GB2512065A

GB2512065A - Ground reinforcement bracket

Info

Publication number: GB2512065A
Application number: GB1304942.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Stratford; Robert James Davidson
Original assignee: MCCUE INTERNAT Inc
Current assignee: MCCUE INTERNAT Inc
Priority date: 2013-03-18
Filing date: 2013-03-18
Publication date: 2014-09-24
Also published as: GB201304942D0

Abstract

A bracket for receiving a corner protection comprising a substantially flat elongate plate 14, a pair of tubes 16 connected to the plate 14 and accessible through holes 18 in the plate 14 and a bolt hole 20 in the plate 14 located between the tubes 16. The bracket may be L shaped and the tubes 16 may be at opposite ends of the plate 14 with the bolt hole 20 in a central location. The tubes 16 may be closed at a far end and may extend away from the plate 14 in a perpendicular direction. The plate 14 may also be symmetrical about a line passing through the bolt hole 20. Also disclosed is combination of the bracket with a corner protector which may be used to protect a refrigerated cabinet in a supermarket. The bracket may have a smaller footprint than the corner protector.

Description

DESCRIPTION

GROUND REINFORCEMENT BRACKET

s This invention relates to a bracket and to an assembly including the bracket and a corner protection.

It is common in big food stores such as supermarkets to install large tridge and freezer cabinets to keep chilled goods cool, while the goods are on io display waiting to be bought. Such cabinets are relatively expensive compared to conventional shelves and need to be protected against collisions. This is because supermarkets and similar stores have a fast turnover of goods and therefore need to restock their shelves and fridge and freezer cabinets on a regular basis. This is often done using goods on pallets that are moved using a pallet jack or using goods on wheeled trolleys. The danger of a collision between a pallet or trolley and a chilled goods cabinet is always present and significant damage to such a cabinet can result from such a collision.

In order to protect such fridge and freezer cabinets, many supermarkets install so-called corner protections that are placed at ground level at the exposed corners of the cabinets. The corner protection usually has a pair of bars extending downwards that are located on the bottom of the corner protection and these bars are used to anchor the corner protection in the ground, in holes specifically drilled for the purpose. If a stray pallet or trolley should be about to strike the corner of a cabinet, then the corner protection will take the shock of the collision instead. The corner protection is far more robust to collision damage than the cabinet and should the corner protection actually be damaged in a collision then it is much cheaper to replace than the cabinet which it is protecting.

The problem with corner protection is that when there is a collision, any impact energy to which they are exposed is not absorbed or deflected by the corner protection is then transferred into the substrate mounting the corner protection. Over time with repetitive impacts to the corner protection, it can then erode and wear the connection to the substrate. The corner protection may then appear damaged and worn, for example by not standing straight which can then be detrimental to the look and feel of the supermarket and in the event of any subsequent collision provide less protection to the fixture it is S protecting. A weakened or damaged corner protection is often not replaced on the grounds of costs, which is not ideal for the cabinet that is being protected by the corner protection.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art.

io According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for receiving a corner protection, the bracket comprising a substantially flat elongate plate, a pair of tubes connected to the plate and accessible via holes in the plate, and a bolt hole in the plate located between the tubes.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a bracket and a corner protection, the bracket comprising a substantially flat elongate plate, a pair of tubes connected to the plate and accessible via holes in the plate, and a bolt hole in the plate located between the tubes, and the corner protection comprising an upright body and a pair of bars extending downwards from the body and for engaging in the tubes of the bracket.

Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide a bracket that can be used with a corner protection that will increase the protection offered by the corner protection and can also be used to repair a corner protection after a collision. The bracket creates a strong rigid foundation for the corner protection installation. The bracket supports and reinforces the corner protection if the surface is weathered, worn or if there is a weaker substrate. The bracket can be galvanised to provide corrosion protection from liquids and cleaning products. The bracket has a low profile when the corner protection is removed, to aid maintenance and is preferably profiled to sit within the corner protection's footprint to maintain the appearance of the corner protection.

Preferably, the plate is substantially L-shaped, with the bolt hole located at a central region of the plate. Ideally, the tubes are located at respective opposite end regions of the plate, extend perpendicularly from the plate and are closed at the opposite end to the plate. Advantageously, the bracket is symmetrical about a line through the bolt hole and the footprint of the plate of the bracket is smaller than the footprint of the body of the corner protection.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a bracket, Figure 2 is a perspective view from in front of an assembly including the io bracket, Figure 3 is a top plan view of the bracket, and Figure 4 is a side view of the bracket.

Figure 1 shows a bracket 10, which is suitable for receiving a corner protection. The bracket 10 comprises a substantially flat elongate plate 14, a pair of tubes 16 connected to the plate 14 and accessible via holes 18 in the plate 14, and a bolt hole 20 in the plate 14 located between the tubes 16. The plate 14 is substantially L-shaped. The tubes 16 are located at respective opposite end regions of the plate 14, extend perpendicularly from the plate 14, and are closed at the opposite end to the plate 14. The bolt hole 20 is located at a central region of the plate 14. The bracket 10 is symmetrical about a line through the bolt hole 20.

The bracket 10 is designed to be used to strengthen a corner protection, which is being used, for example, to protect a freezer cabinet in a supermarket. The bracket 10 can be fitted at the same time as the corner protection is installed or can be added as an additional fitting on a corner protection that is already installed. This latter option could be in response to the corner protection suffering a collision and needing immediate strengthening or could be simply an addition of the bracket 10 to the corner protection, in order to further improve the collision protection functionality of the corner protection. The bracket 10 can be located in the holes already present, with minor installation works, to locate the existing corner protection.

Figure 2 shows an assembly that comprises the bracket 10 and a corner protection 12. The corner protection 12 is being used to protect the cabinet 28. The bracket 10 comprises a substantially flat elongate plate 14, a pair of tubes 16 connected to the plate 14 and accessible via holes 18 in the S plate 14, and a bolt hole 20 in the plate 14 located between the tubes 16. The corner protection 12 comprises an upright body 22 and a pair of bars 24 extending downwards from the body 22 and for engaging in the tubes 16 of the bracket 10. The assembly also includes a bolt 26 for engaging in the bolt hole of the bracket 10.

The bottom of the body 22 of the corner protection 12 is substantially flat and the footprint of the plate 14 of the bracket 10 is smaller than the footprint of the body 22 of the corner protection 12. The tubes 16 of the bracket 10 are located and chemically fixed in holes 30 in the ground and the expansion bolt 26 is used to bolt the bracket 10 to the ground. The corner protection 12 is then located in the bracket 10 and is therefore strengthened by the presence of the bracket 10. The bracket 10 provides a strong rigid foundation for the installation of the corner protection 12 and supports and reinforces the corner protection 12 should there be any damage to floor substrate in the region of the holes 30.

Figure 3 shows a top plan view of the bracket 10. As can be seen in this view, the bracket 10 is symmetrical about a line through the bolt hole 20. The plate 14 is L-shaped with rounded corners. The plate 14 is manufactured from 4mm thick mild steel and the holes 18 that lead to the tubes 16 are 22.5mm in diameter. The tubes 16 are 22.2mm in diameter and are formed from 1.2mm thick mild steel. The tubes 16 are closed at the bottom and are 65mm in depth.

The spacing between the holes 18 is 114.3mm (although this may vary depending on the corner protection 12 being used). The bars 24 of the corner protection 12 are 19.05mm in diameter and can smoothly enter and exit the tubes 16. The hole 30 in the plate 14, which is to receive the bolt 26, is 18mm in diameter.

The bracket 10 is galvanised to provide corrosion protection from liquids and cleaning products. The bracket 10 maintains the removable nature of the corner protection 12 for cleaning and maintenance purposes, since the corner protection 12, once in place can easily be lifted out of the bracket 10. When the corner protection 12 is removed, the bracket 10 has a low profile, since the plate 14 is flush with the ground and this aids fixture maintenance. The bracket 10 is profiled to sit within the footprint of the corner protection 12 to maintain the look and feel of the corner protection 12 and hence of the supermarket that is installing the corner protection 12.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the bracket 10, which is comprised of the plate 14, which is a substantially flat elongate horizontal plate 14, and the two tubes 16, which extend perpendicularly downwards from the plate 14. The tubes 16 are substantially vertical, in the normal orientation of the bracket 10.

The tubes 16 are open at the end closest to the plate 14 and are accessed by the holes 18 in the plate 14 and are closed at the opposite end, furthest from the plate 14. The tubes 16 are circular in cross-section and are designed to receive the bars 24 that extend downwards from the body 22 of the corner protection 12.

As discussed above, the bracket 10 can be installed when the corner protection 12 is first fitted or can be added as an aftermarket product to a corner protection 12 that has already been installed. The bracket 10 is located in the holes 30 that are positioned in the ground that would normally receive the bars 24 ot the corner protection 12, were the bracket 10 not to be present.

The bracket 10 strengthens and supports the corner protection 12 in its normal operation of preventing collisions with the cabinet 28 that is being protected by the corner protection 12. A damaged corner protection 12, which has already had a collision, can also be reinforced by the addition of the bracket 10.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A bracket (10) for receiving a corner protection (12), the bracket (10) comprising: o a substantially flat elongate plate (14), o a pair of tubes (16) connected to the plate (14) and accessible via holes (18) in the plate (14), and o a bolt hole (20) in the plate (14) located between the tubes (16).
2. A bracket according to claim 1, wherein the plate (14) is substantially L-shaped.
3. A bracket according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tubes (16) are located at respective opposite end regions of the plate (14).
4. A bracket according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bolt hole (20) is located at a central region of the plate (14).
5. A bracket according to any preceding claim, wherein the tubes (16) are closed at the opposite end to the plate (14).
6. A bracket according to any preceding claim, wherein the tubes (16) extend perpendicularly from the plate (14).
7. A bracket according to any preceding claim, wherein the bracket (10) is symmetrical about a line through the bolt hole (20).
8. An assembly comprising a bracket (10) and a corner protection (12), the bracket (10) comprising a substantially flat elongate plate (14), a pair of tubes (16) connected to the plate (14) and accessible via holes (18) in the plate (14), and a bolt hole (20) in the plate (14) located between the tubes (16), and the corner protection (12) comprising an upright body (22) and a pair of bars (24) extending downwards from the body (22) and for engaging in the tubes (16) of the bracket (10).
9. An assembly according to claim 8, and further comprising a bolt s (26) for engaging in the bolt hole (20) of the bracket (10).
10. An assembly according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the bottom of the body (22) of the corner protection (12) is substantially flat.
11. An assembly according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the footprint of the plate (14) of the bracket (10) is smaller than the footprint of the body (22) of the corner protection (12).