US3152670A - Pallet rack - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, 1964 Filed Feb. 1. 1960 E. M. sELKREGc-z, JR.. ETAL 3,152,670

PALLET RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENToRS ATTORNEYS 2%@ 6.' Valli an Oct. 13, 1964 E. M. sELKREGG, JR., ETAL 3,152,670

PALLET RACK Filed Feb. 1, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS g,J: Mrz@ qazz TOENEKS Wllnllklll Oct.i13, 1964 E. M. SELKREGG, JR., ETAL 3,152,570

PALLET RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1. 1960 I N VEN TORS Edward M. Selkzqqg, J1:

EY jl'm TTORNEYS Oct. 13, 1964 E. M. SELKREGG, JR., ETAL PALLET RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. l, 1960 INVENTORJS EMJM 522km@ t Egg/wg C (Zi azz m/Wfw ATTNEYS United States Patent O 3,152,670 PALLE'I RACK Edward M. Selkregg, dr., and Rodney C. Colligan, North East, Pa., assignors to Bernard Gloekler North East Co., North East, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 5,961 3 Claims. (Cl. 189-36) This invention relates to a pallet or similar rack adapted to have articles stored thereon and of the type where articles are usually lifted to and from storage position on the rack by fork trucks or the like, and particularly relates to novel attachments for such a rack and means for releasably locking such attachments in place. The basic rack structure is essentially that disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 814,226, filed May 19, 1959, and entitled Pallet Rack and now Patent No. 3,097,747.

The present application is directed to novel and improved attachments and accessories to be used with such a rack as disclosed in the copending application. In general, the invention herein comprises a related system of accessories and attachments substantially all designed to cooperate in the same way with the novel features of the basic rack so that they are interchangeable and adjustable thereon, and a novel locking means interchangeably useable with any or all such attachments.

The attachments constitute a system of accessories which includes reinforcing elements whereby the loadcarrying capacity of the basic rack structure may be materially increased either temporarily or permanently by reinforcing elements releasably secured to columns of the rack.

A further accessory attachment consists of connector devices whereby column members may be placed one on top the other in vertical alignment and the connector elements engaged therewith to hold the column members in the desired relationship against inadvertent displacement whereby the overall height and capacity of a rack may be increased.

Another of the novel attachments comprises a brace structure interlocking with a column and adapted to brace that column with respect to an adjacent rack or a wall or other suitable bracing abutment. The brace structure is adjustable in length whereby a single brace may be used at any of many diterent locations requiring braces of dif- -ferent lengths.

A still further attachment included in the system is a reel bearing adapted to be releasably and adjustably secured to a column to form a bearing for the shaft of a reel whereby reels may be stored on the rack and wherein material may be withdrawn therefrom or wound thereon without removing the reel from its storage position on the rack.

All of the above-mentioned attachments have common structural features whereby they interlock with the basic column structure and are releasably locked in such positions by a novel spring pin structure. The spring pin structure may be used with any and all of the attachments without modification, all as will be pointed out more fully hereinafter.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a rack structure with detachable and adjustable attachments therefor and in combination with a releasable locking means useable with any or all of the attachments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel reinforcing bar structure for a rack which may be selectively applied to or removed from a rack as the need arises to increase the load-carrying capacity thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a ICC novel column connector to lock similar columns in vertically aligned end-abutting relation to increase the height of all or part of a rack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel brace structure for a storage rack.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel reel bearing releasably attachable to a storage rack to provide a bearing support for the shaft of a reel or the like.

An additional object is to provide a novel pinch-pin locking means useable with any of the attachments heretofore mentioned and cooperating therewith and the column structure of the rack to releasably lock any attachment in place and providing for ready and efiicient removal thereof for rapid mounting, adjustment, or removal of an attachment.

Other and additional objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage rack schematically showing the general arrangement thereof and most Vof the novel attachments of this invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a front View of a column joint illustrating the novel column connector and locking means of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational View of the structure of FIG. 2. as viewed from the left side thereof;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a novel pinch-pin locking means of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view, similar to FIG. 2, but `illustrating the use of reinforcing bars for a rack column;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective View, with parts broken away, of one of the reinforcing bars of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective View of one form of novel brace;

FIG. l0 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. l1 is a perspective view of another form of novel rack brace;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a rack column showing a novel reel bearing attachment thereon; and

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 but illustrating a different form of reel bearing attachment.

FIG. 1 shows a storage rack having columns 2, which may consist of pairs of columns arranged as front and rear columns and joined by suitable bracing or locking members 4. Extending horizontally between certain of the columns 2 are rails 6 adapted to support pallets 8 upon which merchandise or other material to be stored is placed. As shown, pallets 8 may also be placed on the oor below the lowermost rails 6. The structure of columns 2 and rails 6 and the manner of releasably mounting the rails on the columns is fully shown and described in the aforesaid copending application Serial No. 814,226. However, all of the characteristics of the columns 2 which are involved in the present invention will be described indetail herein.

The rack shown in FIG, 1 includes certain columns consisting of vertically aligned column members held in aligned relationship by column connectors 10. Numeral 12 indicates generally a novel brace structure adapted for use with a rack of the type shown whereby a column of the rack may be braced relative to any desired abutment structure which may be a further rack, as shown in FIG. 1, or a wall or other fixed bracing abutment, as will be described. FIG. 1 lalso schematically shows two forms of novel reel bearings 14 and 16 whereby the shaft 18 of a storage reel 20 may be rotatably supported on the rack at any desired elevation so that the contents of the reel may be withdrawn at will without necessitating removal of the reel from the rack.

FIG. 4 shows one of the columns 2 in section and as shown therein the column comprises a front web 22 and rearwardly extending substantially flat parallel side flanges 24. At their rear portions the side flanges 24 are reversely bent, as Iat 26, to define small flange portions 28 in spaced relation to the outer faces of side flanges 24 and defining therewith forwardly facing shallow grooves 30. The grooves 30 face forwardly in the direction of the front web 22. The front web 22 of each column 2 is provided with parallel vertical rows of spaced openings or elongated slots 32. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the column connector of the present invention and which comprises a pair of connector plates 34. The plates 34 are of the same structure and function, one being a reverse or mirror image of the other. The description of one will therefore suiiice. The plates 34 are in face-abutting relation to the outer surfaces of side flanges 24 and are positioned with their rearmost edges extending fairly snugly but removably into the grooves 30, previously described. Hook means at the forward edges of the plates 34 comprise inwardly bent front flange portions 36, each being provided with at least two inwardly and downwardly directed hook elements 38. The hook elements 38 are so spaced and configured that each plate may be slid rearwardly along the outer faces of side flanges 34 to project their rear edges into the grooves 30 and to project their hook elements 38 into the openings 32 in front web 22. Thereafter the plates 34 are slid downwardly to engage the downwardly extending hook elements 38 behind the web 22 and thus positively position the connector plates on the column 2.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the column 2 is made up of an upper column element and an identical lower column element arranged in vertically aligned end-abutting relation and forming a joint at 40. The connector plates 34 thus positively lock the upper and lower column elements in the described aligned relationship against any relative lateral movement or any relative rotation about their longitudinal axes. It is to be noted that the rear edges of each of the plates 34 extend into the forwardly facing grooves of both the upper and lower column members and the hooks 38 prevent inadvertent removal of the connector plates in a forward direction, there being .at least `one hook 38 of each plate 34 in an opening 32 in each or the column members.

To securely lock the connector plates 34 in the described position, the pinch-pin locking means 45 of FIG. 5 are employed. For this purpose the side anges 24 of the column members are provided with openings 42 therethrough near the grooves 30. The connector plates 34 are also provided with openings 44 aligned with the openings 42 when the connector plates are in the position on the column. Releasable locking pins 46 extend through the aligned openings 42 and 44 and are resiliently held therein and urged outward-ly by a bowed spring 48 having the pins 46 respectively secured to its ends. As clearly shown in FIG. 5, the bowed spring 48 is of generally U-shape but is provided with a complete spring loop 50 at its bight portion. The ends of the bowed spring 48 are looped around and securely clamped to inner end por-tions of pins 46. Adjacent integral collars'52 are formed on the pins 46. The collars 52 define outwardly facing shoulders on the locking pins to limit the outward movement thereof in openings 42 and 44. As will be apparent from the drawings, the spring 48 is positiona'ble between the side flanges l24 and may be manually squeezed to permit entry of pins 46 between the side flanges. The pins are then placed in alignment with the openings 42 and 44 and the spring 48 released to project the pins outwardly to the position of FIG. 4 into locking engagement with the side iianges of the column and the openings in the connector plates to thereby securely lock the column connectors in the desired position. Obvously the locking pins may be withdrawn at will when it is desired to remove an upper column member. As shown, each column connector plate 34 is provided with at least two openings 44 aligned with corresponding openings 42 in the side flanges of the column and a pinch-pin locking device 45 is employed with each set of aligned openings in opposite side anges 24 and plates 34.

As fully described in the copending applica-tion heretofore identiiied, the horizontal rails 6 are secured to plates which may be identical to the column connector plates 34 and are therefore mountable on and removable from the columns 2 in exactly the same manner as described herein. The pinch-pin locking device 45 of FIG. 5 may also be used to lock the rails 6 in position on the rack.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illus-trate a novel reinforcement bar for use with columns of the type described in connection with FIG. 4. The columns 2 are preferably made of sheet metal for economy and ease of construction and, for reasons of economy, it is desirable to form basic columns all of the same thickness of material. However, it is sometimes desirable to store materials on such a rack having greater weight than can be safely or advisedly `supported by the basic column structures. This is particularly true when unusually high racks are assembled, employing the column connectors described in FIGS. 2 to 4. To strengthen, rigidi-fy and increase the load-carry ing capacity of the columns 2, applicants provide Z-bar reinforcing bars, one of which is shown in perspective in FIG. 8. The reinforcing bars are used in pairs, each being identical to the other. Each of the reinforcing bars `comprises a web portion 60, and oppositely directed 1ongitudinal edge flanges 62 and 64. The flanges 62 and 64 extend laterally in opposite directions from opposite longitudinal edges of the web 60. Adjacent the flange 64, the web 6i) is provided with a row of openings 66 therethrough Ispaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between openings 42 inthe side ilanges of the columns and of the same size as those openings 42. When it lis desired or necessary to reinforce a column 2, the Z-bar reinforcements of FIG. 8 are nested therewith as illustrated in FIG. 7. As shown, the reinforcing bars are placed inside the open channel of column 2 with the webs 60 abutting the inner faces of the side flanges 24. The edge flange 62 lies against the inner face of front web 22 of the column whereas edge ange 64 extends across the rearmost or free edge of side ange 24. With the Z-bar reinforcements in such position the openings 66 therein may be brought into alignment and registry with the openings 42 in the side flanges of the column. The flanges 62 are relatively narrow and abut the inner face of front web 22 only along the outer edges thereof without obstructing the openings 32 in the front web of the column member and thus the openings 32 are left free of obstruction for engagement therein by hooks 38 of any of the other attachments hereto-fore described or to be described.

The Z-bar reinforcements may be secured and locked in the described position by means of the pinch-pin locking devices 45, previously described, by positioning the same with their pins 46 extending through aligned openings 66 and 42, or Ithey may be releasably bolted in position by the use of bolts 68 and nuts 69. Obviously, both the pinch-pin locking devices and bolts 68 may be ernployed, if desired, as shown in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 6 and 7 also illustrate the manner of mounting rails 6 on the columns and it is obvious that the mounting plates 34 for fthe rails 6 may be identical in every respect to the column connectors described in connection with FIGS. 2 through 4, it only being necessary to weld or otherwise secure the ends of rails 6 to the plates 34.

It is often and frequently desirable to assemble racks of the type involved herein in spaced relation to a wall or other similar racks. It is also desirable to provide suitable bracing between an assembled rack and an adjacent structure to prevent sway thereof or inadvertent lateral displacement of the rack along the floor in the event it is impacted or bumped into by fork lift trucks or the like. To this end applicant provides a novel adjustable brace structure, one form of which is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The adjustable brace of FIG. 9 comprises a pair of telescopically related open channel members 7i) and 72. The channel member 70 is telescopically slidable within channel member 72 to adjust the overall length of the brace. It is to be noted that members 70 and 72 are arranged with their open sides coincident so that the interiors thereof are readily accessible from one side of the brace. Side flanges 74 and 76 of channel member 70 are opposed and flanges 78 and 80 of channel member 72 are also opposed and respectively overlie the flanges 74 and 76. Each of the flanges 74 to 80 is provided with a row of openings 82 therethrough. The openings 82 are equally spaced in all the iianges so that they may be brought into registry or alignment for the reception of the locking pins 46 of a pinch-pin locking device 45 as previously described. Positioning or release of the locking device 45 inside the brace is made possible by the open side thereof. It will be obvious that the length of the brace may be adjusted to the desired value and locked at such adjustment in the manner shown.

The outer ends of the channel members 70 and 72 have cross plates 84 and 86 respectively secured thereto as by welding or the like. The plates S4 and 86 are each provided with a pair of the downwardly extending hooks 38 previously described. Thus, a brace such as shown in FIG. 9 may be employed to brace one rack against another as illustrated in FIG. 1. The hooks 38 on one of the channel members 70 or 72 is engaged with the openings 32 in a front column of a rear rack and extends forwardly therefrom between the side iianges 24 of the rear column of an adjacent rack and the hook elements 38 at the forward end of the brace are hooked through openings 32 of the adjacent column from the inside and thus provide an eflicient =brace between adjacent rack structures.

FIG. 11 shows a modified form of brace which is identical in all respects to that described in connection with FIG. 9 except that the plate 86 and hook elements 38 of 'the channel member 72 are replaced by a single plate 88 provided with openings 90 therethrough. The plate 88 is preferably welded to the end of channel member 72 and may be screwed or bolted to a wall or other bracing structure wherever necessary or desired. In other respects the brace of FIG. 11 is adjustable and employed in the same manner as that described in connection with FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a perspective View illustrating a novel reel bearing attachment for use with the type of column 2 previously described. The reel bearing of FIG. 12 includes a mounting plate 34 which is secured to the column 2Vin exactly the same manner as the column connectors described in connection with FIGS. 2 to 4 and the plate 34 may be identical to the column connector plate so the same reference numerals are employed in FIG. 12 to identify the parts thereof. An extension plate or gusset 92 is edge-welded to the forward edge of plate 34 to form a coplanar extension thereof. An upwardly open short channel member 94, of substantially V-shape in vertical transverse section, is end-Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the outer face of plates 34 and 92 to extend laterally therefrom in a direction toward another column of the rack structure. The channel member 94 is shown having an upst-anding forward flange 96. It is to be noted that plate 34 at least partially obstructs the inner end of channel member 94 and, with plate 92, constitutes an abutment extending thereacross. The plates 34 and 92 thus serve to limit axial movement of a reel shaft 18 (shown in dotted line in FIG. 12) which supports a reel 20 as described in connection with FIG. 1. The reel bearing shown in FIG. 12 is represented in FIG. 1 by numeral 14. FIG. 12 also shows a locking pin 46 extending through the aligned openings 42 of side ilange 24 and 44 of plate 34. It is to be understood that the locking pin 46 shown in FIG. 12 is one of the pins of a pinch-pin locking device 45 as shown in FIG. 5.

The upstanding ilange 96 serves to prevent inadvertent displacement of shaft 18 in the event a reel 2i? is rotated in a forward direction and shaft 1S turns therewith and tends to roll up the forward incline of the V-shaped channel member 94. The reel bearing attachment of FIG. 12 may be selectively positioned on any column at any elevation and securely but releasably locked in such position against any twisting or sliding movement relative to column 2, as is also the case with all other attachments described herein.

FIG. 13 shows a modified form of reel bearing structure for use where it is desired to support -or store a pair of reels in axial alignment on such a rack structure. As shown in FIG. 13, a pair of plates 34 are provided and are structurallyidentioal to the column connector plates 34 described in connection with FIGS. 2 through 4 and are mounted on and locked to the column 2 in the same manner as heretofore described. The reel bearing feature is provided by an upwardly open V-shaped channel member 160 extending across the front face of front web 22 of the column 2 and across the flange portions 36 of plates 34. The open channel-shaped member 100 is provided with a rear vertical ange 102 extending across and face-abutting the front face of the iiange portions 36 and is welded or otherwise rigidly and permanently secured thereto. A transverse partition or abutment 104 is rigidly and xedly mounted in the V-shaped channel of member 100 intermediate the ends thereof and is preferably (though not necessarily) located substantially midway between the ends of member 100 and substantially centrally of the column 2. As described in connection with FIG. 4, the plates 34 may be simultaneously slid rearwardly then downwardly into interlocking and supported relation with the column 2 and may be locked in such position by the pins 46 of one or more pinch-pin locking devices 45 of the type shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 1 schematically shows a reel bearing 16 which corresponds to the double reel bearing of FIG. 13 and may be employed in an obvious manner to support the adjacent ends of aligned shafts supporting different reels on the rack.

It is to be noted that, Without the pins 46 in place, any load carried by an attachment is transmitted to a column only through the hooks 38 and front web 22. This is an eccentric loading of the column and results in reducing the load-carrying capacity thereof. The presence of pin 46, however, near the rear edges of side flanges 24 balances or centralizes the loading of the column and increases its load-carrying capacity.

While a limited number of speciiic embodiments of the invention are shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, which covers other forms and modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a pallet rack, a sheet metal column member of channel shape having a central web and side flanges, openings in said central web for supporting other rack elements, a pair of elongated sheet metal reinforcing members each having a web and oppositely directed edge iianges, said reinforcing members being arranged with their webs in face-abutting engagement with the inner surfaces of said side flanges, one of the edge iianges of each reinforcing member lying against the inner face of said central web and the other edge liange of each extending across the edge of the adjacent side flange remote from said web, said one edge iiange being relatively narrow whereby said openings in said central web are not obstructed thereby, aligned openings in said side flanges of said column member and said webs of said reinforcing members, removable pin means in said aligned openings releasably securing said reinforcing members to said column member, and resilient means releasably holding said pins in said openings.

2. In a pallet rack, a column comprising a pair of column members of open-channel shape arranged in Vertical alignment and end-abutting relation, each of said column members comprising a front web and parallel side anges, the free edges of said side flanges being reversely bent outwardly of said anges to define, with the outer faces of said flanges, shallow grooves facing in the direction of said web, said web having a pair of parallel rows of longitudinally spaced openings therethrough, a connector plate abutting the outer face of each of said side flanges, each plate having a rear edge portion in said shallow grooves and each plate spanning the juncture between said column members, each of said plates having hook means at its front edge engaged in at least one opening in each of said column members, and releasable locking means locking said plates on said column members.

3. A rack as defined in claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises aligned openings in said connector plates and said side anges, aligned locking pins extending outf 8 wardly through said aligned openings, and a bowed spring having its ends secured to said pins and releasably holding said pins in said aligned openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 769,641 Sewell Sept. 6, 1904 1,730,618 Mayo Oct. 8, 1929 1,792,100 Kohler Feb. 10, 1931 2,103,106 Yurkovitch Dec. 21, 1937 2,594,605 Zoppelt Apr. 29, 1952 2,642,249 Samuels June 16, 1953 2,682,321 Le Brock June 29, 1954 2,683,927 Maronek July 20, 1954 2,708,494 Larsen May 17, 1955 2,771,261 Niggeloh Nov. 20, 1956 2,779,561 Blundeau Jan. 29, 1957 2,781,110 Weller Feb. 12, 1957 2,829,743 Strauss Apr. 18, 1958 2,893,567 Steele July 7, 1959 2,895,619 Frazier July 21, 1959 2,898,741 Milliken Aug. 11, 1959 2,925,920 Skubic Feb. 23, 1960 2,932,368 Schell Apr. 12, 1960 2,993,570 Bender July 25, 1961 3,072,262 Cassel Jan. 8, 1963

Claims (1)

1. 2. IN A PALLET RACK, A COLUMN COMPRISING A PAIR OF COLUMN MEMBERS OF OPEN-CHANNEL SHAPE ARRANGED IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT AND END-ABUTTING RELATION, EACH OF SAID COLUMN MEMBERS COMPRISING A FRONT WEB AND PARALLEL SIDE FLANGES, THE FREE EDGES OF SAID SIDE FLANGES BEING REVERSELY BENT OUTWARDLY OF SAID FLANGES TO DEFINE, WITH THE OUTER FACES OF SAID FLANGES, SHALLOW GROOVES FACING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID WEB, SAID WEB HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL ROWS OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED OPENINGS THERETHROUGH, A CONNECTOR PLATE ABUTTING THE OUTER FACE OF EACH OF SAID SIDE FLANGES, EACH PLATE HAVING A REAR EDGE PORTION IN SAID SHALLOW GROOVES AND EACH PLATE SPANNING THE JUNCTURE

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