Shelf supporting structure and joint therefor

Claim 2

An interlocking joint between first and second weight supporting members respectively having first and second longitudinal walls extending in mutually perpendicular direction, said joint comprising: a first tongue extending from said first longitudinal wall and having a base portion attached to said first longitudinal wall and an outer portion extending generally parallel and in spaced relation to said first longitudinal wall; a second tongue extending transversely from an end of said second member and interlocking and making facial contact with said first tongue; the oppositely facing outermost surfaces of said interlocking tongues being exposed to receive the electrodes of a welding device for welding the two tongues together, where desired; means for holding said first and second members against substantial relative movement when said interlocking tongues are unwelded comprising an opening in a wall portion of said second member extending transversely of said second longitudinal wall and a projecting portion at the side of the tongue of the first member which projecting portion passes through said opening.

Claim 3

The interlocking joint of claim 1 wherein said projecting portion is hooked shaped and hooks around the defining edge of said opening of said second member.

Claim 4

The interlocking joint of claim 1 wherein said projecting portion of said first tongue is hooked shaped and hooks around the defining edge of said opening in said second member.

Claim 5

An interlocking joint comprising first and second weight supporting members respectively having first and second longitudinal walls extending in mutually perpendicular and generally horizontal directions, said first longitudinal wall being a vertical wall; a first tongue extending upwardly in a vertical plane from and in spaced relation to said first longitudinal wall; a second tongue extending downwardly from the end of said second member into interlocking relation and making facial contact with said first tongue, the oppositely facing outermost surfaces of said interlocking tongues being exposed to receive the electrodes of a welding device for welding the two tongues together, where desired; said second member having a vertical wall extending downwardly from one of the longitudinal margins of said second longitudinal wall which vertical wall has an opening facing in the direction of the length of said first member and a projecting portion on the side of the tongue of said first member passing through said opening.

Claim 6

An interlocking joint comprising first and second weight supporting members respectively having first and second longitudinal walls extending in mutually perpendicular and generally horizontal directions, said first longitudinal wall being a vertical wall; a first tongue extending upwardly in a vertical plane from and in spaced relation to said first longitudinal wall; a second tongue extending downwardly from the end of said second member into interlocking relation and making facial contact with said first tongue, the oppositely facing outermost surfaces of said interlocking tongues being exposed to receive the electrodes of a welding device for welding the two tongues together, where desired; said second member having a vertical wall extending downwardly from one of the longitudinal margins of said second longitudinal wall which vertical wall has an opening facing in the direction of the length of said first member and a projecting portion on the side of the tongue of said first member passing through said opening.

Claim 7

The interlocking joint of claim 4 wherein said projecting portion of said first tongue is hooked shaped and hooks around the defining edge of said opening in said vertical wall of said second member.

Claim 8

The interlocking joint of claim 4 wherein said second member has, in addition to the vertical wall extending downwardly from one of the longitudinal margins of said second longitudinal wall, a second vertical wall extending downwardly from the opposite longitudinal margin of said second longitudinal wall, said last mentioned vertical wall of said second member having an opening, and said tongue of said first member has a second projecting portion extending into the latter opening.

Claim 9

In combination, a horizontally oriented channel member having horizontally extending, vertically spaced flanges and a vertical web extending between the inner ends of the flanges; a generally horizontally extending support upon which the channel member is to be mounted; said support member having a tongue extending upwardly therefrom in spaced relation thereto; the end of said channel member adjacent said support member having a tongue extending downwardly from the uppermost flange thereof into interlocking relation with said tongue of said support member, the horIzontal flanges of said channel member extending above and below the support member tongue; the vertical web of said channel member having an opening thereon; the tongue of said support member having an upwardly extending, hooked-shaped projection which passes freely through said opening when the channel member is placed around the upper defining edge of the opening and moved horizontally into position over said tongue of said support member and then hooks around the upper defining edge of said opening in said vertical web of said channel member when the channel member is dropped onto said support member tongue.

Claim 10

In combination, a horizontally oriented channel member having horizontally extending, vertically spaced flanges and a vertical web extending between the inner ends of the flanges; a generally horizontally extending support upon which the channel member is to be mounted; said support member having a tongue extending upwardly therefrom in spaced relation thereto; the end of said channel member adjacent said support member having a tongue extending downwardly from the uppermost flange thereof into interlocking relation with said tongue of said support member, the horIzontal flanges of said channel member extending above and below the support member tongue; the vertical web of said channel member having an opening thereon; the tongue of said support member having an upwardly extending, hooked-shaped projection which passes freely through said opening when the channel member is placed around the upper defining edge of the opening and moved horizontally into position over said tongue of said support member and then hooks around the upper defining edge of said opening in said vertical web of said channel member when the channel member is dropped onto said support member tongue.

Claim 11

In combination, a horizontally oriented channel member having vertically extending, horizontally spaced flanges, a horizontal web extending between the flanges and openings in said flanges near an end of the channel member; a horizontally extending support member upon which said channel member is to be mounted, said support member having a tongue extending upwardly therefrom in spaced relation thereto; the end of said channel member a adjacent said support member having a tongue extending downwardly from the web thereof into interlocking relation with said tongue of said support member, the vertical flanges of said channel member straddling said support member tongue; said support member tongue having horizontally extending projections which respectively pass into said openings in said channel member flanges with sufficient clearance that the channel member can be removed from the support member tongue by a rotation and lifting motion imparted to the channel member.

Claim 12

In combination, a horizontally oriented channel member having vertically extending, horizontally spaced flanges, a horizontal web extending between the flanges and openings in said flanges near an end of the channel member; a horizontally extending support member upon which said channel member is to be mounted, said support member having a tongue extending upwardly therefrom in spaced relation thereto; the end of said channel member a adjacent said support member having a tongue extending downwardly from the web thereof into interlocking relation with said tongue of said support member, the vertical flanges of said channel member straddling said support member tongue; said support member tongue having horizontally extending projections which respectively pass into said openings in said channel member flanges with sufficient clearance that the channel member can be removed from the support member tongue by a rotation and lifting motion imparted to the channel member.

Claim 13

A shelf support structure comprising: a pair of horizontally spaced brackets having generally horizontally extending arms, said bracket arms having front, rear and intermediate mounting tongues extending upwardly from the confronting sides of the bracket arms; horizontal shelf support members extending respectively between said front, rear and intermediate mounting tongues of said bracket arms, the shelf supporting members extending between said front and rear bracket arm mounting tongues and each comprising a channel member with vertically spaced horizontal flanges and a vertical web extending between the ends of the flanges, there being a mounting tongue receiving opening on the latter web at each end thereof; each shelf supporting member extending between a pair of said intermediate mounting tongues comprising a channel member with horizontally spaced vertical flanges extending downwardly from the longitudinal margins of a horizontal web, there being a mounting tongue receiving opening at the end of each of the latter flanges; and a tongue depending vertically downwardly from each end of each channel member into interlocking facial engagement with the associated bracket arm mounting tongues; the vertical flanges of each channel member extending between each intermediate pair of bracket arm mounting tongues and the horizontal flanges of the channel members extending between the front and rear bracket arm mounting tongues, with the side portions of said bracket arm mounting tongues entering said tongue receiving openings in said channel members.

Claim 14

A shelf support structure comprising: a pair of horizontally spaced brackets having generally horizontally extending arms, said bracket arms having front, rear and intermediate mounting tongues extending upwardly from the confronting sides of the bracket arms; horizontal shelf support members extending respectively between said front, rear and intermediate mounting tongues of said bracket arms, the shelf supporting members extending between said front and rear bracket arm mounting tongues and each comprising a channel member with vertically spaced horizontal flanges and a vertical web extending between the ends of the flanges, there being a mounting tongue receiving opening on the latter web at each end thereof; each shelf supporting member extending between a pair of said intermediate mounting tongues comprising a channel member with horizontally spaced vertical flanges extending downwardly from the longitudinal margins of a horizontal web, there being a mounting tongue receiving opening at the end of each of the latter flanges; and a tongue depending vertically downwardly from each end of each channel member into interlocking facial engagement with the associated bracket arm mounting tongues; the vertical flanges of each channel member extending between each intermediate pair of bracket arm mounting tongues and the horizontal flanges of the channel members extending between the front and rear bracket arm mounting tongues, with the side portions of said bracket arm mounting tongues entering said tongue receiving openings in said channel members.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 9 wherein said front and rear tongues of said bracket arms have hooked-shaped projections which hook around the upper defining edges of the tongue receiving openings of the associated channel members.