1 fabio mello- 3968882 - complete set of elements fitting in unit-composed supporting systems

United States Patent [19J
Mello
[54] COMPLETE SET OF ELEMENTS FITTING
IN UNIT-COMPOSED SUPPORTING
SYSTEMS
[75] Inventor: Fabio Mello, Milan, Italy
[73] Assignee: Commerciale Sacea, S.a.s., Milan,
Italy ·
[22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1973
[21] Appl. No.: 414,665
[30) Foreign Application Priority Data
Nov. 14, 1972 Italy .................................. 31624/72
Oct. 31, 1973 Italy .................................. 30764/73
[52) U.S. Cl...........:..................... 211/189; 211/182;
248/188.7
I51] Int. Cl.2
............................................ A47F 5/00
[58] Field of Search.................... 211/177, 182, 183;
. 248/188.7, 224; 5/300
[56] References Cited
660,196
1,173,647
2,962,170
3,415,554
3,451 '183
3,524,616
UNITED STATES PATENTS
10/1900
2/1916
11/1960
12/1968
6/1969
8/1970
Myers ............;........................ 5/300
Carmody ..............:................. 5/300
Best .................................... 403/187
Papayoti ............................. 403/187
Lespagnol et al................... 403/220
Marschak ........................... 211/177
6
1--.
3,547,275
3,612,585
3,670,899
3,719,340
3,724,678
3,778,175
12/1970
10/1971
6/1972
3/1973
4/1973
12/1973
[II] 3,968,882
[45] July 13, 1976
Engel .................................. 211 I I77
Mayr................................... 211/177
Kronenberg et al................ 211/182
Norton ............................. 248/188.7
Challier .............................. 403/189
Zimmer .............................. 403/187
Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier
Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly
Carr & Chapin
[57] ABSTRACT
A set of elements fitting in unit-composed systems for
office and house furniture comprises a vertical sup-
porting rod having at the bottom and at the top a plu-
rality of. slots for the interchangeable radial connec-
tion, respectively with a base and with a bar for
mounting panels, containers, shelves, etc, by means of
a properly shaped plate.
The bar comprises at least two elements and
preferably a central one connected to end joints,
provided with. inner passages for housing electric
and/or telephone wires therein. For example these
passages are formed by a H beam associated with two
opposite outer channels. For the. passage of said wires
from the vertical rod to the bar, a connecting box may
be provided.
10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures
A

U.S. Patent July 13, 1976 Sheet 1 of 3 3,968,882
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Fig. 7
Fig. 1
7
Fig. 2
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T 22 /21
d t
~ 23
Fig. 6

U.S. Patent July 13, 1976
19··--
19'
I
Fig. 4
Fig. 3
34
__33
-J-..v
i
I
+--v
28 32
31 29
Sheet 2 of 3 3,968,882
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19
/
17'
I
19'
Fig. 5

U.S. Patent July 13, 1976 Sheet 3 of 3 3,968,882
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Fig. 8

3,968,882
1
COMPLETE SET OF ELEMENTS FITTING IN
UNIT-COMPOSED SUPPORTING SYSTEMS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a complete set of
elements fitting in unit-composed supporting systems,
5
in particular to a set of elements arranged for housing
and insulating wires, for Instance electric and tele-
phone wires, and suitable for unit-composed systems, 10
fit to support and assemble working surfaces, archives
shelves, partition panels, etc. These elements can be
variously and widely used in the furnishings field in
general and in the office furniture and rooms in partic-
ular. 15
It is known that in accordance with the more ad-
vanced job organization, a strong trend was marked
toward a homogeneous and functional space distribu-
tion of work places. In fact, taking in due consideration
20
a precise operative functionality, there is a trend
toward the creation of collective work zones with
strictly rational furnishings, where volumes and spaces
can be continually adapted to ever new and changeable
requirements. 25
So far the above mentioned standards are generally
not carried out because of the comparatively slow pro-
cess of adaptation and transformation of the furnish-
ings industry which is usually, more responsive to aes-
thetic than to rational requirements. 30
2
connect the bar with furnishings elements such as pan-
els, resting surfa~es, archives containers, .shelves, etc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ORAWINGS
The present invention will be now described more in
detail with reference, only by way of a nonlimiting
example, to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the
annexed drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical rod of the set
of elements according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base of the set of
elements according to a preferred embodiment of the
presen(invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a completely assem-
bled supporting bar of the set of elements according to
a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective partial view of the bar of FIG.
3 before the assemblage;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the central element of
the barof FIG. 3 along the line V-V;
FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a connecting plate
included in the set of elements according to the present
invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a connecting box
suitable for a wire-housing; and
FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of an assembly
according to the invention adjacent a. furniture ele-
ment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIG. 1, a vertical rod l having a
cylinder-shaped shank 2 and joints 3 and 4 ·at both
ends, upper and lower at both sides of shank 2. The
joint 3, as illustrated by FIG. 1, has·a plurality of slots
6 along equally spaced generating lines of vertical rod
1. The slot shape is substantially the same as the one
resulting from the longitudinal combination of a cylin-
To a large extent, supporting structures are in fact
assembled by means of screw and bolts, thus preventing
them from easy changes. Moreover these structures are
composed of various and an indefinite number of dif-
ferent non-standard elements, which are specifically 35
designed for a particular environment. At last, the
known supporting system elements for office furniture,
are not arranged for housing and insulating electric and
telephone wires according to various and non-rectilin-
ear directions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention, in order to
basically guarantee a flexible and functional organiza-
tion of open space, to provide a minimum number of 45
standard elements, whose repeated employment allows
the highest furnishings combination, a quick and easy
change of one combination into another and a partial
transformation without alteration of the remaining
parts, so that the enlargement or the reduction of a
certain combination is not dependent on the combina-
tion itself.
40 der and a rectangular parallelepipedon. The cylindrical
portion of each slot is marked with reference numeral
5. According to the Hlustrated embodiment, the slots 6
are radially spaced by a 45° interval, thus allowing the
fixing of a bar 14 (FIG. 3) in accordance with anyone
of the eight corresponding directions. The bar 14 is in
fact stiffly connected to the vertical rod 1 by engaging
its terminal element 20 into one of the eight slots 6. The
terminal element 20 functions as an engagement means
and comprises a parallelepipedon element 19' and a
Another object of the present invention is to provide
50 cylindrical element 19 adapted to be fitted in the corre-
sponding cylindrical portion 5 of the slot 6 of the joint
3. The vertical rod 1 is also provided with an axial slot
passage 60 passing therethrough.
a whole set of elements, fit for housing and insulating
wires, as .electric and telephone wires, and capahle of 55
assembly without screws or bolts in unit-composed
systems, variously jointed, for supporting and assem-
bling working surfaces, archives shelves, partition pan-
els, etc.
Analogously a plurality of equally spaced slots 7
(eight slots according to the illustrated embodiment)
are formed on the joint 4 Of the vertical rod 1, thus
allowing the engagement of a terminal element 12 of
the base 9 of FIG. 2. The slots 7 are provided, similarly
to the above mentioned slots 6, with eight cylindrical
The set of elements according to the present inven~
tion essentially comprises a vertical rod, provided with
an axial slot passing therethrough, and having a plural-
60 portions 8 wherein, when assembled, the cylindrical
terminal 11 of the base 9 is engaged. Furthermore the
slots 7 are shaped in order to permit a quick disassem-
bly of the base 9, being provided at their upper endsity of slots. at both upper and lower ends; a base. with
engagement means to be housed in one of the slots of
the lower end of the vertical rod; a bar formed at least 65
by two elements.and provided_at each of both ends with
engagement means to be inserted in one slot of the
upper end of the vertical rod; and a plate adapted to
with a widening 7' allowing the release of the cylindri-
cal element 11 just by lifting the base ·9 and drawing it
out. The base 9 may be engaged in the opposite man-
ner. FIG. 2 points out the simple structure of the base
9, which comprises a 10, having integral with the said

3,968,882
3 4
cylindrical element 19 of the joints 25 and 26 and pref-
erably through a hole 44 (shown in phantom in FIG. 1)
to be made on the vertical rod 1 just below the joint 3,
and then through a connecting box, for instance like
element 12 with the cylindrical element 11. The ele-
ment 12 is also characterized by a step, or a shoulder
13, as a guide for the joint 4 during the engagement and
eventually as an auxiliary support of the shank 2Jor the
vertical rod 1.
The bar 14 in accordance with FIGS. 3-4-5 can
house electric, telephone and other wires. According to
the illustrated preferred embodiment the bar 14 com-
prises three elemental parts. Outer parts 25 and 26 act
5 box 70 of FIG. 7, suitable for wire-housing and fitted
inside with a partition screen 71 to separate wires.
When assembled, this box 70 connects the upper part
of the vertical rod 1 with the bar 14.
as a joint, whilst the central part 27 is load-bearing or 10
supporting. As illustrated by FIG. 4, showing in a per-
spective view a part of the supporting section 27 and
one of two side joints (for instance the joint 26), the
bar 14 is provided with two inner passages 28 and 29
suitable for wire-housing. More precisely, as FIG. 5 15
shows in a sectional view, the central part 27 of the bar
14 is composed by one H beam 30 and two opposite
channels 31 and 32. The webs of channels 31 and 32
are parallel to H beam's one. The inner passages 28 and
29 are created by the webs of two channels 31 and 32 20
and the web of the H beam 40 together with its plat-
bands. Each one of the two joints 25 and 26 is provided
with a terminal 20, which, as above mentioned, can be
housed in one of the eight slots 6 formed in the joint 3
It is important to point out that the fitting elements in
accordance with the present invention, allow the elec-
trification of widely jointed structures, thus remarkably
improving safety, praticalness and aesthetics.
It will be also noticed that the described elements can
have a wide range of applications different to the above
mentioned ones, as for instance the assembly of parti-
tion walls or bank agency counters, and so on.
Although the present invention has been described in
detail with reference to the annexed drawings and to a
particularly preferred embodiment, it is obvious that
adaptations and/or modifications can be brought by
those skilled in the art without departing from the
scope of the invention itself.
What I claim is:
1. A combination for office furniture comprising
of the vertical rod 1. 25 a vertically disposed rod having an axial passage
passing therethrough and a plurality of radially
directed slots at an upper end, at least some of said
slots being shaped ina shape of a cylinder and a
Opposite to the terminal 20, each one of the two
joints 25 and 26 is provided with two protruding hollow
couplings 33 and 34, substantially composed by two
rectangular parallelepipedons suitable to be tightly
housed in the passages 28 and 29. Moreover the part 27 30
of the bar 14 presents a slot 17 on both sides which can
house, when assembled, theconnecting plate 21.
According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6
and 8, the connecting plate 21 is substantially formed
by a rectangle element with two opposite beveled cor- 35
ners 23 and 24, and with a central quadrangular hole
22. When assembled, the plate 21 is just the connecting
element between whatsoever working surface or panel
(where it is fixed by means of the hole 22) and the bar
14. That is, the plate 21 serves of itself to mount the 40
central part 27 of a bar 14 directly to a furniture ele-
ment A or panel. Thus, the plate 21 has the function of
a clamping means for fastening a furniture element on
the bar 14. The plate 21 is made integral with the ele-
ment A via a screw or bolt 35 in the hole 22 in the plate 45
21 and a suitable threaded aperture 36 in the furniture
element A while being inserted in one of the side slots
17 of the central part 27. The connecting plate 21
length d is·equal to the width ofthe platbands 41 and 42
of the H beam 30, in order to be clamped, when assem- 50
bled, between the webs of channels 31 and 32, which
come into contact with both shorter sides.
FIGS. 3 and 4 point also out slots 17' ofjoints 25 and
rectangular parallelepipedon, said passage being
disposed for receiving at least one wire;
a horizontally disposed bar having atleast one inner
passage for receiving at least one wire, and said bar
having at least one slot;
a terminal element secured to an end of said bar and
having a parallelepipedon element and a cylindri-
cal element fitted in a respective one of said shaped
.slots of said rod for securing said bar to said rod;
and
a connecting plate of rectangular shape with a central
hole, said plate being clamped within said slot of
said bar. ·
2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein
said rod has a plurality of radially directed slots at a
lower end and which further comprises a base having a
terminal element engaged within one of said slots at
said lower end.
3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wh~rein
said slots at said lower end each have a widening at an
upper end to allow withdrawal of said terminal element
of said base.
said rod has a hole below said slots in said upper end for
outward passage of a wire from said passage in said rod
and said bar has a holefor passage of the wire from said
rod into said inner passage of said bar.
said bar has two outer parts and a central part, said
central part being formed of an H-shaped beam and a
pair of opposite channels to define t~o said inner pas-
60 .sages and two outer slots.
26 opposite to the slots 17 of the central part 27 of the
bar 14. The bar 14 riot only can house wires in'side the 55
passages 28 and 29, but can also separate them, for
instance telephone from electric wires, by means of the
web 40 of the H beam 30. Obviously the bar 14 can be
provided inside the passages 28 and 29 with an insulat-
ing layer, easily made by extrusion during the produc-
tion of the bar itself. Moreover the vertical rod 1 can
also house telephone ande.Iectric wires in the axial slot
60. The complete set of elements fitting in unit-com-
posed supporting systems according to the present
invention can therefore wholly embody the wires of a 65
electric and telephone system. The wires can be passed
from the vertical rod 1 to the bar 14 both through a
hole 43 (shown in phantom in FIG. 4) opposite to the
6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein at
least one of said outer parts of said bar has means for
allowing assembly with said central part on one side,
and said terminal element is integral with the opposite
side of said outer part.
7. A combination for office furniture comprising
a vertically disposed rod having an axial passage
passing therethrough for receiving at least one

3,968,882
5
wire, a plurality of radially directed slots at an
upper end, at least some of said slots being shaped
in a shape of a cylinder and a rectangular parallele-
pipedon, and a plurality of radially directed slots at
a lower end, each of said latter slots having a wid-
ening at an upper end thereof;
a horizontally disposed bar having at least one inner
passage for receiving atleast one wire;
a terminal element secured to an end of said bar and
having a parallelepipedon element and a cylindri-
cal element fitted in a respective one of said shaped
slots at said upper end of said rod for securing said
bar to said rod; and
a base having a terminal element engaged within one
of said slots at said lower end and· sized for with-
drawal through the widening of said one slot.
6
said rod has a hole below said slots in said upper,end for
outward passage of a wire from said passage in ~aid rod
and said bar has a hole for passage of the wire from said
5 rod into said inner passage of said bar.
said bar has two outer parts and a central part, said
central part being formed of an H-shaped beam and a
pair of opposite channels to define two said inner pas-
10
sages and two outer slots.
10. The combination as set forth. in claim 9 wherein
at least one of said outer parts of said bar has means for
allowing assembly with said central part on one side,
15
and said terminal element is integral with the opposite
side of said outer part.
. * * * * *
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO. :
DATED
INVENTOR(S) :
3,968,882
July 13, 1976
FABIO MELLO
It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent
are hereby corrected as shown below:
Column 2, last line, delete
"9, which comprises a 10, having integral with the said"
and insert
--9, which comprises a base 10, integral with the".
(SEAL)
Attest:
RUTH C. MASON
Attesting Offi~er
5igned and 5ealed this
Thirtieth l)aY0 f November 1976
C. MARSHALL DANN
Commission" ol Pate11ts anti Trademarks

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