US3612290A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Releasable key clamp for a pallet rack
Assignee: Aurora Equipment Co
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Filing: 1969-08-12
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Granted: 1971-10-12
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Expires: 1989-08-12
Abstract
Abstract A connecting structure adapted to adjustably and releasably connect two supporting members of a structure such as a pallet rack. The connecting structure includes one structural member having headed connecting elements spaced thereon and the other structural member having spaced slots or apertures having a wide portion for receiving the headed connecting elements and a narrow portion preventing the removal of the connecting elements once they are inserted therein. To prevent the accidental disengagement of the headed connecting elementfrom the slots, a safety locking means comprising a pin-locking member urged by a spring through an aperture adjacent one of the connecting elements into the wide portion of the slot receiving the connecting element is provided and includes a release lever engageable with the spring to release the spring pressure holding the locking pin in its locking position and to withdraw the locking pin to enable the disassembly of the connecting structure or system.
Inventors
- 👤 Robet J Evans
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 02:04
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B57/00; A47B57/30; A47B57/48; A47B57/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
277 words
A SYSTEM FOR CONNECTING A PAIR OF SUPPORT MEMBERS WHICH COMPRISES A FIRST SUPPORT MEMBER AND A SECOND SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED SLOTS, EACH OF SAID SLOTS HAVING A WIDE PORTION AND A NARROW PORTION; SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED STUDS WITH EACH OF SAID STUDS HAVING AN ENLARGED HEAD SMALLER THAN SAID WIDE PORTION AND LARGER THAN SAID NARROW PORTION SO THAT SAID STUD CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE WIDER PORTION OF SAID SLOT AND MOVE LATERALLY TO SAID NARROW PORTION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WALL ADJACENT SAID NARROW PORTION THEREBY PREVENTING STRAIGHT LINE SEPARATION OF SAID MEMBERS, SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING AN APERTURE ADJACENT AT LEAST ONE OF SAID STUDS AND POSITIONED FOR ALIGNMENT WITH SAID WIDE PORTION WHEN SAID ONE STUD IS ENGAGING THE WALL ADJACENT SAID NARROW PORTION; AND LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING A SPRING MEMBER ATTACHED TO ONE SIDE OF SAID SECOND MEMBER, A LOCK MEMBER ATTACHED TO SAID SPRING MEMBER AND DISPOSED IN SAID APERTURE, SAID LOCK MEMBER BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION PROJECTING FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SECOND MEMBER INTO THE WIDE PORTION OF THE SLOT AND A SECOND POSITION WITHDRAWN FROM THE WIDE PORTION OF SAID SLOT, SAID SPRING MEMBER URGING SAID LOCK MEMBER TO THE FIRST POSITION, AND LEVER MEANS ENGAGING SAID SPRING MEMBER ADJACENT SAID LOCKING MEMBER AND MOVABLE FROM A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE ONE SIDE OF SAID SECOND MEMBER TO AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING POSITION ACTING BETWEEN THE ONE SIDE OF THE SECOND MEMBER AND SAID SPRING MEMBER TO WITHDRAW AND HOLD SAID LOCKING MEMBER IN SAID SECOND POSITION DURING ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY OPERATION OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
277 words
A SYSTEM FOR CONNECTING A PAIR OF SUPPORT MEMBERS WHICH COMPRISES A FIRST SUPPORT MEMBER AND A SECOND SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED SLOTS, EACH OF SAID SLOTS HAVING A WIDE PORTION AND A NARROW PORTION; SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED STUDS WITH EACH OF SAID STUDS HAVING AN ENLARGED HEAD SMALLER THAN SAID WIDE PORTION AND LARGER THAN SAID NARROW PORTION SO THAT SAID STUD CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE WIDER PORTION OF SAID SLOT AND MOVE LATERALLY TO SAID NARROW PORTION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WALL ADJACENT SAID NARROW PORTION THEREBY PREVENTING STRAIGHT LINE SEPARATION OF SAID MEMBERS, SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING AN APERTURE ADJACENT AT LEAST ONE OF SAID STUDS AND POSITIONED FOR ALIGNMENT WITH SAID WIDE PORTION WHEN SAID ONE STUD IS ENGAGING THE WALL ADJACENT SAID NARROW PORTION; AND LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING A SPRING MEMBER ATTACHED TO ONE SIDE OF SAID SECOND MEMBER, A LOCK MEMBER ATTACHED TO SAID SPRING MEMBER AND DISPOSED IN SAID APERTURE, SAID LOCK MEMBER BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION PROJECTING FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SECOND MEMBER INTO THE WIDE PORTION OF THE SLOT AND A SECOND POSITION WITHDRAWN FROM THE WIDE PORTION OF SAID SLOT, SAID SPRING MEMBER URGING SAID LOCK MEMBER TO THE FIRST POSITION, AND LEVER MEANS ENGAGING SAID SPRING MEMBER ADJACENT SAID LOCKING MEMBER AND MOVABLE FROM A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE ONE SIDE OF SAID SECOND MEMBER TO AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING POSITION ACTING BETWEEN THE ONE SIDE OF THE SECOND MEMBER AND SAID SPRING MEMBER TO WITHDRAW AND HOLD SAID LOCKING MEMBER IN SAID SECOND POSITION DURING ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY OPERATION OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said studs are riveted to said second member and said spring member is attached to the riveting of one of said studs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said spring member is a leaf spring type having an aperture, said lever means being received in said aperture and having abutment surface engaged with said spring member adjacent said aperture.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 3, wherein said lever means includes an S-bend adjacent said abutment surfaces so that the abutment surfaces are offset from the remainder of the lever means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
204 words
Connecting means for securing two structural members together in an assembled relationship comprising; a first structural member having spaced headed connecting elements projecting from one face of said member, a second member having spaced apertures having wide portions for enabling insertion of said headed elements therethrough and narrow portions for engaging the headed elements to prevent removal from said aperture, so that said first and second support members are assembled by inserting the headed elements in the wider portions of the slots and laterally moving the insert headed elements into the narrow portions, locking means disposed on said first member to prevent accidental disconnection of the headed connecting elements from said apertures, said locking means including a lock member carried by a spring member and movable between a position projecting into the wide portion of an aperture of said second member and a second position withdrawn from said wide portion, and release means movable from a position substantially parallel to the first structural member to an outwardly extending position to act between said spring member and first structural member for moving said lock member to said second position and holding the locking member in said second position to enable disassembly of said connecting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
204 words
Connecting means for securing two structural members together in an assembled relationship comprising; a first structural member having spaced headed connecting elements projecting from one face of said member, a second member having spaced apertures having wide portions for enabling insertion of said headed elements therethrough and narrow portions for engaging the headed elements to prevent removal from said aperture, so that said first and second support members are assembled by inserting the headed elements in the wider portions of the slots and laterally moving the insert headed elements into the narrow portions, locking means disposed on said first member to prevent accidental disconnection of the headed connecting elements from said apertures, said locking means including a lock member carried by a spring member and movable between a position projecting into the wide portion of an aperture of said second member and a second position withdrawn from said wide portion, and release means movable from a position substantially parallel to the first structural member to an outwardly extending position to act between said spring member and first structural member for moving said lock member to said second position and holding the locking member in said second position to enable disassembly of said connecting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
236 words
Connecting means securing two structural members together in an assembled relationship comprising: a first structural member having spaced headed connecting elements projecting from one face of said member, a second member having spaced apertures having wide portions for enabling insertion of said headed elements therethrough and narrow portions for engaging the headed elements to prevent removal from said aperture, so that said first and second support members are assembled by inserting the headed elements in the wider portions of the slots and laterally moving the inserted headed elements into the narrow portions, locking means disposed on said first member to prevent accidental disconnection of the headed connecting elements from said apertures, said locking means including a lock member carried by a spring member and movable between a first position projecting into the wide portion of an aperture of said second member and a second position withdrawn from said wide portion, and a lever means having spaced oppositely facing abutment surfaces assembled with said spring member and being movable between a position substantially parallel to the first structural member wherein said abutment surfaces are withdrawn from contact with said spring member and the other face of said first member and an outwardly extending position having said abutment surfaces engaging said other face and said spring member to counteract said spring force and to hold said locking member in the second position enabling disassembly of said connecting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
236 words
Connecting means securing two structural members together in an assembled relationship comprising: a first structural member having spaced headed connecting elements projecting from one face of said member, a second member having spaced apertures having wide portions for enabling insertion of said headed elements therethrough and narrow portions for engaging the headed elements to prevent removal from said aperture, so that said first and second support members are assembled by inserting the headed elements in the wider portions of the slots and laterally moving the inserted headed elements into the narrow portions, locking means disposed on said first member to prevent accidental disconnection of the headed connecting elements from said apertures, said locking means including a lock member carried by a spring member and movable between a first position projecting into the wide portion of an aperture of said second member and a second position withdrawn from said wide portion, and a lever means having spaced oppositely facing abutment surfaces assembled with said spring member and being movable between a position substantially parallel to the first structural member wherein said abutment surfaces are withdrawn from contact with said spring member and the other face of said first member and an outwardly extending position having said abutment surfaces engaging said other face and said spring member to counteract said spring force and to hold said locking member in the second position enabling disassembly of said connecting means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A connecting means according to claim 6 wherein said first member has an aperture adjacent one of said headed connecting elements and said lock member is shiftably disposed therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A connecting means according to claim 6, wherein said spring member is a leaf-type spring having an aperture therein, and wherein said lever means has a portion received in the aperture of said spring member with the abutment surfaces disposed between said spring member and the other face of said first member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
A connecting means according to claim 8, wherein said lever means has a wide portion defining said abutment surfaces and a bent portion adjacent the wide portion defining an offset enabling said lever means to be close to said spring member when said locking pin is in said first position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
162 words
In a system for connecting a pair of support members utilizing spaced headed stud members inserted through spaced apertures of a keyhole configuration, and having lock means including a lock member insertable in a wide portion of one of said keyhole slots and urged into said wide portion by a spring member to prevent the accidental disconnection of the support members, the improvement comprising a lever means having abutment surfaces engaging the spring member and a face of one of the support members supporting said spring member, said lever member being movable from a position substantially parallel to said face with the abutment surfaces out of engagement with the spring member and said face to an outwardly extending position with the abutment surfaces contacting said spring member and the face and holding the spring away therefrom to withdraw and hold the locking member out of the wide portion of the aperture of the other member to enable disassembly of the support members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
162 words
In a system for connecting a pair of support members utilizing spaced headed stud members inserted through spaced apertures of a keyhole configuration, and having lock means including a lock member insertable in a wide portion of one of said keyhole slots and urged into said wide portion by a spring member to prevent the accidental disconnection of the support members, the improvement comprising a lever means having abutment surfaces engaging the spring member and a face of one of the support members supporting said spring member, said lever member being movable from a position substantially parallel to said face with the abutment surfaces out of engagement with the spring member and said face to an outwardly extending position with the abutment surfaces contacting said spring member and the face and holding the spring away therefrom to withdraw and hold the locking member out of the wide portion of the aperture of the other member to enable disassembly of the support members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
191 words
A pallet rack having vertical and horizontal support members with the horizontal members connected to the vertical members by an adjustable connection comprising: a first support member having spaced headed connecting elements extending from one side thereof receivable in spaced slots in a second member, said slots having a wide portion enabling the insertion of the headed connecting element therein and a narrow portion engaging the head of the connecting element to prevent removal therefrom and including a safety locking means including a locking member carried by a spring member attached to one of said support members, said spring member biasing a locking member into the wide portion of one of said slots for preventing the accidental removal of the headed connecting elements therefrom, and release means movable from a position substantially parallel to said first member to an outwardLy extending position for applying a predetermined force between said first member and said spring member to remove the biasing force applied to the locking member and to withdrawn and hold said locking member from its position in said wide portion of said one slot to enable disassembly of the support members.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
191 words
A pallet rack having vertical and horizontal support members with the horizontal members connected to the vertical members by an adjustable connection comprising: a first support member having spaced headed connecting elements extending from one side thereof receivable in spaced slots in a second member, said slots having a wide portion enabling the insertion of the headed connecting element therein and a narrow portion engaging the head of the connecting element to prevent removal therefrom and including a safety locking means including a locking member carried by a spring member attached to one of said support members, said spring member biasing a locking member into the wide portion of one of said slots for preventing the accidental removal of the headed connecting elements therefrom, and release means movable from a position substantially parallel to said first member to an outwardLy extending position for applying a predetermined force between said first member and said spring member to remove the biasing force applied to the locking member and to withdrawn and hold said locking member from its position in said wide portion of said one slot to enable disassembly of the support members.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
218 words
A system for connecting a pair of support members which comprises: a first support member having spaced headed connecting members thereon; a second support member having spaced apertures, each aperture being capable of receiving one of said headed connecting member and having a portion for engaging the headed connecting member received therein as said first and second support members are moved laterally relative to each other thereby preventing straight line separation of said headed connecting member from its aperture to form a connection between said support members; locking means mounted on one of said support members, said locking means having a locking member carried by a spring member and being biased by said spring member into coaction between said first and second support members as said connection is formed to limit relative lateral movement therebetween and thereby preventing inadvertent removal of said connecting members from their apertures and disassembly of said connection; and release means movable from a position substantially parallel to said one member to an outwardly extending position for applying a predetermined force between said first member and said spring member to remove the biasing force applied to the locking member and to withdraw and hold said locking member from its coaction between said support members to enable disassembly of the connection of said support members.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
218 words
A system for connecting a pair of support members which comprises: a first support member having spaced headed connecting members thereon; a second support member having spaced apertures, each aperture being capable of receiving one of said headed connecting member and having a portion for engaging the headed connecting member received therein as said first and second support members are moved laterally relative to each other thereby preventing straight line separation of said headed connecting member from its aperture to form a connection between said support members; locking means mounted on one of said support members, said locking means having a locking member carried by a spring member and being biased by said spring member into coaction between said first and second support members as said connection is formed to limit relative lateral movement therebetween and thereby preventing inadvertent removal of said connecting members from their apertures and disassembly of said connection; and release means movable from a position substantially parallel to said one member to an outwardly extending position for applying a predetermined force between said first member and said spring member to remove the biasing force applied to the locking member and to withdraw and hold said locking member from its coaction between said support members to enable disassembly of the connection of said support members.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-11 | 1975-04-12 | 1975-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-11 | 1979-04-12 | 1979-10-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-11 | 1983-04-12 | 1983-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |