Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02574745 2007-01-22
ADJUSTABLE BRACE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pallet rack structure and more
particularly, relates
to an adjustable brace suitable for use in repairing a pallet rack structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pallet racks are well known and are widely used in warehouses wherein
typically they
extend in a plurality of rows for substantially the height of the building
with space being
provided between the rows for fork lift trucks to operate. The fork lift
trucks will remove
pallets from the shelves as required for the shipping of the product thereon
and/or for further
processing.
More recently, the trend has been to open large warehouse or "big box" stores
to the
public. In such stores, pallet racks are used to display the merchandise.
Inherently, there are dangers in such a system and safeguards against collapse
must
be provided. Numerous accidents have occurred over the years and injuries and
death have
occurred as a result of the collapse of the pallet racks.
To date, most of the safety concerns have centered around the various design
criteria
to ensure that the pallet racks are capable of accepting the loads to which
they are subjected.
The conventional pallet rack is of a knock down design wherein the vertical
posts are
provided with horizontal beams which are secured to the posts. Diagonal
bracing extending
between posts may then be provided to further ensure a rigid structure.
While the engineering of the pallet racks provides sufficient safety for
normal use,
the racks are very susceptible to damage. Inherently, the loaded pallets must
be lifted onto
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CA 02574745 2007-01-22
the racks by fork lift trucks. Due to the often limited spaces, an accident
wherein the fork
lift truck will collide with one of the vertical posts occurs sufficiently
frequently. With the
very high loads which the pallet racks carry, this is a dangerous situation
and any post even
slightly damaged has to be replaced.
In order to replace a damaged post, the load of pallets must be removed from
the
structure and the rack disassembled. After new rack components are installed,
the pallets
must be reloaded on the structure. As will readily be understood, this is both
an extensive
and time consuming process.
It has been suggested in the art that pallet rack repair systems can be
provided and
which systems overcome the above disadvantages. An example of such a system is
shown
in Canadian Patents 2,232,178 and 2,280,645.
While the above mentioned pallet repair systems function very well, frequently
there
is a need to replace a diagonal brace which extends between two levels of the
pallet.
However, to merely provide a conventional diagonal brace which is secured to
the vertical
posts does not necessarily add sufficient rigidity to the structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a diagonal
brace for
use in the repair of pallet rack structures.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided in a
pallet rack
structure comprising four corner posts, a plurality of beams extending between
the corner
posts, a plurality of diagonal braces extending between the corner posts, the
improvement
comprising at least one of the diagonal braces extending between first and
second corner
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posts, the diagonal brace having first and second members, the first and
second members
being telescopically arranged, means for securing the first and second members
together in a
fixed position, a first bracket mounted on the first post, and a second
bracket mounted on the
second post, the arrangement being such that an extended longitudinal center
line of the
brace passes through, at each end, a point of joinder of a post and a beam.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, in a pallet rack
structure
comprising four corner posts, a plurality of beams extending between the
corner posts, there
is provided a plurality of diagonal braces extending between the corner posts,
the
improvement comprising at least one of the diagonal braces extending between
first and
second corner posts, the diagonal brace having first and second members, the
first and
second members being telescopically arranged, means for securing the first and
second
members together in a fixed position, a first bracket mounted on a beam, and a
second
bracket mounted on a post, the arrangement being such that an extended
longitudinal center
line of the brace passes through, at each end, at a point of joinder between
post and a beam.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided in a
method of repairing a pallet rack structure wherein a reinforced base portion
is installed on
the pallet rack structure, the improvement comprising the step of replacing a
diagonal brace
above the reinforced base portion, including the steps of attaching a first
bracket to one of a
horizontal beam or a vertical post, attaching a second bracket to a vertical
post, securing a
telescopic brace to the first and second brackets, the arrangement being such
that an
extended longitudinal center line of the brace passes through, at each end, a
point of joinder
between a post and a beam.
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CA 02574745 2007-01-22
The improvements of the present invention are designed to be used in the
repair
of pallet racks. As aforementioned, such pallet rack repair systems are shown
in
Canadian Patents 2,280,645 and 2,232,178, the teachings of which are hereby
incorporated
by reference.
In the prior art patents, typically a portion of a front and optionally a rear
post are
replaced depending upon the damage and the desired results. The present
invention is
designed to be used to replace the diagonal brace immediately above the
repaired section. In
this arrangement, there is always a horizontal beam which is replaced.
According to the present invention, the diagonal brace is arranged such that
an
extended longitudinal center line of the brace passes through a point of
joinder of a post and
beam. This occurs at both the upper and lower extremities of the brace.
The lower end of the brace may be secured either to a post or alternatively,
to a beam.
In either case, the arrangement of the bracket is such that the extended
longitudinal center
line of the brace extends through the point of joinder of the beam and post.
In the case of the upper bracket, it is always secured to the post.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will now be made to
the
drawings illustrating embodiments thereof, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a replacement brace according to the present
invention;
Figure 2 is an end elevational view of a portion of a pallet rack utilising
the
replacement brace of the present invention;
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Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a bracket secured to a vertical post of
a pallet
rack;
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through a post having a bracket secured
thereto;
Figure 5 is an end elevational view of a portion of a pallet rack utilising
the
replacement brace as a horizontal beam; and
Figure 6 is an end elevational view of use of a replacement brace in a pallet
rack.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters
thereto, there
is illustrated in Figure 1 a replacement brace assembly which is generally
designated by
reference numeral 10.
Replacement brace assembly 10 includes a first bracket 12 which, in the
illustrated
embodiment, is shown at an upper end of the replacement brace assembly 10.
First
bracket 12 has a back wall 14 with an aperture 16 formed therein. Extending
outwardly
from back wall 14 are a pair of side walls 18.
Replacement brace assembly 10 includes a first brace member 20 and a second
brace
member 22. First brace member 20 and second brace member 22 are sized to be in
a
telescopic arrangement with first brace member 20 fitting within second brace
member 22.
A bolt 23 extends through both first brace member 20 and second brace member
22 to hold
the brace members in the desired position and having the desired length.
At the lower end of second brace member 22, there is provided a second bracket
24.
Second bracket 24 is similar to first bracket 12 and thus includes a back
wa1126 having an
aperture 28 formed therein and a pair of side walls 30.
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As shown in Figure 2, a typical pallet rack will include vertical posts 40,
and 42
along with horizontal beams 44, 46. In the embodiment of Figure 2, a
replacement brace
assembly 10 is secured between vertical posts 40 and 42. As may be seen in
Figures 3
and 4, a plate member 48 is placed on an exterior wall of vertical posts 40
and a bolt 50
passes through vertical post 40 and through aperture 16 of back wall 14 and is
held in place
by means of a nut 52. A similar arrangement is provided at the lower end of
second brace
member 22.
First brace member 20 is secured to first bracket 12 by means of a bracket
bolt 32
which extends through the side walls 18 and through first brace member 20.
As will be seen in the Figures, a center line 56 of first brace member 20 and
second
brace member 22 extends such that it passes through the center of vertical
post 40 where
horizontal beam 44 meets the first vertical post 40. A similar arrangement
exists at the other
end where second bracket 24 is arranged such that the center line of the brace
members also
terminates proximate the center of vertical post 42.
As seen in Figure 5, the brace of the present invention may also be used as a
horizontal member with brackets 12 and 24 being secured to posts 40 and 42.
In the embodiment of Figure 6, bracket 12 is secured to a horizontal beam B in
lieu of
a vertical post.
It will be understood that the above described embodiments of illustration
only and
that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit and
scope of the invention.
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