AU2005259845B2 - Detachable cantilever arm system - Google Patents

Description

WO 2006/002484 PCT/AU2005/000982 1 DETACHABLE CANTILEVER ARM SYSTEM 5 This invention relates to improvements in methods of manufacturing detachable cantilever arms for attachment to columns having at least one substantially flat side or web. Current methods employ a connector and a rotational stop together with a means of preventing 10 lateral movement or rotation of the arm in the horizontal plane about the point of attachment of the arm to the column or post as described in Patent No 776687. It has been found that cantilever arms as described in Patent No 776687 with separate connector and rotational stop are fairly labour intensive to produce and that the angle stop and means of 15 lateral restraint or hook bolt used protrude into storage space below each arm. Another form of manufacturing cantilever racks involves the use of two pallet racking uprights with diagonal bracing between the two uprights or posts to create a battened column with the eyes or slots on the two outside faces or flanges of the column or tree so created. Cantilever arms with 20 angle connectors affixed to the web of the arm are fitted to one side of the column and fastened through the flange which protrudes at right angles from the web of the arm with bolts and nuts to the flanges of the column. In the following description items described in the singular may also be interpreted as having a 25 plural meaning. It should be understood that loads on, and lengths of cantilever arms vary considerably which in turn determines the best method of manufacture for a particular application. The proposed improvements involve new and inventive steps in the replacement of the lateral restraint or hook bolt with various alternative means of lateral restraint and a one-piece connector 30 and stop which may include at least one form of lateral restraint which provides additional stiffness to the column flange. The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the drawings attached. 35 Figures 1, 2, & 3 are isometric front and plan views respectively of one example of the invention in which the connector (31) comprises an angle section one leg or flange of which is affixed to the side or web of the cantilever arm (32) with at least one hole located near the top end of that flange (34) through which a releasable fastener may be passed to attach the arm to the column which has pre-formed holes that are substantially in alignment with the hole in the connector flange when the 40 arm is fitted or a multiplicity of hooks may be formed in the connector flange to engage compatible eyes formed in the column web. The second flange of the connector which extends at right angles from the web of the cantilever arm creates a rotational stop (31a) by engaging the flange of the column at a point which is lower than the point of attachment of the arm to the column thus preventing the arm from rotating in the vertical plane about its point of rotation. 45 The packing plate (39) which is affixed to the inside of the angle stop to create a sharp corner between the point of engagement of the rotational stop and the outside corner of a hot-rolled channel section (35) is extended horizontally such that a portion of the plate of suitable length extends beyond the toe or lip of the flange of the column. The portion which protrudes beyond the WO 2006/002484 PCT/AU2005/000982 2 toe of the flange or lip may be pre-formed into a hook or similar such that it will engage the toe of the flange when the arm is attached to the column or post or it may be left as a flat plate to be bent around the column flange toe or lip after attachment of the arm to the column or post. 5 Figure 4 shows the back view of cantilever arms attached to a cold formed column which has radiused corners and at least one substantially flat side or web in which one packing plate (39) is extended and formed into a hook to engage for example the lip of a channel section thus preventing lateral movement or twisting of the arm. In a cold formed section with radiused corners it often happens that the internal radius of the connector angle substantially matches the external 10 radius of the column thus negating the need for a sharp internal corner on the angle stop and the need for an internal packing plate between the flange of the column and the stop. In Figure 4 a flat plate (38) which may be partially pre-formed into a hook at one end is affixed to the outside face of the rotational stop in such a position as to engage the lip of the column when the arm is fitted and which may be further bent to engage the lip edge or toe of the column after the cantilever arm 15 has been attached to the column. Fig. 5 is a further example of the invention, which may be made by manufacturing a one piece connector, rotational stop and lateral restraint for affixation to the cantilever arm. 20 Figure 6 shows a further example of the invention which may be manufactured as a one piece connector and rotational stop with provision for a releasable fastener (37) to be fitted through the rotational stop and into or through the flange of the column to provide lateral restraint to the arm and which may provide additional stiffness to the flange of the column. 25 Figure 7 refers to the case of cantilever arms which are continuous (32d) across the face of the column to create a double-sided tree or a tree with arms extending from one side only with connectors (31) and rotational stops (31a) engaging both flanges of the column such that the vertical rotational forces in either direction are transferred to the column by the rotational stops and the axial forces are carried by the load bearing fasteners or pre-formed multiple hooks in the 30 connector flange, the lateral restraints may be replaced with a releasable fastener fitted through the stop portion of the connector and the flange of the column or reliance for lateral restraint may be placed solely on the connector hooks, rivets, tangs or multiple load bearing fasteners, if employed. A further adaptation of this method of manufacturing cantilever arms for attachment to a column having at least one substantially flat web is to manufacture the two angle connectors shown as a 35 one piece C section with at least one row of preformed hooks, studs, tangs or shoulder rivets engaging preformed eyes in the column web. Fig 8. & 9 show top and front views of a pair of cantilever arms attached to columns on each side of a cantilever arm (32) to create a double sided tree with dual columns (35) utilising a connector 40 (31) affixed to each side of the arm or (41) showing a U shaped connector affixed to the top flange of the arm, which is attached to the web of the columns with releasable fasteners to permit vertical adjustment of the arms independently of each other wherein the rotational stops may be reinforced with a horizontally oriented section, angle or similar (36) affixed to the bottom flange of the arm and which may be attached to the flanges of the columns with a releasable fastener or the angle 45 (36) may serve the dual purpose of stop and column flange stiffener as shown in Fig 9. Figures 10,11 & 12 are isometric plan and front views respectively of one example of the invention in which the connector (51) comprises an angle section one leg or flange of which is affixed to the side or web of the cantilever arm (52) with at least one shoulder rivet, fastener, hook 50 or tang located near the top end of that flange (54) which may be passed through a suitably shaped WO 2006/002484 PCT/AU2005/000982 3 aperture in the web of the column to attach the arm to the column or a multiplicity of rivets or fasteners may be affixed to the connector flange or a multiplicity of hooks or tangs may be formed in the aforementioned connector flange to engage compatible eyes formed in the column web. The second flange of the connector which extends at right angles from the web of the cantilever arm 5 creates a rotational stop (5 1a) by engaging the flange of the column at a point which is lower than the point of attachment of the arm to the column thus preventing the arm from rotating in the vertical plane about its point of rotation. Figures 11 & 12 show plan and front views respectively of the arm and connector just prior to 10 fitment to the column with, in this example, a shoulder rivet (54) affixed to and protruding from the internal face of the connector flange (51) and a tangentially slidable lateral restraint (57) in the form of a captive hook plate for example in the up position to thus create a sufficiently wide opening between the head of the shoulder rivet and the internal face of the hook plate to permit fitment of the connector assembly and arm to the column where upon engagement of the shoulder 15 rivet, hook or tang in the aforementioned aperture in the web of the column can be achieved by moving the entire arm assembly horizontally and downward. This however creates a gap between the toe or lip of the column and the inner face of the aforementioned hook plate (57) or lateral restraint, which may then be slid down tangentially to bring it into engagement with the toe or lip of the column. Alternately a loose hook plate of angle or U shape may be fitted with a releasable 20 fastener or over a stud or rivet pre-installed in the rotational stop flange (51a) to achieve engagement of the lateral restraint with the toe or lip of the column as shown in Fig. 13. The downward travel of the hook plate over the stud or rivet retaining pin may be by tangentially oriented slot or other suitable pathway such as by L shaped slot for example. 25 Figure 14 shows an alternate means of manufacturing detachable cantilever arms for attachment to columns with at least one substantially flat web in which the load bearing studs, rivets, hooks or tangs (54) are affixed to or formed in the connection flange (51) of the connector in a one piece U shaped connector (5 1b) in which the second leg of the U constitutes the hook plate lateral restraint (57) near the toe of which and to suit the relevant column type an eccentrically mounted packing 30 plate (58) of suitable thickness which can be swivelled to a first installation position so to create a gap between rivet head or tang and diagonally opposite internal corner of the connector sufficient to permit fitment of the arm to the column and subsequent rotation of the arm in the horizontal plane to engage the rivets or tangs with the web of the column by passing through the preformed apertures. The eccentrically mounted packing plate may then be rotated in the vertical plane to a 35 second fixing position which fills the gap between the internal face of the hook plate and the toe or lip of the column. Said packing plate may be of plate, bar or hollow section. Alternately a loose suitably shaped spring type packing plate may be affixed to the lateral restraint portion of the connector to fill the gap. 40 A packing plate (59) may be affixed to the bottom inside of the U shaped connector or the inside face of the stop (52a) to achieve a sharp internal corner to facilitate attachment to hot rolled channel sections with sharp external corners. Figures 15 and 16 show another means of manufacturing a lateral restraint for the arm in which a 45 releasable fastener (60) is used to attach a pre-formed hook plate (61) which in this preferred example has an angle shape one leg of which engages the inside face of a hot rolled column flange and in which the packing plate (59) is extended and formed and slotted on one end so as to engage the second leg of the aforementioned hook plate at a point which is substantially beneath the bolt head the shaft of which may also have been bent or a tapered wedge shaped washer beneath the 50 bolt head may be employed or the edge of the aperture in the hook plate through which the WO 2006/002484 PCT/AU2005/000982 4 releasable fastener passes may have a rim on part of the edge of one or both sides or faces of the aperture extending outwards or the hook plate may be kinked to create an eccentric engagement of the fastener head with the hook plate such that the hook plate is deflected or pulled inwardly towards the toe or lip of the column. The other end of the releasable fastener may then be passed 5 through a pre-formed aperture in the web or webs of the arm and a nut attached or the releasable fastener may be passed through the preformed aperture in the web or webs of the arm and a nut attached on either side of the hook plate in such a manner as to clamp the hook plate in the correct position to achieve proper engagement of the hook plate leg which engages the inside face of the column flange and in which the packing plate (59) extends in a substantially flat configuration 10 beyond the internal face of the rotational stop portion of the connector to the toe of the column and in which the edge distance or external width of the first nut also provides packing between the outer face of the packing plate (59) and the bolt shaft. It will be understood that modifications to the system that would be apparent to the skilled 15 addressee are within the scope of the present invention. Ivan Glenfield Quail 2 nd July 2005 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Claims (16)

1. A method of manufacturing detachable cantilever arms for attachment to a column having 10 at least one substantially flat side or web as shown in Figures 1,2 & 3 where in the connector and rotational stop, are manufactured as one piece which may be said to form an angle section wherein one leg with at least one hole is affixed to the web of the cantilever arm which may then be attached by at least one releasable load bearing fastener to the web of the column. A packing plate may be affixed to the inside flange of the 15 connector angle leg which protrudes at right angles from the web of the cantilever arm to create a rotational stop with a sharp internal corner and in which said packing plate may extend laterally beyond the toe or lip of the column flange and which may be bent to create a return which engages the toe or lip of the column to thus prevent lateral movement of the arm and or rotation of the arm in the horizontal plane about its point of rotation in that 20 plane and which may provide additional stiffness to the flange of the column.

2. A cantilever arm as claimed in claim 1 above in which the packing plate is replaced with a plate or angle which is affixed to the outside face of the stop and which extends laterally beyond the toe or lip of the column which may be further bent to create a return to engage 25 the toe or lip of the column to thus provide lateral restraint to the arm as described in claim 1 above.

3. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2 above wherein the connector angle is replaced with a specially manufactured U or C section with or without packing 30 plate in the bottom of the U or internal face of the C to create sharp internal corners, in which one leg of the U has at least one hole through which a releasable load bearing fastener may be passed and wherein the bottom of the U serves as the rotational stop and in which the second leg of the U engages the toe or lip of the column when the arm is attached thereto and which may be bent further around the lip or toe of the column. 35

4. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 above wherein the arms are continuous across the face or web of the column and which may extend from both sides of the tree wherein the axial forces are transferred to the column web by the load bearing fastener or fasteners and in which the vertical rotational forces in either direction are 40 substantially transferred to the column flanges by a rotational stop engaging each flange of the column through which a releasable fastener may be fitted to provide lateral restraint to the arm and which may provide additional stiffness to the flange of the column..

5. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 above in which the connector 45 flange which is affixed to the web of the arm is manufactured with multiple preformed integral hooks for attachment to preformed compatible eyes or slots in the web of the column wherein the stop flange may be attached with a releasable fastener to the flange of the column to provide lateral restraint to the arm and which may provide additional stiffness to the flange of the column. 50 WO 2006/002484 PCT/AU2005/000982 6

6. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 above for use on cantilever trees which have arms extending from one side only of the tree or which have continuous arms extending from both sides of the tree wherein the angle connectors are replaced with a C section manufactured to closely fit around the web and two flanges of the column wherein 5 provision is made for the rotational stop flanges to be fastened by releasable means to the flange of the column or which may have extended stop flanges which may be further bent around the toe or lip of the column and in which the web of the C section connector which is affixed to the web of the arm is attached to the web of the column utilising at least one load bearing fastener or multiple hook and eye type means of attachment. 10

7. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 above for attachment to dual columns, one on each side of the cantilever arm wherein an arm has angle connectors affixed to each side or web of the arm which may be attached with a releasable fastener to 15 each column and in which the rotational stop of each angle will engage the flange of one column to which it may be fastened with a releasable fastener and wherein the stop flanges may be reinforced with a horizontally oriented angle affixed to the lower flange of the arm. 20

8. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 above for attachment to dual columns, one on each side of the cantilever arm wherein the connectors are replaced with a U section affixed to the top flange of the arm and in which the stop flanges are replaced with a horizontally oriented stop affixed to the bottom flange of the arm said stop protruding laterally from both sides of the arm to engage the flanges of each column and 25 which may be releasably fastened to the column flanges to provide additional stiffness to the column flanges.

9. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 above for attachment to a column having at least one substantially flat side or web as shown in figures 10,11 & 12 wherein 30 the connector and rotational stop and load-bearing fastener or fasteners are manufactured as one piece which may be in the form an angle or U section wherein one leg with at least one fastener, rivet, hook or tang is affixed to the web of the cantilever arm which may then be attached by at least one fastener, rivet, hook or tang through a compatible aperture in the web of the column, to the web of the column. A hook type plate, angle, channel or 35 other suitably shaped section may be attached to the rotational stop flange of the connector angle or bottom of the U shaped connector which protrudes at right angles from the web of the cantilever arm to create a rotational stop in the vertical plane and in which said hook type plate may be moved by a slidable lockable means to engage the toe or lip of the column to provide lateral restraint to the arm and prevent lateral movement of the arm and 40 or rotation of the arm in the horizontal plane about its point of rotation in that plane and which may assist in the prevention of accidental dislodgement of the arm from the column.

10, A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 above in which a loose hook type angle or U shape plate may be fitted over a fastener, stud or rivet in the rotational stop 45 portion of the connector in such a manner as to engage the hook type plate with the toe or lip of the column.

11. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 above wherein the arm connector angle is replaced with a U section with or without packing plate in the bottom of the U to 50 create a sharp internal corner, in which one leg of the U which is adjacent to the lip or toe WO 2006/002484 PCT/AU2005/000982 7 of the column and which extends inwardly beyond said toe or lip when fitted to the column, has an eccentrically mounted packing plate of such shape as to be capable of being swivelled to a first non engaging position to permit fitting of the arm to the column and a second position approximately 180 degrees from the first position in which said 5 packing or filler plate engages the toe or lip or edge of the lip of the column and the internal face of the hook plate and in which said packing plate may be of plate, bar, hollow, pressed or other suitable section.

12. A cantilever arm as claimed in any or one of claims 1 to 10 above wherein the arms are 10 continuous across the face or web of the column and which may extend from both sides of the tree wherein the axial forces are transferred to the column web by the load bearing fasteners, stud, hooks or tangs and in which the vertical rotational forces in either direction are substantially transferred to the column flanges by a rotational stop engaging each flange of the column to which a fastener may be fitted to provide lateral restraint to the 15 arm and which may provide additional stiffness to the flange of the column.

13. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 above in which the connector flange which is affixed to the web of the arm is manufactured with multiple preformed integral hooks or tangs or rivets for attachment to preformed compatible eyes or slots in 20 the web of the flange of the column or which may have extended stop flanges which may be further bent around the toe or lip of the column and in which the web of the C section connector which is affixed to the web of the arm is attached to the web of the column utilising at least one load bearing fastener or multiple hook, tang or stud and eye or slot type means of attachment. 25

14. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1-13 above wherein a threaded fastener with an offset bend at a suitable point along the shaft is used together with the aforementioned packing plate between the rotational stop portion of the connector and the column flange in which the connector and the column flange in which the packing plate is 30 extended substantially to the toe of the column and bent outwards from the column flange and notched on the end to accommodate the diameter of the threaded fastener such that the end of the packing plate may engage the inside face of the hook or angle shaped lateral restraint substantially beneath the head of the threaded fastener. 35

15. A cantilever arm as claimed in any one of claims 1-14 above wherein a threaded fastener is passed through a pre-formed aperture in the web or webs of the arm and which extends beyond the toe or lip of the column and to which the hook plate lateral restraint may be attached and held in place by clamping means between two nuts. The shaft of the releasable fastener may be offset at an appropriate point or a wedge shaped washer may be 40 fitted between the outer face of the hook plate and the second nut or part of the edge of the aperture in the hook plate may be raised or the hook plate may be kinked to ensure eccentric engagement of the hook plate with the threaded fastener such that the hook plate is pulled inwardly towards the toe or lip of the column. 45

16. A method of manufacturing detachable cantilever arms for attachment to a column having at least one web substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Ivan Glenfield Quail 50 2"d July 2005