AU657863B2 - Frame system for storage applications - Google Patents

Description

F- 7 863

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE PATENT SPECIFICATION APPLICANT: BOLAND, Brian Timothy ADDRESS: 6 Plowman Place, Flynn, ACT ACTUAL INVENTOR: Brian Timothy BOLAND ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: Paul A Grant and Associates PO Box Fisher, ACT 2611 A INVENTION TITLE: FRAME SYSTEM FOR STORAGE APPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION Nos. PL3423 and PL8491 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- L TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to frame systems for use in storage applications. It is more specifically concerned with modular shelving and storage frames assembled from vertical and horizontal members of folded, rolled or extruded metal or plastic.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION It is an objective of the present invention to provide a frame system which can be quickly and easily assembled without the need for fasteners (such as screws, nuts and bolts or pins) or tools and, yet, which is sufficiently rigid and mechanically secure to s pport multiple levels of shelves and/or to act as a drawer-frame for known boxtype storage receptacles or bins.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION This invention comprises a modular frume system for supporting shelving, storage receptacles and the like comprising a plurality of horizontal members adapted to be connected to a plurality of vertical members without tools or separate fasteners, the system being characterised in that: a pair of opposed substantially-vertical blade-like axial extensions are formed on each end of each horizontal member, an integral spring-action locking plate is formed on each of said extensions so as to protrude from the inside face thereof, a group of pairs of slots is formed in each vertical member at regular intervals therealong, and each pair of slots in each group is of such a size and horizontal spacing as to 25 be adapted to receive the pair of blade-like extensions on one end of a horizontal member, the arrangement being such that, upon entry of a pair of said blade-like extensions into a pair of slots, the spring-action locking-plates of the extensions are deflected by the sides of the slots and, after the extensions have been fully entered into the slots, the spring-action locking-plates are enabled to spring back to their original positions and to thereby lock the extensions into the slots and, hence, lock the associated horizontal member to the vertical member.

The vertical members are preferab!y of tubular form and of rectangular preferably square section with front, back and side faces, each pair of slots being formed in one face so that each slot of the pair is at or near an edge of that face. Each group of slots preferably comprises first and second pairs of slots at the same level in opposite faces of the vertical member and a third pair of slots in one of the other faces above or below the level of the first and second pair of slots in the group. A fourth pair of slots (of a group) may be formed in the remaining face of the vertical member opposite the third pair and at the same level as that pair of slots.

The horizontal members may also be of generally rectangular (usually square) section and formed from sheet-metal so that the blade-like extensions are integral with the sides of the members, each locking plate being struck from the material of its extension so that its free end is innermost. There are, preferably, three types of horizontal members: one in which both lower side edges are turned inwards to form a rectangular usually square section (this being called a square section or member); one in which one of the lower side edges is turned outwards to form an external flange (this being called a semi-tophat section or member), and one in which both lower edges are turned outwards to form two external flanges (this being called a tophat section or member). The semi-tophat and tophat horizontal members extend in one direction (called the front-to-back direction for convenience) of a frame while the square-section horizontal members extend in the other direction (called the sideto-side direction for convenience). The semi-tophat members are intended for use on the ends of a frame, while the tophat members are intended for use as front-toback members in intermediate locations within the frame.

To allow disassembly of a frame, narrow horizontally-extending cutouts may be 25 formed, first, in the sides of the horizontal members just inwards of the spring plates and, second, in corners of the vertical members and across the slots formed therein.

These cutouts permit a narrow metal tool to be entered into an assembled joint and levered so as to depress the free end of the spring-plate and allow the corresponding blade-like extension to be withdrawn from its slot in the vertical member.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES Having broadly portrayed the nature of the present invention, particular embodiments will now be described by way of example and illustration only. In the following description, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an example of a storage frame or rack formed in accordance with this invention, Figure 2 is an enlarged portion of the rack of Figure 1 representing a module of the rack and showing the different types of horizontal members more clearly, Figure 3 is a plan view of the end portion of a horizontal member of the systems shown in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a side elevation of the portion of the horizontal member shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the vertical members 10a and 10 Ob of the example are formed from sheet-steel, are of a semi-closed square-section and have groups of six or eight edge-slots 12 arranged at shelf-spacing intervals. Vertical members which are at the front (or back) of the frame, have six slots per group arranged as two opposing side pairs and one back (or one front) pair, the side pairs being arranged just below the level of the back (or front) pair. Other (intermediate) vertical members have eight edge slots in each group (two lower opposing pairs at the sides and two upper opposing pairs at the front and back faces).

In this example the three different forms of horizontal members indicated above are employed, each being formed from sheet metal: semi-closed square section members 14 run in the side-to-side direction of the frame; semi-tophat section members 16 run front-to-back in the frame but are used only at the ends of the frame; and top-hat section members 18 also run front-to-back but are located intermediate of the ends of the frame. Semi-tophat members 16 have a single out-turned flange 20 while tophat members 18 have two out-turned flanges 22. The edges of flanges 20 and 22 'I P_ may be rolled as best shown in Figure 2. In the drawings, the lefthand end of the frame is indicated at LE and the front of the frame is indicated at F (Figure 2 only).

Each end of each side of every horizontal member (14, 16 and 18) is extended to form a blade-like extension 24, so that each member has a pair of parallel, verticallyoriented, opposed extensions 24 adapted to enter any pair of slots 12 in any vertical member. As is clear from a consideration of Figures 1 and 2, the horizontal length of each extension 24 must be a little less than half the width of the vertical members 1 Oa and 10 Ob, as it must be possible to enter the extensions of two different horizontal members into opposing pairs of slots 12 formed at the same level in a vertical member.

Referring ,o Figures 3 and 4 which illustrate one end of a horizontal member 14, a rectangular horizontally-disposed spring-plate 26 is struck inwardly from each extension 24 so that it is sprung from its outer end 28 and its inner end 30 is free to flex. Note that the inner end 30 of blade 26 is spaced from the end face 32 of member 14 by a little more than the thickness of the sheet material from which vertical members 10 are formed.

To assemble the frame, the pair of extensions 24 on the end of a horizontal member 14, 16 or 18 are simply entered into the appropriate pair of slots 12 in a vertical member 1 Oa or 1 Ob and pressed home so that each spring plate 26 is first deflected back toward the plane of its extension 24 and then (when the extension is pushed home) springs inwards again to lock its extension in place within the vertical member 10Oa or 10Ob. By coupling side-to-side members 14 with the lower pairs of slots 12 in the side faces of a series of vertical members 10a in this manner, a flat rectangular grid of indefinite width, comprising the front of the frame, is formed. Then, by fitting extensions 24 of front-to-back members 16 and 18 into the upper pairs of slots 12 in the back faces of vertical members 10a, and in the front and back faces of members 10b, a three-dimensional structure of indefinite depth can be formed. As already indicated, semi-tophat members 16 should be used at the end faces LE of the frame and tophat members 18 should be used in intermediate front-to-back locations.

p. v 6 To permit disassembly of a joint, short and narrow cut-outs may be formed in the sides of the horizontal near spring-plates 26 and in the corners of vertical members and 10b at the centres of the pair of slots 12 coacting in that joint. The disposition of a cutout in a horizontal member is shown at 34 in Figure 4 and the disposition of a cutout in relation to one slot is shown at 36 in Figures 1 and 2 for one slot only (for the sake of clarity). Cutout 34 is formed in the side of the horizontal member so that it extends into extension 24 and opens into the hole left by the formation of spring plate 26, but it is much more narrow than the spring plate. Cutout 36 is formed in the centre of slot 12 but penetrates both sides of the corner of the vertical member (10a); cutout 36 being much more narrow that slot 12. The cutouts 34 and 36 provide access for an elongate tool to be entered into a joint and to be levered to depress free-end 30 of spring plate 26 so that the extension 24 can be removed from the slot 12.

It will be appreciated from Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings that the flanges 20 and 22 of front-to-back horizontal members 16 and 18 in a layer or shelf are at substantially the same level as the tops of side-to-side members 14. Thus lengths of shelving which run front-to-back between the vertical members will be supported by the tops of members 14 and the flanges 20 or 22 of members 16 or 18. A flush shelf layer will be formed if the thickness c: the shelving panels is equal to the depth of members 16 and 18 (not including flanges 20 and 22).

In most applications the frame will only be one module deep and, if a shelf surface is required, it will be convenient to employ sheet-metal modular shelf-panels 38 having down-turned front and back flanges 40 and 42 for each frame module. The panel 38 may then be positioned so that all four sides are supported (by the tops of .members 14 and by the flanges of members 22 (or a member 20 and a member 22) and its front flange 40 lies in front of the front member 14 of that module and its back flange 42 lies at the back of the rear member of that module. If rectangular storage bins of about the size of a frame module are used, however, they can be slid into the frame on the out-turned flanges 20 and/or 22 of the front-to-back members 16 and/or 18 without the need for panels 38 or shelves (not shown).

i i 7 In another frame system of this invention, the vertical members could be inverted so that the front-to-back horizontal members can be arranged below the side-to-side members instead of above. This would mean that the tops of the front-to-back members were at the same level as the bottoms of the side-to-side members. This arrangement would then allow lengths of shelving (spanning many modules) to be supported on the front-to-back members. With shelving of the appropriate thickness, its top surface would then finish flush with the tops of the side-to-side members.

Such an arrangement is similar in effect to making the frame of the example one module wide and many modules deep.

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