one slot to hold said shelf support on said standard;  
 
 
   (III) a shelf retainer having 
 (A) slide portions received in said shelf support channels,  
 (B) a cantilevered upper clamp jaw for engaging a top surface of a shelf,  
 (C) a horizontally oriented screw shank-receiving aperture, and  
 (D) a vertically oriented, threaded bore aligned with said shelf support vertically oriented screw shank-receiving aperture; and  
   (IV) a screw having a head bearing against said shelf support and having a shank extending through said shelf support vertically oriented screw shank-receiving aperture and into threaded engagement with said shelf retainer vertically oriented, threaded bore for adjustably holding said shelf retainer to said shelf support to position said shelf retainer upper clamp jaw at a selected distance above said shelf support lower clamp jaw thereby clamping said shelf therebetween.    
   
   
       10 . The system in accordance with  claim 9  in which said shelf support lower clamp jaw is defined by a rim around a concave region.  
   
   
       11 . The system in accordance with  claim 9  in which said shelf attachment portion includes a rearwardly extending wall and has a rear wall that extends from said rearwardly extending wall.  
   
   
       12 . The system in accordance with  claim 11  in which said at least one tab extends from said rear wall.