US 4,549,665 A · Shelf assembly

Abstract

A shelf assembly (10) including apparatus (20, 22) for interlocking upright and transverse members (12, 14, 80, 90) without the need for separate fasteners or supplemental cross-bracing to achieve structural rigidity. The interlocking apparatus includes connectors (20) formed near the ends of the transverse beams, each connector comprising a lug (40) spaced from a side panel (30) of the transverse member (14) by a keyed pedestal (42). The pedestal is defined by spaced lug supporting legs (44, 46), joined by a curved interconnecting wall (48). The uprights include pairs of apertures (22) each defined by an upper slot segment (50a) having a lug clearance notch (52) and a lower slot segment (50b) having a narrowing transverse dimension. The upright and transverse members are interlocked by inserting the connectors of a transverse beam into the upper slot segments (50a) and then moving the transverse beam downwardly so that the lug overlies a face (30b) of the upright and the keyed pedestal coengages the edges of the lower slot segment (50b ) at three areas (62a, 62b, 62c) for a given length. The lug engagement prevents lateral separation of the upright and the transverse member whereas the pedestal/slot engagement inhibits relative rotation between the upright and transverse members. A "T" upright (80) and a tie bar (90) are also disclosed which enable side-by-side shelf units and spaced apart shelf units to be joined as well as supplemental supports (88) engageable with opposite transverse beams. In addition, the tie bars may provide support for an aisleway for multi-level shelf units.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A storage assembly, comprising:

(a) at least one load supporting upright;
(b) at least one transverse element having an end portion coupled to said upright;
(c) the end portion including a formed pair of spaced projections;
(d) said upright including at least one pair of laterally spaced apertures for receiving and interlocking with said projections, each aperture being defined by a vertical, elongate portion and a transversely extending notch, extending from said elongate portion;
(e) each projecton being defined by a support wall extending from a face of said beam end and supporting a projection surface spaced from said beam face, said projection surface including a laterally projecting lug, spaced above the face of said beam and shaped to fit through the notch in an associated aperture formed in said upright;
(f) said projection support wall defining at least three spaced locations for engaging the elongate portion of said aperture, when said projection is seated such that the engagement between said support wall and said elongate portion substantially prevents relative rotation between said projection and said upright and said lug overlies a portion of a face of said upright to secure said beam to said upright to restrict movement in a direction orthogonal to the face of said beam end.

3 more elements

A storage system, comprising:

(a) a plurality of load supporting, spaced apart upright members;
(b) a plurality of transverse members extending between and interconnecting said upright members to form a self standing, rigid structure;
(c) said upright and transverse members including means for releasably interlocking said members;
(d) each of said interlocking means comprising at least one pair of connectors formed on one member and a pair of companion apertures formed on the other of said members;
(e) each connector comprising:
(i) a keyed pedestal supporting a lug spaced above a surface of said one member;
(ii) said keyed pedestal being defined by an elongate projection extending from said surface;
(iii) said projection including spaced apart lug supporting legs joined on one side by a curved interconnecting wall;
(f) each aperture formed in said other member including an elongate slot having upper and lower slot segments and a lug clearing notch extending laterally from said upper slot segment;
(g) said spaced apart legs and interconnecting wall defining areas of contact between said projection and slot surfaces defining said lower slot segments such that at least portions of said projection wedgedly engage said slot surfaces.

7 more elements

In a multiple component assembly the improvement comprising:

(a) pair of interconnected members;
(b) one of the members including a first projection including a pedestal and a projecting lug;
(c) the other of the members including a first aperture having first and second sections;
(i) the first section including openings sized to permit the first projection to pass through it so that abuttable faces of the members may be brought into juxtaposed relationship and the first lug may be positioned such that it can overlie an opposed surface of the other member;
(ii) the second section being in communication with the first section and having walls adapted to provide a wedging, interference fit with the first pedestal as the first pedestal is moved into the second section said pedestal contacting said walls at spaced contact points whereby rotation of said pedestal in said second section is substantially resisted;
(d) the first lug being spaced from the one member abuttable face by a distance slightly less than the thickness of the other member such that as the first pedestal is moved into the second section the first lug will force the abuttable faces together as an interference fit is established between the first lug and the other member opposed surface;
(e) a first of the members including a second projection including a pedestal and a lug, the second projection being spaced from a selected one of the first projection and first aperture formed in the first member;
(f) a second of the members including a second aperture spaced from a selected one of the first projection and the first aperture formed in the second member;
(g) the second aperture having first and second sections;
(i) the first section including openings sized to permit the second projection to pass through it so that abuttable faces of the members may be brought into juxtaposed relationship and the second lug may be positioned such that it can overlie an opposed surface of the second member;
(ii) the second section being in communication with the first section and having walls adapted to provide an interference fit with the second pedestal as the second pedestal is moved into the second section;
and,
(h) the second lug being spaced from the first member abuttable face by a distance slightly less than the thickness of the second member such that as the second pedestal is moved into the second section of the second section the second lug will force the abuttable faces together as an interference fit is established between the second lug and the second member opposed surface.

10 more elements

A storage assembly comprising:

(a) a plurality of uprights;
(b) at least one transverse element extending between the uprights and being connected to at least one of the uprights;
(c) the transverse element and said at least one upright being a pair of interconnected members;
(d) one of the members including a first projection including a pedestal and a projecting lug;
(e) the other of the members including a first aperture having first and second sections;
(i) the first section including openings sized to permit the first projection to pass through it so that abuttable faces of the members may be brought into juxtaposed relationship and the first lug may be positioned such that it can overlie an opposed surface of the other member;
(ii) the second section being in communication with the first section and having walls adapted to provide a wedging, interference fit with the first pedestal as the first pedestal is moved into the second section said pedestal contacting said walls at, at least, three spaced contact points whereby rotation of said pedestal in said second section is substantially resisted;
(f) the first lug being spaced from the one member abuttable face by a distance slightly less than the thickness of the other member such that as the first pedestal is moved into the second section the first lug will force the abuttable faces together as an interference fit is established between the first lug and the other member opposed surface;
(g) a first of the members including a second projection including a pedestal and a lug, the second projection being spaced from a selected one of the first projection and first aperture formed in the first member;
(h) a second of the members including a second aperture spaced from a selected one of the first projection and the first aperture formed in the second member;
(i) the second aperture having first and second sections;
(ii) the first section including openings sized to permit the second projection to pass through it so that abuttable faces of the members may be brought into juxtaposed relationship and the second lug may be positioned such that it can overlie an opposed surface of the second member;
(ii) the second section being in communication with the first section and having walls adapted to provide an interference fit with the second pedestal as the second pedestal is moved into the second section;
and,
(j) the second lug being spaced from the first member abuttable face by a distance slightly less than the thickness of the second member such that as the second pedestal is moved into the second section of the second section the second lug will force the abuttable faces together as an interference fit is established between the second lug and the second member opposed surface.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Shelf assembly

Life of this patent

Shelf assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38