Abstract: A picket fence is formed by a plurality of posts having vertically spaced ribs on confronting surfaces for supporting the respective end portion of inverted U-shaped rails. The rails are provided with a plurality of longitudinally equally spaced vertically aligned apertures with each aperture having a tab portion of the U-shaped rail bight portion projecting into the aperture. A like plurality of pickets are cooperatively received by the respective aligned apertures, with each picket having a pair of transverse longitudinally spaced slots in its wall cooperatively nesting a respective tab projecting into each slot. An inverted L-shaped spring steel clip enters the respective aperture on that side of the post opposite its slot to engage upper and lower surfaces of the bight portion of the respective rail adjacent the aperture, and lock the respective picket against movement relative to the rails.

Abstract: In a shopping cart comprising a wheeled chassis, a handle structure, and a basket fastened to the wheeled chassis and to the handle structure, the basket comprises a front panel molded from a plastic material and two side panels molded therefrom. Each of the front and side panels has a generally uniform lattice of hexagonal structures, each bordering a similarly shaped region, at least most of those regions being hexagonal apertures. An advertising card covering a portion of a selected panel is fastened to the selected panel by fasteners pressed into holes in plugs pressed tightly into associated ones of the hexagonal apertures or by fasteners pressed into holes in closed regions defined by the generally uniform lattice. The fasteners have barbed, threaded, or bifurcated shanks.

Abstract: A cup holder mounted to a transversely extending handle of a shopping cart includes a holding member and an adjusting member. The holding member is mounted fixedly to the handle so as to project from the handle. The adjusting member is mounted to the handle so as to be pivotable between an operative position and an inoperative position. The adjusting member has a distal edge facing toward a concave edge of the holding member in the operative position of the adjusting member and away from the concave edge thereof in the inoperative position of the adjusting member. A cup having a frusto-conical wall can be supported between the concave edge of the holding member and the distal edge of the adjusting member with the adjusting member in the operative position or between the concave edge of the holding member and a near portion of the handle with the adjusting member in the inoperative position.

Abstract: In a shopping cart comprising an undercarriage, a handle having two tubular portions extending generally upwardly from the undercarriage, and a basket mounted to the undercarriage and the handle, the basket has a gate hinged to the tubular portions of the handle via a hinge wire extending along an upper edge of the gate. Two tubular sleeves are fixed to the handle, each extending through an inwardly opening aperture in an associated one of the tubular portions of the handle. Each end portion of the hinge wire extends into one of the tubular sleeves. Two rivets are fixed to the handle, each having an outside head, a tubular shank extending inwardly through an outwardly opening aperture in an associated one of the tubular portions of the handle and through an associated sleeve, and a mandrel drawn outwardly into the shank so as to expand the shank and the associated sleeve.

Abstract: A combination shopping cart and stock cart that includes a wheeled chassis providing a carton-carrying platform; a pair of generally vertical upright support posts at the rear of the chassis; an inverted, U-shaped, generally vertical support member the bight of which comprises a horizontal cross support member located forward of the upright support posts; and a generally horizontal side support member on each side of the cart connecting the upright support posts with the outer ends of the bight of the inverted U-shaped support member to provide a side support frame on each side of the cart. A cantilever beam means is pivotally mounted to the two side support frames so as to pivot from a horizontal, operative position to a vertical, out-of-the-way position. In its out-of-the-way position, the cantilever beam means lies substantially entirely outside the vertical space directly above the carton-carrying platform.

Abstract: A combination nesting stop and stabilizer bracket for use with a shopping cart having a lading-carrying basket of wire construction constructed so that one shopping cart can be telescoped within a cart of similar construction during storage of the carts. The device prevents the basket from being twisted out of shape to force the bottom portion of the hinged rear wall of the basket into the gap on either side between that bottom portion and the side walls of the basket. At the same time, it prevents the bight of the relatively heavy wire U-shaped rear rim element of the basket framework of a first cart from being forced into a gap between the bottom wires of the basket and the horizontally disposed support element at the front of the tubular elevated support frame of a second cart that is telescoped within the first cart.