GB2215988A

GB2215988A - Shelf supporting member for post

Info

Publication number: GB2215988A
Application number: GB8904307A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin David Moxon
Original assignee: Richard Craven & Co Ltd
Current assignee: Richard Craven & Co Ltd
Priority date: 1988-02-25
Filing date: 1989-02-24
Publication date: 1989-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2009-02-24
Also published as: GB2215988B; GB8904307D0; GB8804430D0

Abstract

A supporting member suitable for supporting a shelf on a post is in the form of a collar adapted to fit around the post (1). The collar has a first portion (3) engageable with the shelf and a second portion (4) including flexible parts (8, 9). The second portion (4) carries a cam means (13) rotatable wlth respect to said second portion (4) whereby rotation of the cam means (13) urges the flexible parts (8, 9) into engagement with the post so as to lock the supporting member at a desired position along the post. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SHELVING This invention relates to shelving and is concerned with a supporting member suitable for supporting a shelf on a post.

Adjustable shelving is known in which supporting members for the shelves are mounted on posts by means of tubular collars through which the posts pass. The supporting members are secured to the posts by set screws extending through threaded apertures in the supporting members whereby the ends of the set screws engage with the outer surface of the post. In order to adjust the height of the shelf or to assemble or disassemble the shelf, the set screws have to be loosened using a screwdriver or the like so that the supporting member may be moved axially with respect to the post.Systems of this type have the disadvantage that the screws may be overtightened and thereby cause indentations on the post which apart from being unsightly render the posts more difficult to clean and hence may give rise to hygiene problems in the case where, for example, the shelves are used in the catering industry. Further, the threads of the set screws may become stripped and if a set screw becomes lost then the shelving cannot be used. Further, a screwdriver or the like is not always to hand when it is desired to adjust the shelf.

In our British Patent No.2 109 671, there is described shelving which overcomes these disadvantages.

In accordance with that patent, the shelving comprises a shelf and a support structure there for which structure comprises posts and shelf-supporting members mounted od the posts by means of tubular collars capable of being slid along the posts, each collar including first and second relatively locatable components each having a bore through which the respective post passes and the components being such that relative rotation of the same causes radial pressure to be exerted on the post so as to lock the supporting member at a desired position along the post.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved supporting member which has an even greater gripping force on the post and which has an even longer useful life.

According to the present invention there is provided a supporting member suitable for supporting a shelf on a post, which member is in the form of a collar adapted to fit around the post, said collar having a first portion engageable with the shelf and a second portion including flexible parts and carrying a cam means rotatable with respect to said second portion whereby rotation of the cam means urges the flexible parts into engagement with the post so as to lock the supporting member at a desired position along the post.

The cam means is preferably in the form of a nut captively mounted on the second portion of the supporting member for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the collar. Preferably, the second portion includes two of said flexible parts diametrically opposed to each other on either side of the axis in which case the inner periphery of the nut includes two cam surfaces, one for each of said flexible parts.

Thus, upon rotation of the nut, each of the cam surfaces acts against one of the flexible parts so as to move the flexible part into engagement with the post. If desired, however, the second portion may include more than two flexible parts in which case the nut will include a similar umber of cam surfaces on its inner periphery.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a cross section through a shelf support structure including a post and a shelf supporting member comprising a collar and a nut in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 is a section along line II-II of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side view of the collar of the shelf support structure of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a cross section through a part of adjustable shelving incorporating the shelf support structure of Figures 1, 2 and 3, and Figure 5 is an underneath view of a modification of the nut shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the support structure includes a tubular post 1 of circular section formed of a suitable metal. Mounted on the post 1 is a supporting member 2 in the form of a collar comprising an upper first portion 3 and a lower second portion 4. The member is formed of a deformable plastics material such as glass fibre reinforced polypropylene. The upper first portion 3 comprises a cylindrical shoulder 5 provided with three integral fingers 6 generally extending along the longitudinal axis 7 of the collar. Each of these fingers 6 tapers from the shoulder end to the free end and together they define a bore through which the post 1 passes.The upper portion 3 of the collar has an internal taper such that its minimum internal diameter occurs at the free ends of the fingers 6 where the internal diameter is essentially the same as the external diameter of the post 1. The upper first portion 3 of the collar also has an external taper. The lower second portion 4 of the collar comprises a depending skirt 4a including a

pair of part cylindrical segments 8 and 9 which are integrally connected to the remainder of the skirt 4a by means of thin necks 10 at either side of each segment. The segments 8 and 9 are diametrically opposed with respect to the axis 7 and the angle subtended by each of segments 8 and 9 at the axis 7 is 550 The free end of each of segments 8 and 9 terminates in a lip 11.Each segment 8 and 9 is longitudinally spaced from the shoulder 5 by a short distance 12 and the axial length of the segments 8 and 9 is sufficient to provide an adequate contact area between the segments 8 and 9 and the post 1.

A nut 13 formed of die cast alloy is mounted on the lower second portion 4 of the collar. The nut 13 includes a plurality of longitudinally extending protrusions 14 on its outer periphery to facilitate turning of the nut by hand about axis 7. The inner surface of the nut is divided into two substantially semi-cylindrical faces 15 separated from each other by shoulders 16. Each face 15 is eccentric with respect to the axis 7 such that it is further away from axis 7 at its first end 15a than at its second end 15b.

The nut 13 includes an inwardly facing flange 22 and is held captive on the segments 8 and 9 by interengagement of the flange 22 and the retaining lip 11. The nut can be fitted to the segments by deflecting them inwardly towards axis 7 to allow the nut to pass over the lip 11. The nut 13 can be rotated, by means of the protrusions 14, between a first position in which the shoulders 16 abut against the segments 8 and 9 (i.e. as shown in Figure 2) and a second position in which the shoulders 16 are spaced from the segments 8 and 9. When the nut 13 is in its first position, there is a small clearance between inner faces 15 of the nut 13 and the outer surface 17

of the segments 8 and 9 on the one hand and between the inner surface 18 of the segments 8 and 9 and the outer surface of the post 1 on the other hand.As the nut 13 moves from its first to its second position, the eccentric part of the inner cylindrical faces 15 of the nut 13 bears against surfaces 17 of the segments 8 and 9 and deflects the segments so as to cause the inner surface 18 of the segments to exert pressure on the outer surface of the post 1 and thereby grip against the post. By suitably selecting the degree of eccentricity of the inner faces 15 of the nut 13 a desired force can be exerted on the post 1 depending upon the desired angular rotation of the nut 13 about the lower portion 4 of the collar.

In use, the collar 2, with the nut 13 in its first position, is slid along the post 1 until it reaches the desired location. Then the nut 13 is rotated towards its second position thereby causing the segments 8 and 9 to be urged against the post 1 so as to exert a radial pressure on the post 1. The inner faces 15 of the nut are such that, when the nut is in its second i.e. locking position, the parts of the faces 15 in contact with the outer surfaces 17 of the segments have a slight taper towards axis 7 to enhance the locking action.

Thereafter, a shelf is mounted on the collar.

As shown in Figure 3, the shelf may include a steel tubular portion 23 at each corner joined together by channel sections 19. Tubular portions 23 each have internal and external surfaces of constant diameters and hence the channel sections 19 can be readily welded to the tubular portions 23. Located within each tubular portion 23 is a tubular insert 20 of synthetic plastics material (e.g. nylon) having an external surface of constant diameter corresponding to that of the internal surface of the tubular portion 23 and an internal surface having a taper complementary to the taper of the fingers 6. The load carrying portion of the shelf may be, for example, in the form of a wire mesh secured to the channel sections 19 or a metal sheet secured to, or formed integrally with, the channel sections 19.The shelf is supported by four collar and post arrangements as described simply by sliding the shelf down the posts 1 so that the plastic inserts 20 at each corner engage with the respective collars of the posts. The weight of the shelf tends to increase the gripping action of the collars on the posts 1 since the relative tapers of the plastic inserts 20 and the collars tend to urge the fingers 6 against the outer surfaces of the posts 1. A cap 21 may be provided on each post 1 to prevent ingress of dirt into the interior of the post.

When it is desired to adjust the height of the shelf, the shelf is lifted off the posts. Then, by rotating the nut 13 in the opposite direction i.e. back to the first position, the gripping action of the segments 8 and 9 is relaxed so that the collars 2 can be repositioned along the posts as desired and then locked in place by rotating the nuts 13 back towards their second position.

Figure 5 shows a modification of the nut shown in Figures 1 and 2. Parts corresponding to parts of Figures 1 and 2 are denoted by like reference numerals.

In this case, the semicylindrical faces 15 are separated from each other by radial lugs 31 which, on rotation of the nut with respect to the collar, engage with the segments 8 and 9 and limit the extent of rotation.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A supporting member suitable for supporting a shelf on a post, which member is in the form of a collar adapted to fit around the post, said collar having a first portion engageable with the shelf and a second portion including flexible parts and carrying a cam means rotatable with respect to said second portion whereby rotation of the cam means urges the flexible parts into engagement with the post so as to lock the supporting member at a desired position along the post.

2. A member as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cam means is in the form of a nut captively mounted on the second portion of the supporting member for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the collar.

3. A member as claimed in claim 2 wherein each flexible part includes a lip engaged with a flange on the nut to retain the nut on the collar.

4. A member as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the flexible parts are in the form of part cylindrical segments.

5. A member as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the second portion includes two of said flexible parts diametrically opposed to each other and the inner nut has an inner periphery which includes two cam surfaces, one for each of said flexible parts whereby, upon suitable rotation of the nut, the cam surfaces act against the flexible parts so as to move the flexible parts into engagement with the post.

6. A member as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said second portion comprises a depending skirt including said flexible parts which parts are integrally connected to the remainder of the skirt bk flexible portions.

7. A member as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 4 or 5 of the accompanying drawings.