US3746176A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Shipping rack
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-08-02
•
Granted: 1973-07-17
•
Expires: 1991-08-02
Abstract
Abstract A shipping rack for vehicle body panels with vertical corner posts and laterally movable side gates. Indexable retainers each having multiple sets of saddles adapted to receive and restrain movement of an edge of a body panel provide a shipping rack which can be readily adjusted to accommodate body panels of various sizes and shapes.
Inventors
- 👤 E Kotlar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 17:36
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61D; B61D45/00; B61D45/006; A; A47; A47B; A47B81/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
294 words
A shipping rack adjustable to accommodate various size vehicle body panels therein, comprising: a frame, first and second longitudinally extending retainers carried in laterally spaced generally parallel relation by said frame, each of said first and second retainers having at least a first and a second set of a plurality of longitudinally spaced saddles thereon adapted to receive and restrain the movement in a longitudinal direction of a portion of a body panel, each of said first and second sets of saddles being ridigly sEcured in a single position on said retainers, the saddles of the first set being of a width different than that of the saddles of the second set, whereby the saddles of said first set when in operative position are arranged to receive an edge portion of one body panel and the saddles of the second set when in operative position are arranged to receive an edge portion of a differently dimensioned panel, said first and second sets of saddles on each of said first and second retainers being angularly spaced from each other about the longitudinal axis of their respective retainer such that when one of the sets of saddles is positioned to receive a body panel the other set of saddles will be disengaged from said panel, and means adjustably carrying said first and second retainers on said frame such that the first and second set of saddles of each of said first and second retainers can be selectively positioned to receive a portion of a body panel, whereby said rack can be readily adapted to receive and retain body panels of different dimensions by indexing said first and second retainers to select predetermined sets of saddles to receive and retain an edge portion of the body panels.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
294 words
A shipping rack adjustable to accommodate various size vehicle body panels therein, comprising: a frame, first and second longitudinally extending retainers carried in laterally spaced generally parallel relation by said frame, each of said first and second retainers having at least a first and a second set of a plurality of longitudinally spaced saddles thereon adapted to receive and restrain the movement in a longitudinal direction of a portion of a body panel, each of said first and second sets of saddles being ridigly sEcured in a single position on said retainers, the saddles of the first set being of a width different than that of the saddles of the second set, whereby the saddles of said first set when in operative position are arranged to receive an edge portion of one body panel and the saddles of the second set when in operative position are arranged to receive an edge portion of a differently dimensioned panel, said first and second sets of saddles on each of said first and second retainers being angularly spaced from each other about the longitudinal axis of their respective retainer such that when one of the sets of saddles is positioned to receive a body panel the other set of saddles will be disengaged from said panel, and means adjustably carrying said first and second retainers on said frame such that the first and second set of saddles of each of said first and second retainers can be selectively positioned to receive a portion of a body panel, whereby said rack can be readily adapted to receive and retain body panels of different dimensions by indexing said first and second retainers to select predetermined sets of saddles to receive and retain an edge portion of the body panels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
137 words
The shipping rack of claim 1 which also comprises a third longitudinally extending retainer in generally parallel relation to and vertically spaced from said first and second retainers, said third retainer having at least a first and a second set of generally longitudinally extending saddles thereon with the first and second sets of saddles being generally angularly spaced about the axis of said third retainer such that when one of the sets of saddles of the third retainer is positioned to receive an edge portion of a body panel the other set of saddles is disengaged from said body panel, and means carried by said frame and carrying said third retainer such that said third retainer can be indexed to selectively position the first and second set of saddles thereof to engage and restrain a body panel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The shipping rack of claim 2 which also comprises a side gate carried by said frame for generally lateral movement with respect to said frame and in which said third retainer is connected to said side gate for generally lateral movement therewith.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The shipping rack of claim 1 in which said first and second sets of saddles of said retainers are oriented at substantially a right angle to each other and each of the sets of saddles comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The shipping rack of claim 3 in which said first and second sets of saddles of said retainers are oriented at substantially a right angle to each other and each of the sets of saddles comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The shipping rack of claim 4 in which the lugs of said first sets of saddles are spaced closer together than the lugs of said second sets of saddles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The shipping rack of claim 5 in which the lugs of said first sets of saddles of said first and second retainers are spaced closer together than the lugs of said second sets of saddles of said first and second retainers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The shipping rack of claim 1 wherein said frame includes a plurality of supports having an upstanding pin thereon, each of said retainers having a pair of openings at each end thereof engageable with a corresponding upstanding pin for supporting the retainer on the frame, the axes of said openings being angularly oriented to correspond with orientation of said first and second sets of saddles.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The shipping rack of claim 8 wherein each of said retainers comprises a length of angle iron having perpendicularly related legs, said first and second set of saddles being mounted on the outer faces of said legs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The shipping rack of claim 9 wherein said supports comprise a pair of stringers on said frame, each of said stringers having a generally horizontally disposed support surface and generally vertically disposed support surface for cooperation with the inner faces of the legs of said angle irons.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
227 words
A shipping rack adjustable to accommodate various size vehicle body panels in a generally vertically disposed position therein, comprising: a frame having laterally spaced generally parallel stringers and four generally vertically extending corner posts, first and second retainers each having at least a first and a second set of a plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs providing a plurality of saddles thereon adapted to receive and restrain movement of an edge of a body panel extending transversely of said retainers, each of said first and second set of saddles being rigidly secured in a single position on said retainers, the saddles of the first set being of a width different from that of the saddles of the second set, each of said first set of saddles being angularly spaced from said second set of saddles such that when the saddles of one set are positioned to receive an edge of a panel the saddles of the other set will be disengaged from said edge of the panel, and means adjustably carrying said first and second retainers on said frame such that said first and second retainers can be selectively indexed to position the first and second set of saddles of each of said retainers to receive an edge of a body panel, whereby said shipping container can be adjusted to accommodate body panels having edges of various widths.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
227 words
A shipping rack adjustable to accommodate various size vehicle body panels in a generally vertically disposed position therein, comprising: a frame having laterally spaced generally parallel stringers and four generally vertically extending corner posts, first and second retainers each having at least a first and a second set of a plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs providing a plurality of saddles thereon adapted to receive and restrain movement of an edge of a body panel extending transversely of said retainers, each of said first and second set of saddles being rigidly secured in a single position on said retainers, the saddles of the first set being of a width different from that of the saddles of the second set, each of said first set of saddles being angularly spaced from said second set of saddles such that when the saddles of one set are positioned to receive an edge of a panel the saddles of the other set will be disengaged from said edge of the panel, and means adjustably carrying said first and second retainers on said frame such that said first and second retainers can be selectively indexed to position the first and second set of saddles of each of said retainers to receive an edge of a body panel, whereby said shipping container can be adjusted to accommodate body panels having edges of various widths.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
177 words
The shipping rack of claim 11 which also comprises a gate carried by said frame for generally lateral movement thereto, a third retainer extending generally parallel to and vertically spaced from said first and second retainers, said third retainer having at least a first and a second set of a plurality of generally longitudinally spaced lugs providing a plurality of saddles adapted to receive and restrain movement of an edge of a body panel, said first and second set of lugs of said third retainer being angularly spaced about the axis of the third retainer such that when one set of saddles receives an edge of a body panel the other set of saddles will be disengaged from the edge of the panel, and means connected to said gate and carrying said third retainer such that said third retainer can be indexed to selectively position said first and said second set of saddles of said third retainer to receive and restrain an edge of a body panel with said third retainer being laterally movable with said gate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2129951A
Cited
US3533502A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-16 | 1977-01-15 | 1977-07-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-16 | 1981-01-15 | 1981-07-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-16 | 1985-01-15 | 1985-07-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |