GB2241155A - Racking system - Google Patents

Abstract

A racking system comprising a plurality of containers, each container comprising substantially parallel first and second walls (2, 3) connected at their lower longitudinal edge portions (4, 5) by a connecting portion (6). The first wall (2) is provided with a stud (9) on the face of the wall remote from the second wall (3). The second wall (3) is provided with a slot (12) which is adapted to receive the stud (9) of the adjacent container. The container at the top of the racking system is fixed to a wall or other support by a bracket which is adapted to receive the stud (9) of the top container. The first wall (2) of the topmost or each container is also provided with a spacing means (13) which extends between the container and the support. <IMAGE>

Description

RACKING SYSTEM This invention relates to a racking system and particularly to a racking system for storage and display of goods in shops and the like.

Racking systems comprising detachable shelves for storing and displaying a wide variety of articles such as cards, books, magazines and videos are widely used in shops and other public places. However, some problems exist with the systems currently used. It is often difficult to fix the racking securely to a wall or other support.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved racking system.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a container suitable for holding articles the container comprising substantially parallel first and second walls which are connected at adjacent longitudinal edge portions, the second wall being provided with at least one slot extending from the longitudinal edge of the second wall remote from its connected longitudinal edge portion towards the connected longitudinal edge portion and the face of the first wall remote from the second wall being provided with at least one stud having a head spaced from the first wall by a shank, said head having a diameter larger than the width of the slot in the second wall and said shank having a diameter less than the width of the slot in the second wall.

Preferably, the distance of the remote longitudinal edge of the first wall from its connected longitudinal edge portion is greater than the distance of the remote longitudinal edge of the second wall from its connected longitudinal edge portion.

Advantageously the portion connecting the adjacent longitudinal edge portions of the first and second walls which, in use, is at the bottom of the container is inclined such that the longitudinal connected edge portion of the first wall is higher than the longitudinal connected edge portion of the second wall.

The slot in the second wall extends for approximately three quarters of the height of the second wall, and the stud is situated approximately a quarter of the way down the first wall.

Conveniently the first wall is provided with spacing means adjacent the connected longitudinal edge portion of the first wall.

In another aspect the invention provides a racking system comprising a plurality of containers wherein the first wall of a container is adjacent the second wall of the adjacent container with the stud on the first wall located in the slot of the adjacent second wall.

Desirably, the racking system is attached to a support which has a planar surface extending for at least the height of the racking system. This may be a wall or a free standing board or any other suitable unit.

Advantageously, the stud of the container which, in use, is at the top of the racking system, is located in a bracket which is fixed to the planar surface of the support.

The spacing means on the first wall of each container extends between the first wall and the planar surface of the support, and is of such length that the first wall of each container is inclined such that the connected longitudinal edge portion of the first wall is further from the planar surface of the support than the longitudinal edge of the first wall remote from its connected longitudinal edge portion.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a side view of top and second containers of a racking system in use; Figure 2 shows a side view of a stud; Figure 3 shows a side view of spacing means; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the racking system; Figure 5 shows a slot bracket, Figure 5a showing a side view and Figure 5b showing a front view of the slot bracket; and Figure 6 shows a wall mounting bracket, Figure 6a showing a front view and Figure 6b showing an end view of the wall mounting bracket.

Referring first to Figure 1, the container 1 comprises a first wall 2 and a second wall 3 which are connected at their lower longitudinal edge portions 4, 5 by a connecting portion 6.

The connecting portion 6 is inclined downwardly from the first wall 2 at the rear of the container to the second wall 3 at the front of the container such that the longitudinal edge portion 4 of the first wall 2 is higher than the longitudinal edge portion 5 of the second wall 3. The upper longitudinal edges of the first and second walls, 7, 8 respectively, extend parallel to each other. The first wall 2 is provided with a stud 9 shown in Figure 2, which comprises a head 10 and a shank 11. The head 10 is circular with a domed portion, the stud looking approximately like a mushroom. The stud 9 is situated approximately a quarter of the way down from the longitudinal edge 7 of the first wall 2 and is fixed to the first wall 2, for example by rivetting.

The second wall 3 possesses a slot 12 (shown in Figure 4) which extends downwardly from the longitudinal edge 8 for approximately three quarters of the height of the second wall 3.

The width of the slot 12 is such that it is narrower than the head 10 of the stud 9 but wider than the shank 11 of the stud 9.

The racking system is assembled by sliding the shank 11 of the stud 9 on the first wall 2 of one container into the slot 12 in the second wall 3 of an adjacent container so that the stud 9 rests on the bottom of the slot 12 and first and second walls 2, 3 of the adjacent containers lie next to each other in face to face contact.

The container which, in use, is at the top of the racking system is fixed to a wall or other support with a planar surface 22 by means of a slotted bracket. Two types of bracket are suitable, depending on the surface to which they are to be fixed. Figure 5 shows a slat bracket 13 which is used when the racking system is fixed to a support which is or has on it a slatted board. The slat bracket comprises a key shaped slot 14 into which the stud 9 of the top container is placed and a hooked portion 15 which is inserted into a slot in the slat board thus securing the racking system to the board.

When the racking system is to be fixed to a wall, a wall mounting bracket 16, Figure 6, is used. The bracket 16 contains a slot 17 for receiving the stud 9 of the top container. The side portions 18 of the bracket 16 are set back from the remainder of the bracket 16 to allow room for the stud 9 when these portions 18 are bolted to the wall.

The first wall 2 is provided with spacing means 19 (Figure 3) which is conveniently shaped approximately like a top hat. It is fixed to the first wall 2 by cementing or other suitable method with the smaller diameter end 20 of the top hat remote from the first wall 2. In use, the end 20 of the top hat spacer 13 rests against the support surface 22 thus supporting and positioning its container. The spacing means of the containers other than the top container also include a spacer extension 21 (Figure 1) which most conveniently is a tube, one end of which is adapted to receive the top hat 19 and the other end of which rests against the support. The length of the top hat 19 and the spacer extension 21 is such that the first wall 2 of the associated container is inclined such that its longitudinal connected edge portion 4 is further from the support than the upper longitudinal edge 7.

One or more dividers may be inserted into each container to separate articles in the container. Such a divider conveniently comprises a sheet which extends between the walls at right angles thereto. The divider preferably has a flat base dimensioned to be positioned on the connecting portion 6 with the sheet projecting upwardly from a central region thereof.

Alternatively the first wall 2 may be provided with a slideway 23 in which a mounting portion of the divider may be slidingly received.

The dimensions of all parts of the racking system may be varied according to the articles to be contained in it and the support and type of bracket to be used.

The containers are most conveniently made from acrylic polymer. The stud is preferably polycarbonate or nylon but may also be acrylic polymer or may be made from a suitable metal.

The brackets are preferably made from high impact acrylic or other similar material.

The racking system of the present invention may be used to store and display a wide variety of articles such as cards, magazines, books, videos, cassettes, records and the like. The racking system is easy to assemble and dismantle but has been found to provide a more secure arrangement than previous racking systems. The amount of material required to make the system has also been found to be less than that required for previous systems and manufacturing costs are therefore significantly reduced.

Claims (13)

1. A container suitable for holding articles the container comprising substantially parallel first and second walls which are connected at adjacent longitudinal edge portions, the second wall being provided with at least one slot extending from the longitudinal edge of the second wall remote from its connected longitudinal edge portion towards the connected longitudinal edge portion and the face of the first wall remote from the second wall being provided with at least one stud having a head spaced from the first wall by a shank, said head having a diameter larger than the width of the slot in the second wall and said shank having a diameter less than the width of the slot in the second wall.

2. A container according to Claim 1 wherein the distance of the remote longitudinal edge of the first wall from its connected longitudinal edge portion is greater than the distance of the remote longitudinal edge of the second wall from its connected longitudinal edge portion.

3. A container according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the portion connecting the adjacent longitudinal edge portions of the first and second walls which, in use, is at the bottom of the container is inclined such that the longitudinal connected edge portion of the first wall is higher than the longitudinal connected edge portion of the second wall.

4. A container according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slot extends for approximately three quarters of the height of the second wall.

5. A container according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the stud is situated approximately a quarter of the way down the first wall.

6. A container according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first wall is provided with spacing means adjacent the connected longitudinal edge portion of the first wall.

7. A container according to Claim 1 substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A racking system comprising a plurality of containers according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first wall of a container is adjacent the second wall of the adjacent container with the stud on the first wall located in the slot of the adjacent second wall.

9. A racking system according to Claim 8 wherein the racking system is attached to a support which has a planar surface extending for at least the height of the racking system.

10. A racking system according to Claim 9 wherein the stud of the container which, in use, is at the top of the racking system, is located in a bracket which is fixed to the planar surface of the support.

11. A racking system according to any one of Claims 8 to 10 wherein the spacing means on the first wall of each container extends between the first wall and the planar surface of the support.

12. A racking system according to Claim 11 wherein the spacing means is of such a length that the first wall of each container is inclined such that the connected longitudinal edge portion of the first wall is further from the planar surface of the support than the longitudinal edge of the first wall remote from its connected longitudinal edge portion.

13. A racking system according to Claim 8 and substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings.