US3040906A - Auxiliary side rail for load supporting racks - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1962 F. B. HILLGER ETAL. 3,040,906

AUXILIARY SIDE RAIL FOR LOAD SUPPORTING RACKS Filed May l5. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJ` Panik/cw e. #fusi/v June 26, 1962 F. B. HILLGER ETAL 3,040,906

AUXILIARY SIDE RAIL FOR LOAD SUPPORTING RACKS Filed May l5, 1959 2 Sheecs-Sheel 2 United States Patent This invention relates to an auxiliary side rail for racks of the conventional four-sided open framework type which are widely used to support loads for shipping and storage.

The side rail construction is in the form of an accessory or kit which can be used in conjunction with standard existing types of racks Without yrequiring any structural change in the rack.

Many racks of the type involved are manufactured to standard dimensions and used for supporting various types of loads as distinguished from racks which are specially made to accommodate a particular load. In the case of such general purpose racks, a need has existed for some means by which the eifective rack dimensions, at least as between two opposite sides of the rack, could be adjusted so that loads of different sizes can be accommodated and held in position.

The construction of the present invention fullls this need by providing an auxiliary side bar which can be mounted on at least one of the four rack sides and locked in place in any one of a number of positions relative to the opposite rack side so that the effective width of the rack can be made greater or less than the normal width established between these two sides by the permanent rack framework.

The construction of the invention `essentially comprises a pair of brackets each of which can be detachably mounted on one of a pair or rack corner posts at the ends of one of the rack sides. A side rail member is supplied which has a length corresponding to the spacing between this pair of corner posts and an arm is vfixed perpendicularly to each end of the side rail member. Each of the brackets includes an arm supporting member adapted to engage one of the arms for sliding movement and the brackets further include means for locking the arm against such sliding movement so that the side rail member can be mounted in desired relation to the pair of corner posts.

Preferably the arm supporting members are each in the form of a guide through which the free end of one of the arms can be inserted from either direction so that the eiective width of the rack between the side rail member and the opposite side can be increased or decreased `from the normal rack width.

Alternate means are shown for locking the side rail arms in desired position and these means together with other features of the invention will be brought out in the following description of the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings which consist of the following views:

FIGURE 1, a plan view showing the auxiliary side rail mounted on one -side of a conventional rack structure partly shown in phantom;

FIGURE 2, an enlarged plan view showing one end of the auxiliary side rail and the mounting bracket therefor;

FIGURE 3, a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4, a side elevation similar to FIG. 3 and showing on an enlarged scale an alternate -form of means for locking the side rail in position;

FIGURE 5, a sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

3,040,906 Patented June 26, 1962 FIGURE 6, a sectional plan view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIGURE 7, a plan view showing another form of construction for locking the side rail in position;

FIGURE 8, a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 7;

FIGURE 9, an end elevation, partly in section, of the structure shown in FIG. 7 and taken as indicated by the arrows 9-9 thereon.

Referring to FIGURE l, a portion of a conventional rack structure is shown in phantom and includes a pair of corner posts 11 and 12 which are connected to frame members 13, 14 and 15. These frame members define three of the four sides of a rack, it being understood that the complete rack structure includes a frame member opposite the member 14 and another pair of corner posts so that a four-sided open-framework structure is formed.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 3, the auxiliary side rail construction consists of a pair of brackets 18 and I9 each of which is generally U-shaped having a pair of legs 20 and 21 which can be spread apart so that the bracket can be slippedaround'a corner post and clamped in desired position therealong by a bolt 22.

The auxiliary side rail comprises an angle member 2li having a length corresponding to the spacing between the posts 11 and 12. In the construction shown, the length of the side rail member 24 is such thatit lwill lit between the posts and the brackets 18 and 19 mounted thereon. An arm 26 is secured to each end of the side rail member 24. Each of the ` brackets 18 and 19 is provided with an arm supporting member or guide 28 which is U-shaped and dimensioned to straddle the arm 26 for free sliding movement of each arm in each guide member 2S. This construction enables the arms to be inserted in the grade members 28 from either direction so that the side rail member 24 can be positioned outside the rack side member 14, as shown in FIGURE 1, or inside this rack side member. In other words, the effective width of the rack, or distance between the auxiliary side rail member 24 and the opposite rack side can be increased or decreased from. the fixed normal dimension between such opposite rack side and the member 1-4.

Once the desired effective dimension has been established, the arms 126 are locked `against movement relative to the guides 28 by some suitable means. In the construction of FIGURES 1-3 this means simply consists of a locking screw 30.

Other forms of locking means are shown in FIGURES 4-6 and in FIGURES 7-9. Each of these other forms includes a latch means which is detachably engageable in any one of a series of spaced apertures in the side rail arms.

In FIGURES 4-6 the 4side rail arm 26a is provided with apertures in the form of a series of elongated holes 32. The latch means consists of a pin 34 which is pivotally mounted between the legs 20 and 21 of the bracket 18. One end 36 of the pin 34 is bent at right angles to the pivotal axis thereofV to form an actuating handle and the other end 38 of the pin is also bent at a right angle to the axis and also an angle to the handle portion 36. Pin end 38 has a length less than that of the elongated holes 32 so that when the pin is rotated to a proper position, end 38 may be inserted or withdrawn through any one of the holes 32. When rotated out of this position, it cannot be withdrawn and the Weight of the handle end 36 of the pin normally urges it to such a latched position.

The bracket 18a is formed with an olset portion 4'0 at least on the leg 21a to which the guide member 28 is secured and the amount of offset of this portion is greater than the diameter of the pin 34 `to provide a' non-interferring position for the end 38 of the latch pin.

In FIGURES 7-9 the side rail arms 261; are each formed with a series of notches 42 along their upper edge.

A U-shaped latch mounting bracket 44 is secured to the offset portion of the leg 2lb `of the bracket 18h. A pin 46 is carried between the legs of the bracket 44 and engages an elongated slot 48 in a latch member Sil. This mounting ofthe latch member permits it to be slidably and rotatably moved on the pin 46 between the disengaged position shown in phantom in FIGURE 9 and a position of engagement with one of the notches 42 in the arm 26b as shown in full line in FIGURE 9. Latch member 50 includes a projecting end portion 52 which in the engaged position is wedged betwen the inner surface 54 of the Iarm yand the portion '56 of the latch mounting bracket 44. The latch 59 is held in disengaged position by its own weight which urges it into engagement with the upper edge 5S of the latch bracket 44 and mounting bracket 18h. Thus, either type of latch means, the pin 34 `or the latch 50, can be easily yoperatedA to lock the arms 26h in the position desired; and either latch means can be withdrawn from engagement with the arms to a position where they Will not interfere with the insertion of the arms in the guides 28 in' either direction as previously mentioned. While preferred embodiments have been described above in detail, it will be understood that numerous modiications might be resorted to without departing from the scope of our invention as defined in the following claim.

We claim:

An auxiliary side rail for a rack of the four-sided l dicularly to said member at each end thereof, -said brackets each including an arm supporting member through which the free end of one of said arms can be inserted in a direction toward or away from the side opposite said one rack side, a latch member carried by each of said brackets, said latch member comprising a pin pivotally and slidably mounted between the legs of said U-shaped bracket, and detent means `on each of said arms for detachable engagement by one of said latch members in one of a plurality of positions along said arms whereby said side rail member can be mounted between said pair of posts to increase or decrease the effective width of said rack as measured between the side opposite said one rack .side and said side rail member, said detent means comprising a series of elongated apertures formed in said arm, said pin having an `offset end movable through any one of said apertures and handle means for rotating said 'pin to a position where said offset end is aligned with such one aperture and for normally rotatably urging said pin to a latched position where said oi'set end is not aligned with one of said apertures.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,66()

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