GB2081141A

GB2081141A - Method of Fabricating a Metal Wire Shelving Unit

Info

Publication number: GB2081141A
Application number: GB8122072A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HELLER ALAN JAY; Bliss and Laughlin Industries Inc
Current assignee: HELLER ALAN JAY; Bliss and Laughlin Industries Inc
Priority date: 1980-07-23
Filing date: 1981-08-17
Publication date: 1982-02-17
Also published as: FR2487230A1; JPS57103751A; IT8168014A0; IT1144415B; DE3128998A1

Abstract

A wire shelving unit is fabricated by arranging two straight side frame wires (20, 21) in spaced apart relation, and arranging a straight cross wire (22) perpendicular to and intersecting the side frame wires. A plurality of straight parallel shelf wires (23) are positioned between and parallel to the side frame wires and perpendicular to and intersecting the cross wire. All the wires, while still straight, are permanently fastened together at their points of intersection, such as by welding. Thereafter, the cross wire is bent, preferably through 90 DEG , between each side frame wire and the shelf wire closest to it, so as to define side frames (30) of the shelving unit. The shelf wires are bent, preferably through 90 DEG , at points between their ends to define a shelf between the two side frames. All the wire bends may be performed simultaneously. Two or more cross wires (22) may be employed, each carrying a group of shelf wires (23), each group of shelf wires defining a different shelf of the shelving unit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of Fabricating a Metal Wire Shelving Unit Conventionally, shelving units made of interconnected lengths of metal wire are fabricated by first making a number of subassemblies and then fastening the subassemblies together to produce the shelving unit. A finished unit made by this technique functions satisfactorily. However, this manufacturing procedure is burdened by the fact that parts have to be manufactured separately, and then handled again when assembling the final unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating a metal wire shelving unit, comparable to a conventional unit, by which such shelving units can be manufactured more quickly and at less cost than when using the traditional manufacturing method.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method of fabricating a metal wire shelving unit whereby the entire unit is made at one time, without preliminary production of subassemblies.

Additional objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a conventional metal wire shelving unit; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a shelving unit, made according to the present invention, at an intermediate stage of manufacture; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a finished shelving unit made according to the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the shelving unit of Fig. 3 mounted on a wall.

The conventional metal wire shelving unit shown in Fig. 1 comprises two side frames 10, cross wires 11 extending between the frames, and shelves 12. Each side frame 10 is formed of a length of wire 1 3 bent at various points along its length to produce the desired final shape shown.

The two side frames are spaced apart in a fixed relationship by cross wires 11 extending between and welded to the side frames 10. Cross wires 11 may be welded to wires 13 either before or after wires 13 are bent to produce the final shape of the side frames 10.

Shelves 12 are subassemblies produced in a separate operation from formation of the side frames. A series of parallel shelf wires 14 are welded at their ends to transverse wires 1 5 and 1 6. Wire 1 6 is longer than wire 15, and is bent forwardly near its ends to produce two lateral portions 1 7. All the shelf wires 14 are bent between their ends to produce vertical back portions and horizontal front portions, the latter defining the support region of the shelf.

Upon assembly of each shelf 12 with a pair of side frames 10, each lateral portion 1 7 is welded to its respective side frame, transverse wire 1 5 is welded at each end to one of the side frames, and some or all of the shelf wires 14 are welded to the cross wire 11 upon which they are seated. It will be appreciated from this description that the side frames 10 and cross wires 11 are formed and joined in a first operation, each shelf 12 is formed in a separate operation, and the shelves joined with the side frame and cross wires in yet additional operations. Therefore, this method of manufacture involves handling each part numerous times, and also requires welding together of complicated shapes.

The method of the present invention, illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, overcomes these deficiencies of the known method. According to the present invention, all the wires which will form the final shelf unit are arranged, while still straight, i.e., unbent, in a single plane. An example of such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 2.

At the sides of the array of wires in Fig. 2 are two pairs of side frame wires 20a, 20b and 21 a, 21b, all four wires being parallel and spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to their lengths.

Although only one side frame wire could be used on each side of the array, two are preferred. A pair of parallel cross wires 22 are positioned perpendicular to, and intersecting, side frames wires 20 and 21 near the upper ends of the latter.

If desired, a second pair of cross wires 22' extend perpendicular to, and intersect, side frame wires at points spaced from the cross wires 22 along the lengths of side frame wires 20 and 21. As many pairs of cross wires 22, 22', etc. are employed as there will be shelves in the final unit.

Although only one cross wire 22 of each pair could be used, two are preferred.

A plurality of shelf wires 23, 23' are arranged between and parallel to side frame wires 20 and 21 and perpendicular to and intersecting cross wires 22, 22'. Wires 23, 23' will ultimately form the shelves of the unit. Extending perpendicularly across, and intersecting, all the shelf wires 23, 23' are a pair of rigidifying wires 24, 24'.

After all the wires have been positioned as shown in Fig. 2, possibly with the aid of a jig or matrix (not shown), the wires are permanently fastened together, such as by welding, at all their points of intersection. The welds could be made one at a time, but preferably a suitable tool is employed for making all the welds simultaneously.

After welding has been completed, certain of the wires are bent to produce the final shelving unit shown in Fig. 3. The bending is effected along bend lines illustrated in dot-dash lines in Figs. 2 and 3. Specifically, cross wires 22, 22' are bent along line 27 in the region between side frame wire 20b and the shelf wire 23, 23' closest to that side frame wire, and also along line 28 in the region between side frame wire 21 b and the shelf wire 23, 23' closest to that side frame wire. Shelf wires 23, 23' are bent along lines 29, 29'.

Preferably, all the bends are 900 bends.

Consequently, after bending, side frame wires 20 and 21, and the portions of cross wires 22, 22' outwardly of bend lines 27 and 28 define side frames 30 (Fig. 3) of the shelving unit; the side frames are in planes perpendicular to the plane originally occupied by all the wires. Also after bending, the portions of shelf wires 23, 23' not attached to cross wires 22, 22' extend between the side frame 30 and in a plane perpendicular to the plane originally occupied by all the wires. The central portions of cross wires 22, 22', between bend lines 27 and 28, and the portions of shelf wires 23, 23' fastened to the cross wires remain in the plane originally occupied by all the wires.

Bending of the wires along the various bend lines 27, 28, 29, 29' may be done one at a time, but preferably all the bends are produced simultaneously by means of a suitable die or bending fixture.

It will be appreciated that according to the invention, precut wires are laid out in a pattern such as shown in Fig. 2, the wires are welded together at their points of intersection, and certain of the wires are bent to produce the final shaped shelving unit. The unit may then be dipped in paint or a liquid plastic to finish it. Note that no subassemblies are involved, so that handling of the unit is kept to a minimum, and manufacture is accomplished rapidly.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, and by way of example, and many variations may be made in the invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a metal wire shelving unit comprising the steps of: (a) arranging in substantially a single plane (I) at least two straight side frame wires positioned parallel to each other and spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to their lengths, (II) at least one straight cross wire positioned perpendicular to and intersecting the side frame wires, and (Ill) a plurality of straight parallel shelf wires positioned between and parallel to the side frame wires and perpendicular to and intersecting the cross wire, (b) permanently fastening the wires together at their points of intersection, and (c) thereafter bending the cross wire at a point between each side frame wire and the shelf wire closest to that side frame wire so as to bring each side frame wire, and the portion of the cross wire beyond the bend, into a plane transverse to the plane originally occupied by all the wires thereby defining side frames of the shelving unit, and t bending the shelf wires at points between their ends so as to bring portions of the shelf wires not' attached to the cross wire into a plane transverse to the plane originally occupied by all the wires and transverse to the planes occupied by the side frames, thereby defining a shelf of the shelving unit.

2. A method as defined in Claim 1 wherein all bending of the wires is performed simultaneously.

3. A method as defined in Claim 1 including at least two cross wires perpendicular to and intersecting the side frame wires, the cross wires being spaced apart along the length of the side frame wires, and a group of parallel shelf wires perpendicular to and intersecting each cross wire, whereby after the bending step each group of shelf wires defines a different shelf of the shelving unit.

4. A method as defined in Claim 1 wherein the bends in all the shelf wires lie on a single line perpendicular to the lines along which the cross wire is bent.

5. A method as defined in Claim 1 wherein all the wire bends are 900 bends, so that the two side frames are in planes perpendicular to the portion of the cross wire between the side frames, and the shelf is perpendicular to the portions of the shelf wires fastened to the cross wire.

6. A method as defined in Claim 1 wherein the wires are fastened together by welding.

7. The method of fabricating a metal wire shelving unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A metal wire shelving unit produced in accordance with the methods claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

9. A metal wire shelving unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.