STORING RACK FOR CORE SAMPLE BOXES

BAIE DE RANGEMENT D'ECHANTILLONS DE CAROTTAGE

English Abstract

A rack for storing elongate core sample boxes is formed from two
separate frames each having three upright posts formed of tubular steel and a
plurality of steel tubes extending across between the posts and welded to the
posts.
The frames can be transported in assembled form and then connected across the
top and bottom of the uprights by metal bridging members with C-shaped inserts
into
the ends of the posts. The structure is held together and braced by diagonal
braces
which attach to tabs on the bridging members by a wedge drive into a slot in
the tab.

French Abstract

Une baie pour ranger des boîtes d'échantillons de carottage allongées est formée à partir de deux châssis ayant chacun trois poteaux droits formés à partir d'acier tubulaire et d'une pluralité de tubes d'acier en extension entre les poteaux et soudés aux poteaux. Les châssis peuvent être transportés en forme assemblée puis reliés par le haut et le bas des poteaux droits avec des éléments de pontage métalliques en insérant des encarts en C dans les extrémités des poteaux. La structure est tenue ensemble et unie par des agrafes diagonales qui se fixent aux volets des éléments de pontage au moyen d'un entraînement par coin dans une fente du volet.

Claims

10
CLAIMS:
1. A rack for storing elongate core sample boxes comprising:
a plurality of rectangular support frames;
each frame being formed as a separate transportable unit;
each frame including a plurality of spaced parallel tubular metal
uprights;
each frame including a plurality of parallel support tubular metal rails
attached to the tubular metal uprights at spaced positions therealong and
extending
at right angles thereto such that the tubular metal uprights and the tubular
metal rails
lie in a common plane of the frame with the ends of the tubular metal rails
welded to
the sides of the tubular metal uprights;
the rails being arranged supporting the rows of core sample boxes
extending between the frames so that each row sits on respective ones of the
rails of
the frames;
the frames being connected by top and bottom bridging members;
the top bridging member comprising a top metal tube extending
between a top of the tubular metal upright of one frame and a top of the
tubular
metal upright of a next adjacent frame;
the top bridging member including a pair of insert members at right
angles to the top metal tube each for sliding insertion into a top end of a
respective
one of the tubular metal uprights;
the bottom bridging member comprising a bottom metal tube extending

11
between a bottom of the tubular metal upright of one frame and a bottom of the
tubular metal upright of a next adjacent frame;
the bottom bridging member including a pair of insert members at right
angles to the bottom metal tube each for sliding insertion into a bottom end
of a
respective one of the tubular metal uprights.
2. The rack according to Claim 1 wherein each frame includes
three uprights.
3. The rack according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein there are only two
frames for supporting the core racks along their length.
4. The rack according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the
insert members are C-shaped in cross section.
5. The rack according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein there is
provided a first diagonal brace extending between the top of an upright of one
frame
and the bottom of an upright of a next adjacent frame and a second diagonal
brace
extending between the bottom of the upright of said one frame and the top of
the
upright of said next adjacent frame.
6. The rack according to Claim 5 wherein the braces are formed as
flat metal straps.
7. The rack according to Claim 5 or 6 wherein the braces engage
the top and bottom bridging members so as to hold the bridging members in
engagement with the uprights.
8. The rack according to any one of Claims 5 to 7 wherein the top

12
and bottom bridging members each include tabs thereon and wherein the braces
include at each end a slot for engagement over a respective one of the tabs
such
that the respective one of the tabs extends into the slot with a portion of
the
respective one of the tabs exposed beyond the brace and wherein there is
provided
an opening in the exposed portion of the respective one of the tabs for
receiving a
wedge member driven into the opening to hold the exposed portion tight in the
slot of
the brace.
9. The rack according to Claim 8 wherein the opening is a slot and
the wedge member is a flat metal plate.
10. The rack according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 wherein the
bottom bridging members include foot pads on an underside for attachment to a
supporting surface.
11. The rack according to any one of Claims 1 to 10 wherein there
are provided roof trusses each of which is attached to a respective one of the
top
bridging members for supporting a roof panel to cover the rack.
12. The rack according to Claim 11 wherein each truss is attached
to the respective top bridging member by a depending flange which includes a
slot,
wherein the top bridging member includes a tab attached thereto, wherein the
slot is
arranged for engagement over the tab attached to the top bridging member such
that the tab extends into the slot with a portion of the tab exposed beyond
the flange
and wherein there is provided an opening in the exposed portion of the tab for
receiving a wedge member driven into the opening to hold the exposed portion
tight

13
in the slot of the flange.
13. The
rack according to Claim 12 wherein the opening is a slot
and the wedge member is a flat metal plate.

Description

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STORING RACK FOR CORE SAMPLE BOXES
This invention relates to a rack for the storing of core sample boxes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In geological exploration, large numbers of core samples are drilled
from the earth to provide information concerning the earth's structure in the
geological area concerned. Such a core sample may be of the order of 3000 feet
in
length and as it is withdrawn from the earth, it is collected in boxes so as
to provide
a permanent record of the earth's structure at that location.
In order to avoid transport of large number of core boxes, often in
areas where there is no organized transportation, the boxes need to be stored
on
site for future record. It will be appreciated that after incurring the
considerable
expense of a core sample bore, it is highly desirable to ensure that the core
sample
is maintained for future study when future exploration is being carried out
possibly
for different reasons. The core samples are typically collected in 5 feet
lengths in
elongated boxes, often formed of wood or cardboard, each containing three such
samples.
Racks for such boxes were traditionally been manufactured on site and
are prone to twisting or warping thus, effectively locking the boxes in
position in the
racks. This of course renders the whole storage system totally useless since
it
prevents recovery of the boxes for future study without considerable effort to
remove
the warping. Furthermore, the manufacture of the racks on site has been a long
and

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time consuming business with difficulty in assembling the racks initially in
untwisted
form and often in harsh climatic conditions.
In US patent no: 4,624,373 (Caron) issued November 24, 1986 is
disclosed a rack for storing elongate core sample boxes which is formed from
three
separate frames each having three uprights formed of timber, cross members of
timber and a plurality of aluminum tubes extending across between the uprights
and
passing through bores in the uprights. Each junction between a tube and an
upright
is locked in position by a nail passing transversely to the tube through the
upright.
The frames can be transported in assembled form and then the rack completed by
the application of end and top panel sheets of plywood.or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide a rack which can be
quickly or easily assembled on site and which avoids the problem of twisting
of the
rack thus allowing the core samples to be recovered readily at any time, for
future
study.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a rack for
storing elongate core sample boxes comprising:
a plurality of rectangular support frames;
each frame being formed as a separate transportable unit;
each frame including a plurality of spaced parallel tubular metal
uprights;
each frame including a plurality of parallel support tubular metal rails

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attached to the tubular metal uprights at spaced positions therealong and
extending
at right angles thereto such that the tubular metal uprights and the tubular
metal rails
lie in a common plane of the frame with the ends of the tubular metal rails
welded to
the sides of the tubular metal uprights;
the rails being arranged supporting the rows of core sample boxes
extending between the frames so that each row sits on respective ones of the
rails of
the frames;
the frames being connected by top and bottom bridging members;
the top bridging member comprising a top metal tube extending
between a top of the tubular metal upright of one frame and a top of the
tubular
metal upright of a next adjacent frame;
the top bridging member including a pair of insert members at right
angles to the top metal tube each for sliding insertion into a top end of a
respective
one of the tubular metal uprights;
the bottom bridging member comprising a bottom metal tube extending
between a bottom of the tubular metal upright of one frame and a bottom of the
tubular metal upright of a next adjacent frame;
the bottom bridging member including a pair of insert members at right
angles to the bottom metal tube each for sliding insertion into a bottom end
of a
respective one of the tubular metal uprights.
Preferably each frame includes three uprights.
Preferably there are only two frames for supporting the core racks

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along their length.
Preferably the insert members are C-shaped in cross section.
Preferably there is provided a first diagonal brace extending between
the top of an upright of one frame and the bottom of an upright of a next
adjacent
frame and a second diagonal brace extending between the bottom of the upright
of
said one frame and the top of the upright of said next adjacent frame.
Preferably the braces are formed as flat metal straps.
Preferably the braces engage the top and bottom bridging members so
as to hold the bridging members in engagement with the uprights.
Preferably the top and bottom bridging members each include tabs
thereon and wherein the braces include at each end a slot for engagement over
a
respective one of the tabs such that the respective one of the tabs extends
into the
slot with a portion of the respective one of the tabs exposed beyond the brace
and
wherein there is provided an opening in the exposed portion of the respective
one of
the tabs for receiving a wedge member driven into the opening to hold the
exposed
portion tight in the slot of the brace.
Preferably the opening is a slot and the wedge member is a flat metal
plate.
Preferably the bottom bridging members include foot pads on an
underside for attachment to a supporting surface.
Preferably there are provided roof trusses each of which is attached to
a respective one of the top bridging members for supporting a roof panel to
cover

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the rack.
Preferably each truss is attached to the respective top bridging
member by a depending flange which includes a slot, wherein the top bridging
member includes a tab attached thereto, wherein the slot is arranged for
5 engagement over the tab attached to the top bridging member such that the
tab
extends into the slot with a portion of the tab exposed beyond the flange and
wherein there is provided an opening in the exposed portion of the tab for
receiving
a wedge member driven into the opening to hold the exposed portion tight in
the slot
of the flange.
Preferably the opening is a slot and the wedge member is a flat metal
plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an isometric view of two of the racks according to the
present invention side by side with a roof covering both racks.
Figure 2 is an isometric view of one of the racks of Figure 1 with the
roof removed.
Figure 3 is a partly exploded view of the rack of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a partly exploded and enlarged view of a top corner of the
rack of Figure 2 showing the connection between the upright and the top bridge
member and the brace.

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Figure 5 is a partly exploded and enlarged view of a bottom corner of
the rack of Figure 2 showing the connection between the upright and the bottom
bridge member.
Figure 6 is a partly exploded and enlarged view of a connection
between the roof truss and top bridge member of the rack of Figure 2.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The rack 10 for storing elongate core sample boxes B is shown in
Figure 2. The boxes are arranged in rows and columns as shown in Figure 1. The
rack comprises two rectangular support frames 11 and 12 each including three
spaced parallel uprights or posts 13, 14 and 15 and a plurality of parallel
support
rails 16 welded to the uprights at spaced positions therealong and extending
at right
angles thereto such that the uprights and the rails lie in a common plane of
the
frame. The posts are formed by steel tubes and the rails 16 are tubes of a
smaller
transverse dimension welded to one side face of the post. The post 14 is
arranged
in the middle with rails on each side. This forms therefore two sections for
receiving
the rows of boxes.
The only connection between the posts of the frames is provided by
the rails so that there is no top or bottom connection piece of a different
construction
or dimension to the rails. There are only two frames 11 and 12 for supporting
the
core boxes along their length so that they are spaced by a distance less than
the

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length of the boxes so as to balance the boxes across the rails. Each frame is
formed as a separate transportable unit defined only by the posts and the
rails.
As shown in Figure 3, the frames are connected by top bridging
members 16 and bottom bridging members 17. As shown in Figure 5, each bridging
member comprises a tubular cross rail 18 and a pair of insert pieces 19. Thus
the
top bridging members 16 extend between a top of the upright 13 of one frame
and a
top of the upright 13 of a next adjacent frame and symmetrically the bottom
bridging
members 17 extend between a bottom of the upright 13 of one frame and a bottom
of the upright 13 of the next adjacent frame.
The top and bottom bridging members are formed from metal tube of
the same dimension as the posts. The pair of insert members 19 welded at right
angles to the rail are arranged for sliding insertion into an end of the tube
forming the
upright. The insert members are C-shaped in cross section so that they can be
pressed into the interior of the tube. The C-shape can allow the insert piece
to be
squeezed so as to compress to form a press fit. The insert piece can also be
tapered.
The rack is completed by a pair of diagonal braces 20 across the posts
of each frame extending between the top of an upright of said one frame and
the
bottom of an upright of said next adjacent frame. As best shown in Figure 4,
the
braces are formed as flat metal straps and engage the top and bottom bridging
members at the rails 18 so as to hold the bridging members in engagement with
the
uprights thus preventing the bridging members from moving apart.

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Each of the braces includes at each end a slot 21 for engagement over
a tab 22 such that the tab 22 extends into the slot with a portion 22A of the
tab
exposed beyond the brace 20 and wherein there is provided a slot shaped
opening
22B in the exposed portion 22A of the tab for receiving a wedge member 23
driven
into the opening to hold the exposed portion 22A tight in the slot 21 of the
brace 20.
The wedge member 23 has tapered sides 23A and 23B so as to
provide a wedging action between an end 22C of the slot 22B and a surface 20A
of
the brace 20. The wedge member is preferably a flat metal plate so as to fit
in the
slot 22B.
The slot 21 extends longitudinally of the brace and the tab 22 lies at an
angle to the upright 13 so as to pass through the slot.
As shown in Figure 5, the bottom bridging members 17 include foot
pads 25 on an underside of the rail 18 for attachment to a supporting surface
by bolt
holes 25A.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the top bridging members 16 are
attached to respective roof trusses 30 for supporting a roof panel 31 to cover
the
rack. The trusses 30 are tapered so as to support the roof at an inclined
angle for
water shedding.
Each truss 30 is attached to the rail 18 of the respective top bridging
member 16 by a depending flange 35 which includes a slot 36 for engagement
over
a tab 37 attached to the rail 18 of the top bridging member 16. The tab 31
extends
into the slot 36 with a portion 37A of the tab exposed beyond the flange 35.
There is

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provided an opening 38 in the exposed portion of the tab for receiving a wedge
member 40 driven into the opening 38 to hold the exposed portion 37A tight in
the
slot 36 of the flange 35.
The structure thus includes simple pieces which can be easily and
separately transported to the necessary remote location. The
structure is
assembled without any nuts and bolts simply by locating the tabs in the lots
and by
hammering the wedge into place. This simple fastening serves to square up and
brace the structure and to hold the top and bottom together. The structure so
formed can be carried on wooden footing rails or on piles with a simple
attachment
while supporting a very high load of core boxes.

Representative Drawing