Patent Application
20070175846
The present inventions relate generally to improved shelf-type storage racks. More particularly, the present inventions relate to rack trusses that are bolted together for ease of shipment and assembly and/or which are reinforced at the bottom to prevent damage to the trusses by, among other things, lift trucks during loading or unloading.
Shelf-type storage racks are well known in the storage and warehouse industries. Such racks typically include at least four columns, two in the front or access aisle and two in the back. Lateral beams interconnect the pairs of front columns and pairs of back columns. The lateral beams, in conjunction with optional cross members between the lateral beams, form shelves used for storage of pallets and their loads. Typically, there is a shelf approximately 48 inches from the ground and then shelves above the lowest shelf spaced approximately every 48 inches, or for other loads at load required increments.
Each pair of front and back columns are provided with transverse support beams that interconnect the front and back columns. Diagonal support braces between the front and back columns may also be provided for increased strength, rigidity and stiffness. Each pair of front and back columns and the associated beams and braces are typically referred to in the industry as rack trusses. Each pair of opposing rack trusses, and their interconnecting lateral beams, form a typical shelf-type storage rack. The racks may be placed side-by-side and/or back-to-back in arrays to form the desired storage rack system.
The components that form the storage rack trusses, such as the transverse supports and diagonal support braces, are typically welded together and painted at the fabrication site and then shipped to the storage facility. For example, the transverse supports and any diagonals are typically welded to the front and back columns to form the rack truss. Once at the storage facility, the lateral beams interconnecting each opposing pair of trusses are installed by welding or bolting (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,091). The bottom of the columns of the rack trusses may be placed directly on the warehouse floor. Because the trusses are fabricated prior to shipping and installation, known rack trusses are somewhat difficult to handle during assembly, take-up more space during shipping and can be difficult to paint.
In use, the pallets and their loads are placed on or removed from the shelves using a fork lift truck. Experience has shown that the bottom portion of the rack truss and particularly, the bottom 4-6 inches of the truss, take the most abuse. For example, the bottom portion of the front columns at the access aisle, are often bumped by pallets or the forks of a lift truck during the placement or removal of pallets and their loads. This can result in, among other things, a weakened rack structure.
The present inventions preserve the advantages of known storage racks and storage rack trusses and also provide new features and advantages. For example, the present inventions provide storage racks and rack trusses that may be bolted together at the site making shipping and assembly more efficient and/or which provide reinforcement in the lower portion of the truss to resist abuse from forks of fork trucks and the like.
In a preferred embodiment of the present inventions, a bolted truss for use in forming storage racks is provided including at least one front column having an interior face and at least one rear column having an opposing interior face. A plurality of stubs secured to the interior face and flange of the front column and a series of stubs similarly secured to the interior of the rear column, with the stubs on the front and rear columns opposing each other. A preferred embodiment also includes a plurality of transverse beams having a front and back end which are placed between the front and rear columns, the front end of which is bolted to the stub on the front column and the rear end of which is bolted to the opposing stub on the rear column. The stubs and transverse beams may be formed of structural angles. In addition, at least one diagonal brace may also be provided which is attached to the stubs. A preferred embodiment of the present invention may also include a truss reinforcement means.
Another preferred embodiment of the present inventions is a reinforced truss for use in storage racks including at least one front column having an interior face and at least one rear column having an opposing interior face. The preferred embodiment also includes a horizontal locking tab secured to the inside face of the front column and a vertical locking tab spaced rearwardly from said front column; a horizontal locking tab secured to the inside face of the rear column; and, a horizontal stiffening member including a front end and a rear end, having a vertical support leg spaced rearwardly from the front end, the front end of the horizontal stiffening member capable of being bolted to the horizontal locking tab of the front column, and the rear end capable of being bolted to the horizontal locking tab on the rear column, and the vertical support leg capable of being bolted to the vertical locking tab. The preferred embodiment may also include a vertical locking tab is provided on the rear column and a vertical support leg is provided on the rear end of horizontal support leg such that the rear vertical support leg may be bolted to the rear vertical locking tab. This preferred embodiment may also include means for assembling the truss using bolts.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present inventions to provide a rack truss that may be assembled by bolts.
It is another object of the present inventions to provide a rack truss that provides reinforcement of the columns at the lower portion of the truss.
It is an additional object of the present inventions to provide a rack truss that is assembled using bolts and which provides reinforcement of the columns at the lower portion of the truss.
Yet another object of the present inventions is to provide a bolted truss that self-aligns during assembly of the upright portion of the truss.
Yet an additional object of the present inventions is to provide a bolted and/or reinforced rack truss that can be used for drive-in rack systems.
Still another object of the present inventions is to provide a bolted and/or reinforced rack truss that can be used for push-back rack systems.
A further object of the present inventions is to provide a rack truss that is easy to fabricate, paint, ship, assemble and install.
The terms used in the claims of this patent are intended to have their broadest meaning consistent with the requirements of law. Where alternative meanings are possible, the broadest meaning is intended. All words used in the claims are intended to be used in the normal, customary usage of grammar and the English language.
The stated and unstated features and advantages of the present inventions will become apparent from the following descriptions and drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like elements in the various views, and in which:
Set forth below is a description of what is currently believed to be the preferred embodiments or best representative examples of the inventions claimed. Future and present alternatives and modifications to the embodiments and preferred embodiments are contemplated. Any alternatives or modifications which make insubstantial changes in function, purpose, structure or result are intended to be covered by the claims of this patent.
A preferred embodiment of the bolted truss of the present inventions is shown generally as 20 in
By reference to
A series of stubs 40 are provided on the inside face of front column 22. Rear column 24 is also provided with a series of stubs 40 which are mounted on the opposing inside face of rear column 24. As shown in
Similarly, the interior of rear column 24 is provided with a series of stubs 40 that oppose stubs 40 on front column 22. Stubs 40 on front column 22 and rear column 24 are used to secure transverse beams 26 as well as diagonal braces 30, as hereinafter described. Again, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that stubs 40 may be formed from a wide variety of structural components consistent with the inventions.
Preferred transverse beam 26 is formed from a structural angle having a vertical leg 27 and a horizontal leg 28. A series of holes 29 are provided, one in the center and one at each end (see
As a result of the unique aspects of the present invention, the truss components, such as columns 22 and 24 and their associated stubs 40, transverse beams 26 and diagonal brace 30 may be fabricated and shipped to the site prior to assembly. Once at the site, transverse beams 26 are installed between front and back columns 22 and 24 by bolting one end of transverse beam 26 to stub 40 on the front column 22 through holes 43 on stub 40 and holes 29 at one end of transverse beams 26. The other end of transverse beams 26 is attached to stub 40 of rear column 24 in the same way. Preferably, vertical leg 42 of stub 40 is parallel to and faces vertical leg 27 of transverse beams 26 (see
Diagonal brace 30 may be installed on a stub 40 of front column 22 and a stub 40 that is two stubs 40 higher in on back column 24 as shown in
In this preferred form of installation and structural components (horizontal flange 41 of stub 40, one end of vertical flange 31 of diagonal brace 30 and horizontal flange 28 of transverse beam 26), the entire interior face between flanges 23 of front and rear columns 22 and 24 is filled (see e.g.,
A preferred alternative to the above arrangement of diagonal brace 30 is also appropriate and is shown in
A preferred embodiment of the truss reinforcement 50 inventions may generally be seen by reference to
The bottom of front column 22 is provided with a horizontal locking tab 60 (see
A vertical locking tab 64 is also provided in association with front column 22. Vertical locking tab 64 may be formed from or attached to front foot 35 of front column 22. Vertical locking tab 64 includes a hole 65 that is designed to mate with hole 59 on web 57 of vertical support leg 56. It will be understood by those of skill in the art that vertical locking tab 64 is spaced from front column 22 the same distance as vertical support leg 56 such that the web 57 of support leg 56 mates with vertical locking tab 64.
Rear column 24 is provided with a horizontal locking tab 60 (see
Horizontal stiffening member 51 is installed by placing the front end on horizontal locking tab 60 and bolting them together through holes 54 of stiffening member 51 and holes 63 of horizontal locking tab 60. Similarly, the rear end of horizontal stiffening member 51 is placed on horizontal locking tab 60 which is then bolted through holes 55 and 66. Vertical support leg 56 is bolted to vertical locking tab 64 through its holes 65 and hole 59 on the web 57 of vertical support leg 56. In addition to providing extra strength to prevent abuse to the lower front column 22, when vertical support leg 56 is attached to vertical locking tab 64, the front 22 and rear 24 columns are brought into proper vertical alignment. Thus, the present inventions also provide a means for self-alignment of the truss columns 22 and 24 during assembly.
In an alternative embodiment of truss reinforcement 50, the lower portion of front column 22 is provided with the same components as rear column 24, as shown in
It will be understood by those of skill in the art that the truss reinforcement inventions 50 may be practiced using a wide variety of structural members other than the types of members shown in the preferred embodiment. In addition, a vertical support leg 56 and a vertical locking tab 64 may be provided on the rear end of stiffening beam 51 and rear column 24. Such an arrangement, while acceptable, is not generally preferred because most of the abuse during loading and unloading occurs to the lower portion of front column 22.
The above description is not intended to limit the meaning of the words used in or the scope of the following claims that define the invention. Rather, it is contemplated that future modifications in structure, function or result will exist that are not substantial changes and that all such insubstantial changes in what is claimed are intended to be covered by the claims. Thus, while preferred embodiments of the present inventions have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the claimed invention.
Various features of the present inventions are set forth in the following claims.
