NZ799631A - Rack Assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The problem: existing racks for transporting glass are rigid and not stackable and can only hold on or two sheets of glass. The solution is to provide a light weight foldable rack having a plurality of parallel grooves. A portable rack assembly has a pallet base 10 and a rear wall 12 pivotally connected to the pallet base 10 and capable of folding down to cover the pallet base for transport or storage when not in use. The pallet base has a series of parallel grooves on its upper surface to allow for location of vertically positioned glass sheets when in the unfolded position as shown. A plurality of dropper bars 75 are pivotally connected to the frame 150 of the upright and have a series of fingers having gaps therebetween matching the grooves so that they can be inserted between the glass sheets (not shown) to hold them in position. When fully stacked the glass sheets on the rack assembly can be shrink wrapped for transport.

Claims (11)

1. A rack assembly having a base having an upper and lower surface and a rear wall pivotally connected to the base and capable of folding down to cover the base when not in use, a series of parallel grooves on the upper surface of the base to allow for storage of a 5 10 15 20 25 plurality of vertically positioned glass sheets, one or more dropper bars pivotally connected to the rear wall, the or each dropper bar has a series of fingers having gaps therebetween matching those of the upper surface of the base, so that in use when the rear wall is in an upright position the dropper bar can be positioned against the side or top of the plurality of glass sheets to hold them in position.

2. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the assembly has one or more bracing struts interconnecting the base and the rear wall when in use.

3. A rack assembly having a front end and rear end which includes a base structure (10) rotatably connected by a connecting and rotating system (6) to a wall structure assembly (12) at the rear end, for storing planar sheets thereon and between, wherein the base structure assembly (10) includes a frame supporting a platform structure (64), forming an area having sides, ends, a thickness (70) between an upper surface and lower surface, a front and rear, and the wall structure assembly (12) includes a frame and adjustable dropper arms (4) movably supported thereon and the wall structure assembly (12) forming an area having sides, ends and a thickness between a front side and rear side, whereby one end of the wall structure assembly (12) is movably connected by the connecting and rotating system (6) to an adjacent end of the base structure assembly (10) being operatively connected to enable the wall structure assembly (12) to pivot about the connecting and rotating system (6) to enable the wall structure to lie down on top of the base structure, wherein the platform structure (64) includes at least two grooves on one side to provide a housing when in use for an edge portion for each planar sheet and the dropper arms 4 outwardly protrude from the frame of the wall structure assembly (12) to in use extend between the planar sheets. - 55 -

4. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one groove (136) extends from one end (14, 16) of the base structure assembly (10) to the other end i.e., from front to rear wherein each planar sheet member (2) is a glass pane or glass sheet. 5 10 15 20 25 30

5. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base structure assembly (10) includes a polygonal shape made up of elongate members of a channel cross section, being formed from a front view having a left side base member (94) and right‐side base member 96 and at least one cross base members (84), each member being parallel with each other and being connected together by the platform sections (64) and fastening means.

6. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the platform structure (64) is formed of at least two sections thereby providing at least one longitudinal space (140) there between the platform sections wherein there are three sections having spaces (140) there between and include s a grooved planar panel in use located and connected on to at least one platform support member (65) which are supported underneath at least by the left side base member 94 and right side base member (96) and at least one cross base members (84).

7. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the left side base member (94), right side base member (96) and cross base member (84) include at least two slots (106) there through wherein the slots (106) are aligned to form spaces able to receive the tines of a forklift and the slots are located at an upper edge of each member (94, 96).

8. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the slots (106) are formed of a channel section (107) spanning from the left side base member (94), to the right side base member (96) and oriented having its web in a horizontal plane as a roof being open at each end to be able to receive the tines of a forklift wherein the channel sections is oriented across the width of the rack assembly oriented at right angles to the longitudinal extent of the grooves (136) and glass sheets (2) to facilitate inserting of the rack assembly into a side of a truck or container. - 56 -

9. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the left side base member (94) and right‐side base member (96) include elongate members having a channel cross section having a web and flanges defining a space (96a) there between, being oriented in use on the ground or floor equally spaced on one of the flanges where each member have their space (96a) 5 10 15 20 25 facing each other.

10. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base structure (10) includes at least one horizontal base rail member (86) formed of a tubular or rod like member longitudinally oriented in a horizontal orientation parallel with the left side base member (94) and right side base member (96), being located between and spaced between platform support members (64) to rest and be connected to a top most flange of the left side base member (94) and right side base member (96), and over and on cross base member (84) to be spaced there between left side base member (94) to right side base member (96) which function to provide increased strength to the base assembly (10) which can also be used as tie‐down rails for the retention system.

11. A method of loading glass panels on a rack assembly including:  Place a folded rack assembly having a base structure and a folded down rear wall with its base structure resting on a substrate;  Unfold the rear wall from the base structure;  Lift and rotate dropper arm members into place on the rear wall  Place glass sheets on grooves on the upper surface of the base with the corresponding grooves on the dropper arm members being located between the glass sheets;  Strap around the rear wall and around the opposite edge of the glass sheets to hold them in place.