GB2042873A

GB2042873A - A Load Support Arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2042873A
Application number: GB7904455A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Keith Hancock Structures Ltd
Current assignee: Keith Hancock Structures Ltd
Priority date: 1979-02-08
Filing date: 1979-02-08
Publication date: 1980-10-01

Abstract

A load support arrangement comprises a main upright (1) provided with a slideway, a cantilever arm (2) which has engagement means (10, 11) co-operating with a slideway for guiding the arm (2) along the slideway and for engaging the upright (1) in opposite directions at two points spaced vertically such that movement of the cantilever arm (2) in the direction of loading causes increased engagement of the engagement means (10, 11) with the upright (1) to lock the arm (2) in position on the upright (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Load Support Arrangement This invention relates to a load support arrangement and is particularly though not exclusively applicable to shelf storage systems based on a cantilever support arrangement.

In the provision of shelving systems for storage purposes, in order to provide flexibility of the system, there are provided upright members to which a cantilever element is secured so as to be adjustable. With a cantilever system, it is necessary for the cantilever arms to be secured at the support end and these have been made adjustable by providing either a finite number of different positions at which the cantilever arm can be fixed or, where complete variable adjustment is required, the fixing has relied upon a simple clamping arrangement to hold it in place.

This latter system has the disadvantage of requiring the use of relatively strong clamps to avoid any slipping of the cantilever arm and, even then, the security of the cantilever arm depends upon the tightness of the clamp and the weight of the load which is placed thereon.

The present invention seeks to provide a load support arrangement in which some or all of the above mentioned disadvantages of the existing arrangements are reduced or avoided and which provides an inifinitely adjustable support arrangement which creates an automatic lock, which becomes stronger, the heavier the load which is placed on the support.

According to the invention, there is provided a support arrangement comprisng a main upright provided with a slideway, a cantilever arm having means cooperating with the slideway for guiding the arm along the slideway and engagement means engaging the upright in opposite directions at two positions spaced vertically the engagement means being so arranged that movement of the cantilever arm in the direction of loads causes engagement of the engagement means with the upright to lock the arm in position on the upright.

Preferably the engagement means comprises a first engagement means to the rear of the arm engageable with a first surface of the upright and a second engagement means situated below the first engagement means in use and engageable with an opposite surface of the upright to the first engagement means.

In a preferred form of the invention, the upright comprises an "I" section bar, two adjacent flanges of which form guide means for the cantilever arm. The cantilever arm is provided with two pairs of right angle brackets each pair being welded or otherwise fastened to the cantilever arm in back to back relationship by a first arm leaving the other arms extending parallel to each other and spaced by a distance slightly greater than the minimum thickness of the flange on the "I" section upright, the said two adjacent flanges on the upright being slidable between the two angle brackets of each pair, the rear angle brackets extending upwardly from the cantilever arm and the front most brackets extending downwardly from the cantilever arm.

Where a normal I beam is used for the upright, these having slighlty tapered flanges, the spacing of the right angle brackets may be slightly smaller than the maximum thickness of the flanges to provide in jamming action on assembly.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cantilever support arm in position on an upright, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the arm with the upright sectioned for clarity.

As can be seen, the supporting arrangements are based on an "I" section upright 1 suitable in the form of a rolled steel beam upon which loads are to be supported by means of cantilever arm 2 which may be used to directly support the load or maybe used for supporting shelving as indicated in broken lines 3. Two flanges 4 and 5 of the "I" sectioned upright 1 which are adjacent each other provide guide elements for guiding the cantilever arm 2. The flanges 4 and 5 are inclined at one side so as to be thicker towards their inner ends than at their outer ends as is usual in I beam structures.

The cantilever arm 2 suitably comprises two arm elements 6 and 7 which may be of channel shape as shown or maybe angled, the arm elements 6 and 7 being connected, spaced apart at one end, by a channel section bracket 8 and at the other end by a clamping bolt 9.

At the upright end, each arm element 6 or 7 is provided with a pair of angle members 10 and 11 forming torsion brackets which may be suitably welded to the arm elememts 6 or 7. As can be seen particularly from figure 2, these angle brackets 10 and 11 are mounted back to back leaving the spacing therebetween which is slightly smaller than the maximum thickness of the flanges 4 and 5, so that a jamming action takes place on assembly as will be described. As particularly seen from figure 1, the outer angle bracket 11 extends below the arm element 6 and 7 while the inner angle member 10 extends above the arm element 6 and 7. The clamping bolt 9 is arranged to hold the two arm elements 6 and 7 substantially in engagement with the outer edges of the flanges 4 and 5 of the upright.

The operation of the support arm on the upright will now be described.

Once the upright 1 has been fixed in its upright position, each arm element 6 and 7 of the cantilever arm 2 is pushed separately on to the upright 1 so that the guide flanges 4 and 5 pass between the appropriate pairs of angle or torsion brackets 10 and 1 These arm elements will then remain in position due to a combination of a slight jamming action and also the weight of the arm elements. The jamming action is caused by the fact that the spacing between the angle brackets 10 and 11 is less than the maximum thickness of the flanges 4 and 5 as already mentioned.

However, by raising the outer ends of the arm elements, these may be adjusted to ensure that they are exactly in the required position. Once they are in the correct position, they are joined together by the channel section bracket 8, and the clamping bolt 9. The weight of the arm 2 will cause pressure of the outer ends 13 of the torsion brackets on the guide flanges 4 and 5 of the upright 1 , thus maintaining the cantilever arm 2 in its desired position. The shelf 3 or other load can then be placed on the cantilever arm 2 and it will be seen that the larger the load, the more or the harder the torsion brackets 10 and 11 will press on the guide flanges 4 and 5 of the upright 1 and so provide security against slipping of the cantilever arm 2, and the ioad.The clamping bolt 9 is suitably used to provide additional security by tightening this once the support arm is in position. This will increase the jamming action of brackets 10 and 11 on the flanges 4 and 5. This additional clamping action is however optional since, for most normal purposes, the engagement of the ends of the torsion brackets 1 0 and 11 with the guide flange 4 and 5 will be quite sufficient.

It will be appreciated that various modifications maybe made to the above embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the torsion brackets maybe spaced entirely apart longitudinally of the upright so that they do not provide any overlap.

If desired the clamping bolt maybe dispensed with altogether provided that some means is provided to ensure that the arm element will take up the required spacing. Although the torsion brackets are said to be welded, these may in fact be secured by other means such as bolting. The spaced engagement parts of the torsion brackets maybe achieved differently and maybe provided, for example, by parts of the cantilever arm elements themselves if the cantilever arm should be thick enough for the purpose.

While the arrangement has been described for supporting a single arm, the arrangement could be used, for example, for supporting a number of arms joined together either horizontally or vertically. The torsion brackets maybe attached to the arm slightly out of the intended vertical position so that, when the ends of the torsion brackets engage the guide surfaces, the slight pivoting action which is necessary to cause the support pressure will not cause the arm to lie below the horizontal.

Claims

1. A load support arrangement comprising a main upright provided with a slideway, a cantilever arm having means co-operating with the slideway for guiding the arm along the slideway and engagement means engaging the upright in opposite directions of two positions spaced vertically, the engagement means being so arranged that movement of the cantilever arm in the direction of the loads causes engagement of the engagement means with the upright to lock the arm in the position on the upright.

2. A support arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engagement means comprises a first engagement element to the rear of the arm for engagement with a first surface of the upright and the second engagement element situated below the first engagement element in use and for engagement with a surface of the upright opposite to the first engagement means.

3. A support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the upright comprises an 'I' section bar, adjacent flanges of which form guide means for the cantilever arm.

4. A support arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cantilever arm is provided with two pairs of right-angle brackets forming the engagement means each being fastened to the cantilever arm in back to back relationship by a first arm leaving the other arms extending parallel to each other and spaced by a distance slightly greater than the minimum thickness of the flange on the 'I' section upright, the two adjacent flanges on the upright being slideable between the two angle brackets of each pair and the rear angle brackets extending upwardly from the cantilever arm and the front angle brackets projecting downwardly from the cantilever arm.

5. A support arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the 'i' section upright has slightly tapered flanges and the spacing of the right angle brackets is slightly smaller than the maximum thickness of the flanges to provide a jamming action.

6. A support arrangement substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.