Merchandise display with time delay mechanism

Abstract

A merchandise display system for displaying items of merchandise on a support has vertically spaced first and second rods extending outwardly from the support. A time delay mechanism is mounted on the upper rod and includes a pair of pivotally mounted plates which are selectively moveable into and out of blocking engagement with the lower plate on which the items of merchandise are slidably supported. An item of merchandise is moveable past the forwardmost plate from a space between the plates for removal from a free end of the lower rod while the rearward plate prevents movement of another item of merchandise into the intervening space until the forward plate moves to the blocking position and the rear plate moves to an unblocking position. A magnetically actuated lock mechanism locks the rear plate in an adjusted linear position with respect to the front plate to adjust the intervening space.

1 . A system for displaying items of merchandise from a support comprising:
 spaced first and second rods adapted to extend outwardly from the support for carrying the items of merchandise;   a time delay mechanism requiring a progression of manual operations to enable an item of merchandise to progress forward towards a free end of the first rod for subsequent removal of the item from said first rod;   said time delay mechanism including first and second blocking devices moveably mounted on the second rod and operatively engageable with the first rod to block movement of the items of merchandise toward the free end of the first rod and providing a space between said blocking devices along the first rod; said first blocking device being moveable out of blocking engagement with the first rod enabling at least one item of merchandise to move forward on the first rod toward the free end and into the space between said blocking devices with the second blocking device remaining in blocking engagement with the first rod until the first blocking device is returned to blocking engagement afterwhich said second blocking device is moveable to an unblocking position enabling the item of merchandise to move toward the free end of the first rod.   
   
   
       2 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the first and second rods extend in a cantilever fashion outwardly from the support with the second rod being spaced vertically above the first rod. 
   
   
       3 . The system defined in  claim 1  including a lock mechanism for locking the first and second rods to the support. 
   
   
       4 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the free end of the first rod is irregularly shaped to prevent rapid removal of the item of merchandise. 
   
   
       5 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein a display placard is mounted on a free end of the second rod. 
   
   
       6 . The system defined in  claim 1  including a stop mounted on the second display rod to stop movement of the pair of blocking devices toward the free end of the first rod. 
   
   
       7 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the first and second blocking devices are mounted on a shaft telescopically slidably rotatably mounted on the second rod. 
   
   
       8 . The system defined in  claim 7  wherein the shaft is hollow for slidably receiving the second rod therethrough; and in which a plurality of arcuate grooves are formed in the shaft for adjustably positioning one of the blocking devices along the shaft to adjust the space between said blocking devices. 
   
   
       9 . The system defined in  claim 7  wherein the second blocking device is fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith; and in which the first blocking device is rotatably mounted on the shaft for limited rotational movement thereon. 
   
   
       10 . The system defined in  claim 8  including a lock mechanism operatively engageable between the first blocking device and the shaft securing the first blocking device in a linear fixed adjusted position in one of the grooves of the shaft. 
   
   
       11 . The system defined in  claim 10  wherein the lock mechanism includes a spring biased plunger adapted to selectively engage one of the shaft grooves and a plunger carrier formed of a magnetically attractable material. 
   
   
       12 . The system defined in  claim 11  including a magnetic key for placement adjacent the plunger carrier for overcoming the spring bias to attract the plunger carrier toward the key and disengage the plunger from the shaft groove. 
   
   
       13 . The system defined in  claim 6  wherein the stop includes a bore for telescopically mounting the stop on the second rod; and in which the stop has a projection which is received within a notch formed in the second rod to position the stop on said second rod. 
   
   
       14 . The system defined in  claim 7  wherein the shaft includes a retainer engageable with the first blocking device to secure said first blocking device in a second unblocking position with respect to the first rod. 
   
   
       15 . The system defined in  claim 14  wherein the retainer is an angular projection on the shaft which is slidably received in a recess formed in a portion of the first blocking device. 
   
   
       16 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second blocking device is a plate formed with a recess for receiving the first rod therein when said plate is in the blocking position; and in which a magnet is mounted on each of said plates adjacent said recess to assist in retaining the plates in the blocking positions. 
   
   
       17 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the shaft is formed with a linear rib; in which said rib is received in a notch formed in the second blocking device to fix said second blocking device on the shaft for rotation with the shaft; and in which the rib is received in an arcuate recess formed in the first blocking device providing for limited rotational movement of the first blocking device on the shaft for moving between the blocking and unblocking positions. 
   
   
       18 . A time delay device for controlling the removal of an item of merchandise from a pair of display rods, said device requiring a progression of manual operations to enable the item of merchandise to progress forward towards a free end of a first rod of the pair of rods for subsequent removal of the item from said first rod;
 said time delay mechanism comprising front and back blocking devices adapted to be moveably mounted on a second rod of the pair of rods for operational engagement with the first rod to block movement of the item of merchandise toward the free end of the first rod and providing a space between said blocking devices along the first rod; said back blocking device being moveable out of blocking engagement with the first rod enabling at least one item of merchandise to move forward on the first rod toward the free end and into the space between said blocking devices with the front blocking device remaining in blocking engagement with the first rod until the back blocking device is returned to blocking engagement afterwhich said front blocking device is moveable to an unblocking position enabling the item of merchandise to move toward the free end of the first rod.   
   
   
       19 . The time delay device defined in  claim 18  wherein the front and back blocking devices are mounted on a shaft adapted to be telescopically slidably rotatably mounted on the second rod; wherein the shaft is hollow for slidably receiving the second rod therethrough; and in which a plurality of arcuate grooves are formed in the shaft for adjustably linearly positioning the back blocking device along the shaft to adjust the space between said blocking device. 
   
   
       20 . The time delay device defined in  claim 19  wherein the front blocking device is fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith; and in which the back blocking device is rotatably mounted on the shaft for limited rotational movement thereon. 
   
   
       21 . The time delay device defined in  claim 19  including a lock mechanism operatively engageable between the back blocking device and the shaft securing the back blocking device in a fixed linear adjusted position in one of the arcuate notches of the shaft. 
   
   
       22 . The time delay device defined in  claim 21  wherein the lock mechanism includes a spring biased plunger adapted to selectively engage one of the shaft arcuate grooves and a plunger carrier formed of a magnetically attractable material. 
   
   
       23 . The time delay device defined in  claim 20  wherein the shaft is formed with a linear rib; in which said rib is received in a notch formed in the front blocking device to fix said front blocking device on the shaft for rotation with the shaft; and in which the rib is received in an arcuate recess formed in the back blocking device providing for limited rotational movement of the back blocking device on the shaft for moving between the blocking and unblocking positions. 
   
   
       24 . A method for controlling the removal of an item of merchandise from a display rod comprising the steps of:
 mounting a pair of blocking devices on a first rod spaced from and operatively engageable with the display rod and moveable between blocking and unblocking positions with said display rod;   blocking movement of the item of merchandise from a free end of the display rod by the pair of blocking devices when said blocking devices are in the blocking position;   moving a first of said pair of blocking devices from the blocking position to the unblocking position;   moving the item of merchandise toward the free end of the display rod past the first blocking device to a space formed between the pair of blocking devices;   returning the first blocking device to the blocking position to capture the item of merchandise in the space between the pair of blocking devices;   moving a second of said blocking devices to an unblocking position;   moving the item of merchandise forwardly from the space toward the free end of the display rod past the second blocking device for subsequent removal therefrom; and   returning the second blocking device back to the blocking position enabling the first blocking device to be moved to the unblocking position enabling another item of merchandise to move into the space between said blocking devices.   
   
   
       25 . The method defined in  claim 24  including the steps of mounting the pair of blocking devices on a shaft telescopically rotatably mounted on the first rod; fixing the second blocking device on the shaft for rotation with said shaft; moveably mounting the first blocking device on the shaft for limited rotational movement of said first blocking device on the shaft; and locking the first blocking device on the shaft to adjust the space between the pair of blocking devices. 
   
   
       26 . The method defined in  claim 25  including the steps of unlocking the first blocking device from the shaft; and moving said first blocking device axially along the shaft for adjusting the space between the pair of blocking devices. 
   
   
       27 . The method defined in  claim 25  including the steps of unlocking the first blocking device from the shaft; and moving both of the blocking devices to the unblocking position for loading items of merchandise onto the display rod. 
   
   
       28 . A system for displaying and protecting items of merchandise comprising:
 a support rod having a free outer front end and adapted to extend outwardly from a support for carrying the items of merchandise;   first and second interconnected blocking devices mounted on the rod and forming a time delay area therebetween, each of said blocking devices being moveable between blocking and unblocking positions but prevented from being in the unblocking positions at the same time;   said first blocking device providing a rear storage area for items of merchandise and when in the unblocking position enables an item of merchandise to move forward from the storage area toward the free end of the rod and into the time delay area with said second blocking device preventing removal of said item of merchandise from the time delay area; and   said second blocking device when in the unblocking position and the first block device in the blocking position enabling the item of merchandise to be removed from the time delay area and off the free end of the rod with the first blocking device preventing forward movement of another item of merchandise from the storage area and into the time delay area until the second blocking device returns to the blocking position and the first blocking device returns to the unblocking position.