GB2369555A

GB2369555A - Knockdown shelving system using tension rods in the legs

Info

Publication number: GB2369555A
Application number: GB0126149A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kjell Harald Klokk
Original assignee: GURSKOEY SVEISEINDUSTRI AS
Current assignee: GURSKOEY SVEISEINDUSTRI AS
Priority date: 2000-10-31
Filing date: 2001-10-31
Publication date: 2002-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2021-10-31
Also published as: GB2369555B; NO20005490L; NO20005490D0; NO312703B1; GB0126149D0; IE20010934A1

Abstract

A knockdown shelving system has legs (2) and fixed (3) and /or sliding shelves (5). The shelves are fixed to the legs (8) by brackets (6) which have recesses or openings (7) for the tensioning rods (10) to pass through and spaced by leg sections which have open or closed channels (9) to fit around the rods. The brackets may have location means (11, 13, 16, 22, 23, 30) to position the leg sections relative to the brackets. The positioning means could be welded (15, fig 4) to the brackets, in the form of clips (30, fig 6) or elongate hollow members (22, fig 7) that fit the inside of the leg channels. The leg sections could be made of extruded aluminium. The tension rods could have connecting pieces (17, fig 9) for extending the rods.

Description

Knockdown shelving system for storing goods The invention relates to a knockdown shelving system for storing goods, comprising legs and fixed shelves and/or slide rails with sliding shelves arranged above one another, where the fixed shelves and slide rails can be fastened to the legs.

Shelving for storing goods is used, for example, in production plants and centres for the distribution of goods from a main supplier to retail suppliers. The shelving can be erected at the site of its use, or it can be produced at a shelving supplier's and sent to the location where it is to be used. Shelving is very bulky and includes a great deal of empty space, and to reduce its volume for transport, the shelving can be made as knockdown shelving, in that the legs and shelves are delivered as separate parts which are assembled at the location where the shelving is to be used.

Another reason for wanting to use knockdown shelving may be the desire to be able to disassemble the shelving at certain periods of the year, for example, because of seasonal variations in the supply and withdrawal of goods.

A knockdown shelving system may comprise legs and beams that can be fastened to one another with pegs, brackets or screws. Shelves can in turn be fastened to the beams.

Because of changes in storage needs, it may be desirable to alter the distance between the shelves. In a knockdown shelving system this requirement can often be met by providing the legs with a plurality of holes or recesses for placing pegs, brackets or screws so that beams can be fixed at different levels.

At some sites of use it may be desirable to alter the height of the shelving. In known knockdown shelving systems this means that the legs must be spliced, which may make the shelving unstable.

Known knockdown shelving systems are relatively complicated, and require the fitting of bracing, for example, rigid corner brackets or diagonal braces, in order to obtain stable shelving.

One example of a place where shelving systems are used is an establishment at which fishermen deliver their catch. The amount of fish received by the establishment varies throughout the year and to make optimum use of the space at the establishment, it may be desirable to dismantle some of the shelving during periods when the quantity of fish received is small. The type of fish also varies throughout the year, and as a result the type of packaging varies too. For this reason, it may be desirable to alter the distance between the shelves in the shelving system during the course of the year, and it may also be desirable to switch

between fixed shelves and sliding shelves. Fish are put on and taken off the shelving from both sides, and therefore bracing the shelving with diagonal braces which prevent access to the shelves is not acceptable.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide knockdown shelving that is simple to assemble and that is stable once assembled, without the use of diagonal braces.

A further object is that the distance between the shelves of the shelving system should be adaptable to existing needs. A further object is that the height of the shelving should be adaptable to existing needs.

These objects are achieved according to the invention by means of a knockdown shelving system of the type mentioned in the introduction that is characterised by the features set forth in the claims.

Accordingly, the invention relates to a knockdown shelving system for storing goods, comprising legs and fixed shelves and/or slide rails with sliding shelves arranged above one another, where the fixed shelves and the slide rails can be fastened to the legs. The shelves and/or slide rails are connected to brackets having recesses or openings, and the legs comprise, in assembled shelving, leg sections having longitudinal open or closed channels. The leg sections and the brackets are arranged alternately, with the leg section channels and the bracket recesses or openings aligned in the longitudinal direction of the legs, and throughgoing tension bolts are arranged in the leg section channels and through the bracket recesses or openings and press the leg sections and the brackets against one another.

This results in shelving having rigid legs, where all the brackets are rigidly connected to the legs.

The shelving system preferably comprises positioning members for securing the leg sections in the transverse direction relative to the brackets. These positioning members can have outer surfaces for abutment against inner surfaces of the leg section channels, and inner surfaces adapted to the tension bolts, for essentially centring the tension bolts in the leg sections. In this way both the legs and the tension bolts are held more securely in place relative to the brackets, which means they are held in place relative to the shelves.

The invention will be adaptable to a number of practical designs, for example, as regards the number of legs and the design of the shelves. The number of shelves can be adapted to the existing need by changing the number of leg sections. The distance between the shelves can be adapted to the existing need by using leg sections of a suitable length. Furthermore, if required, leg sections could be put

together without any intermediate bracket, and hence the inventive feature that the leg sections and the brackets should be arranged alternately must not be understood to mean that there has to be a bracket between all the leg sections in each leg.

The invention will now be explained in more detail in connection with a description of one particular embodiment, and with reference to the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a knockdown shelving system according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a bracket and a positioning member according to the invention; Fig. 3 shows another bracket and another positioning member according to the invention; Fig. 4 shows a further bracket and a further positioning member according to the invention; Fig. 5 shows a further bracket and a further positioning member according to the invention; Fig. 6 shows a further bracket and a further positioning member according to the invention; Fig. 7 shows a part of a shelving system with a further bracket and a further positioning member according to the invention; Fig. 8 shows a further bracket and a further positioning member according to the invention; and Fig. 9 shows a connecting piece for a tension bolt according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a knockdown shelving system for storing goods according to the invention, comprising four legs 2 and three shelves arranged above one another.

The bottom shelf is a part of a base frame 18, the middle shelf is a fixed shelf 3 which is fastened to the legs 2 via brackets 6, whilst the top shelf is a sliding shelf 5 that can slide on slide rails 4 which are fastened to the legs 2 via brackets 6.

The upper part of the shelving is composed of a top frame 20. The base frame 18 and the top frame 20 are provided with a leg section 8'for each leg 2. One loose leg section 8 for each leg is shown between the leg sections 8'. Many loose leg sections 8 can be used for each leg 2, for example 5-10, but to show the inventive idea clearly only one leg section 8 is shown for each leg 2. The leg sections 8'are welded to the base frame 18 and the top frame 20 respectively, but these leg sections could also have been loose. The illustrated leg sections 8'project up from or down from the base frame 18 and the top frame 20 respectively, but could instead have been terminated flush with respectively the upper side or underside thereof.

Between the leg sections, that is to say, above and below the illustrated leg section 8 in the illustrated embodiment, brackets 6 are arranged. The leg sections 8 and the brackets 6 are thus arranged alternately.

The leg sections 8 are made of rectangular tubes having longitudinal internal channels 9, which are cut in suitable lengths. The brackets 6 are provided with recesses or openings 7, and the leg sections 8 and the brackets 6 are positioned such that the leg section channels 9 and the bracket recesses or openings 7 are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the legs 2, that is to say, aligned in straight lines between the base frame 18 and the top frame 19.

Fig. 1 also shows that the base frame 18 is provided with feet 27, and that the top frame 20 is provided with guides 28 for engagement in corresponding recesses in shelving that can be placed on top of the illustrated shelving.

Through-going tension bolts 10 are provided in the channels 9 of the leg section 8 and through the recesses or openings 7 of the bracket 6. The tension bolts 10 extend between the lower and upper end pieces 19, 21, which are integral parts of the base frame 18 and top frame 20 respectively. Imaginary lines between the bottom and top end pieces 19,21 thus define the longitudinal direction of the legs 2 and the leg sections 8. The tension bolts 10 are provided with threaded end portions which are brought into engagement with wall threads or nuts in the bottom and top end pieces 19, 21, a bottom nut 25 being shown in the figure. The bottom and top end pieces 19,21 thus form lower and upper fixing means respectively for the tension bolts 10.

The knockdown shelving system in Fig. 1 is shown prior to assembly. On assembly, the tension bolts 10 are tightened, which can be done by using a nonillustrated hydraulic tensioning device and by tightening the nuts 25 with a suitable spanner, or just by tightening the nuts 25. The leg sections 8 and the brackets 6 are thus pressed against one another, and consequently the knockdown shelving is simple to assemble, and is stable once assembled, where the leg sections 8 form rigid legs 2, with a securing of the brackets 6.

As mentioned, the illustrated leg sections 8 are made of rectangular tubes.

However, the leg sections 8 may be made of other types of tubes or sections having

longitudinal open or closed channels which provide space for the tension bolts 10, for example, circular tubes or U-sections.

The various components that form parts of the shelves, the brackets, the top frame and the base frame can be made of steel sections that are cut into suitable lengths.

Some components can also be punched out, cast or cut out of sheet steel. The different components are welded together according to prior art. The components can be stored and transported as separate components, thus taking up little space, and can be assembled at the location of use according to need.

The brackets 6 can be screwed or welded to the fixed shelves 3 and the slide rails 4. However, to achieve rational production it is preferable that the brackets 6 should be integral with the fixed shelves 3 or the slide rails 4, and cut out or punched out together therewith.

To obtain rigid shelving, it is preferable that four brackets 6 which form a fixed support for a fixed shelf 3 or slide rails 4 for a sliding shelf 5 should be rigidly connected to one another. In the case of the fixed shelf 3 in Fig. 1, this is achieved in that the brackets 6 are integral with side portions of the fixed shelf 3, and that transverse members, such as a front cross brace 26, are welded to the side portions of the shelf 3. In the case of the slide rails 4 for the sliding shelf 5, the two brackets 6 on each side of the shelf are connected to each other in that they are integral with the respective slide rail 4. However, there is no rigid connection between the slide rails 4, and thus there is no rigid connection between all four brackets 6 for the slide rail 4. However, a rigid connection can be achieved by arranging cross braces corresponding to the cross brace 26 between the slide rails 4.

As mentioned, the base frame 18 itself is used as the bottom shelf. To prevent goods placed on the base frame from sliding out to the side, it is preferable (not shown) to place a slide rail, without a sliding shelf, on each side of the base frame, immediately thereabove. The leg sections 8'that project up from the base frame 18 can be adapted to this embodiment by being terminated a short distance above the base frame.

Fig. 2 shows a bracket 6 that is integral with a side portion of the fixed shelf 3. It can be seen that the brackets 6 consist of flat plates which in assembled shelving are arranged transverse to the longitudinal direction of the leg sections 8. The bracket 6 has an opening 7 for the tension bolt 10.

With a view to obtaining shelving of maximum stability and steadiness, it is preferable that the inner surfaces of the opening 7 should be adapted to the tension bolt 10 and prevent sideways movement of the tension bolt 10 in the transverse direction, that is to say, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the legs 2. This is achieved preferably in that the opening 7 is circular and has a diameter that is only slightly greater than the diameter of the tension bolt 10, so that the tension bolt 10 can be passed through the opening 7, and at the same time be essentially held in place in the bracket 6.

However, instead of the opening 7, the bracket 6 could have had a recess that is open towards the side. If leg sections 8 having open channels are used, the tension bolts 10 can be passed into the legs 2 from the side, instead of having to be passed into the legs 2 in the longitudinal direction thereof, as in the shelving in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 also shows positioning members 13 for holding the leg sections 8 in the transverse direction, that is to say, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the legs 2, relative to the brackets 6. The positioning members 13 consist of pins placed on both sides of the bracket 6, and which are so positioned that when the shelving is assembled they come to rest against inner surfaces of the leg section channels 9, see Fig. 1.

The pins 13 can be made of steel and can be welded to the bracket 6, or they can be force fit in through holes in the bracket 6.

Fig. 3 shows another bracket 6 having another type of positioning member for holding the leg sections 8 in the transverse direction relative to the brackets 6. As in Fig. 2, the bracket is integral with the fixed shelf 3. The positioning member in this case consists of short tubular pieces 16 that are welded in place by means of a fillet weld on each side of the bracket 6. The weld is located inside the tubular pieces 16, so that it does not interfere with the abutment of the leg sections 8 against the bracket 6. The tubular pieces 16 have outer surfaces 12 for abutment against inner surfaces of the leg section channels 9.

Fig. 4 shows another bracket 6 and another positioning member according to the invention. The bracket 6 in this case is integral with a slide rail 4 for a sliding shelf 5. The positioning member consists of a washer 11 on each side of the bracket 6.

The washer 11 has an octagonal cross section, of which four of the sides, indicated by the reference numeral 12, are adapted for abutment against inner surfaces of the leg section channels 9, since, as shown in Fig. 1, leg sections made of rectangular tubes are used. The other fours sides of the washer 11 are thus spaced from the inside of the rectangular tubing, and the washer 11, which is made of metal, is welded to the brackets 6 at welds 15 in these portions which, when the shelving is assembled, do not rest against the leg sections 8.

The washer 11 also has inner surfaces 14 in the form of a circular hole adapted to the tension bolt 10, so that the tension bolt is held in place relative to the bracket 6 and the leg section 8, and is essentially centred in the leg section 8. The centring of the tension bolt 10 in the leg section 8 is advantageous, as it causes an even pressure across the cross section of the leg section and counteracts bending and instability of the leg 2.

Fig. 5 shows another bracket 6 and other positioning members according to the invention. As in Figs. 2 and 3, the bracket 6 is integral with the fixed shelf 3. The bracket 6 in this case has a U-section with an internally positioned middle piece 29 of rectangular tubing, and a washer 11 placed on each outer surface of the Usection. The washer 11 is of the same type as the washer 11 in Fig. 4, and is secured to the bracket 6 and used in the same way as explained with reference to Fig. 4, and so this explanation will not be repeated.

Fig. 6 shows another bracket 6 having an opening 7, and another positioning member according to the invention. The positioning member in this case consists of a clip 30 which can be placed on the outside of the bracket 6, and which is provided with pins 13 having outer surfaces 12 for abutment against the inner surface of the leg section channels 9, and an opening 14 that is arranged to correspond with the bracket opening 7 and is adapted to the tension bolt 10, in order to hold the tension bolt in place relative to the leg sections 8 and the bracket 6.

Fig. 7 shows a lower corner of another knockdown shelving system according to the invention. In this case too, the bracket 6 is integral with the fixed shelf 3, and the legs 2 consist of leg sections 8 of rectangular tubing that are pressed against the brackets 6 by tension bolts 10 arranged inside the leg sections 8 and through the brackets 6, and which at their lower ends are secured to bottom end pieces 19 in a base frame 18.

The positioning members in Fig. 7 consist of elongate, hollow members 22 having an external shape that corresponds to the internal shape of the longitudinal channels 9 of the leg sections 8, and whose, longitudinal direction is in the longitudinal direction of the leg sections 8. The leg sections 8 can thus be passed over the elongate members 22. The elongate members 22 are arranged on each side of the bracket 6, but they could also have been passed through openings in the brackets 6. The elongate members 22 are loose, and rest against non-illustrated stoppers inside the leg sections 8. However, the elongate members 22 could have been fastened to the bracket 6, for example welded thereto. Plugs 24 having circular openings adapted to the tension bolts 10 are inserted in the cavities in the elongate members 22, so that the tension bolts 10 can be passed through the plugs

24 and held in the transverse direction, that is to say, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the legs 2. The openings in the plugs 24 are preferably adapted for centring the tension bolts 10 in the leg sections 8.

Fig. 8 shows another bracket 6 and another positioning member according to the invention. The bracket in this case consists of a flat plate, without positioning members fastened thereto. The positioning members consist of plugs 23 which have an external shape that is adapted to the internal shape of the channels 9 in the leg sections 8, and are located inside the leg sections 8. The plugs 23 have essentially central openings that are adapted to the external form of the tension bolt 10, and are located inside the leg sections 8, essentially for centring the tension bolts 10 in the leg sections 8. Together with an opening 7 in the bracket 6, the leg section 8 thus holds the tension bolt 10 in place. The plugs 23 can be cast in plastic or metal, for example zinc.

The slide rails 4 and the sides of the fixed shelves 3 can be of different designs. In order to lend rigidity to the slide rails and the fixed shelves, these components typically have a profiled cross section, for example a cross section having the shape of an L or a U, which can be seen from the figures discussed above. The invention is not dependent upon the cross-sectional shape of the slide rails and the sides of the fixed shelves. However, in order to hold the leg sections against rotation, it is preferable that the slide rails 4 and the sides of the fixed shelves 3 should have a bend 32, see Figs. 3 and 4, that interacts with a side of the leg section 8, and holds it. This requires that the leg section 8 should have at least one clearly defined side, and therefore the illustrated form as a rectangular tube is advantageous.

The use of the positioning members allows the leg sections 8 to be held in place relative to the brackets 6, and this increases the rigidity and stability of the shelving. Preferably, either the recess or opening 7 of the bracket and/or the inner surface or opening 14 of the positioning member is also designed to hold the tension bolt 10 in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction of the legs 2, which further increases the rigidity and stability of the shelving.

As an alternative to the illustrated positioning members, the leg section channels 9 can be adapted to hold the tension bolts 10 in the transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction of the legs 2. This is not shown in the figures. As circular tension bolts are used, a solution of this kind can be achieved by providing the leg sections 8 with preferably central circular channels 9 having a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the tension bolts 10. The tension bolts can thus be passed through the leg section channels, but will essentially be held against

movement in the transverse direction. Leg sections of this type can be made by extrusion, preferably of aluminium.

Fig. 9 shows a connecting piece 17 for a tension bolt 10. At its ends 31, the connecting piece 17 is provided with internally threaded portions for engagement with threaded portions of the ends of the tension bolts 10. The use of connecting pieces 17 allows the tension bolt 10 to be composed of several parts. This is advantageous as a tension bolt that is capable of spanning across the full height of the shelving would otherwise be very long and difficult both to manufacture and to transport. By using one or more connecting pieces, it is thus possible to use a combination of shorter tension bolts having standardised lengths in order to produce a tension bolt having a given length. The connecting piece 17 in Fig. 9 has external sides that are adapted to the inner surface of the leg section channels 9, and the connecting piece 17 can thus be placed inside and held against rotation of a leg section 8.

The distance between the shelves of the shelving system can easily be adjusted by adapting the length of the leg sections to the existing need. Furthermore, the height of the shelving can be adapted to the existing need by choosing the number of leg sections and/or their length in accordance with the desired height, and similarly by adapting the length of the tension bolt thereto. According to the invention, there will be a bracket for a fixed shelf or a slide rail between each leg section, so that the leg sections and the brackets are arranged alternately. However, depending upon what is expedient, this can be combined with leg sections that do not have any intermediate shelf. Nevertheless, it is preferable that positioning members should be placed between leg sections without intermediate brackets for positioning the leg sections and the tension bolts relative to one another.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A knockdown shelving system for storing goods, comprising legs (2) and fixed shelves (3) and/or slide rails (4) with sliding shelves (5) arranged above one another, where the fixed shelves (3) and slide rails (4) can be fastened to the legs (2), characterised in that the fixed shelves (3) and/or the slide rails (4) are connected to brackets (6) having recesses or openings (7), that the legs (2), in assembled shelving, comprise leg sections (8) having longitudinal open or closed channels (9), that the leg sections (8) and the brackets (6) are arranged alternately, with the leg section channels (9) and the bracket recesses or openings (7) aligned in the longitudinal direction of the legs (2), and that through-going tension bolts (10) are arranged in the leg section channels (9) and through the bracket recesses or openings (7) and press the leg sections (8) and the brackets (6) against each other.

2. A knockdown shelving system according to claim 1, characterised by positioning members (11,13, 16,22, 23, 30) for holding the leg sections (8) in the transverse direction relative to the brackets (6).

3. A knockdown shelving system according to claim 2,

characterised in that the positioning members (11, 13, 16, 22, 23, 30) have outer surfaces (12) for abutment against inner surfaces of leg section channels (9).

4. A knockdown shelving system according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the positioning members (11,23, 24,30) have inner surfaces (14) adapted to the tension bolts (10), for essentially centring the tension bolts (10) in the leg sections (8).

5. A knockdown shelving system according to one of claims 2-4, characterised in that the positioning members (11,16) are welded (15) to the brackets (6), preferably in portions which, when the shelving is assembled, do not rest against the leg sections (8).

6. A knockdown shelving system according to one of claims 2-4, characterised in that the positioning members consist of clips (30) that can be placed on the outside of the brackets (6), and which are provided with pins (13) for holding the leg sections (8).

7. A knockdown shelving system according to one of claims 2-5, characterised in that the positioning members consist of elongate, hollow members (22) having an external shape that corresponds to the internal shape of the longitudinal channels (9) of the leg sections (8), and whose longitudinal direction is in the longitudinal direction of the leg sections (8), and that plugs (24) having openings for the tension bolts (10) are inserted into the cavities in the elongate members (22), so that the leg sections (8) can be passed over the elongate members (22), and the tension bolts (10) can be passed through the plugs (24).

8. A knockdown shelving system according to one of claims 2-4, characterised in that the positioning members consist of plugs (23) which have openings that are adapted to the tension bolts (10) and are located inside the leg sections (8), for essentially centring the tension bolts (10) in the leg sections (8).

9. A knockdown shelving system according to claim 1, characterised in that the leg section channels (9) are adapted to hold the tension bolts (10) in the transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction of the legs (2).

10. A knockdown shelving system according to claim 1 or 9, characterised in that the leg sections (8) are made by extrusion, preferably of aluminium.

11. A knockdown shelving system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by connecting pieces (17) for connecting tension bolts (10), arranged inside a leg section (8).

12. A knockdown shelving system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the brackets (6) consist of flat plates which, when the shelving is assembled, are arranged transverse to the longitudinal direction of the leg sections (8).

13. A knockdown shelving system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the brackets (6) are integral with the fixed shelves (3) or the slide rails (4).

14. A knockdown shelving system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that four brackets (6) which form the fixed support for a fixed shelf (3) or slide rails (4) for a sliding shelf (5) are rigidly connected to one another.

15. A knockdown shelving system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by a base frame (18) having bottom end pieces (19) which form the bottom fixing means for the tension bolts (10).

16. A knockdown shelving system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by a top frame (20) having upper end pieces (21) that form upper fixing means for the tension bolts (10).

17. A knockdown shelving system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.