Apparatus and method for adapting two-post rack systems to support four-post rack mounted equipment

A method for converting a two-post equipment rack to support four-post loads, the method comprising:

• coupling independent four-post replicating mounting points on the two-post equipment rack, said four-post replicating mounting points operable to support the four-post loads, wherein said mounting points comprise two or more independent coupling members, and wherein each coupling member is operable to vertically support the four-post loads at a first lateral end and to attach to only one respective post at a second lateral end;
• attaching equipment configured to couple to four-post equipment racks to a first lateral end of a first coupling member;
• attaching a second lateral end of the first coupling member to a first post of a two-post equipment rack;
• attaching the equipment configured to couple to four-post equipment racks to a first lateral end of a second coupling member;
• and
• attaching a second lateral end of the second coupling member to a second post of the two-post equipment rack.

A method for adapting a two-post equipment rack to support four-post loads, the method comprising:

• coupling a first coupling member to a first post at a first end of the first coupling member, the first coupling member further comprising a second end;
• coupling a second coupling member to a second post at a first end of the second coupling member, the second coupling member comprising a second end, wherein said first coupling member and said second coupling member emulate two of the four posts in a four-post rack with each emulated post defining a vertical supporting point for a load;
• attaching a load having a first attachment point a second attachment point, a third attachment point, and a fourth attachment point, wherein the load is adapted to mount to a four post rack at each of the four attachment points of the load by:
• attaching the first attachment point of the load to the second end of the first coupling member;
• attaching the second attachment point of the load to the second end of the second coupling member;
• attaching the third attachment point of the load to the first post;
• and
• attaching the fourth attachment point of the load to the second post, wherein the first post and the second post of the two-post equipment rack emulate the other two posts of the four posts in the four-post rack with each post defining a vertical supporting point for a load.

The method for adapting a two-post equipment rack to support equipment configured to couple to four-post equipment racks, the method comprising:

• coupling a first coupling member to a first post at a first end of the first coupling member, the first coupling member further comprising a second end;
• coupling a second coupling member to a second post at a first end of the second coupling member, the second coupling member further comprising a second end;
• coupling a third coupling member to the first post at a first end of the third coupling member and substantially planar to and substantially parallel to said first coupling member, the third coupling member further comprising a second end;
• coupling a fourth coupling member to the second post at a first end of the fourth coupling member and substantially planar to and substantially parallel to said third coupling member, the fourth coupling member further comprises a second end;
• wherein the second end of each of the coupling members emulates one respective post in a four-post rack, with each emulated post defining a supporting point for a load.