Rack frame

Claim 2

A storage rack frame of a plurality of similar frames adapted for stacking upon one of said similar frames, comprising a metal base member having a flat top web and downturned side flanges depending therefrom, said side flanges having inturned flanges extending toward each other below, and at a distance from, said top web, said inturned flanges having oppositely facing end surfaces, said side flanges and said top web extending at the ends of said frame beyond the said end surfaces, respectively, to form an end pocket at each end beyond said end surfaces, a pair of spaced metal uprights of substantially equal height having their lower ends rigidly secured to said base member a generally U-shaped space for accommodating articles positioned on the base member, each of said pair of uprights being a channel having its web portion facing the web portion of the other of said pair of uprights, said web portions of each pair of uprights being inclined away from each other as they extend from said base member, the side flanges of each channel having innermost edges coinciding with said inclined web portion and disposed at an acute angle to the outermost edges of the respective side flanges, the said acute angle being spaced upwardly away from said base member, the said outermost edges of the respective side flanges being disposed at right angles to said base member adjacent the outer ends of the said base member, each upright having an upper end portion adapted to fit into a said end pocket, respectively, of a similar rack frame positioned above, said upper end portions each being embraced by the side flanges along, and engaging said top wall above, said end pockets, respectively, of said similar rack frame in which the upper end portions are fitted, the width of said upper end portions being substantially the same as the space between said side flanges so as to closely limit relative lateral movement between said rack and said above positioned rack, said similar rack frame positioned above being restrained against lateral movement relative to the uprights of the rack frame below by said side flanges, and against longitudinal movement relative to the uprights of the rack frame below by said end surfaces of the inturned flanges, forming the end pockets of the similar rack frame positioned above, said upper end portions of the respective uprights being free and unconnected in the common horizontal plane extending through said upper end portions to permit the said upper end portions to enter directly in the respective end pockets of said above positioned rack frame upon vertical movement of said above positioned rack frame downwardly upon, and in the same vertical plane of, the said rack frame below.

Claim 3

A storage rack frame as claimed in claim 1 and in which said uprights are of general form having web portions diverging as they extend away from said base member and having side flanges extending from said web portions, respectively, to parallel pLanes normal to the base member and coinciding generally with the ends of the frame, the said web portion and said flanges of the uprights being welding to said base member.

Claim 4

A storage rack frame as claimed in claim 1 and in which said uprights are channels having web portions facing each other to define an open space therebetween above said base member, each of said uprights having spaced side flanges directed away from said defined open space towards the ends, respectively, of the frame, and a bar secured to and extending between the side flanges of each upright at a location intermediate the base member and the said upper end portion of the upright to brace the said side flanges and to provide handles for the lifting of the frame.

Claim 5

A storage rack frame as claimed in claim 2, and including a handle extending between the side flanges of each upright at a location above the base member and below the upper end portion of the upright.

Claim 6

A storage rack frame as claimed in claim 1 and in which said uprights have opposed web portions inclined away from each other as they extend upwardly from the base member and spaced flange portions extending from the edges of the web portions toward the ends of the frame, the flange portions extending to parallel planes normal to the base member to have progressively lesser width as they extend upwardly from the base member, the web portions and flange portions of the uprights being welded to said base member, and a metal rod secured to and extending between opposite flange portions of each upright at a location above the base member to provide a handle for the ready lifting of the frame.

Claim 7

A storage rack frame of a plurality of similar frames adapted to interfit with one of said vertically aligned similar frames so as to resist lateral and longitudinal movement between superimposed similar frames, said frame having a base member adapted to be horizontally disposed and adapted to support a load thereon, said base member having a top web portion, said base member having longitudinally extending spaced flange portions along the sides thereof and directed downwardly from said web portion, at least one of said flange portions having a stop portion spaced from each of the opposite ends of said web portion and directed toward the opposite flange portion to form a pocket between the opposite flange portions at each end of the base member between each said stop portion and the respective end of the web portion, a pair of uprights rigidly secured to said base member adjacent its opposite ends and directed upwardly therefrom and adapted to limit movement of a load on the support member beyond said uprights, each of said pair of uprights being a channel having its web portion facing the web portion of the other of said pair of uprights, said web portions of each pair of uprights being inclined away from each other as they extend from said base member, the side flanges of each channel having innermost edges coinciding with said inclined web portion and disposed at an acute angle to the outermost edges of the respective side flanges, the said acute angle being spaced upwardly away from said base member, the said outermost edges of the respective side flanges being disposed at right angles to said base member adjacent the outer ends of the said base member, each of said uprights having an upper end portion terminating in a horizontal plane substantially parallel to the plane of said web portion, said end portions being dimensioned to enter the said pockets in a similar frame juxtapositioned thereabove between the flange portions of the base member and outboard of said stop portions, respectively, whereby lateral movement of the said above positioned similar frame relative to the frame below is limited by the flange portions of the said above positioned similar frame embracing the said end portions and longitudinal movement of the said above positioned similar frame relative to the frame below is limited by the said stop portions of the said above positioned similar frame embraced by said end portions, the said upper end portions having a width substantially the same as the space between the opposite flanges of the pockets in which the upper end portions of the frame are adapted to closely limit relative movement therebetween, said upper end portions being free and unobstructed therebetween to permit direct entry of the free upper end portions into the respective pockets of said similar above juxtapositioned frame upon downward movement of the similar above juxtapositioned frame without tilting of the similar above juxtapositioned frame from said frame below.

Claim 8

A storage rack frame of a plurality of similar frames adapted to interfit with one of said vertically aligned similar frames so as to resist lateral and longitudinal movement between superimposed similar frames, said frame having a base member adapted to be horizontally disposed and adapted to support a load thereon, said base member having a top web portion, said base member having longitudinally extending spaced flange portions along the sides thereof and directed downwardly from said web portion, at least one of said flange portions having a stop portion spaced from each of the opposite ends of said web portion and directed toward the opposite flange portion to form a pocket between the opposite flange portions at each end of the base member between each said stop portion and the respective end of the web portion, a pair of uprights rigidly secured to said base member adjacent its opposite ends and directed upwardly therefrom and adapted to limit movement of a load on the support member beyond said uprights, each of said pair of uprights being a channel having its web portion facing the web portion of the other of said pair of uprights, said web portions of each pair of uprights being inclined away from each other as they extend from said base member, the side flanges of each channel having innermost edges coinciding with said inclined web portion and disposed at an acute angle to the outermost edges of the respective side flanges, the said acute angle being spaced upwardly away from said base member, the said outermost edges of the respective side flanges being disposed at right angles to said base member adjacent the outer ends of the said base member, each of said uprights having an upper end portion terminating in a horizontal plane substantially parallel to the plane of said web portion, said end portions being dimensioned to enter the said pockets in a similar frame juxtapositioned thereabove between the flange portions of the base member and outboard of said stop portions, respectively, whereby lateral movement of the said above positioned similar frame relative to the frame below is limited by the flange portions of the said above positioned similar frame embracing the said end portions and longitudinal movement of the said above positioned similar frame relative to the frame below is limited by the said stop portions of the said above positioned similar frame embraced by said end portions, the said upper end portions having a width substantially the same as the space between the opposite flanges of the pockets in which the upper end portions of the frame are adapted to closely limit relative movement therebetween, said upper end portions being free and unobstructed therebetween to permit direct entry of the free upper end portions into the respective pockets of said similar above juxtapositioned frame upon downward movement of the similar above juxtapositioned frame without tilting of the similar above juxtapositioned frame from said frame below.

Claim 9

A rack frame as claimed in claim 6 and in which said stop portions are provided by inturned portions of each of the respective flange portions each directed toward the opposite flange portions, the opposite ends of the inturned portions spaced from the respective ends of the top web portion to stop movement of the upper end portion of a similar frame below and outboard of said stop portion toward the opposite end of the base member.

Claim 10

A rack frame as claimed in claim 7 and in which each upright is of a general channel shape having a web portion adapted to abut the stop portion of a similar above positioned frame and flange portions adapted to abut the flange portions of the base member of the said similar above positioned frame.

Claim 11

A rack frame as claimed in claim 8 and including a handle carried by each upright between the flange portions thereof at a location intermediate the base member and upper end portions, respectively.