Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
  • A47B96/00—Details of cabinets, racks or shelf units not covered by a single one of groups A47B43/00 - A47B95/00; General details of furniture
  • A47B96/14—Bars, uprights, struts, or like supports, for cabinets, brackets, or the like

Definitions

• the invention relates to a rail of the kind disclosed in the preamble to claim 1.
• Such rails are used as wall rails or columns for the support of shelves, cupboards etc. , frequently with the use of a bracket in engagement with the rail.
• shelf systems are known from USA Patent No. 4,098,480 and USA Patent No. 4,669,692, where the wall rails have punched rectangular holes at regular inter ⁇ vals, and where the brackets have hook-shaped members for engagement with the holes.
• the wall rails have punched rectangular holes at regular inter ⁇ vals, and where the brackets have hook-shaped members for engagement with the holes.
• each column comprises two profiled rails which are clamped or welded together back to back to form the column.
• the sides of the column are surrounded by further rails which also have a de ⁇ corative function.
• Each of the rails is configured with openings at regular intervals along the whole of the length, in that the material between the transverse sec ⁇ tion is pressed back to provide parts with a cross- sectional profile which is angular, substantially with angles of 90°. Consequently, the parts turned back-to- back touch and support each other and can be welded to ⁇ gether by spot welding, so that the resulting column is rigid and strong, and which on two sides can support, e.g.
• shelf brackets or shelves with hook-shaped ele ⁇ ments The material is not pressed symmetrically out from the plane of the plate, so that in order to avoid the rails becoming crooked, side parts are configured which also fit against a corresponding rail when two rails are placed back to back. These side parts are also used to secure the surrounding rails, which both cover and hold the column parts together.
• This construction is very complicated, particularly for the reason that each column consists of several parts which must both be for- ed and joined together. The construction is expensive and requires a very high consumption of material, and the weight is therefore very great per running meter, which contributes towards making the construction expen ⁇ sive.
• the object of the invention is to provide a rail which has very high strength characteristics in relation to the material consumption, without this being at the cost of other characteristics.
• the rail according to the invention is characterized in claim 1. It is possi ⁇ ble to undertake this configuration of the rail without stretching or blanking the material, but merely by de- forming it. The problems of the rail becoming crooked or twisted are hereby avoided.
• the resulting rail has a very low weight per running meter in relation to the characteristics achieved with regard to strength and bearing capacity.
• the rail according to the invention can be surface treated industrially, and the configura ⁇ tion ensures that the back wall cannot be seen through the openings.
• the rail according to the invention can be used singly as wall rails, or can be joined together in a plurality, e.g. two rails back to back as a column.
• the special configuration has the result that brackets or other support elements are given the possibility of having a broad contact area with the rail, and thus point loading is avoided.
• the rail according to the invention assumes very high characteristics from the point of view of strength, even in very thin plate, e.g. 1/2 - 1 1/2 mm iron plate, where it is usually only with difficulty that a long rail can be configured without it being crooked or slightly twisted. Moreover, this configuration renders a simplification possible in the forming and manufacture of brackets and other supporting elements which are re ⁇ quired to engage with the rail.
• the invention also relates to a method for the produc ⁇ tion of a rail according to the invention, and as disclosed in claim 4 or claim 5.
• the method achieved hereby is one where relatively simple tools can be used for the forming of iron or metal plates which can be finally worked to form a wall rail or a column, and hereafter surface treated in a known manner by electro- static application of powder or paint, or by surface treatment with normal wet techniques.
• the cylindrical or prismatic parts of the form are conveyed towards each other in a combined cutting and bending process. This can be carried out in a normal press or in combination with other methods of sheet metalworking, so that the whole wall rail is formed in one or a number of successive ⁇ sive operations.
• the forming tools according to the in ⁇ vention are in contact only with the concave sides of the rail's parts, which contributes towards simplifica ⁇ tion and herewith towards a reduction in the cost of the tools.
• the invention also relates to a tool as disclosed and characterized in claim 6 or 7 for the production of a rail according claims 1 or 2, or a tool with a configu- ration as characterized in claim 8 for the production of a rail as disclosed and characterized in claim 3.
• the tool achieved hereby is one with a very high speed of production, in that only one or possibly quite few work- strokes are necessary to produce a finished length of rail which is ready for surface treatment.
• the tool can also be configured as a combined bending and cutting tool, hereby enabling the production of the rail accord ⁇ ing to the invention in very great lengths.
• fig. 1 shows a segment of a rail according to a first embodiment of the invention
• fig. 2 shows a section along the line II-II through the rail in fig. 1,
• fig. 3 shows a section along the line III-III through the rail in fig. 1
• fig. 4 shows a section corresponding to fig. 3, but where the rail is arranged for another form of suspension than in fig. 3,
• fig. 5 shows a plane cross-section in two rails held together, and which can be used as a column
• fig. 6 shows a section as in fig. 3 but on a larger scale and in more detail
• figs. 7A-D show sketches of a tool for the production of the rail profile in fig. 1,
• fig. 8 shows a segment of a rail according to a second embodiment of the invention, and where the cross-sectional profile is an equilateral polygon
• fig. 9 shows a segment of a rail according to a third embodiment of the invention, and where the cross-sectional profile is not an equi ⁇ lateral polygon, and
• figs.lOA & B show, in principle, how for example a shelf support or bracket engages with a rail according to the invention.
• fig. 1 a segment of a rail according to a first embodiment of the invention, where the material parts 3, which are pressed back, and the material parts 5, which are pointing forwards, both have an arcuate cross-sectional profile but facing opposite ways so that the concave sides face towards each other. This gives rise to openings 2 between the transverse shear edges 4. At each vertical side edge 6 in the openings there arises a fold area, in that the plate material is folded approx. 130° - 180°, see especially fig. 2-4.
• the front of the rail is profiled across the whole of the breadth, in that the openings 2, except the fold edges 6 in each side, have a clearance corresponding to the breadth of the rail.
• the fold edge in each side is approx. twice the thickness of the plate.
• the depth of the rail 1, i.e. the breadth of the sides 9, depends on the desired use and appearance of the rail.
• figs. 1-3 and 4 are seen two different ways in which the rail can be brought to an end on the rearwardly-facing side.
• the sides 9 are brought to an end by being bent inwards
• fig. 4 the ends of the sides are bent outwards.
• the sides 7 and 8 are used, for example, in the mounting of the rail.
• fig. 5 is seen an example of how two rails 1 can be assembled back-to-back by means of an internal strip or bracket 13, which in a concealed manner couples the rails together to form a column.
• fig. 6 shows the cross-sectional profile of a preferred embodiment of the rail, namely with arcuate profile parts 3,5.
• the centre for the outwardly-projecting part 5 is Cl, and the radius of the concave side is Rl.
• the centre for the inwardly-projecting part 3 is C2, and the radius of the concave side is R2.
• B is the total breadth of the profile
• M is the thickness of the material.
• the fold edges 6 are shown at both sides.
• the distances a and b are the distances from the cross-line over the fold edges 6 to the inner side of the parts 5 and 3, i.e. the depth of the concave parts.
• a 19 x 19 mm rail has a largest outer dimension of 19 mm both in depth and in breadth.
• Such a rail can thus be produced by bringing together cylindrical forming elements with a diameter of 17.2 mm and 16.0 mm, see the following explanation of the method and tool for the production of the rail.
• the profiled front side of a rail 1 as shown in fig. 1 can be produced with a tool as shown sketched in fig. 7A.
• a plate 14, e.g. a 0.9 mm thick iron plate, is formed between a matrix 15 and a patrix 10 which, for example, comprises a number of forwardly- projecting punches with cylindrically-rounded forming ends 11 which, for example, are cylindrical steel pieces 12 secured at the forming end.
• the matrice 15 comprises a longitudinal channel 16 with, for example, an arcuate bottom 17 and plane side walls 20.
• the transition between the arcuate bottom 17 and the sides 20 can include a plane area 19 which lies so low that when the tool is in its bottom position, the fold edges 6 and the outwardly-projecting parts 5 of the pro ⁇ file do not make contact with the plane areas 19.
• At intervals along the channel 16 there are provided cylindrical steel pieces 18, these being disposed and secured in such a manner that they fill out the areas in the axial direction between the patrices 10.
• the channel 16 also has a breadth which is greater than the breadth of the patrices 10, preferably so much broader that there is room for the plate 14 at each side, i.e. the total breadth of the channel is approx. two times the plate thickness broader than the patrices 10.
• the channel 16 also has rounded edges 21 at the upper surface of the matrice.
• such a tool can be used to pro ⁇ cute a rail profile as shown in fig. 1 with one work- stroke, in that the rails's front profile with section 4, openings 2, pressed-back parts 3 and forwardly- pointing material section 5 plus folds and parallel sides 9 are all produced in one operation.
• fig. 7D where the patrice is in its bottom position, that the plate 14 is in contact only with the forming tool parts 12 and 18 at the concave sides of the rail's cross-sectional profile.
• the actual forming is thus a partly free forming, in that the convex sides of the rail are not in contact with the forming tools.
• a second and a third embodi ⁇ ment of the rail according to the invention i.e. with a cross-sectional profile which is an equilateral polygon in fig. 8, and with a cross-sectional profile which is a non-equilateral polygon in fig. 9.
• the cross-sectional profile of the rail can be configured with a large or a small number of sides in the polygonal cross-sectional profiles.
• a dif ⁇ ferent number of sides can be used in the different areas, in that the cross-sectional profile can be formed in innumerable ways without deviating from the basic idea of the invention.
• a bracket In figs. 10A and 10B is shown an example of how a bracket can be configured and arranged in order for it to enter into engagement with a rail or column according to the invention.
• the bracket 24 is bent in solid or hollow material, e.g. iron or steel, preferably with circular cross-sectional profile.
• the bracket has a hook-shaped bend 26,27 in each end, and also comprises a part which is arranged to extend horizontally. It also has a part which is arranged to extend upwards or downwards in an inclined manner, depending on how the bracket is turned. This means that the same bracket can be turned as shown both in fig. 10A and 10B.
• the rail 1 is shown secured to a wall or the like 25.
• the bracket 24 is in engagement with the forwardly-facing part 5 and rests against the part 3 which is pressed backwards, regardless of how the bracket is turned. Such a bracket enables the suspension of both inclined and horizontal shelves.
• Figs. 10A and 10B are merely an example of how a bracket can be configured and suspended in a rail according to the invention. However, from fig. 10 it will be clear that the bracket 24 rests against the rail in such a manner that there does not arise any point-loading on the rail, but that the load from the bracket (and the shelf) is distributed over a considerable part of the breadth of both the forwardly-facing part 5 and that part 3 which is pressed back.

Landscapes

• Finishing Walls (AREA)
• Road Paving Structures (AREA)
• Road Signs Or Road Markings (AREA)
• Assembled Shelves (AREA)
• Chutes (AREA)
• Escalators And Moving Walkways (AREA)
• Panels For Use In Building Construction (AREA)
• Support Devices For Sliding Doors (AREA)
• Shaping Of Tube Ends By Bending Or Straightening (AREA)
• Ceramic Products (AREA)
• Chemically Coating (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8138462

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (10)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 1989
  • 1989-10-09 DK DK499089A patent/DK163026C/da not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1990
  • 1990-10-09 EP EP90915098A patent/EP0495837B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-10-09 WO PCT/DK1990/000258 patent/WO1991004693A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1990-10-09 AU AU65068/90A patent/AU6506890A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1990-10-09 DE DE69016668T patent/DE69016668T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1990-10-09 US US07/847,008 patent/US5318176A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1990-10-09 AT AT90915098T patent/ATE117882T1/de active

Patent Citations (5)

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