GB2130867A - Rack and trolley comprising such rack - Google Patents

Abstract

A trolley 10 for use in the baking industry comprises a rack 12 and caster wheels 14. The rack comprises two uprights 16 interconnected by top and bottom interconnecting structures 18 and 20. Each upright comprises a sheet metal (e.g. stainless steel) panel having each of two opposite edge portions thereof bent over and secured to the rest of the panel to form a complete, integral tube 22. The bottom and top interconnecting structures are of similar construction, having integral tubes 32, 34 along their edges. The top and bottom structures are each joined to the uprights by a bend in the sheet metal from which they are formed. Corner pieces 36 are provided in the gaps between the tubes 22 and 32, 34. Strips 24 are partly punched out of the sheet metal of the uprights and bent inwardly to form supports for shelves. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rack and trolley comprising such rack This invention relates to a rack and to a trolley comprising such a rack.

Applicant is aware of a stainless steel trolley used in the baking industry as a heating, cooling, or-proofing trolley, the trolley comprising a pair of horizontally spaced, interconnected uprights. Each upright is formed by a pair of spaced, upright, tubes of square cross section, and a number of vertically spaced angle section members each extending horizontally between the tubes. The angle section members are each individually welded to the tubes. The vertically extending limbs of the angle section members lie flat against the tubes, whereas the horizontally extending limbs of the members protrude into the space between the uprights to form supports for shelves.

To provide such a trolley with sufficient strength and to allow for the upright tubes and the angle section members to be welded together, heavy gauge material must be used. Being of stainless steel, this makes the trolley relatively expensive regarding cost of materials.

Furthermore, manufacture of the trolley is labour intensive, each angle section member individually having to be welded to the upright tubes. This adds to the cost of the trolley. Stili further, the construction results in a large number of difficult to get at corners, making it difficult to clean the trolley properly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a trolley which is relatively strong, inexpensive to make both as regards labour and cost of materials, and easy to clean.

According to the invention there is provided a rack comprising a pair of horizontally spaced, interconnected uprights each provided with shelf support means whereby a number of vertically spaced shelves can be supported in the space between the uprights; each upright being formed by an upright sheet metal panel having each of two opposite vertical edge portions thereof bent over and secured to the rest of the upright panel to form a complete, integral tube along the respective edge of the upright panel.

The tubes along the respective edges of the upright panels may be of rectangular crosssection.

The uprights may be interconnected at the top by a top interconnecting structure and at the bottom by a bottom interconnecting structure, the top and bottom interconnecting structures each being formed by a horizontal sheet metal panel having each of two opposite horizontal edge portions thereof bent over and secured to the rest of the horizontal panel to form a complete, integral tube along the respective edge of the horizontal panel.

The tubes along the respective edges of the horizontal panels may also be of rectangular cross-section.

Although tubes of rectangular (e.g. square) cross-section are preferred, they could also be round or of any other polygonal cross-section.

At least part of each of the top and bottom interconnecting structures may be integral with the respective upright, being joined to the respective upright by a bend in the sheet metal from which the respective interconnecting structure and upright are formed.

The shelf support means may comprise, in respect of each upright, a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending strips partly punched out of the sheet metal of the respective upright and bent to protrude into the space between the uprights.

The invention extends to a trolley which comprises a rack as defined above, and a plurality of wheels for supporting the rack.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a three dimensional view of a trolley in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view of one of the top corners of the trolley; and Figure 3 is a vertical section of one of the uprights of the trolley.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a trolley for use in the baking industry, the trolley comprising a rack generally indicated by reference numeral 12, and four caster wheels 14 secured to the rack, one at each bottom corner thereof.

The rack 1 2 comprises a pair of horizontally spaced uprights 1 6 connected at the top by a top interconnecting structure 1 8 and at the bottom by a bottom interconnecting structure 20. The rack is of sheet material construction, stainless steel preferably being used for this purpose.

Each of the uprights 1 6 comprises a sheet metal panel, each of the two opposite, vertical edge portions thereof being bent over and secured to the rest of the panel to form a complete, integral tube 22 of square cross-section. At the seam of each tube, the sheet metal parts are secured together by welding (e.g. spot welding) or rivetting.

Strips 24 of each of the sheet metal panels are partly punched out by cutting along one longitudinal edge 26 and are then bent along the other longitudinal edge 28 thereof, so that the strips protrude cantilever fashion into the space between the uprights 1 6. The strips 24 form supports for shelves (not shown) extending between the uprights 1 6. To strengthen the supports, triangular potions 30 are pressed into the fold line 28 between each strip and the rest of the panel.

At the top of each upright 16, the sheet metal panel is bent to continue horizontally towards the other upright, thereby forming half of the top interconnecting structure 1 8. Each of the opposite edge portions of the horizontally extending part of the panel is bent over to form an upper, horizontally extending tube 32. Likewise, at the bottom of each of the uprights 1 6, the sheet metal panel is bent and continues horizontally towards the other upright, thereby forming half of the bottom interconnecting structure 20. Here again, eách of the two opposite edge portions of the horizontally extending. part of the panel is bent over to form a lower, horizontally extending tube 34. The construction of the tubes 32 and 34 is identical to that of the tubes 22.As will be seen in Figure 2, there is a smooth curvature between the uprights 1 6 and the top interconnecting structure 18, the radius of curvature R being at least 5 cm.

The same applies to the corners between the uprights 1 6 and the bottom interconnecting structure 20. In an alternative construction (not shown), the sheet metal is bent along fold lines 35 (shown dotted), that part of the sheet metal between the fold lines 35 being flat. Between -adjacent ends of the. upright tubes 22 and the upper horizontal tubes 32 there is-provided a corner piece 36 which is secured in position by welding. Similar corner pieces 36 are provided at the bottom corners, between adjacent ends of the upright tubes 22 and the bottom horizontally extending tubes 34. The corner pieces are preferably also of stainless steel.

The rack 12 is in two parts which are joined together by welding along the two lines indicated by reference numeral 38

Claims (9)

1. A rack comprising a pair of horizontally spaced, interconnected uprights each provided with shelf support means whereby a number of vertically spaced shelves can be supported in the space between the uprights; each upright being formed by an upright sheet metal panel having each of two opposite vertical edge portions thereof bent over and secured to the rest of the upright panel to form a complete, integral tube along the respective edge of-the upright panel.

2. A rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubes along the respective edges of the upright panels are of rectangular cross-section.

3. A rack as claimed in claim 1 oF claim 2, wherein the uprights are interconnected at the top by a top interconnecting structure and at the bottom by a bottom interconnecting structure, the top and bottom interconnecting structures each being formed by a horizontal sheet metal panel having each of two opposite horizontal edge portions thereof bent over and secured to the rest of the horizontal panel to form a complete, integral tube along the respective edge of the horizontal panel.

4. A rack as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tubes along the respective edges of the horizontal panels are of rectangular cross-section.

5. A rack as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein at least part of each of the top and bottom interconnecting structures is integral with the respective upright, being joined to the respective upright by a bend in the sheet metal from which the respective interconnecting structure and upright are formed.

6. A rack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shelf support means comprise, in respect of each upright, a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending strips partly punched out of the sheet metal of the respective upright and bent to protrude into the space between the uprights.

7. A trolley which comprises a rack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and a plurality of wheels for supporting the rack.

8. A rack substantially as herein described and illustrated.

9. A trolley substantially as herein described and illustrated.