US1603742A - Rack - Google Patents

Description

oct. 19, 192e.

F. D. BRODE'FHCK RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 2, 1926 J2? vena?" FRANK Q BfiouER/CK I Oa. 19 1925.

1,603,742 F. D. BRODERCK RACKy iled Jan. 2, 1926 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented oci. 19, 1926;

i tenant ra'rsnr rica FRANK D. BRODERICK, OF MINNEAOLIS, MINNESOTA..

RACK.

Application led January 2, 1926. Serial No. 78,890.

This invention relates to supporting racks and the primary object is to provide a novel, etlicient ttnd practical construction of rack which is particularly designed and adapted for use in supporting gasoline, kerosene and other fuel containers, 'in places such as grocery stores, where fuel of such nature is customarily kept in one ,Wallon containers for sale to the public. llurther and more lo specific objects will bedisclosed in the cours@ of the followingl specilication, reference being' had to the accompanying, drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the rck, l5 showing three fuel containers as supported therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing` a portion of the lower tier of the rack.

Fig'. 3 is a detail sectional elevation as on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig'. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the trays employed in the rack.

Referring` to the drawings more particularly and by reference characters 5 designates the front uprights or standards and (i the rear uprights or standards of the rack, all of said uprights being rigidly connected by a lower rectangular frame 7 and an upper rectangular frame 8. rlhe frame is spaced from the floor to permit the entrance thereunder of a container 9, and the lower ends of the uprights 5 and 6 serve as `legs for the entire nek. The rack members 5, 6, 7 and 8 are all constructed of angle iron so as to give the rack substantial rigidity. The rack is further braced by inclined rods or bars 10, on all four sides, except that the space between the standards 5 and the. front edges of the upper and lower frames and 8 is left open so as to permit ready access to the lower shelf or frame.

Running` from front to back and secured to the frame 7 is a series of angle iron bars 11, arranged in pairs, the bars of each pair having their lower or horizontal Hang-es opposed so as to form slides or supporting channels for trays 12, one of which is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. Similarly constructed and arranged bars 13 are secured in the upper frame 8 and serve as similar supports for trays 14, which are in all material respects like the trays 12.

Secured under and extending` transversely tents when so desired.

rilhe trays. 12 and 1li are lconstructed of sheet metal and are substantially rectangu- 5 lar in shape. rllhe sides of each tray are provided with angular flange supports 20, and these in turn are recessed as at 21 so that the fuelfcontainer will be properly seated and so that the leakage therefrom will not run oil' the ends of the Hannes but will be directed to the bottom of the Hay. @ne end of the bottom portion of the tray is inclined, as at 22, so that the tray need not be tilted very far in order to vbe 'drained into the trough 15 (or 17), and the end wall 23, which continues from the upper ledge ofthe bottom portion 22, is provided with a groove 24 and a lip 25 which receives the overflow and directs it to the trough below.

Before describing' the op ration or use of the device as above set forth mention will iirst be made ofthe difficulties it is intended to overcome and the advantages it is designed to obtain.

Fuel retailers such as grocery men and other store keepers are. required to have on hand fuel in small quantities for home consumption, and such quantities are usually handled in gallon cans of the type shown in Fig. 1. These cans are customarily placed upon the floor or on such suitable supports as may be found convenient. When emptied by the store keeper or when returned empty by his customers they are usually set aside until a fuel tank truck arrives from the fuel dealer, at which time the empty cans are refilled.

lt frequently happens that a can or Container leaks, and unless immediately discovered such leakage may result in considerable loss yof fuel, and also endangers the premises by escaping over the floor. And with a large group of cans in stock it is very difficult under any circumstances to locate The container 9 is prothe can which is leaking, so that it may be returned to the fuel dealer for credit and repair. llt is also frequently the ease, especially in cold climates, that when a can is l(illed with cold fuel, Ioutside of the store, and is then brought in, the warmer temperature will cause an expansion of the fuel which results in overflowing of the eontainer, and therefore makes it dil'licult to determine whether the can is overflowing by 'pansion or if it is actually leaking. ln either event fuel. so ef'sealiing `is wasted.

ln the rack as shown in Fig. l ofthe drawing have provided means for supporting twelve one gallon containers of fuel. lt is of course obvious that l do not limit myself to this number, nor do place any specific limitations on the size of the rack or the number of tiers or frames 7-8.

'.llhe trays l2 and 1i are preferably arranged in pairs, i. e., two deep, and their inner or adjacent ends are arranged over the troughs l5 and 17. As the empty cans arc relilled they are placed in the rack, one can in each tray, where they remain until removed to supply the trade. New, if fuel escapes from a can by virtue of expansion, as above indicated, it merely runs down into the tray where it remains until removed. If there. is a slow leak in the can, however, the tray under it will soon Fill up, causing the overflow to run down the groove 24 and the lip 25, into the trough 15 (or 17) and from there conducted by 4the pipe 1G to the container' 9 from which .it may be emptied and utilized wherever desired.

It will thus be seen that none of the escaping fuel is wasted, no damage is ydone by such fuel, and the storekeeper can at a glance into the 'tray quickly determine whether or not the can supported by it is leaky or not. If anv of the trays are found to contain fuel the can supported by it can be disposed of as may be found necessary, and the tray may then be readily emptied by merely tilting it so that the fuel will run over the passage 24 and into the trough beneath it.

lt is understood that various and suitable modilieations may be made in Ithe general design and structural details of the in vention as herein shown and above described, provided, however, that such modilicatious come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having now therefore lfully shown and described my invention what l claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l.. A rack of the character described coniprising a suitable frame structure having tiers of tray supports, trays arranged in ,airs von said supports, a trough arranged under each tier of supports and under the adjacent ends of the trays of each pair so as to catch liquid from both thereof, said trays each having lateral flange members for supporting liquid containers above the bottoms thereof.

Q. A rack of the character' described coniprising a suitable frame structure having tiers `of tray supports, trays arranged in pairs on said supports, a trough arranged under cach tier of supports and under the adjacent ends of the trays of each pair so as to catch liquid from both thereof, and flange members projecting laterally from the sides of the trays, said flange members having recesses to form a seat for a liquid container.

3. A rack of the character described coinprising a suitable frame structure having tiers of tray supports, trays arranged in pairs on said supports, a. trough arranged under each tier of supports and under the adjacent ends of the trays of each pair, the end portion of each tray bottom adjacent the trough being inclined to facilitate draining `of the tray into the trough by tilting.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK D. BRGDERICK.

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