U.S. patent application number 09/727119 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-30 for storage rack having roller track.
Invention is credited to Lascara, Linda P., Lowrey, Michael P..
Application Number | 20020064441 09/727119 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24921413 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020064441 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lowrey, Michael P. ; et
al. |
May 30, 2002 |
Storage rack having roller track
Abstract
In a storage rack comprising a front beam and a back beam, a
roller track comprises two side rails and a series of rollers
defining a tangent plane. A front hook, which is hooked over the
front beam, defines a ledge projecting backwardly. A back hook,
which is hooked over the back beam, defines a ledge projecting
frontwardly. At each end, each side rail is supported on the ledge
of the hook at that end. Each hook has a flange projecting upwardly
from its ledge, between the side rails, so as to limit lateral
movement of the roller track. Comparatively, the front hook is
taller and the back hook is shorter, whereby the roller track can
be easily inclined.
Inventors: |
Lowrey, Michael P.; (Tampa,
FL) ; Lascara, Linda P.; (Goodlettsville,
TN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROCKEY, MILNAMOW & KATZ, LTD.
Two Prudential Plaza - Suite 4700
180 North Stetson Avenue
Chicago
IL
60601
US
|
Family ID: |
24921413 |
Appl. No.: |
09/727119 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/276 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 1/023 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
414/276 |
International
Class: |
B65G 013/00 |
Claims
1. A storage rack comprising a front beam, a back beam, and a
roller track, the roller track comprising two side rails and a
series of rollers, each of which extends and is journalled between
the side rails and each of which projects above the side rails, the
rollers defining a tangent plane above the side rails, the storage
rack further comprising a front hook having an upper portion, which
is hooked over an upper edge of the front beam, the front hook
having a lower portion, which defines a ledge projecting backwardly
toward the back beam, and a back hook having an upper portion,
which is hooked over an upper edge of the back beam, the back hook
having a lower portion, which defines a ledge projecting
frontwardly toward the front beam, each side rail having a front
end, at or near which said side rail is supported on the ledge
defined by the lower portion of the front hook, and each side rail
having a back end, at or near which said side rail is supported by
the ledge defined by the lower portion of the back hook, the ledge
defined by the lower portion of the front hook being disposed below
the upper portion of the front hook, where hooked over the front
beam, by a comparatively greater distance and the ledge defined by
the lower portion of the back hook being disposed below the upper
portion of the back hook, where hooked over the back beam, by a
comparatively lesser distance.
2. The storage rack of claim 1 wherein the tangent plane defined by
the rollers above the side rails intersects the front hook, below
where the front hook hooks over the front beam.
3. A storage rack comprising a front beam, a back beam, and a
roller track, which is supported between the front and back beams,
the roller track comprising two side rails and a series of rollers,
each of which extends and is journalled between the side rails and
each of which projects above the side rails, the rollers defining a
tangent plane above the side rails, the storage rack further
comprising a front hook having an upper portion, which is hooked
over an upper edge of the front beam, the front hook having a lower
portion, which defines a ledge projecting backwardly toward the
back beam, and a back hook having an upper portion, which is hooked
over an upper edge of the back beam, the back hook having a lower
portion, which defines a ledge projecting frontwardly toward the
front beam, each side rail having a front end, at or near a lower
portion of which said side rail is supported on the ledge defined
by the lower portion of the front hook, and each side rail having a
back end, at or near a lower portion of which said side rail is
supported by the ledge defined by the lower portion of the back
hook, each hook having a flange projecting upwardly from the ledge
defined by the lower portion of said hook, between the side rails,
so as to limit lateral movement of the roller track on the ledge
defined by the lower portion of said hook.
4. The storage rack of claim 3 wherein the ledge defined by the
lower portion of the front hook is disposed below the upper portion
of the front hook, where hooked over the front beam, by a
comparatively greater distance and the ledge defined by the lower
portion of the back hook is disposed below the upper portion of the
back hook, where hooked over the back beam, by a comparatively
lesser distance.
5. The storage rack of claim 6 wherein the tangent plane defined by
the rollers above the side rails intersects the front hook, below
where the front hook hooks over the front beam.
6. The storage rack of any preceding claim wherein each hook is
approximately as wide as the roller track at the lower portions of
the side rails.
7. For fitting onto a storage rack, which has a front beam and a
back beam, a combination comprising a front hook, a back hook, and
an elongate structure, which has a front end and a back end, the
front hook being adapted to hook over the front beam and to support
the elongate structure at or near the front end and the back hook
being adapted to hook over the back beam and to support the
elongate structure at or near the back end, wherein, in a
comparative sense, the front beam is taller and the back beam is
shorter.
8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the elongate structure has
two side rails, each having a front end and a back end, the front
hook being adapted to support the elongate structure rails at or
near the front end of the side rails and the back hook being
adapted to support the elongate structures at or near the back end
of the side rails.
9. The combination of claim 8 wherein the elongate structure is a
roller track having a series of rollers, each of which extends and
is journalled between the side rails.
10. For fitting an elongate structure onto a storage rack, the
elongate structure having a front end and a back end and the
storage rack having a front beam and a back beam, a combination
comprising a front hook and a back hook, the front hook being
adapted to hook over the front beam and to support the elongate
structure at or near the front end and the back hook being adapted
to hook over the back beam and to support the elongate structure at
or near the back end, wherein, in a comparative sense, the front
beam is taller and the back beam is shorter.
11. For fitting an elongate structure onto a storage rack, the
elongate structure having two side rails, each having a front end
and a back end and the storage rack having a front beam and a back
beam, a combination comprising a front hook and a back hook, the
front hook being adapted to hook over the front beam and to support
the elongate structure at or near the front ends of the side rails
and the back hook being adapted to hook over the back beam and to
support the elongate structure at or near the back ends of the side
rails, wherein, in a comparative sense, the front beam is taller
and the back beam is shorter.
12. For fitting a roller track onto a storage rack, the roller
track having two side rails, each having a front end and a back end
and the storage rack having a front beam and a back beam, a
combination comprising a front hook and a back hook, the front hook
being adapted to hook over the front beam and to support the roller
track at or near the front ends of the side rails and the back hook
being adapted to hook over the back beam and to support the roller
track at or near the back ends of the side rails, wherein, in a
comparative sense, the front beam is taller and the back beam is
shorter.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention pertains to a storage rack of a type
comprising a front beam, a back beam, and a roller track, wherein
the roller track comprises two side rails and a series of rollers,
each of which extends and is journalled between the side rails and
each of which projects above the side rails. In the storage rack,
the roller track may be one of plural roller tracks on a given
tier, which may be one of plural tiers. If the roller track is
inclined frontwardly and downwardly, the storage rack may be also
called a "flow" rack.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A storage rack of the type noted above is disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 6,132,158, in which a roller track is called a conveying
member. As disclosed therein, a hanger having a portion hooked over
a front beam has another portion supporting a front end of a roller
track, via a member extending between and bracing the side rails
near a front end of the roller track, and a hanger having a portion
hooked over a back beam has another portion supporting a back end
of the roller track, via a member extending between and bracing the
side rails near a back end of the roller track.
[0003] As also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,158, the bracing
member supported near the front end of the roller track is higher
in relation to the side rails and the bracing member supported near
the back end of the roller track is lower in relation to the side
rails. Thus, the roller track can be frontwardly and downwardly
inclined, even if the front and back beams are level with each
other. U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,158 also discloses that the hangers,
which are similar to each other, can be adjustably positioned along
the respective beams.
[0004] A storage rack of related interest is disclosed in European
Patent Publication No. 576,693, in which similar hangers that
appear to be similarly adjustable are used to support plural rails
without rollers, via flanges bent from the rails and fastened to
the hangers via welding, bolting, or riveting, or via tabs
projecting through slots in the hangers and bent under the hangers.
A storage rack of related interest is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,955,490, in which similar hangers that appear to be similarly
adjustable are used to support plural rails without rollers, via
notched flanges formed on the hangers and preventing lateral
movement of the rails.
[0005] A storage rack of related interest is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 6,102,185. Roller tracks of related interest are disclosed in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,239,100, Re. 34,924, No. 5,435,427, and No.
5,476,167.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] This invention provides a storage rack of the type noted
above, which comprises a front beam, a back beam, and a roller
track. The roller track may be one of plural roller tracks on a
given tier, which may be one of plural tiers. The roller track
comprises two side rails and a series of rollers, each of which
extends and is journalled between the side rails and each of which
projects above the side rails. The rollers define a tangent plane
above the side rails.
[0007] The storage rack further comprises a front hook having an
upper portion, which is hooked over an upper edge of the front
beam, and a lower portion, which defines a ledge projecting
backwardly toward the back beam. The storage rack further comprises
a back hook having an upper portion, which is hooked over an upper
edge of the back beam, and a lower portion, which defines a ledge
projecting frontwardly toward the front beam.
[0008] Each side rail has a front end, at or near which said side
rail is supported on the ledge defined by the lower portion of the
front hook. Each side rail has a back end, at or near which said
side rail is supported by the ledge defined by the lower portion of
the back hook. This invention does not require that the front and
back ends of the side rails differ as to where or how the side
rails are braced.
[0009] According to a first aspect of this invention, the ledge
defined by the lower portion of the front hook is disposed below
the upper portion of the front hook, where hooked over the front
beam, by a comparatively greater distance and the ledge defined by
the lower portion of the back hook is disposed below the upper
portion of the back hook, where hooked over the back beam, by a
comparatively lesser distance. Thus, the roller track can be
frontwardly and downwardly inclined, even if the front and back
beams are level with each other.
[0010] Preferably, when the first aspect of this invention is
embodied, the tangent plane defined by the rollers above the side
rails intersects the front hook, below where the front hook hooks
over the front beam. Thus, the front hook provides a stop for a
carton rolling along the roller track, toward the front beam.
[0011] According to a second aspect of this invention, each hook
has a flange projecting upwardly from the ledge defined by the
lower portion of said hook, between the side rails, so as to limit
lateral movement of the roller track on the ledge defined by the
lower portion of said hook. The first and second aspects of this
invention can be advantageously combined in a preferred embodiment
of this invention, in which each hook is approximately as wide as
the roller track at the lower portions of the side rails.
[0012] In a comparative sense, the front hook is taller, or deeper,
and the back hook is shorter, or shallower. Similar taller and
shorter hooks can be similarly used for fitting onto a storage
rack, which has a front beam and a back beam, an elongate structure
other than a roller track, such as an elongate structure having two
side rails.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage rack constituting
a preferred embodiment of this invention and comprising a front
beam, a back beam, and a roller track, along with a front hook and
a back hook.
[0014] FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale, is a top plan of the storage
rack, as shown in FIG. 1, except that a middle portion of the
roller track is broken away.
[0015] FIG. 3, on a similar scale, is a sectional view taken along
line 3-3 of FIG. 1, in a direction indicated by arrows, except that
a middle portion of the roller track is broken away.
[0016] FIG. 4, on a further enlarged scale, is a sectional view
taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, in a direction indicated by
arrows.
[0017] FIG. 5, on an enlarged scale, is a fragmentary, sectional
view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2, in a direction indicated by
arrows.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view
of the front end of the roller track, as supported by the front
hook, which is hooked over the front beam.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a similarly enlarged, fragmentary, perspective
view of the back end of the roller track, as supported by the back
hook, which is hooked over the back beam.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] As shown in the drawings, a storage rack 10 of the type
noted above comprises a front beam 20, a back beam 30, and a roller
track 40. The front beam 20 and the back beam 30 are connected to
columns 50 of the storage rack 10 in a known manner, which is
simplified in the drawings to facilitate illustration of the
preferred embodiment and which is outside the scope of this
invention, possibly as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,476, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0021] The roller track 40 comprises two side rails 42 and a series
of rollers 44, each of which extends and is journalled between the
side rails 42 and each of which projects above the side rails 44,
so as to define a tangent plane P above the side rails 44. Each
roller 44 is journalled on a spindle 46, which is mounted so as to
extend across and through holes 48 in the side rails 44, via a
polymeric bushing 50 at each end 52 of said roller 44. An upper
flange 54 of each side rail 42 is bent over, as shown, so as to
confine the spindles 46, which, as confined, cannot be accidentally
disassembled from the side rails 42. Several tubular braces 54 are
mounted between the side rails 42, each brace 44 being mounted to
the side rails 42 via a carriage bolt 56 receiving a nut 58. The
braces 44 are not used to mount the roller track 40.
[0022] As described so far, the roller track 40 is similar to
roller tracks known heretofore. In the storage rack 10, the roller
track 40 may be one of plural roller tracks on a given tier, which
may be one of plural tiers. The roller track 10 is inclined
frontwardly and downwardly in a manner to be herein described, so
that cartons or other items can "flow" (i.e. roll) frontwardly and
downwardly from the back beam 30 toward the front beam 20, which
stops them and restrains them against dropping from the roller
track 40. Thus, the storage rack 10 may be also called a "flow"
rack.
[0023] The storage rack 10 further comprises a front hook 100
having an upper portion 110, which is hooked over an upper edge 22
of the front beam 20, a lower portion 120, which defines a ledge
122 projecting backwardly toward the back beam 30 and which defines
a flange 124 projecting upwardly from the ledge 122, and a
connecting portion 130, which connects the upper portion 110 and
the lower portion 120. The flange 124 is not as wide as the ledge
122 and is centered on the ledge 122, so that a notch 126 is
defined at each end 128 of the flange 124. The front hook 100 is
approximately as wide as the roller track 40.
[0024] The storage rack 10 further comprises a back hook 200 having
an upper portion 210, which is hooked over an upper edge 32 of the
back beam 30, a lower portion 220, which defines a ledge 222
projecting backwardly toward the front beam 20 and which defines a
flange 224 projecting upwardly from the ledge 222, and a connecting
portion 230, which connects the upper portion 210 and the lower
portion 220. The flange 224 is not as wide as the ledge 222 and is
centered on the ledge 222, so that a notch 226 is defined at each
end 228 of the flange 224. The back hook 200 is approximately as
wide as the roller track 40.
[0025] Each side rail 42 has a front end 60, at or near which said
side rail 42 is supported on the ledge 122 defined by the lower
portion 120 of the front hook 100. Each side rail 42 extends
through the notch 126 defined at one end 128 of the flange 124,
which projects upwardly from the ledge 122, between the side rails
42, so as to limit lateral movement of the roller track 40 on the
front hook 100. Each side rail 42 has a back end 70, at or near
which said side rail 42 is supported on the ledge 222 defined by
the lower portion 220 of the back hook 200. Each side rail 42
extends through the notch 226 defined at one end 228 of the flange
224, which projects upwardly from the ledge 222, between the side
rails 42, so as to limit lateral movement of the roller track 40 on
the back hook 200.
[0026] The connecting portion 230 of the back hook 200 is longer
than the connecting portion 130 of the front hook 100, so that the
ledge 122 defined by the lower portion 120 of the front hook 100 is
disposed below the upper portion 110 of the front hook 100, where
hooked over the front beam 20, by a comparatively greater distance
and so that the ledge 222 defined by the lower portion 220 of the
back hook 200 is disposed below the upper portion 210 of the back
hook 200, where hooked over the back beam 30, by a comparatively
lesser distance. In a comparative sense, the front hook 100 is
taller, or deeper, and the back hook 200 is shorter, or shallower.
Thus, the roller track 40 can be frontwardly and downwardly
inclined, even if the front beam 20 and the back beam 30 are level
with each other, as shown. Also, the roller track 40 can be further
inclined, if the back beam 30 is higher than the front beam 20.
[0027] Morever, as shown, the tangent plane P defined by the
rollers 44 above the side rails 42 intersects the connecting
portion 130 of the front hook 100, below where the upper portion
110 of the front hook 100 hooks over the front beam 20. Thus, above
where the tangent plane P intersects the connecting portion 130,
the front hook 100 stops cartons or other items rolling along the
roller track 40, toward the front beam 20, and restrains them
against dropping from the roller track 40.
[0028] Similar taller and shorter hooks can be similarly used for
fitting onto a storage rack, which has a front beam and a back
beam, an elongate structure other than a roller track, such as an
elongate structure having two side rails.
* * * * *