US3743115A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rack storage apparatus
Assignee: Rack Engineering Co
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Filing: 1971-10-08
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1991-10-08
Abstract
Abstract There is described a multi-shelf storage rack having spaced shelf-supporting uprights arranged in pairs, each pair comprising a front and a rear upright, the uprights having two rows of vertical notches extending vertically thereof in which the shelves are supported. At least some of the shelves have a pair of transverse rails extending from the front to back with a stop at the back. A wheeled dolly is positioned on these rails and the dolly has a spring-biased latch pin that restrains it against movement on the rails. An outrigger, comprising a structural frame, can be hung on the uprights in position in front of a selected shelf, secured against accidental removal whereupon a latch pin-releasing device on the outrigger may be operated to release the latch pin on the dolly and the forward end of the dolly rolled from the rails on the shelf onto matching rails on the outrigger to a position where the dolly is exposed vertically for loading or unloading by a crane or hoist. When loading or unloading is completed, the dolly is rolled back onto the shelf and an inclined ramp on the outrigger retracts the latch pin on the dolly until the dolly is back on the shelf when the latch pin will spring into latching position. The outrigger is thereafter lifted off the rack by the crane or hoist and placed on the floor or hung in front of another shelf.
Inventors
- 👤 S Saul
- 👤 T Colbridge
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 15:04
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/0407
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
A rack type storage apparatus comprising, in combination: a. a storage rack having a series of spaced pairs of front and rear vertically notched uprights and a series of vertically spaced shelves extending between and supported on each two pairs of adjacent uprights; b. at least some of the shelves having spaced rails thereon extending from the front to the rear, c. a dolly having front and rear wheels engaging said rails adapted to travel on said rails, and d. an outrigger comprising a structural frame arranged to be elevated by a hoist to a position in front of a selected shelf on said rack, the outrigger having hook means thereon arranged to engage the notched upright at each end of the selected shelf for releasably supporting the outrigger on said uprights, e. the outrigger having rails thereon that align vertically and horizontally with the rails on the selected shelf when the outrigger is so supported on the uprights to provide in effect an extension of the rails on the shelf whereby the dolly may roll from the shelf onto the outrigger, f. means on the dolly to restrain it from rolling off the shelf rails when the outrigger is not in front of the shelf and which may be released when the outrigger is supported at the front of the shelf, and g. means on the outrigger for limiting the travel of the dolly when it travels forward onto the rails of the outrigger.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
A rack type storage apparatus comprising, in combination: a. a storage rack having a series of spaced pairs of front and rear vertically notched uprights and a series of vertically spaced shelves extending between and supported on each two pairs of adjacent uprights; b. at least some of the shelves having spaced rails thereon extending from the front to the rear, c. a dolly having front and rear wheels engaging said rails adapted to travel on said rails, and d. an outrigger comprising a structural frame arranged to be elevated by a hoist to a position in front of a selected shelf on said rack, the outrigger having hook means thereon arranged to engage the notched upright at each end of the selected shelf for releasably supporting the outrigger on said uprights, e. the outrigger having rails thereon that align vertically and horizontally with the rails on the selected shelf when the outrigger is so supported on the uprights to provide in effect an extension of the rails on the shelf whereby the dolly may roll from the shelf onto the outrigger, f. means on the dolly to restrain it from rolling off the shelf rails when the outrigger is not in front of the shelf and which may be released when the outrigger is supported at the front of the shelf, and g. means on the outrigger for limiting the travel of the dolly when it travels forward onto the rails of the outrigger.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A rack type storage apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last named means is so positioned that the rear wheels of the dolly cannot leave the rails on the shelf.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
95 words
A rack type storage apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means to restrain the outrigger from rolling on the shelf rails when the outrigger is not positioned on the rack in front of the selected shelf comprises a latch on the dolly that interlocks with the shelf structure and wherein there is means on the outrigger selectively operable to release said latch means only when the outrigger has been secured to the uprights at the front of the selected shelf with the rails of the outrigger aligned with the rails of the shelf.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
144 words
A rack type storage apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the latch comprises a spring biased pin slidable within an enclosing barrel which is secured to the dolly and having an end projecting from the barrel, the force oF the spring holding the pin projected into a latching position, the shelf having a structural section against a surface of which the pin projects when the dolly is confined against travel along the shelf rails, said means on the outrigger for releasing said latch comprising a cam on the outrigger positioned to selectively bear against said pin to move it to a retracted position out of latching engagement with said structural section of the shelf only when the outrigger has been mounted on the rack with its rails aligned with the rails on the rack, and means on the outrigger for operating the cam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
A rack type storage apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the outrigger has an inclined ramp thereon in the path of travel of said pin positioned to effect retraction of the pin into the barrel when the dolly is moved from a position off the outrigger back onto the shelf.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
110 words
A rack type storage apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein each upright has a series of parallel alternate notch and hook elements extending up each side at the front thereof and the shelves have interfitting mounting means at each corner engaged with the notches and hooks of the uprights, and the hook means on the outrigger comprises vertically spaced cleats at each end of the outrigger so located that notches in the front uprights above and below the selected shelf are simultaneously engaged for supporting the outrigger on the vertical columns at a level where the rails of the outrigger are aligned with the rails of the selected shelf.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
A rack type storage apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein there are releasable safety means on the outrigger which are confined in their operating position against the rear walls of the two vertical columns on which the outrigger is hung for preventing accidental release of the outrigger until said safety means are withdrawn from said operating position to release the outrigger for removal from the uprights.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said safety means has a portion that projects beneath a hook of the column when the safety means is in operating position to restrain the outrigger against accidental upward movement of the column until the said safety means is withdrawn from the operating position.
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) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |