Device for placing receptacles, such as plates, provided with a product

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device serving to place dish-shaped receptacles, such as plates, dishes, serving trays, etc. at a desired mutual distance above one another, which device comprises a vertical column disposed on a mobile frame, the column having a number of vertical rows of support members divided over its circumference, which support members have been disposed at a desired intermediates space above one another, wherein each support member serves to accommodate a receptacle in the desired position, and each support member comprises three protrusions, of which two are situated in one line in horizontal direction and the third protrusion, which is longer than the two other protrusions, is situated approximately in the middle of the two other protrusions, at a certain distance from the line connecting the two other protrusions, which distance is adjustable.

Such a device is known from applicant's European patent 0 432 81 3. When using this known device it is possible to store a large number of plates, each of which is provided with a ready product or semi-finished product, in a cooler or freezer, wherein the device together with the plates take up little space, as the plates provided with a product can be placed above one another without the plates touching the product of another plate. An additional advantage is that also in the unused condition the device takes up very little space and can easily be stored. The edge of a large number of similarly shaped receptacles such as a plate, a dish, serving tray etc. can be placed between the protrusions of a support member, wherein the lower protrusion, which is longer than the two upper protrusions, each time supports the bottom side of the receptacle such as a plate, whereas the edge of the plate supports against the two upper protrusions, as a result of which the plate is held almost horizontally balanced and does not touch the plate placed above

or below it. The lowermost protrusions can be adjusted with respect to the upper protrusion as regards height, which makes it possible to adjust the support members to the height of the plates or dishes and to the different shapes and sizes of the receptacles.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device as mentioned above, which with respect to the known construction is easier and cheaper to produce.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device as mentioned above that is also suitable to be used in devices in which a high temperature prevails, such as a steamer. A steamer in this case means a device which is often used nowadays in catering to heat products by means of steam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For that purpose the invention provides a device, serving to place dish- shaped receptacles, such as plates, dishes, serving trays, etc. at a desired mutual distance above one another, which device comprises a vertical column disposed on a mobile frame, the column having a number of vertical rows of support members divided over its circumference, which support members have been disposed at a desired intermediate space above one another, wherein each support member serves to accommodate a receptacle in the desired position, and each support member comprises three protrusions, of which the first and second protrusion are situated in one line in horizontal direction and the third protrusion, which is longer than the first and second protrusion is situated approximately in the middle of the first and second protrusion, at a certain distance from the line connecting the first and second protrusion, characterised in that, the column is formed with a number of profiles that are U-shaped in cross-section, which each with the back portion of the U are facing each other, so that the legs of the U project radially to the outside, wherein spaced apart indentations or recesses have been formed in the legs of each U- profile that are situated opposite each other, wherein each indentation of the one leg is horizontally in one line with the corresponding indentation of the other leg, for forming the first and second protrusion

of each supporting element that are situated in one line, and in that the third protrusions are formed by arms that have been attached at mutual distances to an elongated beam, which arms have been inserted in openings, disposed in the back portion of the U of each U-shaped profile.

In one embodiment synthetic top pieces of a heat resistant synthetic material have been disposed at the edges of the indentations in the legs of the U-shaped profiles.

In one embodiment the openings in the back portion of each U-shaped profile consist of slot-shaped openings, that are spaced apart from each other and situated in each others extension, and the third protrusions have been formed with elongated arms of sheet metal, which at the free end have been provided with a cap of a heat resistant synthetic material, wherein the length of the slot-shaped openings exceeds the height of the arms.

In one embodiment thereof each arm at the end facing away from the cap has a part that is bent at 90° which has a threaded opening, with which said arm can be attached to the beam by means of a screw.

In one embodiment thereof the arm at the end of the bent part has a hooking member extending beyond said bent part, and able to hook through an opening disposed in the beam.

In one embodiment the beam to which the arms have been attached, has a substantially U-shaped profile in cross-section, wherein the ends of the legs of the "U" have been provided with hook-shaped lips, that are able to hook in corresponding openings, which openings are disposed in the back portion of the "U" of the U-profiles forming the column.

In one embodiment an adjustment screw has been provided at the beam, of which screw the threaded portion is connected to the beam and of which the head is connected to the U-profile in question, so that the beam by rotating the adjustment screw can be moved longitudinally with respect to the U-profile in question.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the drawing, in which,

Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a device according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a schematic horizontal cross-section of the column of the device of figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a vertical cross-section of a part of a U-profile of the column;

Figure 4 shows a view of a part of the U-beam, carrying the third protrusion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As can clearly be seen in figure 1 , the device according to the invention comprises a mobile frame 1 , comprising a lowermost rectangular framework 2, which at its corners is provided with wheels 3. On the lowermost framework 2 a vertical rectangular framework 4 is disposed, wherein between the horizontal beams of said framework that are situated opposite each other, a column is disposed, which as a whole is indicated by reference number 5. Said column 5 contains a number of vertical rows of supporting elements that are situated at a mutual distance above one another for carrying the plates or dishes, which may each have been provided with a product.

As can be seen in figure 2 the column 5 comprises four identical profiles 6,7,8,9 that are U-shaped in cross-section, and which are situated opposite each other in pairs, the backs of the U facing each other. The legs of the U thus extend radially to the outside.

As also shown in figure 3, each U-profile has a number of supporting elements that are situated at a mutual distance above one another,

wherein each supporting element is formed by two protrusions 10a, 10b in the legs of the U, which in horizontal direction are situated in one line and a third protrusion 1 1 , that is situated in the middle between both protrusions 10a, 10b in the legs of the U, at some distance below the line connecting both protrusions 10a, 10b. The third protrusion 1 1 clearly is longer than the protrusions 10a, 10b in the legs of the U that are both situated in one line. The protrusions 10a, 10b in the legs of each U-profile are formed by a number of indentations or recesses disposed in the legs at a mutual distance. In each of said indentations an insert piece 1 2 is disposed, which in any case covers the lowermost edge of the protrusion 10a, 10b (therefore corresponds with the uppermost edge of the indentation) and the edge of the indentation connecting thereto. Said insert pieces 12 are made of a synthetic material, resistant against high temperatures up to approximately 15O ⁰ C.

Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a part of a receptacle 13, such as a plate or dish, held in the supporting element 10a, 10b, 1 1 . As can be seen in this figure, the upper edge of the plate abuts the bottom side of the two protrusions 10a and 10b, situated in one horizontal line, of the legs of the U-profile (of which in figure 3 only one 10b is visible), whereas the bottom side of the plate rests on the end of the third protrusion 1 1 . Said end of the protrusion 1 1 has also been provided with a cap 1 1 a of a suitable synthetic material, that is also resistant against temperatures up to approximately 1 5O ⁰ C.

In figures 3 and 4 it can also be seen how the protrusions 1 1 have been attached to the U-profiles 6,7,8,9. The protrusions 1 1 are attached spaced apart above one another to the back portion of an in cross-section U-shaped beam 14 (also see figure 2), which clearly is smaller than the U-profiles 6,7,8,9. Each protrusion 1 1 consists of a flat arm 1 1 made out of sheet metal, which arm at one end has a lip 1 1 b bent at 90° . Said lip 1 1 b has been provided with a threaded hole, so that the arm 1 1 can be attached to the back portion of the U of the beam 14 by means of a screw 1 5. In order to ensure that the arm 1 1 has sufficient bearing power to support the receptacles filled with a product, the arm 1 1 has a hook-shaped member 1 6 at the end of the bent lip 1 1 b, which member 16 extends beyond the bent lip 1 1 b. Said

hook-shaped member 16, hooks into a corresponding opening, disposed in the back portion of the beam 14.

The back portions of the U-profiles 6,7,8 and 9 have been provided with slot-shaped openings 17 that are in each others extension and disposed such that in each opening an arm may be inserted. The openings are slightly longer than the height of each arm 1 1 , so that there is the possibility that beam 14 with the arms 1 1 connected thereto, can be moved with respect to the U-profiles 6,7,8 and 9, in longitudinal direction of the said U-profiles. For that purpose an adjustment screw 18 has been provided at the upper side of the beam 14, which screw with the threaded portion is connected to the beam 14 and of which the head is connected to the corresponding U-profile, so that by rotating the adjustment screw the beam 14 slides in the longitudinal direction of the U-profile in question. It will be clear that the connection of the beam 14 to the U-profile in question has to be such so as to make said movement possible. As can be seen in figure 4 both legs of the U of the beam 14 have been provided with two hook- shaped lips 19 near the upper side and near the lower side, which lips are situated horizontally in one line. Said lips 19 may hook through the slot-shaped openings disposed in the back portion of the U-profiles, such that the wall of said back portion is partially accommodated in the slot between the lip 19 and the end of the legs of the U of beam 14. By rotating the adjustment screw 18 the beam 14 therefore moves in longitudinal direction over the rear side of the back portion of the U- profile in question, wherein the arms 1 1 move in the openings 17. In this way the distance of the third protrusion (arm 1 1 ) to the horizontal line, connecting the two protrusions 10a and 10b, can be changed to adjust the device to the type of plate or dish 13 to be placed therein.

It will be clear that the device is not limited to the embodiment shown and discussed herein, but that to the expert in this field many changes and varieties are possible that fall within the scope of the attached claims.