U.S. patent number 3,915,101 [Application Number 05/456,436] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-28 for shelf device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to McGraw-Edison. Invention is credited to Bruno Onori.
United States Patent |
3,915,101 |
Onori |
October 28, 1975 |
Shelf device
Abstract
This is a portable or stationary shelf device wherein a
plurality of supporting posts are provided for attachment to the
corners of one or more of a plurality of vertically spaced shelves,
the shelf or shelves having their corners cutaway complementary to
the supporting posts, with U-shaped bolts having threaded legs
secured to a U-strap at least partially countersunk in vertically
spaced identified recesses partly about the corner post. The
shelves have downturned vertical flanges, and each vertical flange
has an inwardly turned rim. There are brackets across each cut-away
shelf corner, the brackets being riveted or otherwise secured to
the inwardly turned rims. The brackets have bolt receiving
apertures aligned with bolt apertures in the flanges and provide a
base through which the threaded bolts are secured, the nuts being
biased against the inner faces of the brackets. Each post is
provided with a pair of spaced-apart projecting wedge-shaped ridges
that extend flush against the sides of the shelf flanges as far as
the bolts, thus assisting in making a very secure attachment. The
posts are hollow, and feet or casters may be inserted at their
bottoms. The U-bolts permit a shelf to be detached, tilted and
removed without disturbing the other shelves, and, similarly,
shelves may be inserted and added, if desired. A right and a left
hand gusset plate may be added at each corner, together with an
extra U-bolt for each pair of gusset plates. Gusset plates may
optionally be added to each corner of each shelf to provide greater
strength, if desired. In the case of a single shelf device, such as
a dunnage rack or pallet, these gusset plates must always be used
so as to keep the post rigidly secured.
Inventors: |
Onori; Bruno (North Miami
Beach, FL) |
Assignee: |
McGraw-Edison (Elgin,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
23812760 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/456,436 |
Filed: |
March 29, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/192; 108/106;
211/191; 403/234; 211/135; 403/217 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
57/265 (20130101); F16B 2/065 (20130101); F16B
2/08 (20130101); A47B 47/03 (20130101); F16B
12/42 (20130101); A47B 57/10 (20130101); Y10T
403/44 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
47/03 (20060101); A47B 57/10 (20060101); A47B
57/26 (20060101); A47B 47/00 (20060101); A47B
57/00 (20060101); F16B 2/02 (20060101); F16B
2/06 (20060101); A47B 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;108/106,107,111,156,135,134,148,177 ;248/230,279
;403/234,235,236,191,217 ;211/134 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Miller; Gustave
Claims
Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention,
what is claimed is:
1. A shelf device (20) comprising horizontal shelving means (22)
having depending vertical flanges (36) and inturned horizontal rims
(38) on said flanges, support post means (24) and cutaway corners
(40) on said shelving means (22) complementary to said post means
(24), U-bolts (26) extending about said post means (24), said
U-bolts (26) having threaded legs (50) extending through suitable
apertures (48) in said vertical flanges (36), and a reinforcing
bracket (30) within each of said cutaway shelf corners (40)
supported on said corner inturned shelf rims (38), said brackets
(30) having threaded bolt leg receiving apertures (66) aligned with
said vertical flange apertures (48).
2. The device of claim 1, said bolt leg receiving apertures (48) in
said vertical flanges (36) being slightly spaced from the vertical
edges (46) of said cutaway corner (40), said support post means
(24) having spaced apart extending wedge shaped vertical ridges
(44) complementary to the adjacent outer surface of said vertical
flanges (36) within said U-bolt legs (50).
3. The device of claim 1, and means (62) securing said brackets
(30) to said inturned rims (38).
4. The device of claim 3, said bracket securing means comprising
inturned flanges (54) on the bottom of said brackets (30) overlying
said inturned rims (38) of said shelf vertical flanges (36), and
rivet means (62) extending through said bracket bottom inturned
flanges (54) and said shelf flange inturned rims (38).
5. The device of claim 1, said post means (24) having identifying
indicia (74) at each U-strap receiving recess.
6. The device of claim 1, said shelving means (22) having a flat
top (32), said depending vertical flanges (36) each having an
upwardly extending lip (34) connecting them to said shelving means
flat top (32).
7. A shelf device comprising horizontal shelving means (22) having
depending vertical flanges (36) and inturned horizontal rims (38)
on said flanges, support post means and cutaway corners (40) on
said shelving means (22) complementary to said post means, U-bolts
(26) extending about said post means, said U-bolts (26) having
threaded legs (50) extending through suitable apertures (48) in
said vertical flanges (36), a reinforcing bracket (30) within each
of said cutaway corners (40) supported on said corner inturned
shelf rim (38), said brackets (30) having threaded bolt leg
receiving apertures (66) aligned with said vertical flange
apertures (48), and gusset plate means (78, 80) providing
additional rigidity, said gusset plate means (78, 80) being secured
to said vertical flanges (36) at its upper portion (86) and being
secured at its lower portion by second U-bolts (26) extending
therethrough and through second reinforcing brackets (30), said
second brackets being biased against said support post means.
8. The device of claim 7, said gusset plate means (78-80) being
offset (84) at its upper portion (86) whereby said upper portion
may extend over the outer surface of said vertical flange (36) and
its lower portion may extend against said support post means
(76).
9. The device of claim 1, said shelving means (22) comprising a
plurality of super-posed shelves cooperating with said post means
(24) providing rigidity to said shelf device (20).
10. A shelf device comprising horizontal shelving means (22) having
depending vertical flanges (36) and inturned horizontal rims (38)
on said flanges, support post means (76) and cutaway corners (40)
on said shelving means (22) complementary to said post means (76),
U-bolts (26) extending about said post means (76), said U-bolts
(26) having threaded legs (50) extending through suitable apertures
(48) in said vertical flanges (36), a reinforcing bracket (30)
within each said cutaway corners (40) supported on said corners
inturned shelf rims (38), said brackets (30) having threaded bolt
leg receiving apertures (66) aligned with said vertical apertures
(48), said shelving means (22) comprising a single shelf (22),
means making said single shelf (22) and said post means (76) rigid
with each other comprising a pair of gusset plates (78, 80) at each
corner of said shelf (22) and the post means (76) secured thereto,
a second but lower bracket (30) at each corner, said gusset plates
(78, 80) being secured at their upper portions (86) to said shelf
flanges (36) and at their lower portions by said second brackets
and second U-bolts (26) extending about said post means (76) and
through said gusset plates and said second brackets, and nut means
(28) on said second U-bolts biased against the inner surfaces of
said second brackets (30).
11. The device of claim 10, said support post means (76) having
spaced apart extending wedge shaped vertical ridges complementary
to the adjacent outer surface of said vertical flanges (36) within
said U-bolt legs (50), said upper portions (86) of said gusset
plates being offset to extend over the outer surfaces of said
flanges (36), and the long vertical edges (88) of the lower
portions of said gusset plates (78, 80) biasing against said corner
post means (76) between said vertical ridges (44) and the post
means surfaces therebetween.
Description
OBJECTS OF THIS INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide shelves and shelf
support posts that are complementary to each other for securely
supporting the shelf at a desired height on the posts.
A further object of this invention is to provide a portable or
stationary shelf structure wherein the shelves are securely
fastened together, and wherein a shelf may be added or removed
without disturbing any other shelf in place.
A further object of this invention is to provide a shelf structure
having heavy duty support posts and heavy duty shelves which are
firmly and securely, yet removably, mounted on the support posts
located at the corners of the shelves.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a readily
portable shelf and post support structure which may be provided
with either feet or casters at the bottom of the shelves.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide extremely
strong shelf structure of metal or other suitable material, such as
substantially rigid plastic, having vertical flanges and inturned
rims at the bottom of the flanges and further provided with cutaway
corners into which the posts fit, as well as corner reinforcing
brackets supported on the inturned rims and secured thereto, and
with posts having wedge-shaped projections fitting about the
flanges while the cylindrical post portion extends into the cutaway
corners, with U-shaped bolts extending about the posts and through
the shelf flanges and the brackets with securing nuts inside the
brackets.
A still further object of this invention is to provide supporting
posts and cooperating U-bolts, the post having spaced and
identified countersinks for partially countersinking the U-straps
of the U-bolt there within.
A further object of this invention is to provide a pair of gusset
plates for each corner of a shelf, particularly in the case of a
single shelf dunnage rack or pallet, and optional in the case of a
multi-tiered shelf and post device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
With the above and related object in view, this invention consists
in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of
parts hereinafter set forth, claimed and disclosed in the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the shelf and post structure of this
inventions.
FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1
FIG. 3 is partly sectional edge view of one form of shelf on line
3--3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a similar view of another form of shelf.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view, on a larger scale, of a shelf
post.
FIG. 6 is a further enlarged section on line 6--6 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a U-bolt for securing the shelves
and posts together.
FIG. 8 is a view at right angles to FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view of a supporting post and attached
corner of a shelf.
FIG. 10 is a section on line 10--10 of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a section on line 11--11 of FIG. 9.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the shelf corner cutaway portion,
this shelf top having a lip edge.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the cutaway shelf corner
reinforcing bracket.
FIG. 14 is a side elevation of a one shelf shelf device, including
reinforcing gusset plates at each corner.
FIG. 15 is a top elevation of a corner of FIG. 14, partly broken
away to disclose part of the gusset plate attachment means.
FIG. 16 is a side elevation of FIG. 15, showing the gusset plate
attachment.
FIG. 17 is a section through the gusset attachment to the shelf
flange, on line 17--17 of FIG. 16.
FIG. 18 is a fragmentary, bottom, perspective view of a corner of a
flat top shelf, showing particularly the apertures for receiving
the U-bolts through the flange of the shelf and the apertures for
receiving the bolts for fastening the gusset plates.
There is shown at 20 the shelf device of this invention. This shelf
device is made of one or more preferably rectangular shelves 22, a
shelf support post 24, one for each corner, a U-bolt 26 with two
securing nuts 28, one bolt for each shelf corner, and also a corner
reinforcing bracket 30 for each shelf corner.
The shelf 22 is made of strong material, such as stainless steel or
other suitable strong material, such as appropriate plastic
material or the like. The shelf 22 has a flat top 32 and in its
preferred form has a lip 34 at each edge. However, as shown in FIG.
4, this lip 34 may be omitted, if desired for certain uses. Each
edge of the shelf top 32 has a depending flange 36, from the bottom
of which there extends an inturned rim 38. The shelf top 32 is
cutaway at 40 at each corner, generally complementary to the
cylindrical surface 42 of the supporting post 24. This surface 42
extends as far as two spaced apart projecting longitudinal
wedge-shaped ridges 44 which, when placed against the shelf 22 into
the cutaway 40, will overlap the vertical cutaway flange edges 46
toward the suitably positioned oblong apertures 48 for receiving
the threaded legs 50 of the U-bolts 26 therethrough.
The reinforcing bracket 30 is provided with forwardly extending
horizontal flanges 52 and 54, each having a circular edge 56
substantially identical in shape with the shelf top cutaway edge 40
and complementary to the post cylindrical surface 42, so that the
post 24 may fit snugly thereagainst. Vertical wings 58, at
substantially 135.degree. to the plane of the bracket 30, extend
therefrom to abut against the inside surfaces of the shelf flange
36 on opposites of the cutaway 40. The bottom horizontal flange 52
is apertured at 60 to receive rivets 62 or other securing means
extending therethrough and through correspondingly located
apertures 64 in the inturned rims 38, so that the bracket 30 is
held in position rigidly reinforcing the shelf cutaway corner.
Obviously, any other fastening may be used, such as a bolt and nut,
electronic or spot welding, etc. The bracket 30 is also provided
with circular bolt leg receiving apertures 66, so that the U-bolts
threaded legs 50 may extend therethrough, after being suitably
positioned about a post 24 and have the nuts 28 biased against its
inner facing side.
To facilitate bending the flanges 36 down from the shelf tops 32,
gauge slits 37 are provided in the tops of the flanges 36 adjacent
to the cutaway corners 40, thus also eliminating any burrs that may
be present from the cutting of the cutaway corners 40, and enabling
the cutaway vertical flange edges 46, to fit snugly against the
inner surfaces of wedge shaped ridges 44.
The posts 24 are generally externally cylindrical, except for the
spaced apart forwardly extending longitudinal ridges 44 spaced
apart about 90.degree., already described. Inwardly, the posts 24
are hollow with somewhat square inner flat surfaces with corners
rounded where flat surfaces 69 meet to receive the stems of feet or
casters at their bottoms and capped stems at their tops to provide
a smooth surface.
In addition, each post 24 is provided with equally spaced
countersunk recesses 67 extending about their semi-cylindrical
surfaces 68, from which parallel surfaces 70 extend tangent thereto
and straight to the ridges 44 already described. Each U-bolt 26 has
a U-shaped strap 72 from which the threaded legs 50 extend; the
thickness of the strap 72 is somewhat more than the depth of the
recesses 67 so that the U-strap countersinks partly into the
recesses 67 but extend above the surfaces 68. Within each recess 67
there is an identifying series of indicia 74, such as numerals 1 to
6, for instance, and then repeated as necessary or possibly
extending in a continuous number series so that when several
shelves 22 are mounted on the post 24, they may easily be mounted
identically on each post 24 and thus be all horizontal and parallel
to each other. The recesses 67 are preferably spaced 3 inches apart
allowing suitable spacing of the shelves 22. When the shelves are
not too close, an intermediate shelf 22' may be installed by
tilting it and then straightening and securing it in place by the
U-bolts 26 in the same manner as the others. Likewise, a shelf 22
may be similarly removed when spacing permits, without removing
upper and lower shelves.
When only a single shelf 22 is provided, with either long support
posts 24, or with short support posts 76, it is necessary to
compensate for the loss of rigidity due to the absence of
additional shelves, and this is done by providing a pair of right
hand and left hand gusset plates 78 and 80, preferably shaped as
shown in FIGS. 14 through 17. Except for being mirror images of
each other, the gusset plates 78 and 80 are identical. A second
U-bolt 26 on the support post 76 has its U-strap 72 partially
countersunk in recesses similar to those at 67, and has its legs 50
extend through apertures 82. Its nuts 28 are biased against the
inner surface of a second bracket 30 placed about the support post
76 and within plates 78 and 80, and the legs 50 extend through
similar oblong apertures 82 in the gusset plates 78 and 80.
As shown in FIG. 17, each gusset plate 78 and 80 is offset a bit at
84 so that its upper portion 86 contacts flush against the outer
surface of flange 36 and its lower vertical edge 88 extends against
the post 76 flush within the post ridge 44.
The upper portion 86 is secured against the outside of flange 36 by
a bolt 90 and nut 92 extending through aligned bolt holes 94 in the
gusset portion 86 and flange 36.
Although the gusset plates are shown only in the shelf dunnage rack
or pallet of FIG. 14, where it is a necessity to provide rigidity
to its support posts, it may optionally be used in the multi-tiered
shelf devices to provide extra strength and rigidity.
ABSTRACT OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts, and for the
purpose of explications, marshalled below are the numbered parts of
the ADJUSTABLE SHELF DEVICE of this invention: Ref. Nos. Shown in
FIGS.:
__________________________________________________________________________
20 Shelf device 1,2 22 Individual Shelf 1,2,3,4,9,14,15,16, 17. 24
Support posts 1,2,5,6,9,10,11,14, 15,16 26 U-bolt
1,2,7,8,9,10,11,14, 15,16 28 Securing nuts on 26 10,11 30 Corner
reinforcing bracket 10,11,13,16 32 Shelf flat top 1,3,4,11,12 34
Lip 1,3, 12 36 Depending vertical flanges of 22 2,3,4,9,10,11,12,14
15,16,17,18 37 Guageing and burr removing slot 3,4,12,18 38
Inturned rim on 36 3,4,10,11,12,17,18 40 Cutaway corner in shelf
top 32 1,10,11,12,15,18 42 Cylindrical surface of 24 between ridge
44 1,6,10,11,15 44 Wedge shaped ridges on 24 6,10,11,14,16 46
Cutaway vertical flange edges 3,4,9,10,12,18 48 Oblong apertures in
36 10,12,18 50 U-bolt threaded legs 1,2,7,8,9,10,11,14, 15,16 52
Upper horizontal flange on 30 13,16 54 Lower horizontal flange on
30 11,13,16 56 Circular edge in 52 and 54 10,11,13 58 Vertical
wings of bracket 30 10,13,16 60 Rivet receiving apertures in 54 13
62 Rivets 11 64 Rivet receiving apertures in rims 38 10,12,18 66
Circular bolt leg receiving apertures in bracket 30 10,13 67
Partially countersunk recesses in 24 2,5,6,9,10, 11,15,16 68
Semi-cylindrical surface of 24 between 70 2,5,6,9 69 Inner flat
surfaces of 24 1,6,10,11,15 70 Parallel surfaces tangent to 68
extending to 1,2,5,6,9,10, ridges 44 11,14,15,16 72 U-shaped strap
of 26 connecting 50 1,2,7,8,9,10, 11,14,15,16 74 Identifying
indicia 2,5,9 76 Short support posts of dunnage rack 14,15,16 78
Right hand gusset plate 14,15 80 Left hand gusset plate 14,15,16 82
Oblong apertures in 78 and 80 through which legs 50 extend 14,16 84
Offset in Gusset plates 78 and 80 14,16,17 86 Upper offset portions
of 78 and 80 14,15,16,17 88 Lower edge of gusset plates extending
within 44 16 90 Bolt through rim 36 14,15,16,17 92 Nut on 90 15,17
94 Bolt hole in rim 36 2,3,4,18
__________________________________________________________________________
Although this invention has been described in considerable detail,
such description is intended as being illustrative rather than
limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the
scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.
* * * * *