Display counter

A counter, particularly an article of furniture for temporary storage, cooling and simultaneous displaying of foodstuffs in supermarkets and like establishments, comprising a case having a front side which is faced by customers when the counter is set up in a supermarket or a like establishment and a service side opposite said front side, said case including a lower portion and a hollow upper portion and said upper portion including a substantially horizontal arm extending forwardly from said service side toward said front side and having a front end portion;

• a substantially horizontal first panel arranged to serve as a counter top and supported by said arm;
• a second panel;
• a hinge having a first section connected with said second panel, a pintle defining a substantially horizontal pivot axis and provided on said arm, and a second section pivotable with said first section and with said second panel about said axis between a first position in which said first section is located in front of said arm and said second panel closes said hollow upper portion at the front side of said case beneath said arm, and a second position in which said first section is located at a level above said arm and said second panel affords access to the interior of said hollow upper portion, one of said sections having a portion which is immediately adjacent the front end portion of said arm in the first position of said sections;
• a fluid-operated motor means operative to move said sections and said second panel between said positions;
• and elastic sealing means provided at the front end portion of said arm and engaged by said portion of said one section in the first position of said sections, said sealing means including a substantially Z-shaped sealing strip, said arm and said first panel having sockets for portions of said strip.

A counter, particularly an article of furniture for temporary storage, cooling and simultaneous displaying of foodstuffs in supermarkets and like establishments, comprising a case having a front side which is faced by customers when the counter is set up in a supermarket or a like establishment and a service side opposite said front side, said case including a lower portion and a hollow upper portion and said upper portion including a substantially horizontal arm extending forwardly from said service side toward said front side and having a front end portion;

• a substantially horizontal first panel arranged to serve as a counter top and supported by said arm;
• a second panel;
• a hinge having a first section connected with said second panel, a pintle defining a substantially horizontal pivot axis and provided on said arm, and a second section pivotable with said first section and with said section panel about said axis between a first position in which said first section is located in front of said arm and said second panel closes said hollow upper portion at the front side of said case beneath said arm, and a second position in which said first section is located at a level above said arm and said second panel affords access to the interior of said hollow upper portion, one of said sections having a portion which is immediately adjacent the front end portion of said arm in the first position of said sections, said arm having a substantially E-shaped cross-sectional outline and comprising a web and three flanges extending from said web and including a median flange, said pintle being provided in said median flange;
• and fluid-operated motor means operative to move said sections and said second panel between said positions.