Patent Application
20240016292
Methods and apparatus for preventing workers falling from pallet racking are shown and described.
Goods are often placed on pallets, and such pallets are placed on racking for storage. Specifically, pallets are stacked on shelves placed at various heights in the pallet racking. Pallets are loaded onto the shelves by being moved past a free edge typically by use of forklifts. Often, it is required for workers to inspect or otherwise manipulate goods located on pallets in turn located on racking shelves at various heights. A major concern is that such workers will unintentionally step past the free edge of the shelf while inspecting or otherwise manipulating the goods on the pallets and fall from the shelf elevation.
Thus, a need exists for methods and apparatus preventing workers from falling from shelves of pallet racking.
This need and other problems in the field of pallet racking is solved by providing fall prevention apparatus and methods which provide an obstruction after pallets are located on shelves of the pallet racking. A fall prevention apparatus includes an obstacle biased from a pass into position to an obstruction position. A pallet abuts with the obstacle in the obstruction position extending into a passage in a pallet racking system including a shelf having decking defining a free edge and moves the obstacle from the obstruction position to the pass into position when the obstacle extends generally parallel to the passage. The pallet slides on the obstacle in the pass into position and past the obstacle and is supported on the decking of the shelf. When the pallet is past the obstacle, the obstacle is biased from the pass into position back to the obstruction position to block access out of the passage.
In the illustrated embodiment, the obstacle is pivotably mounted to the shelf about an axis parallel to the free edge and includes an abutment surface against which the pallet abuts and slides and an opposite limit plane for blocking access.
In the illustrated embodiment, the obstacle is biased by an inverted U-shaped spring including a bridge abutting with the obstacle and interconnecting first and second limbs terminating in coils in turn terminating in feet.
Illustrative embodiments will become clearer in light of the following detailed description in connection with the drawings.
The illustrative embodiments may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings where:
All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings only; the extensions of the figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the illustrative embodiments will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following description has been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewise be within the skill of the art after the following description has been read and understood.
Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms “top”, “bottom”, “first”, “second”, “forward”, “rearward”, “reverse”, “front”, “back”, “height”, “width”, “length”, “end”, “side”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the illustrative embodiments.
Fall prevention apparatus for pallet racking systems R is shown in the drawings and generally designated 10. Pallet racking systems R generally include a plurality of shelves S held at various elevations by posts which are not shown. Each shelf S includes a horizontal beam B which is suitably secured between a pair of posts. Each shelf S further includes suitable decking D upon which a pallet P could be supported and extending horizontally from beam B. Suitable provisions M can optionally be provided to moveably support pallet P on decking D and are shown as a parallel series of rollers extending horizontal generally perpendicular to beam B. In the drawings, horizontal beam B defines a free edge of shelf S past which pallet P is introduced through a passage in pallet rack system R and onto shelf S. It should be appreciated that pallet racking system R can take other forms or styles than illustrated, including, but not limited to, the horizontal beam B, decking D, and/or provisions M can take other forms and styles, with apparatus 10 also taking other forms and styles accordingly.
Apparatus 10 includes a limit plane 12 which is moveable between an obstruction position and a passage or pass through position, with the limit plane 12 preventing access out of the passage when in the obstruction position. In the obstruction position, limit plane 12 is generally perpendicular to decking D and parallel to beam B. In the passage position, limit plane 12 is positioned to allow pallet P to be introduced and pass through the passage of the pallet rack system R unto decking D past the free edge of shelf S. In the form illustrated, limit plane 12 is pivotal relative to pallet racking system R between the obstruction position extending into the passage of pallet rack system R and the passage position extending parallel to the passage of pallet rack system R. Particularly, limit plane 12 is pivotal about an axis 14 which is parallel to decking D, beam B and the free edge of shelf S. Specifically, in the form illustrated, axis 14 is contiguous with decking D.
In the form illustrated, apparatus 10 generally includes one or more obstacles or restraints 20 of an inverted U shape. Particularly, each restraint 20 has first and second legs 22 interconnected by an arcuate portion 24 and at least one panel 25 fixed to and extending from arcuate portion 24 and between legs 22. Restraint 20 defines limit plane 12 and suitable provisions for abutting with and sliding on pallet P being introduced through the passage of pallet racking system R. In the form shown, an opposing abutment plane 16 of a planar shape is adapted to be pushed by pallet P and defines such abutting and sliding provisions. Apparatus 10 further includes first and second pivotal mounts 26 suitably secured to decking D such as by bolts 28. In the form shown in
Restraint 20 is biased to move from the passage position to the obstruction position. In the form illustrated, restraint 20 is biased by a spring 50 of an inverted U shape. Particularly, spring 50 includes an abutment of an inverted U shape having first and second limbs 52 extending generally perpendicular from a bridge 53. Each limb 52 terminates in a coil 54 in turn terminating in a foot 56 having a free end abutting with plate 30. Spring 50 is secured to ears 32 by pin 36 extending through collars 58 located inside of coils 54. Washers 60 are positioned between head 38 and collar 58 and coil 54 and between stop 40 and collar 58 and coil 54. In the obstruction position, the free ends of legs 22 abut with brace 34 to prevent restraint 20 from pivoting beyond the obstruction position away from the passage position, bridges 53 abut with legs 22 on the opposite sides of pins 36 than the free ends, and feet 56 abut with plate 30 or 30A. When moving to the passage position, bridges 53 move about an arc centered around pins 36 towards plate 30 or 30A while the free ends of legs 22 pivot in an arc centered around pins 36 away from braces 34.
Restraint 20 is positioned on decking D between a pair of provisions M with pins 36 generally parallel to and adjacent the free edge of shelf S. In the passage position, restraint 20 is positioned adjacent to decking D between the pair of provisions M with abutment plane 16 located at or below the pair of provisions M.
Now that the basic construction of apparatus 10 has been set forth, modes of operation and advantages thereof can be highlighted. After installation of apparatus 10, restraints 20 are biased into their obstruction positions as shown in
When it is desired to place pallet P onto shelf S, pallet P is moved to abut with abutment plate 16 defined by restraints 20. As shown in
It should be appreciated that when pallet P is moved beyond the free edge of shelf S and beyond the extent of restraints 20, restraints 20 move under the bias of springs 50 from the passage position to the obstruction position as shown in
Although the form of restraints 20 is believed to produce synergistic results in at least in ease of fabrication, restraints 20 can take other forms and types which present limit plane 12 in the obstruction position. Similarly, although the form of springs 50 is believed to produce synergistic results in at least in ease of assembly and cost reduction, the method of biasing can take other forms and types which bias restraints 20 from the passage position towards the obstruction position. Additionally, although the manner of moveably mounting the restraints 20 to pallet racking system R is believed to produce synergistic results in at least in ease of automatic passage of pallets P without requiring other control operations, restraints 20 can be pivotably mounted in different manners and locations and/or can be movably mounted in a manner which allow movement between an obstruction position and a passage position.
Thus, since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63389031 | Jul 2022 | US |
