Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ADJUSTABLE RACK OF SHELVES
This invention relates to a rack of adjustable
shelves comprising at least two spaced parallel
vertically oriented posts, each of said posts having
a generally rectangular cross section with a
plurality of recesses extending at periodical
intervals along the length of an edge on at least one
corner o~ said rectangular cross section, keeper
means having a sleeve with at least two tapered side
walls whereby said keeper has external contours which
are at least part of a truncatecl pyramidal shape,
said keeper means having an internal passageway with
a generally rectangular cross section, whereby said
keeper may slide longitudinally along said post,
detent means formed on an inside edge of the
passageway, said recesses and detent having
complementary contours whereby said keeper is held in
place by said detent fitting into a selected one of
said recesses, and socket means formed of each shelf
at points where said shelf is supported by said
posts, each of said socket means having an internal
opening with a generally truncated pyramidal shape
which is complementary to the external contours of
said keeper means, whereby said socXet means rests on
and i5 supported by said keeper means.
Adjustable shelving systems are knowll in the
art. Such systems have many advantages in that they
enable, among other things, a maximization of the use
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of costly storage space. Such shelving is also
easily adapted to accommodate and support varying
product sizes, thus enabling great flexibility as
product designs and storage requirements change.
^5 An adjustable shelving system has been described
in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,424,111 and 3,523~508. This
system makes use of shelf members, circular corner
shelf supports, circular corner posts with graduated
recesses and two-piece, semi-circular post supports
for holding the shelf support and corner post in
place. More particularly, the shelf supports are
preferably metal and are comprised of two separate
pieces which are wrapped around the corner post and
snapped into place. Thus, in order to adjust the
height of the shelE, the shelf supports must be
detached from the shelf and moved. If one section of
the shelf support is lost or broken, the shelving is
useless until another shelf support is obtained.
In keeping with one aspect of this invention~ an
adjustable rack of shelves comprises at least one
shelf attached to at least one vertical post by
placing the posts through corner sockets of the
shelf. Between the shelf socket and the post, a
metal or plastic, and preerably, nylon keeper keeps
the shelf in a desired height position on the post.
The posts have a graduated plurality of periodically
recurring notches along the length of the post. The
keeper has a truncated pyramidal shape and at least
one internal detent which fits into a notch on the
shelf post, at a desired height, to hold the shelf in
place~ The keeper can be easily moved up and down
the post to any desired shelving height.
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The above mentioned and other features of this
invention and the manner of obtaining them will
become more apparent and the invention itself will be
best understood by reference to the following
^5 descriptions of embodiments of the invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. l is a perspective view of an
adjustable rack of shelves which is a first
embodiment of the shelf and post combination
incorporating the principles of the invention;
Fig. lA is a perspective view showing, in
greater detail, a corner portion of the adjustable
rack of shelves shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a shelf post
with notches spaced at regular intervals, such as
l-inch to 1-1/2 inches;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a first
embodiment keeper, also shown in Fig. lA;
Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the shelf
socket, being placed into position over the keeper;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a second
embodiment of the invention showing verticle,
somewhat diamond shaped notches in the shelf posts;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the keeper
for the second embodiment of the invention;
Fig~ 7 is a perspective view of the corner
shelf socket for the second embodiment of the
invention; and
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a corner
detail showing the second embodiment of the invention.
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A third embodiment of the invention uses the
keeper of ~ig. 6 on the post of Fig. 2.
As shown in Fig. 1, a rack of shelves 20,
constructed in accordance with the teachings of this
^5 invention, comprises at least one flat shelf 22
having four corner sockets 24, corner posts 26 with a
graduated plurality of recurring dimples, recesses,
or notches 28 and keepers 30 ~or maintaining the
truncated shelf in position on each post 26. To
expedite assembly, a pyramidal cap 27 (Fig. lA) may
be used on the top of the post 26~ This cap seals
the top and readily guides the parts which fit over
the post into place r without catching. On the bottom
of each post is a threaded metal or platic insert
(not shown) which seals the bottorn and provides a
thread for adjusting a leveling bolt to fit for
non level floors. Shelf 22 may be constructed of a
mesh of metal wires or rods 32 welded together or
otherwise secured in any suitable manner to a shelf
frame 34.
As shown in greater detail in Fig. lA, the corner
sockets 24 are welded to the ~rame 34, for receiving
the vertical posts. Each of these sockets has an
internal opening with a somewhat truncated pyramidal
shape. The bottom end of the socket is tapered
outwardly with respect to the top end in order to
guide the post 26 into position and to form an
effective wedge holding action in cooperation with
the keeper 30.
As shown in Fig. 2 r the post having a generally
rectangular cross section is provided with a
plurality of notches 28 spaced at regular intervals
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of about one to one and one-halE inches along the
length of at least one edge of the posts 26. These
notches receive and accommodate projections 40
located on the interior contour of the keeper.
^5 The construction details of one exemplary keeper
appear in Fig. 3. As there shown, the keeper
comprises a one-piece, truncated, generally
pyramid-shaped sleeve which can be placed over the
shelf post 26. The top edge of keeper 30 has
vertical slots 36 in each side wall 38 so that the
side walls of the keeper can be more readily
squeezed, thus causing a projection 40 located on at
least one interior corner near the uppermost edge of
the keeper to be more securely wedged into the
dimples or notches 28 of the shelf post 2b. The
vertically extending slots also enable the cross
section at the top of the keeper passageway to be
slightly smaller than the cross section of the post.
This way, the keeper more tightly embraces the post.
An outwardly protruding base 42 forms the lowermost
edge of the keeper 30 to support the shelE socket.
The lowermost edge preferably may be used when a
perfect fit is more or less insured. The lowermost
edge may preferably be eliminated if there is serious
danger that a corner socket may fit down low enough
to break the edge away from the keeper. The keeper
is constructed of materials which are durable enough
to provide a strong and reliable loc~ing mechanism
and yet is yieldable so that the projection can be
firmly engaged in a notch of the post. A suitable
material of construction for the keeper is nylon.
As shown in Fig. 4, when the shelf socket ~4 is
placed over the keeper 30, the side walls 38 of the
keeper 30 are squeezed together, forming an effective
wedge and locking mechanism for supporting the shelf
~5 on the post. The protruding base 42 of the keeper 30
fits under and helps support the shelf to hold it
firmly in place on the post.
An alternative embodiment o~ the invention is
shown in Fig. 5. There, the dimples, recesses, or
notch 50 comprise a deeper diamond shaped notch cut
into and piercing the post wall. Again, these
notches are spaced at regular intervals of about one
to one and a half inches along one exterior corner
edge 52 of the shelf post 54. These notches
accommodate a projection 62 of the keeper generally
shown in Fiy. 6 to provide a means for engaging and
supporting the shelf on the posts.
The construction details of this alternative
embodiment of the keeper are shown in Fig. 7. The
keeper 56 comprises a one-piece device having two
perpendicular and tapering walls 57 and 58, each s~ith
an attached retaining flange 60. The flanges
partially wrap around the post and thus can he more
readily retained on the post 54 while the shelf
system is being assembled. The two perpendicular
walls 57 and 58 are thicker at the lowermost edge of
the keeper 56 to provide a tapering, somewhat
truncated pyramidal effect so that the keeper fits
tiqhtly within the shelf socket when it is positioned
over the keeper. A projection 62 is located in the
interior corner at the junct~on of the two
perpendicular, tapered walls 57, 58. The projection
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fits in a notch 50 on the post 54. When the walls of
the keeper are squeezed by the walls of the shelf
socket responsive to the weight of the shelf, the
detent is irmly locked in place. The keeper is
^5 constructed of materials which are both strong enough
to support the weight of the shelf and yet are
yieldable enough to enable the walls of the keeper to
squeeze and securely engage the shelf post and shelf
socket. Again, nylon is such a material.
Fig. 7 shows a preferred alternative embodiment
of a shelf socket 70 which is used with the post 54
with the and keeper 56 of Fig. 6. The shelf post 54
with the keeper 56 attached thereto is placed through
the shelf socket 70, as shown in Fig 8. The weight
of the shelf squeezes the keeper 56 against post 54
and the projection 6~ firmly engages a selected notch
50, thus holding the shelf firmly in place. The
tapered shape of the keeper 56 enables it to be
firmly wedged into the shelf socket.
A preferred embodiment may use a post of ~ig. 2
with dimples 28 which do not pierce the post in
connection with keeper 56 of Fig. 6O
This invention also makes it possible to
economically add any number of supplemental units
with only two posts (a savings of two posts per shelf
unit). This is accomplished by the use of two
inexpensive clips, per shel. This ~an be done with
the shelving extending in line or perpendicular to
the last unit.
This inventive acljustable shelving rack is not
limited to use in a stationary installation. It has
the flexibility to be made into a mobile unit by
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inserting round or square stemmed casters, in lieu of
threaded leveling inserts at the post bottom.
The construction of the shelf is not limited in
length, width or height. The shelves include metal
^5 or plastic, wire mesh, solid or perforated panels.
The shelving units may be stacked on each other
and extended upwardly by use of metal or plastic
joiners which go into the bottoms and tops of the
posts. These joiners should have the same outside
dimension as the posts inside dimensions, and should
have a separating collar between the stacked posts to
insure that the joiner engages both tubes equally.
The many advantages of this adjustable rack of
shelves should now be self-apparent. First, the
parts are easily and inexpensively made on general
purpose machine tools and polymer a tube mill,
extrusion or molding equipment. Second, the keepers
are a one piece construction which can be made
quickly and easily; parts will not be lost; they are
strong, durable and reliable to withstand the weight
of a loaded shelf and repeated useO O-f course, there
are still other advantages which will be apparent to
those skilled in the art.
Those who are skilled in the art will readily
perceive how to modify the system. Therefore, the
appended claims are to be cons~rued to cover all
equivalent structures which fall within the true
scope and spirit of the invention.
