US 9,546,021 B2Granted

Apparatus for storing, transporting and distributing kegs

AssigneeDiverse Holdings, LLC

InventorsCarl Stover, Craig T. Jones, Dennis Weber

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for storing, transporting and distributing kegs. The apparatus comprising a keg shelving assembly with two or more stacked shelves. The shelves containing individual keg slots formed by two or more horizontally disposed rails. Stored kegs within the keg slots are accessed by a vertical sliding frame within a fixed frame vertical guidance assembly. A hinged platform is fixed to the vertical sliding frame having an open, horizontal position and a close vertical position relative to the vertical sliding frame. The apparatus further comprises a braking assembly that utilizes the downward force created by a load on the platform, to create a braking action opposing the downward force. This action allows a user to easily and efficiently lower a keg from one of the stacked shelves.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An apparatus for storing, transporting and distributing kegs comprising:

(a) a keg shelving assembly comprising a front, a rear, and two or more vertically stacked shelves for storing one or more kegs in a uniform horizontal position;
(b) a fixed frame vertical guidance assembly operably attached to the front of the keg shelving assembly comprising one or more vertical guides;
(c) a vertical sliding frame adapted to be movable within the same vertical plane as the fixed frame guidance vertical assembly comprising one or more support guides adapted to receive the one or more vertical guides;
(d) a platform comprising a front and a rear, wherein the platform is hingedly connected to the vertical sliding frame having an axis of rotation configured to move in a path of motion having at least a closed vertical position and an open horizontal position relative to the vertical sliding frame;
and
(e) at least one brake assembly comprising:
(i) a metal braking surface extending vertically parallel to the path of motion of the vertical sliding frame;
(ii) a brake pad fixedly attached to the vertical sliding frame, the brake pad is operably positioned adjacent to the metal braking surface, whereby as the vertical sliding frame is moved through the vertical path, the brake pad is continuously adjacent to the metal braking surface;
and
(iii) a member for actuating the brake assembly, wherein the member for actuating the brake assembly is rigid having a contact end, the member is operably attached to the platform with the contact end positioned adjacent and normal to the brake pad and below the axis of rotation of the platform while the platform is in the open horizontal position in order to engage the brake pad when a downward load is applied to the platform,
whereby a braking force is created by the brake assembly to counter balance the downward force created by the load on the platform.

8 more elements

An apparatus for storing, transporting and distributing kegs comprising:

(a) a keg shelving assembly comprising a front, rear, and two or more vertically stacked shelves for storing one or more kegs in a uniform horizontal position;
(b) a fixed frame vertical guidance assembly operably attached to the front of the keg shelving assembly comprising one or more vertical guides;
(c) a vertical sliding frame adapted to be selectively movable within the same plane as the fixed frame vertical guidance assembly comprising one or more support guides adapted to receive one or more vertical guides;
(d) a platform comprising a front and a rear, wherein the platform is hingedly connected to the vertical sliding frame configured to move outward in a path of motion having at least a closed vertical position and an open horizontal position relative to the vertical sliding frame;
(e) at least one brake assembly comprising:
(i) a metal braking surface operably attached to the fixed frame vertical guidance assembly extending vertically parallel to the path of motion of the vertical sliding frame;
(ii) a brake pad fixedly attached to the vertical sliding frame, wherein the brake pad is operably positioned adjacent to the metal braking surface, whereby as the vertical sliding frame is moved through the vertical path, the brake pad is continuously adjacent to the metal braking surface;
(iii) an elongated rigid member for providing an applied force to the brake pad in the direction of the metal braking surface while the platform is in the open horizontal position while loaded, the elongated rigid member comprising a contact end and a distal end;
(iv) a support bracket for supporting the elongated rigid member which is fixedly attached to the platform, the support bracket having first and second support members, the first and second support members are disposed in parallel, the first support member has an inner surface and an outer surface, the second support member has and inner surface and an outer surface, the first and second support members comprise linearly aligned first and second holes;
(v) wherein the elongated rigid member freely passes through the first and second holes;
(vi) first and second adjustable nuts, the first adjustable nut is threaded onto the distal end of the elongated rigid member exterior of the outer surface of the first support member, the second adjustable nut is threaded onto the elongated rigid member between the first and second support member;
and
(vii) a compression spring for adjusting the force that is applied to the brake to accommodate varying loads on the platform, wherein the spring encases the elongated rigid member lengthwise between the second adjustable nut and the inner surface of the first support member, whereby the first nut can be adjusted to increase or decrease the position of the contact end in relation to the support bracket and the second nut can be adjusted to increase or decrease the compression force of the spring;
and
(f) a means for counter balancing the weight of the vertical sliding frame and platform assembly while the platform is unloaded, whereby consistently maintaining the vertical sliding frame and platform assembly in a vertical position while unloaded.

12 more elements

An apparatus for storing, transporting and distributing kegs comprising:

(a) a keg shelving assembly having a front, a rear, a top and a bottom comprising:
(i) two or more vertically stacked shelves for storing one or more kegs in a uniform horizontal position, wherein the two or more vertically stacked shelves comprise one or more individual keg slots for receiving and holding a keg in the horizontal position, wherein each keg slot is formed by at least two horizontally disposed rails extending lengthwise from the front to the rear of the keg shelving, whereby a keg is easily inserted into or extracted from the keg slot by sliding on the horizontally disposed rails;
(b) a fixed frame vertical guidance assembly operably attached to the front of the keg shelving assembly comprising:
(i) a first and a second vertically disposed channels, and
(ii) a first and a second vertically disposed guide rods extending vertically lengthwise within first and second channels;
(c) a vertical sliding frame adapted to be selectively movable within the same plane as the fixed frame vertical guidance assembly comprising a first and second vertically disposed support guides and first and second linear bearings that are received within the first and second support guides, the first and second linear bearings vertically disposed for receiving the first and second vertically disposed guide rods;
one or more conveyor rollers operably attached to the vertical sliding frame adapted to roll within and along with the first and second channels, whereby enabling the vertical sliding frame and platform assembly to move freely within the same plane as the fixed frame vertical guidance assembly;
(d) a platform having a front and a rear, wherein the platform is hingedly connected to the vertical sliding frame configured to move in a path of motion having at least a closed vertical position and an open horizontal position relative to the vertical sliding frame:
(e) a means for selectively securing the platform in the closed vertical position;
(f) a selectable locking means for retaining the vertical sliding frame and platform assembly from vertically sliding through the path of motion;
(g) at least one brake assembly comprising:
(i) a metal braking surface operably attached to the fixed frame vertical guidance assembly extending vertically parallel to the path of motion of the vertical sliding frame;
(ii) a brake pad fixedly attached to the vertical sliding frame, wherein the brake pad is operably positioned adjacent to the metal braking surface, whereby as the vertical sliding frame is moved through the vertical path, the brake pad is always adjacent to the metal braking surface;
(iii) an elongated rigid member for providing an applied force to the brake pad in the direction of the metal braking surface while the platform in the open horizontal position while loaded, the elongated rigid member comprising a contact end and a distal end;
(iv) a support bracket for supporting the elongated rigid member which is fixedly attached to the platform, the support bracket having first and second support members, the first and second support members are disposed in parallel, the first support member has an inner surface and an outer surface, the second support member has and inner surface and an outer surface, the first and second support members comprise linearly aligned first and second holes;
(v) wherein the elongated rigid member freely passes through the first and second holes;
(vi) first and second adjustable nuts, the first adjustable nut is threaded onto the distal end of the elongated rigid member exterior of the outer surface of the first support member, the second adjustable nut is threaded onto the elongated rigid member between the first and second support member;
and
(vii) a compression spring for adjusting the force that is applied to the brake to accommodate varying loads on the platform, wherein the spring encases the elongated rigid member lengthwise between the second adjustable nut and the inner surface of the first support member, whereby the first nut can be adjusted to increase or decrease the position of the contact end in relation to the support bracket and the second nut can be adjusted to increase or decrease the compression force of the spring;
(h) a means for counter balancing the weight of the vertical sliding frame and platform assembly while the platform is unloaded, whereby consistently maintaining the vertical sliding frame and platform assembly in a vertical position while unloaded;
(i) a first and second horizontally disposed fork slots adapted to receive the forks of a fork lift, the first and second horizontally disposed fork slots fixedly attached to and extend lengthwise from the front to the rear of the apparatus;
and
(j) wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more insert receivers at the bottom of the apparatus and one or more inserts at the top of the apparatus, the apparatus having the ability to be stacked one on top of another fitting the one or more insert receivers with the one or more inserts while stacking.

20 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/177,167Filed 10 Feb 2014 · us provisional application
Priority: 10 Feb 2013
Published: US 2014/0227067 A114 Aug 2014
Granted: 17 Jan 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B65D 19/44
Details or accessories: elements or devices for locating articles on platforms
B65G 1/04
Storage devices: mechanical
B65G 1/06
Mechanical: with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level
B65D 2519/00273
Of the pallet: made of more than one piece