US3567035A - Boat rack - Google Patents

Abstract

A support structure for storage of boats and like articles in the form of a rack structure with defined openings in which the articles are stored. Brackets are provided in the openings for supporting horizontal beams which directly support the articles. The brackets have fastening means for frictionally engaging the rack structure to secure the brackets to the rack structure, the frictional engagement being easily releasable to permit shifting of the brackets for adjustable bracket spacing to accommodate different size articles.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Leonard J. Dudzik 2,879,087 3/1959 Haglund 287/2094 Dolton, Ill. 3,385,458 5/1968 Gresham 248/119X [21] Appl. No. 777,232 FOREIGN PATENTS [221 FM d gi 1,243 3/1926 Australia 287/2094 [451 257,996 5/1963 Australia 211/49 [73] Ass1gnee lnterlake Steel Corporatron 450 422 8/1948 Canada 211/49 Chm o m.

g Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Abraham Frankel [54] BOAT RACK Attorney-William P. Porcelli 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 211/13, I

21 287/2094 ABSTRACT: A support structure for storage of boats and like l?!- Cl. articles in the form of a rack structure with defined openings [50] Fle'd ofSearch 211/49, 44, in which the articles are tored. Brackets are provided in the J; 714 openings for supporting horizontal beams which directly sup- (cu1'$1'y);287/2094 port the articles. The brackets have fastening means for fric' tionally engaging the rack structure to secure the brackets to [56] References cued the rack structure, the frictional engagement being easily UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,l0l,3l7 12/1937 Lemieux releasable to permit shifting of the brackets for adjustable bracket spacing to accommodate different size articles.

E i I Immu- IIHHIHI. I

" ATENTEDIAR 2m sum 2 or 2 EIEVDFIIIIII ate a 172002502 L e02zardcZDu dza' This invention relates to the art of rack structures and particularly to improvements in rack structures forsupporting boats and like articles, with.,particularemphasis on the immediatesupport means for-articles in a storage opening: or bay.

During off season periods, boats are commonly storedin shelf or rack structuresprovided with storage openings orbays defined by a structure of connected .vertical and horizontal frame members. Some of the storage facilitiesare provided with supporting brackets for the immediate support of the boats, which brackets are permanently secured tin place commodate different sizes of boats. Furthermore, .the storage structures are of many designs andmanufactured in many different ways from structural membersmade ofeither wood or metal or combinations of both. Recently, in line with the ever increasing use of pallet rack structures composedxof easily connected beams. and uprights, efforts have been madeto provide such a rack structure. suited for the storage of boats-and like articles. It is the principal object ofthis invention to provide a suitable rack structure constructed of easily detachable beams anduprights whichis substantially of standard .construction and which has bracketsyadapted forsimpleconnection to the rack structure.fortsupporting theaimmedia'te'support members used to support a boat -or the like @without requiring any revision or change in the standard rack components.

In orderto accomplish this objective; itis-anotherobjectzof the invention to provide-a bracket for connection to therack structure which is frictionally connectedito it, rather than by means of fasteners protruding through openings inrtherack. structure.

it is another object of the invention to provide such a bracket which has-a channel-shaped basefor straddling'a' first horizontal beam of the rack structure and has asuperstructure with face portions to which other beams can be. attached, which beams provide thedirect support forta boator the like.

.:Another.objectof the invention is to. :providesuch a-bracket .whichyhas two faces of different :heightito accommodate horizontal supporting beams of differentdepths, andbottom ledges are provided on thebracketforsuitably supportinglthe lower portions of the supporting i'beams .when they are fastened to the bracket.

Another object of the invention =istto provideta threaded fastener. forfrictionally connecting thebracket tovtheurack structure, which fastener has. an inner .end bearingagainsta .portion of the rack structure andis provided with anutonthe .sembled onto a beam of the rack structure; and

FIGJ4 showsa front elevation of the bracket. As shown in FIG. 1, a rack structurerlisprovided made up of vertical uprights '2. spaced from-each othertand provided :with horizontal beams 3 assembled: to the uprightsto hold them in..spaced relationship.v Although the front faceeofithe rack structure is shown,.it should be understood that there can t be uprightsbehindthose visible in FlG.klxconnected to additional beams and thereare front .to back beams (not-shown) which-connect between the front row of uprights andthose in .a row behind it. In this manner, the rack structure consists of .a

withoutmonveniently permitting variation in .spacing .to .ac-

.on the-right of the wall 13. In either case, both beams can'bot Q framework of defined cubicles or openings 4 extending horizontally through the rack structure.

.Eachof these openings'4 ismade large enough to accom- -modate the entire width of a-boat5 or other similar article positioned .in the opening. ln' orderwto properly support the boat 5 in an opening 4, it restsupon horizontal beams 6 extending front to backthrough the opening 4.1These beams 6 are suitably. mounted onbracketsj7 which are, in turn,.sup-

ported on the beams 3at the forward and rear regions of the opening4.

One of the brackets 7 is shown in moredetail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4' where itis evident that a bracket7 is provided with an inverted channel base 8 havinga top..wall9.secured between two sidewallsfl0tand. l1. Mounted to the top wall 9 ispa superstructure l2 whichco'nsists of a vertical wall 13 terminating at 14 to the top wall9 of the base 8. The. superstructure 12 also is-provided withan anglemember 15 arranged asashort vertioalwall16 connected at 17. to an upper ledge or shelf portion 18above the level of thetopwall 9 of the base 8.

.The normal assembly ofithe bracket 7.to a horizontal beam "3is indicated in' FIG. 3wherea threaded bolty20 is provided throughanopening'l9 in the iwallll of the .base 8.The inner end20a of thebolt 20 is positioned to bearyagainst a wall portion3a of the beam 3.A:nut 20b is threaded onto the threaded -portion of the bolt2 0 and urged in a direction against the .inner wall:1la of thewall *llof the base 8. In thismanner a frictionalbearing is-provided wherein the bracket 7 is held in place by thebolt '20 bearingagainst the-wall 3a of the beam 3 andthe .wall 10 of the base 8 against the wall 30 of the beam 3.

With the typeof beam shown in FIG. 3, which is stepped at its one corner tohave a vertical wall 3aintersecting a horizontal wall 3d,the position of thehole 19 in the base8 is such that tthe-nut lfibon the bolt 20isprevented from rotation upon rotation of the bolt-.20 because aflat on the-head of the nut .2012 .is :close to. the wall 3d. This facilitates tightening and loosening ofthenut20bby merely rotating the head.20c of the bolt.

When thebeam is provided withaa deeper step asindicated The holes l9tand 2l are'provided at opposite ends of the bracket7 and throughboth walls 1'0 and ll-of it so that at mleasttwo-bolts canbe used .ata time for stabilityand the rbracket can be-positioned in a direction to correspond to the steponthe beamzused.

Thefrictional .connection shown by the use of' the bolt is easyttoemploy and permits quickassemb ly and disassembly .for facilitating shifting of the brackets along the beam mem- "bers to vary the spacing'between brackets for accommodating different size boats or other articles.

. F or=adequately mounting an article, it is evident from-FlG. l

that two brackets are needed at each end of i the article, nalthough thefront elevation of FIG. .1 indicates only the front 1 two brackets.

To :join thehorizontal beams .6,"6 to the brackets, holes22 tare providedin the verticalwall I3. Beam6 of greatest depth can be mounted on the left side of the bracket as indicated in both FIGS. land 4, or a beam 6' of less. depth can-be provided tom on the bracket. The beam on the left can bottom on the top wall 9.:while the-beam on the right can bottom on the shelf 18.1Theholes 22 can carry bolts secured to the beams 6,16 for holding them.wpositioned. It .is ordinarily expected that the beams 6, 6' will be covered with carpeting or other soft material so. thatthey will not injure thearticle Sresting. on

. them.- If the beams 6, 6 are .of wood, as is customaryythis facilitates securing the carpeting to them inan easy manner by the use of nails orother simple fasteners.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has beenshown and described, it should be apparent-that the invention can be manufactured in many different ways without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A support structure for storage of boats and like articles comprising: vertical uprights and first horizontal beams connected together to provide a rack having defined openings into which the articles are positioned for storage, brackets mounted on the horizontal beams for supporting second horizontal beams which directly support the articles stored in the structure, each bracket having an inverted channel-shaped base for straddling a first horizontal beam and a superstructure for fastening to a portion of a second horizontal beam, fastening means mounted on the base andarranged to frictionally bear against the first horizontal beam straddled by the base in order to attach the bracket to the first horizontal beam, said superstructure having two vertical faces on its opposite sides to which said second horizontal beams are to be connected, the faces being of different vertical heights to thereby accommodate second horizontal beams of different heights depending upon which face the second horizontal beams are connected, the lower end of one of the faces on the superstructure terminating at the upper surface of the channel-shaped base and the lower end of the other face on the superstructure terminating above the level of the channelshaped base at a shelf portion extending from the face, said upper surface and said shelf portion acting as lower supports for the second horizontal beams secured to said faces of the superstructure.

2. A support structure for storage of boats and like articles comprising: vertical uprights and first horizontal beams connected together to provide a rack having defined openings into which the articles are positioned for storage, brackets mounted on the horizontal beams for supporting second horizontal beams which directly support the articles stored in the structure, each bracket having an inverted channel-shaped base for straddling a first horizontal beam and a superstructure for fastening to a portion of a second horizontal beam, fastening means mounted on the base and arranged to frictionally bear against the first horizontal beam straddled by the base in order to attach the bracket to the first horizontal beam, said fastening means being a threaded fastener passing through an opening in a wall of said base, the inner end of the fastener reacting against a wall of the first horizontal beam straddled by the base, and a nut threadably engaged on the fastener to bear against an inside wall of the base in a direction toward the outer end of the fastener to thereby urge the inner end of the fastener into reaction against said wall of the first horizontal beam.

3. A support structure defined by claim 2 characterized by, said nut being prevented from rotation by being confined between a portion of said base and a portion of the first horizontal beam, whereby tightening and loosening of the nut on the fastener can be accomplished by merely rotating the fastener relative to the stationary nut.

Claims (3)

1. A support structure for storage of boats and like articles comprising: vertical uprights and first horizontal beams connected together to provide a rack having defined openings into which the articles are positioned for storage, brackets mounted on the horizontal beams for supporting second horizontal beams which directly support the articles stored in the structure, each bracket having an inverted channel-shaped base for straddling a first horizontal beam and a superstructure for fastening to a portion of a second horizontal beam, fastening means mounted on the base and arranged to frictionally bear against the first horizontal beam straddled by the base in order to attach the bracket to the first horizontal beam, said superstructure having two vertical faces on its opposite sides to which said second horizontal beams are to be connected, the faces being of different vertical heights to thereby accommodate second horizontal beams of different heights depending upon which face the second horizontal beams are connected, the lower end of one of the faces on the superstructure terminating at the upper surface of the channel-shaped base and the lower end of the other face on the superstructure terminating above the level of the channel-shaped base at a shelf portion extending from the face, said upper surface and said shelf portion acting as lower supports for the second horizontal beams secured to said faces of the superstructure.

2. A support structure for storage of boats and like articles comprising: vertical uprights and first horizontal beams connected together to provide a rack having defined openings into which the articles are positioned for storage, brackets mounted on the horizontal beams for supporting second horizontal beams which directly support the articles stored in the structure, each bracket having an inverted channel-shaped base for straddling a first horizontal beam and a superstructure for fastening to a portion of a second horizontal beam, fastening means mounted on the base and arranged to frictionally bear against the first horizontal beam straddled by the base in order to attach the bracket to the first horizontal beam, said fastening means being a threaded fastener passing through an opening in a wall of said base, the inner end of the fastener reacting against a wall of the first horizontal beam straddled by the base, and a nut threadably engaged on the fastener to bear against an inside wall of the base in a direction toward the outer end of the fastener to thereby urge the inner end of the fastener into reaction against said wall of the first horizontal beam.

3. A support structure defined by claim 2 characterized by, said nut being prevented from rotation by being confined between a portion of said base and a portion of the first horizontal beam, whereby tightening and loosening of the nut on the fastener can be accomplished by merely rotating the fastener relative to the stationary nut.

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