Abstract A translucent display panel shows a floor plan of contrasting tape or marks indicating positions of display cabinets. The floor plan is divided into small areas to which numbers are assigned, and the numbers are displayed in a store directory under respective merchandise located in the number areas. An electrical control panel having contacts marked by the same numbers is connected to control illumination of lamps. Lamp mounting means below the translucent display panel facilitates placing a lamp below any desired one of the small areas of the display panel, and wiring is completed from the numbered contacts of the control panel and the respective lamps. Both the translucent display panel and the lamp mounting means are easily removable from their cabinet to facilitate changes in the floor plan and the positions of the lamps. One means for mounting lamps has two panels and spring contacts, and another has a wire mesh and adapters for sockets, any of the adapters fitting tightly in a chosen position in the wire mesh. A frame having the latter means for mounting lamps can readily be removed as a drawer from the cabinet and placed above the translucent display panel to facilitate accurate placement of the lamps while the operator looks down through the wire mesh to the floor plan on the translucent display panel.
A merchandise locating device comprising: a rectangular display cabinet, a light-transmitting display panel having a floor plan thereon, a plurality of light-emitting devices, an array of electrical switches, a mounting frame having said array of electrical switches on one end portion thereof and a grid extending across the other end portion thereof, said grid providing closely spaced openings adapted to receive said light-emitting devices individually at selected points on said grid, each of said light-emitting devices being readily removable from any of said openings and positional in another of said openings, conductive means interconnecting said switches and said light-emitting devices to provide selective illumination of said light-emitting devices, first supporting members along the inside walls of the sides of said cabinet adapted to receive said light-transmitting display panel as a drawer insertable from one end of said cabinet, the upper surface of said light-transmitting display panel being visible while the panel is normally inserted in said cabinet, second supporting means along inside walls at positions below said first supporting members adapted to receive said mounting frame as a drawer in a normal position for locating said grid a short distance below said light-transmitting display panel, said grid being coextensive with said floor plan while said light-transmitting display panel and said mounting frame are in their respective normal positions in said cabinet, and third supporting means within the upper inside edge of said sides of said display cabinet for supporting said mounting frame in a temporary position above said light-transmitting panel to facilitate accurate positioning of said light-emitting devices, each opening of said grid being closest to the same respective point on said floor plan whether said grid is mounted either temporarily above or normally below said floor plan.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
288 words
A merchandise locating device comprising: a rectangular display cabinet, a light-transmitting display panel having a floor plan thereon, a plurality of light-emitting devices, an array of electrical switches, a mounting frame having said array of electrical switches on one end portion thereof and a grid extending across the other end portion thereof, said grid providing closely spaced openings adapted to receive said light-emitting devices individually at selected points on said grid, each of said light-emitting devices being readily removable from any of said openings and positional in another of said openings, conductive means interconnecting said switches and said light-emitting devices to provide selective illumination of said light-emitting devices, first supporting members along the inside walls of the sides of said cabinet adapted to receive said light-transmitting display panel as a drawer insertable from one end of said cabinet, the upper surface of said light-transmitting display panel being visible while the panel is normally inserted in said cabinet, second supporting means along inside walls at positions below said first supporting members adapted to receive said mounting frame as a drawer in a normal position for locating said grid a short distance below said light-transmitting display panel, said grid being coextensive with said floor plan while said light-transmitting display panel and said mounting frame are in their respective normal positions in said cabinet, and third supporting means within the upper inside edge of said sides of said display cabinet for supporting said mounting frame in a temporary position above said light-transmitting panel to facilitate accurate positioning of said light-emitting devices, each opening of said grid being closest to the same respective point on said floor plan whether said grid is mounted either temporarily above or normally below said floor plan.