GB2032257A

GB2032257A - Storage rack structures

Info

Publication number: GB2032257A
Application number: GB7932655A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: INTEGRATED HANDLING Ltd
Current assignee: INTEGRATED HANDLING Ltd
Priority date: 1978-09-21
Filing date: 1979-09-20
Publication date: 1980-05-08

Abstract

Storage rack structures, for storing loaded pallets, of the kind comprising two parallel rows of vertical stanchions, horizontal beams between the stanchions in each row, and bracing members between the two rows of stanchions, incorporate backstops in the form of vertical uprights 18 secured by brackets 20 to the beams 12 so as to stand rearwardly of the beams. A single upright 18 may stand between two rack structures arranged back-to-back, to provide a back-stop for bays of both structures, brackets 38 for this purpose securing the uprights to beams of both structures. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Storage rack structures This invention relates to storage rack structures of the kind (hereinafter referred to as the kind defined) comprising two parallel rows of vertical stanchions, horizontal beams which extend between the stanchions in each row, and bracing members which extend between the two rows of stanchions.

It has been found that pallets being loaded into bays defined between adjacent stanchions, conveniently by the use of fork lift trucks, can be pushed too far (or inadequately far) on to the racking. This can obstruct aisles between facing rack structures or, where rack structures are spaced in back-to-back relationship, can impede the insertion of a pallet into a bay when a complementary bay in the adjacent structure is occupied by a pallet which has been pushed too far in.

According to the invention a storage rack structure of the kind defined comprises a back-stop arranged to limit the distance by which a pallet can be inserted into a bay between adjacent stanchions.

The back-stop is preferably equidistant from the two stanchions, and may conveniently be in the form of a vertical upright which is secured to one of the beams and is spaced rearwardly of the beam.

The upright may be secured to the beam by a bracket which comprises a first channel portion which partially embraces the upright, and a second channel portion which partially embraces the beam.

The upright may be secured to a plurality of vertically spaced apart beams which extend between the two stanchions, to provide back-stops for at least two bays of the structure.

Preferably the second channel portion of the or each bracket embraces the beam from beneath so as not to extend above an upper surface of the beam on which a pallet would rest in use of the structure; in this way positioning of a load on to the beam is not obstructed by the bracket and there is no tendency for the load to force the second channel portion of the bracket off the beam.

When the stanchions are provided with spaced openings for detachably receiving connectors on the beams, the uprights may be provided with openings at the same pitch to facilitate alignment of brackets with the beams.

Where two rack structures of the kind defined are arranged back-to-back, a single back-stop can be positioned between the two structures to limit the distance by which a pallet can be loaded into bays of the two structures. In this case, where the back-stop is in the form of a vertical upright, a bracket securing the upright preferably has a first channel portion and two second channel portions, one second channel portion partially embracing a beam of one structure and the other second channel portion partially embracing a beam of the other structure.

The invention also provides brackets substantially as hereinafter described.

By way of example, two embodiments of our invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view from the rear of one storage rack structure; Figure2 is a side elevation of a bracket used in the rack structure of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of a second storage rack structure; Figure 4 is a plan view of a bracket used in the structure of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the bracket of Figure 4.

The rack structure illustrated in Figure 1, is suitable for use in storage of loaded pallets which are handled by mechanical handling equipment such as fork lift trucks. The rack structure is similar to that described in our Patent Specification No. 1128057 and comprises two parallel rows of spaced-apart vertical stanchions 10, each stanchion 10 in each row being opposite a stanchion in the other row. A plurality of horizontal beams 12 extend between the stanchions in each row, and are secured by means of hooks on the beam which are received in spaced openings of equal pitch in the stancions, each beam 12 in a row being opposite a beam in the other row.

Bracing members extend between the two rows between opposite stanchions, the bracing members comprising horizontal transoms 14 and inclined brackings 16. The structure comprises two vertical uprights 18 which stand on base plates 19 and which are each positioned opposite the space between two stanchions in a back one of the two rows of stanchions. The uprights 18 are of similar construction to the stanchions, being formed with a plurality of spaced openings of equa pitch corresponding to the pitch of the openings in the stanchions. The uprights are arranged to serve as back-stops in loading of the racking, limiting the distance by which a pallet can be inserted into bays between adjacent stanchions.Each upright 18 is equidistant from the two stanchions and is secured to each of five beams 12 by means of a bracket 20, so as to be spaced rearwardly of the beam and provide back-stops for four bays of the structure.

Each of the brackets 20 is as shown in Figure 2 and comprises a first straight channel portion 22, a second straight channel portion 24, and a connecting portion 26 which joins together the first and second channel portions. The first channel portion 22 comprises a rectangular base-wall portion 28 from opposite edges of which extend, in the same direction, two side-wall portions 30, the side-wall portions 30 being perpendicular to the base-wall portion 28.

Two bolt holes 31, in the form of short slots which are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the pitch of the openings in the member 18, are provided in the base-wall portion 28 on a centre line of the base-wall portion which is parallel to the side-wall portions 30. The connecting portion 26 of the bracket 20 is of a straight channel form with a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the centre line of the base-wall portion 28 of the first channel portion 22; one end of the connecting portion is welded to one of the side-wall portions 30 of the first channel portion and its other end is welded to an inner side-wall portion 32 of the second channel portion 24.A longitudinal axis of the second channel portion 24 extends in a direction perpendicular to both the centre line of the base-wall portion 28 of the first channel portion 22 and the longtudinal axis of the connecting portion 26. The second channel portion comprises a basewall portion 34, the inner side-wall portion 32, and an outer side-wall portion 36. The base-wall portion 34 is rectangular and the side-wall portions 32 and 36 extend, in the same direction, perpendicularly from opposite edges of the base-wall portion 34, but the outer side-wall portion 36 extends less far than the inner side-wall portion 32.

In the second embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 to 5, two rack structures are arranged back-to-back.

Each structure is of a construction similar to that of Figures 1 and 2 except that single uprights 18 are employed, positioned between the two structures to act as back-stops for both structures; brackets 38 are employed which each secure an upright to one beam of one unit and one beam of the other unit. As seen in Figure 3, the structures comprise stanchions 10, transoms 14 and brackings 16, and there are uprights 18 between the two units of racking; only one upright 18 is visible in Figure 3, but there are two uprights 18, each located equidistant from two stanchions 10.

The brackets 38 of the second embodiment (see Figures 4 and 5) are of a similar construction to the brackets 20 of the first embodiment except that they comprise also a second connecting portion 40 and a second second channel portion 42, the second connecting portion and second second channel portion being generally of the same construction as the connecting portion 26 and second channel portion 24 of the bracket 20 but being secured on the opposite side of the first channel portion. Thus each bracket 38 of the second embodiment comprises a first channel portion 44, first and second connecting portions 41 and 40, and first and second second channel portions 43 and 42, secured to the first channel portion 44 in a mirror-image relationship.

Use of a bracket 38 of the second embodiment is illustrated in Figure 4, each bracket 20 of the first embodiment being used in the same manner but being secured to only one beam. As seen in Figure 4 the first channel portion 44 of the bracket partially embraces and is secured to an upright 18. Two headed bolts 46 (one only shown in Figure 4) extend through the bolt holes 31 in the bracket, through the upright 18 (which is seen to be of a hollow form with a generally rectangular cross-section), and through a joggle plate 48, nuts 50 on the bolts securing the bracket 38 to the upright 18. The second channel portions 42 and 43 of the bracket each partially embrace a beam 12 from underneath. The beams 12, shown in dashed outline in Figures 3 and 5, are of such depth compared with the second channel portions of the brackets that the side-wall portions of the second channel portions do not extend above upper surfaces 52 ofthe beams on which loads will rest; in this way it is ensured that positioning of a load onto a beam 12 is not obstructed by a bracket and there is no tendency for the load to force the second channel portion of the bracket off the beam.

Claims

1. A storage rack structure of the kind defined comprising a back-stop arranged to limit the distance by which a pallet can be inserted into a bay between adjacent stanchions.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in which the back-stop is equidistant from the two stanchions.

3. A structure according to either one of claims 1 and 2 in which the back-stop is in the form of a vertical upright which is secured to one of the beams and is spaced rearwardly of the beam.

4. A structure according to claim 3 in which the upright is secured to a plurality of beams which are vertically spaced apart between two stanchions, to provide back-stops for at least two bays of the structure.

5. A structure according to either one of claims 3 and 4 in which the upright is secured to the or each beam by means of a bracket comprising two channel portions arranged to partially embrace the upright and the beam.

6. A structure according to claim 5 in which the or each bracket is arranged to partially embrace a beam from beneath, so as not to extend above an upper surface of the beam on which a pallet would rest in use of the structure.

7. An arrangement of two rack structures of the kind defined arranged back-to-back, a back-stop being mounted between the two structures to limit the distance by which a pallet can be loaded into bays ofthetwo structures.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7 in which the back-stop is in the form of a vertical upright secured to at least one beam of each of the structures by means of a bracket comprising three channel portions arranged to partially embrace the upright and the two beams.

9. A bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2.

10. A bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

11. A storage rack structure of the kind defined substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

12. An arrangement of two storage rack structures ofthe kind defined arranged back-to-back substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5.