US3639026A

US3639026A - Steel shelving closure

Info

Publication number: US3639026A
Application number: US58356A
Authority: US
Inventors: Irwin J Ferdinand; Irwin R Kulbersh
Original assignee: Hirsh Co
Current assignee: Hirsh Co
Priority date: 1970-07-27
Filing date: 1970-07-27
Publication date: 1972-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-01

Abstract

A frame assembly for sliding doors is disclosed which is adjustably secured to a desired level around the front openings of knockdown steel shelving having a plurality of vertically spaced shelves supported by corner posts. Each shelf has front and rear flanges extending above and below the shelf surface with cutout corners engaging the supporting posts and defining therebetween the front openings. The assembly includes a frame member having bottom and top box-type longitudinal flanges and a pair of elongated, channeled clip members to hold the frame member against and between the front flanges of any desired pair of shelves. Detent means are provided between contiguous walls of the flanges of the frame member and the walls of the clip members. The upper clip member engages the upper shelf flange in a vertically slidable relationship so that the assembly, with or without the sliding doors within the channels, can be moved in a vertical plane to disengage the lower clip member from the shelf flange. In this position the upper clip member is readily disengaged from the upper shelf flange by lowering the assembly.

Description

United States Patent Ferdinand et al.

[ Feb. 1,1972

[54] STEEL SHELVING CLOSURE [72] Inventors: Irwin J. Ferdinand, Glencoe; Irwin R.

Kulbersh, Morton Grove, both of III.

{73] Assignee: The Hirsh Company, Skokie, Ill.

[22] Filed: July 27,1970

[21] Appl. No.: 58,356

Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Att0rneyI-larbaugh and Thomas [57] ABSTRACT A frame assembly for sliding doors is disclosed which is adjustably secured to a desired level around the front openings of knockdown steel shelving having a plurality of vertically spaced shelves supported by comer posts. Each shelf has front and rear flanges extending above and below the shelf surface with cutout corners engaging the supporting posts and defining therebetween the front openings. The assembly includes a frame member having bottom and top box-type longitudinal flanges and a pair of elongated, channeled clip members to hold the frame member against and between the front flanges of any desired pair of shelves.

Detent means are'provided between contiguous walls of the flanges 0f theframe member and the walls of the clip members. The upper clip member engages the upper shelf flange in a vertically slidable relationship so that the assembly, with or without the sliding doors within the channels, can be moved in a vertical plane to disengage the lower clip member from the shelf flange. In this position the upper clip member is readily disengaged from the upper shelf flange by lowering the assembly.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 1 e972 SHEET 2 [1F 2 HVVE/VTO/P; IRWl/V R. KULBERSH Attorneys STEEL SHELVING CLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,455 there is disclosed a shelving unit wherein both the shelves and the corner posts are of improved design so that, individually, they inherently 'possess a high degree of weight-bearing strength and rigidity and are so interrelated that when the parts are assembled with one another, they provide a rugged interfitting relationship of excellent appearance which is of great strength against buckling or sidesway. The invention of the patent is also concerned with comer fastening means whereby the four corner regions of the various shelves are quickly and easily secured to the adjacent corner posts in rigid relationship that results partly from the interrelated design of the shelves and comer posts and partly from the provision of a concealed clamping means whereby the interfitting shelves and corner posts are drawn hard against one another. Still further that invention is concerned with an arrangement of cabinet hardware whereby the steel shelving may, by the application of such hardware be expanded to a cabinet design with the normally open four sides thereof, boxed in, and with sliding door panels being provided at the front of the shelving.

The hardware includes corner fastening means whereby the upright corner posts are securely clamped against the end edges of the box flanges. The clamping direction is a rightangle one as distinguished from the acute-angle one of the diagonal direction of clamping associated with shelving which employs corner bracing clips and it involves the use of a novel T-nut construction which cooperates with a fastening bolt, the latter being in the form of a coarse-thread sheet metal screw. The T-nut is in the form of a small spring-tempered sheet metal stamping which fits through a pair of aligned slots provided in the sidewalls of the associated box flange so that the T-nut effectively spans transversely across and through the box flange. The fastening screw associated with the T-nut is passed through one of a series of vertically spaced holes provided in the web portion of the channellike corner post and it projects longitudinally into the open end of the box-flange and finds threaded engagement with the hole formed in the T-nut. Upon tightening of the fastening screw, the corner post is drawn directly against the open end of the box flange.

The cabinet hardware of the Pat. No. 3,265,455 also includes a door frame which interlocks withthe front edge regions of adjacent superimposed horizontal shelves proper, the frame itself being of the knockdown type and having associated therewith corner fastening means, whereby the horizontal components thereof may be secured to the vertical components at the corners of the frame. Sliding doors are provided within the door frame and these run in tracks or guideways which are of more or less conventional design. End panels are provided for enclosing the ends of the shelving units and these are receivable without hardware fittings or any modification whatsoever of the basic shelving components.

In US. Pat. No. 3,433,688 there is describedanother, easily dismantled arrangement of doorframe assembly which minimizes assembly time, reduces sliding friction and the possibility of producing visible scuff marks on the front faces of the sliding doors at the top and bottom slidingedges. In this embodiment the shelves do not need to be loosened to receive the door frame.

In this latter patent an improved snap strip is provided for the top part of the doorframe which is easily applied or removed and nests within the flange of the doorframe. These various improvements are obtained while still employing conventional rolling processes to fabricate the parts.

The instant invention relates to further improvements in the horizontal channel sections and the channel strips that cooperate therewith.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention a pair of clip-on'channel members is provided which are adapted to snap-fit into the top and bottom box flanges of the doorframe, provide coplanar guide channels for a pair of doors, provide bottom support for the door panels are easily dismantled, and are held in such spaced relationship thatthe assembled combination can be raised and pivoted outwardly for removal or attached by using the reverse procedure.

More particularly, in this invention the bottom edge of an upper shelf flange and the top edge of a lower shelf flange, with or without an intermediate shelf therebetween comprise the primary holding members for the doorframe assembly. The outer surface of the vertical side edges of the doorframe assembly fit flush within the inner reverse flange edges of the front corner posts by the shelf unit. The bottom edge of the doorframe is shaped into a box flange having an inner wall which extends across and contiguous to the front face of the bottom flange of the lower shelf. The top edge of this inner wall ends just under the top edge of the lower shelf flange. Intermediate the edges of the inner walls of the box flange there are provided longitudinal protuberances formed into the wall and raised from the surface of the shelf flange. Both the inner and outer walls of the box flange of the door frame extend in four sections around the periphery of the front opening, broken at each corner by the side cutouts and right-angle bends. The inner edge of the outer wall of the frame is formed into an inwardly directed retainer flange about the opening thereby forming a finished outer appearance closing any gaps with the door panels. A channel member having one or more longitudinal guide channels for the door panels and a U- shaped reversed inner channel wall is adapted to snap-fit into the top horizontal box flange of the frame assembly and receive the box flange of the shelf therein. The reverse inner channel has a matching protuberance therealong on its inner wall which engages upon the protuberance on the inner wall of the box flange of the frame member. This engagement takes place before the bottom of the U-shaped channel seats against the bottom of the box flange of the shelf but after a clip flange on the outer wall of the U-shaped channel slips over and within the top retainer flange of the outer wall of the frame member. In its seated position the top channel member is unifiedwith the frame member but can be removed by inserting an edged instrument, such as a screwdriver, between the interfacing surfaces of the channels and the bottom surface of the top wall of the frame member.

A bottom channel member is provided with upwardly facing guide channels to receive the bottom edges of the door panels in sliding relationship. This channel member has an outer reverse flange wall which engages under the retainer flange of the frame member and an inner reverse flange wall which engages over the top edge of the bottom box flange of a lower shelf. Here the bottom walls of the door panel channels are spaced from the bottom wall of the box frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and further desirable features characterize the structure and production of illustrative embodiments of this invention and will become apparent from the description of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a shelving unit showing the sliding door support means installed thereon,

FIG..2 is a front plan view of the structure shown in FIG. I with the one sliding door paRtly open,

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the corner region of a doorframe showing a modified form of channel sectiOn.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the knockdown steel shelving unit 10 includes in its general organization the four corner posts 12 attached to and supporting two or more shelves 14. The shelves 14 have cutout corners which fit against two sides of the posts 12 and are rigidly secured thereto by fastening means such as are described in the aforesaid patents, same not forming a pair of this invention, since any desired form of fastening means can be used. The posts have spaced apertures into and through which the fastenings means are secured at selected horizontal elevations. The various corner posts used in any one assembly are identical and can occupy their positions interchangeably.

Each shelf 14 is generally rectangular in configuration and includes a planar supporting portion 16 having downturned transversely extending marginal side flanges 18 (front and rear) and downturned transversely extending end flanges 20 (see FIG. 4). The end flanges 20 are generally single-thickness flanges but may be provided with reversely bent edges for reinforcing surfaces, depending on whether a completely enclosed cabinet structure is contemplated.

In this connection the assembly shown in FIG. 1 includes the end panel 22, an identical panel would be provided at the other end of the unit and also a back panel (not shown) can be included. To complete the enclosure, in accordance with this invention the detachable doorframe 24 is provide for the support of the pair of sliding

door panels

26 and 28.

The panel 28 is shown in partially overlapping closed position in FIG. 1 and partially open position in relation to door panel 26 in FIG. 2. The door panels slide in either direction so that the interior of the assembly is accessible. Each door has a finger aperture 30 or suitable handle by which it can be grasped for opening and closing.

Referring briefly to FIGS, 4 and 5, the longitudinal flanges 18 are shown to be box-type flanges, each flange including an outside wall 32, a bottom wall 34, and inner wall 36 with a raised dual-thickness top wall 38 forming a retaining edge 40 for objects that are on the surfaces 16. This raised wall or top flange 38 forms a bottom longitudinal supporting rim for the doorframe 24, to be described. The walls of the box flanges can be provided with spaced longitudinal reinforcing ribs if desired. The four corners of each of the shelves 14 are notched or cutaway as indicated at 42 (FIGS. 3 and for reception of the selected regions of the support corner posts 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates, among other relationships, one form of comer post 12 and the fastening means 44 which is described in detail in Pat. No. 3,438,688. The post 12 has the inner (in relation to the front of the shelving unit trim flange 46 which engages the side panel 22 and holds same against outer coplanar surfaces of the end flanges of the series of shelves. The post 12 has an inwardly offset channel formed by the

walls

48 and 50 connected by the web 52 having vertically spaced holes (not shown) to receive the shank 54 of the fastening means 44, in this case a threaded bolt, at selected elevations therealong.

The trim flange 46 and the sidewall 48 form a corner engaging the edge of the side panel 22. The sidewall 50 is provided with the comparatively wide reentrant trim flange 56 which terminates in a lateral bearing flange 58 which is preferably overformed approximately 3.

The vertical corner post 12 is adapted to seat within the corner notch 42 with the web 52 of the channel-shaped body portion opposing and bearing against the adjacent open end or rim of the box flange 18. This is shown in FIG. 3. The web 52 is formed with a central coextensive outwardly rolled rib 60 which makes a seat for the web 52 when the post 12 is drawn against the box flange 18.

When the corner post 12 is in its operative position within the notch 42, the trim flange 46 overlies the outside face of the depending flange 20 to secure the end panel 22 in place. Similarly, the trim flange 56 overlies the outside wall 32 of the box flange 18 of the shelf (at the particular fastening point) and the bearing flange 58 opposes this wall in close proximity thereto.

In order to fasten the corner post 12 securely to the shelf 12 within the notch 42 by the previously mentioned fastening means 44, the T-shape nut 62 is provided, the ends of which are held in a pair of transversely registering slots, indicated at 64 in the lower part of FIG. 4, formed in the opposing

walls

32 and 36 of the box flange 18. The nut 62 has a threaded borehole to receive the threaded shank 54 of the fastening means 44 for securement as described in said patents. The fastening means 44 can be adapted for installation at the factory or by the purchaser. It is only necessary to place the shelf 14 at the desired elevation in relation to the corner post, select the nearest hole in the web 52, insert the fastening means 44 into the nut 62 and tighten the assembly. Any reinforcing ribs that are formed into the

walls

32 and 36 would be adjacent the ends of the slots 64 to add rigidity and prevent peeling or tearing of the sheet metal of these walls at the corners of the slots.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 the doorframe 24 is shown to comprise an open-sided, one-piece circumferential channel having a front wall 66, an outer wall 68 and an inner wall 70 formed into a rectangular configuration by mitered corners 72 (FIG. 2) and joined upon itself by the tongue 74 (FIG. 5) which is formed by cutting away the remaining outer and inner walls at the miter corner 72 and providing a corresponding miter corner 72' in the ends of the outer and inner walls and cut back from the bottom wall 68. By cutting out the walls to from the tongue 74 it fits within the channel formed by the

walls

66 and 70 of the bottom of the frame 24 and matching perforations 76 are provided in the terminus of wall 68 to hold the parts together by means of rivets (not shown). The tongue 74 is hidden from view and the mitered corners 72 and 72' abut each other to form a close fitting strong joint.

The outer wall 66 of the frame 24 has the in-turned flange 78 to define as one function a finished opening in front of the assembly and the inner wall 70 is provided with the inwardly contoured rib 80 therearound. The box frame is formed by machinery and although only the ribs or detent means 80 which are in the top and bottom parts of the inner walls 70 (as oriented against the front opening of the shelving unit) as used as detent means this rib 80 is also formed in the sidewall or vertical portions of the inner wall 70 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 so that these parts can be formed continuously without the necessity of separate stamping operations. The rib 80 can be omitted from the sidewall portions of inner wall 70, This rib does however have a rigidifying effect on the structured and being formed inwardly does not interfere with the placement of the frame 24 flush against the walls 32 of the flanges 78 as shown in FIG. 3.

The rib or detent means 80 is formed so that the innermost part 83 (see FIG. 5) ofits curved surface is shorter and is thus a curve of shorter radius (greater slope) than the outermost part 84 which has a lesser slope. For a rib having a total width across its raised section of about 0.56 inch, as an example, the innermost part 82 can be about 0.188 inch while the outermost part can be about 0.372 inch in their total widths. The height of the rib 80 can be about 0.l48 inch. The foregoing relationships are not critical to the functioning of the rib 80 but as will be explained, a relationship wherein the longest camming surface and the one with the lesser slope is on the side of the rib toward the inner edge 86 of the inner wall 70 facilitates the unique hanging, and release, or detent action of this rib.

The assembly includes, and is completed by, a pair of snapin track members, namely the top track 90 and the bottom track 92 which slideably support the

door panels

26 and 28 within the frame 24. The top track 90 has the flared flange 94, the first or outer channel or track opening 96 formed by the outer wall 98, the top wall 100 and the inner separator wall 102. This latter wall is reversed folded to form the wall 104, jointed to the second top wall 106 and inner wall 108 having the rib or detent means 110, together defining a second channel or track opening 112. The inner wall 108 terminates in a clip flange formed by the in-turned flange I14 and the inner spring wall 116 terminating in the flared edge 118. The spring wall 116 is overformed about-3 to 5 to give it a spring clip actron.

it is seen that the top track 90 is snap-fitted into the top horizontal portion of the frame 24. This is accomplished with the frame removed from the shelf assembly, quite simply by inserting the top track from the back side, that is under the edge 86, until the

walls

100 and 112, that is, the channels, are placed as far into the opening defined by the three walls of the frame as they will go. Then the front wall 98 is sprung slightly inwardly so that the bevel or flared flange 94 snaps over the edge of the retainer flange 78 and into the position shown in FIG. 4. At the same time the rib or detent 110' encompasses and lies upon the rib 80. The sloping surface 84 acts as a'cam for the rounded corner 119 at the juncture ofthe

walls

106 and 108 and the

walls

102, 104 and 98 as an internal spring to allow the detents to engage.

The rib 110 has the same or substantially the same curved configuration as the rib 80 so that these longitudinal ribs engage one another in a snug fit and the wall 108 is contiguous to the wall 70 as shown. In this position the track 90 is under slight lateral or transverse compression force along its length by the engagement of the detents and the fitting of the flared flange 94 into the inside corner of the retainer flange 78. This places the separator guide wall midway along the top of the frame 24. The inner spring wall 116 extends along the inside of the top of the frame in a relaxed condition and is spaced from the wall 70 and the edge 86.

The bottom track 92 has essentially the same general organization of parts as are contained in the top track 90 with certain critical changes in shape and dimensions so that it becomes the weight-supporting clip for the frame and door assembly. The bottom track 92 accordingly includes the outer wall 120, the relatively narrow and rounded reverse wall 122, the first channel space 124 defined by the down-turned wall 126, the bottom wall 128 and the separator wall 130. The latter is reverse-bent to form the wall 132, and the bottom wall 134, the inner wall 136, containing the detent rib 140, defining a second channel space 142. The wall 136 terminates with the inwardly depending top support wall 144 and the downturned retainer flange 146. The vertical distance between the bottom wall 68 and the flange 78 at the wall 66 is slightly greater than, or substantially the same as, the vertical height of the wall 120 to the top surface of the wall 122, so that the bottom edge of the wall 120 engages into the corner of the frame as indicated at 148 in a weight-supporting and essentially movement-free relationship. At the same time the wall 136 engages against the bottom portion of the wall 70 of the frame 24 and the rib detent 140 encompasses and snaps over the rib detent 80; here again the curved configurations are matching, but oppositely directed from

detents

80 and 110 at the top of the assembly.

Also, it is now apparent that to assemble the bottom track 92 within the bottom edge of the frame member 24, the track 92 is inserted from the back of the frame so that the wall 120 and the round edge 122 are pressed under the flange 78 and against the wall 66 of the frame. Then the track is sprung slightly inwardly by pressing the flange 146 and pressed downwardly so that the bottom corner 146 formed by the juncture of the walls 134 and 136 cams over the slope 84 of the detent 80. In the final position of the bottom track 92, the walls 128 and 134 which slideably support the

door panels

26 and 28 on their inner channel surfaces are spaced above the wall 68 of the frame member 24 as indicated at 150, under the support of the wall 120 and the interengagement of the wall 136 and the wall 144 over the inner wall 70 of the frame member.

The frame member with the

track members

90 and 92 in place is now ready for attachment to the front of the shelf assembly. The inner opening of the frame member 24 as defined by the inner edge 86 of the wall 70 about the same size and configuration as the opening defined between an upper shelf, a lower shelf and the pair of front supports. However, the ver tical dimension of the assembled frame and tracks is slightly less than the vertical dimension of the opening in the shelf assembly, as indicated by the space 152. Thus, to attach the frame and track assembly to the shelf assembly, the spring clip wall 116 and the flare 118 are placed under and behind the flange 18 of the upper shelf. The flared flange 118 aids in this since it cams around the rounded corner edge 154 at thejuncture of the

walls

34 and 36. The assembly is raised, thereby closing the space 152. In the raised position the retainer flange 146 of the frame and track assembly is above the wall 38 of the flange 18 of the lower shelf, and the bottom edge of the frame assembly is pivoted inwardly until the wall 70 abuts against the lower flange 18, then the assembly is released, allowed to slide downwardly so that the wall 144 rests upon the wall 38 in the position shown in FIG. 4. The door panel 26 is next inserted with its upper edge in the space 112 and dropped into the position shown, with the bottom edge in the channel space 142, supported by the lower track 92. The panel 28 is inserted in the same manner into the channel space 96 and then dropped into the channel space 124.

The tracks and 92 are long enough to extend across the top and bottom of the frame member with sufficient clearance at each end so that they can be easily inserted as above described. Each of the channels, top and bottom, extend the width of the opening so that the panels can each be slid thereacross. If desired, the bottom edges of the panels can be provided with nylon buttons as bearings. The inner surface of the wall 98 engages the top edge of the panel 28 so that it is clear of the inner edge of the flange 78 and similarly the inner surface of the wall 126 maintains the panel 28 clear of this same edge. All corners that may contact the door panel are rounded to avoid marring the surface of the panels during use.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shelving unit having a front access opening defined by corner posts and the flange edges of spaced shelves attached at their corners to said corner posts, the combination a doorframe adapted to encompass the periphery of said access opening:

said doorframe having an outer trim wall with an inturned peripheral edge flange defining a doorframe opening, a circumferential wall extending laterally toward said flanges of said shelves and an inner face wall normally contiguous to the outer face of said flanges of said shelves;

a pair of elongated channeled clip members adapted to fit with the top and bottom portions of said doorframe and snap-fit between said outer trim wall and said inner face walls of said respective portions;

the bottom clip member having an outer wall with an inturned edge that engages between said peripheral edge flange of the outer trim wall and the circumferential wall of the bottom portion of said doorframe and an inner wall with an in-turned hook portion adapted to engage in weight-supporting relationship over the top of the flange of the lowermost shelf defining said front access opening;

the top clip member having an outer wall with an out-turned flange adapted to engage behind the in-turned peripheral edge flange of the top portion of said doorframe and an inner wall with an inturned spring flange adapted to engage under and around the lower edge of the flange of the topmost shelf defining said front access opening;

the interengaging surfaces of the inner wall of said doorframe and the inner wall of each of said clip members having matching and interengaging rib means therealong;

the rib means of the bottom clip member and bottom inner wall of said door frame engaging each other with said clip member in said weight-supporting relationship both at the shelf flange and the outer trim wall;

and the rib means of the top clip member and the top inner wall of said doorframe engaging each other with said outtumed flange engaged behind the inturned peripheral edge flange of the top portion of the doorframe while the hook portion is spaced from the bottom edge of the topmost shelf flange.

2. A shelving unit in accordance with claim 1 in which:

said rib means have respective outer cam surfaces of greater pitch than their respective inner camming surfaces whereby in interlocking the cam surfaces of greater pitch slide over the cam surfaces of less pitch.

3. A shelving unit in accordance with claim 1 in which:

said clip members each have a pair of substantially parallelspaced channels; and

the channels of one clip member face opposite to the channels of the other clip member, whereby to slidably support therebetween a pair of door panels enclosing said access opening.

4. A shelving unit in accordance with claim 1 in which:

said rib means are outwardly convex in relation to the outer face of the flanges of said shelves, the outer convex surface of the rib means on said top and bottom inner wall of said doorframe mating with the inner concave surface of rib means of said clip members.

5. A shelving unit in accordance with claim 4 in which:

the outer convex surfaces of the rib means on said top and bottom inner wall of said doorframe and the inner concave surfaces of said rib means on said clip member interlock in a direction opposing removal of said clip members from said door frame; and

the space between the hook portion of the top clip member and the bottom edge of the topmost shelf flange is sufficient to allow upward movement of the assembly to release said assembly from the shelving unit.

6. In combination, a steel shelving unit including:

a pair of vertical front corner posts having trim flanges, upper and lower vertical spaced horizontal shelves having edge flanges secured at their front corner to said corner posts, the front edge flanges of said shelves in combination with said trim flanges of the corner posts defining a rectangular front access opening communicating with the interior of the shelving;

a rectangular doorframe having upper and lower horizontal frame members extending between said comer posts and vertical side member extending between the two shelves;

said doorframe having inner flanges extending alongside said vertical side frame members disposed in supported relationship between said trim flanges and the front edges of said shelves;

said inner flanges of said doorframe along the front edges of said shelves being provided with an elongated convex rib;

a first clip member adapted to secure the upper horizontal frame member to the front edge region of the upper shelf;

said clip member having a double downwardly facing walled channel portion which engages within the upper horizontal frame member and a spring flange extending inwardly and upwardly from the inner wall of the innermost of said channels and is adapted to engage under the edge of the upper shelf;

an elongated convex rib in the inner wall of and extending into the innermost of said channels;

said clip member being adapted to snap-fit into the upper horizontal frame member of said doorframe with said respective convex ribs in locked overlapping relationship, the upwardly directed portion of said spring flange biased against the back of the edge flange of said upper shelf and with the inwardly directed portion of said spring flange spaced from the bottom of the edge flange of said upper shelf;

a second clip member adapted to secure the lower horizontal frame member of said doorframe to the front edge flange of lower shelf;

said second clip member having a double-channel walled portion facing opposite the double-channel portion of said first clip member, the double-channel wall portion engaging within the lower horizontal frame member and a supporting flange extending inwardly and downwardly from an inner wall of the inner most channel and adapted to engage upon the top edge flange of the lower shelf;

an elongated convex rib in the inner wall of the innermost of said channels in said second clip member; said second clip member being adapted to snap-fit into the lower horizontal frame member of said doorframe with the respective convex ribs thereof in locked overlapping relationship, with the supporting flange in weight-supporting relationship upon the top edge of the lower shelf;

whereby said frame member is detachably supported upon and around the periphery of said front access opening, is adapted to slidably receive a pair of door panels within said opposed double channels and the assembly is removable by manually raising the assembly to the extent of the spacing between the inwardly directed portion of said spring flange of said second clip member to be moved outwardly and released from the edge of the lower shelf and the assembly lowered to release said spring flange from the upper shelf.

7. A steel shelving unit in accordance with claim 6, in

which:

The convex ribs extending from the respective inner flanges of said clip members each have upper and lower cam surfaces of greater pitch than inner cam surfaces on each side of the convexity whereby in interlocking concentric relationship the cam surfaces of greater pitch slide over the cam surfaces of lesser pitch and, in their locked positions, the cam surfaces of lesser pitch are contiguous and the cam surfaces of greater pitch are contiguous.

8. A steel shelving unit in accordance with claim 7 in which:

the outer concave surfaces of the convex ribs on the inner flanges of said clip members lock upon the inner convex surfaces of the convex ribs on said frame member.

nun-s-

Claims

1. In a shelving unit having a front access opening defined by corner posts and the flange edges of spaced shelves attached at their corners to said corner posts, the combination of: a doorframe adapted to encompass the periphery of said access opening: said doorframe having an outer trim wall with an inturned peripheral edge flange defining a doorframe opening, a circumferential wall extending laterally toward said flanges of said shelves and an inner face wall normally contiguous to the outer face of said flanges of said shelves; a pair of elongated channeled clip members adapted to fit with the top and bottom portions of said doorframe and snap-fit between said outer trim wall and said inner face walls of said respective portions; the bottom clip member having an outer wall with an inturned edge that engages between said peripheral edge flange of the outer trim wall and the circumferential wall of the bottom portion of said doorframe and an inner wall with an in-turned hook portion adapted to engage in weight-supporting relationship over the top of the flange of the lowermost shelf defining said front access opening; the top clip member having an outer wall with an out-turned flange adapted to engage behind the in-turned peripheral edge flange of the top portion of said doorframe and an inner wall with an inturned spring flange adapted to engage under and around the lower edge of the flange of the topmost shelf defining said front access opening; the interengaging surfaces of the inner wall of said doorframe and the inner wall of each of said clip members having matching and interengaging rib means therealong; the rib means of the bottom clip member and bottom inner wall of said door frame engaging each other with said clip member in said weight-supporting relationship both at the shelf flange and the outer trim wall; and the rib means of the top clip member and the top inner wall of said doorframe engaging each other with said out-turned flange engaged behind the inturned peripheral edge flange of the top portion of the doorframe while the hook portion is spaced from the bottom edge of the topmost shelf flange.

2. A shelving unit in accordance with claim 1 in which: said rib means have respective outer cam surfaces of greater pitch than their respective inner camming surfaces whereby in interlocking the cam surfaces of greater pitch slide over the cam surfaces of less pitch.

3. A shelving unit in accordance with claim 1 in which: said clip members each have a pair of substantially parallel-spaced channels; and the channels of one clip member face opposite to the channels of the other clip member, whereby to slidably support therebetween a pair of door panels enclosing said access opening.

4. A shelving unit in accordance with claim 1 in which: said rib means are outwardly convex in relation to the outer face of the flanges of said shelves, the outer convex surface of the rib means on said top and bottom inner wall of said doorframe mating with the inner concave surface of rib means of said clip members.

5. A shelving unit in accordance with claim 4 in which: the outer convex surfaces of the rib means on said top and bottom inner wall of said doorframe and the inner concave surfaces of said rib means on said clip member interlock in a direction opposing removal of said clip members from said door frame; and the space between the hook portion of the top clip member and the bottom edge of the topmost shelf flange Is sufficient to allow upward movement of the assembly to release said assembly from the shelving unit.

6. In combination, a steel shelving unit including: a pair of vertical front corner posts having trim flanges, upper and lower vertical spaced horizontal shelves having edge flanges secured at their front corner to said corner posts, the front edge flanges of said shelves in combination with said trim flanges of the corner posts defining a rectangular front access opening communicating with the interior of the shelving; a rectangular doorframe having upper and lower horizontal frame members extending between said corner posts and vertical side member extending between the two shelves; said doorframe having inner flanges extending alongside said vertical side frame members disposed in supported relationship between said trim flanges and the front edges of said shelves; said inner flanges of said doorframe along the front edges of said shelves being provided with an elongated convex rib; a first clip member adapted to secure the upper horizontal frame member to the front edge region of the upper shelf; said clip member having a double downwardly facing walled channel portion which engages within the upper horizontal frame member and a spring flange extending inwardly and upwardly from the inner wall of the innermost of said channels and is adapted to engage under the edge of the upper shelf; an elongated convex rib in the inner wall of and extending into the innermost of said channels; said clip member being adapted to snap-fit into the upper horizontal frame member of said doorframe with said respective convex ribs in locked overlapping relationship, the upwardly directed portion of said spring flange biased against the back of the edge flange of said upper shelf and with the inwardly directed portion of said spring flange spaced from the bottom of the edge flange of said upper shelf; a second clip member adapted to secure the lower horizontal frame member of said doorframe to the front edge flange of lower shelf; said second clip member having a double-channel walled portion facing opposite the double-channel portion of said first clip member, the double-channel wall portion engaging within the lower horizontal frame member and a supporting flange extending inwardly and downwardly from an inner wall of the inner most channel and adapted to engage upon the top edge flange of the lower shelf; an elongated convex rib in the inner wall of the innermost of said channels in said second clip member; said second clip member being adapted to snap-fit into the lower horizontal frame member of said doorframe with the respective convex ribs thereof in locked overlapping relationship, with the supporting flange in weight-supporting relationship upon the top edge of the lower shelf; whereby said frame member is detachably supported upon and around the periphery of said front access opening, is adapted to slidably receive a pair of door panels within said opposed double channels and the assembly is removable by manually raising the assembly to the extent of the spacing between the inwardly directed portion of said spring flange of said second clip member to be moved outwardly and released from the edge of the lower shelf and the assembly lowered to release said spring flange from the upper shelf.

7. A steel shelving unit in accordance with claim 6, in which: The convex ribs extending from the respective inner flanges of said clip members each have upper and lower cam surfaces of greater pitch than inner cam surfaces on each side of the convexity whereby in interlocking concentric relationship the cam surfaces of greater pitch slide over the cam surfaces of lesser pitch and, in their locked positions, the cam surfaces of lesser pitch are contiguous and the cam surfaces of greater pitch are contiguous.

8. A steel shelving unit in accordance with claim 7 in which: the outer concave surfaces of the convex rIbs on the inner flanges of said clip members lock upon the inner convex surfaces of the convex ribs on said frame member.