US3757967A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Storage rack with dual safety bridge
Assignee: Rack Engineering Co
•
Filing: 1971-10-08
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Granted: 1973-09-11
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Expires: 1991-10-08
Abstract
Abstract A storage rack installation has two rows of multi-shelf racks with an intervening aisle and at least some of the shelves have track rails extending from front to back on which the wheels of a load-carrying dolly ride. Spring-projected latch pins at the front of each such shelf normally restrain its dolly against forward travel on the shelf. Dual bridge bars are removably rested at one end on a selected shelf at one side of the aisle and at the other end on a shelf across the aisle, each of which has a rail thereon to register with a rail on the selected shelf. Each bar has hooks that straddle the track rail of the selected shelf to align the shelf rail and rail of the bridge bar and each has an extension that depresses the nearby latch pin so that when both bridge bars are in place both latch pins are depressed and the dolly can roll at least part way off the selected shelf onto the bridge bars. A slide bolt on each bridge bar engages the selected shelf to selectively hold the bridge bar against vertical movement.
Inventors
- 👤 T Colbridge
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:54
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
Storage apparatus comprising in combination: a. two confronting rows of multi-shelf storage racks with an intervening aisle, the shelves being supported by spaced vertical columns at each end, the shelves being formed of structural sections including a beam across the front of each shelf, each shelf having two parallel rails extending thereacross from front to back, the front ends of the rails extending across the beam at the front of the shelf, b. a dolly on at least some of the shelves having wheels that roll on and are guided by the rails, c. a latch unit on said beam comprising a pin that is resiliently urged upwardly into an extended position where it obstructs the movement of the dolly off the front of the shelf but which may be depressed to a position out of dollyobstructing position, d. dual bridge bars with rails thereon, each bar having an end portion that removably hooks over said beam on the shelf at each side of one of the rails on the shelf to support said end of the bridge bar on the beam with its rail aligned with the rail on the shelf, and e. means on at least one of the two bars for depressing the pin of said latch and holding it depressed only when said end of the bridge bar is positioned on the shelf beam where its rail is aligned with the rail on the shelf.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
Storage apparatus comprising in combination: a. two confronting rows of multi-shelf storage racks with an intervening aisle, the shelves being supported by spaced vertical columns at each end, the shelves being formed of structural sections including a beam across the front of each shelf, each shelf having two parallel rails extending thereacross from front to back, the front ends of the rails extending across the beam at the front of the shelf, b. a dolly on at least some of the shelves having wheels that roll on and are guided by the rails, c. a latch unit on said beam comprising a pin that is resiliently urged upwardly into an extended position where it obstructs the movement of the dolly off the front of the shelf but which may be depressed to a position out of dollyobstructing position, d. dual bridge bars with rails thereon, each bar having an end portion that removably hooks over said beam on the shelf at each side of one of the rails on the shelf to support said end of the bridge bar on the beam with its rail aligned with the rail on the shelf, and e. means on at least one of the two bars for depressing the pin of said latch and holding it depressed only when said end of the bridge bar is positioned on the shelf beam where its rail is aligned with the rail on the shelf.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
93 words
Storage apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein there are two latch units on the shelf beam, one adjacent each rail on the shelf and each of the dual bridge bars has means for depressing that latch pin most closely adjacent that shelf rail with which the rail on the bridge bar is aligned and holding it depressed only while the said end of the bar is in rail-aligning position on the shelf beam whereby the dolly cannot be rolled off the shelf until both bridge bars are in position to receive it.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
a track rail extending therealong from said first end toward said second end,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
a track rail extending therealong from said first end toward said second end,
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
means at one end arranged to hook over the shelf beam of a shelf on said first rack,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
means at one end arranged to hook over the shelf beam of a shelf on said first rack,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
157 words
said last-named means interlocking with means on the shelf for restraining the bar against lateral movement on the shelf beam only when the track rail on the beam is in alignment with a track rail on the shelf, and comprising two metal plates, one secured to each side of the main bar section and extending forwardly from the main bar section, the forward extension of each plate forming a hook portion shaped to rest on the top of the shelf beam and engage the back surface of said shelf beam, said hook portions being at an elevation where the track rail on the main bar section will meet and align with one of the track rails on the bridge, said hooklike extensions being positioned on the main bar so that they straddle a track rail on the shelf when the respective track rails are aligned and thereby restrain the bar against lateral movement on the shelf beam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
157 words
said last-named means interlocking with means on the shelf for restraining the bar against lateral movement on the shelf beam only when the track rail on the beam is in alignment with a track rail on the shelf, and comprising two metal plates, one secured to each side of the main bar section and extending forwardly from the main bar section, the forward extension of each plate forming a hook portion shaped to rest on the top of the shelf beam and engage the back surface of said shelf beam, said hook portions being at an elevation where the track rail on the main bar section will meet and align with one of the track rails on the bridge, said hooklike extensions being positioned on the main bar so that they straddle a track rail on the shelf when the respective track rails are aligned and thereby restrain the bar against lateral movement on the shelf beam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
said first end having meAns that hold the bridge bar against sidewise or endwise movement on the shelf when the track rail on the bridge bar is aligned with a track rail on the shelf, and
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
said first end having meAns that hold the bridge bar against sidewise or endwise movement on the shelf when the track rail on the bridge bar is aligned with a track rail on the shelf, and
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
Storage apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said end portion of each bar which hooks over the beam on the shelf straddles a shelf rail in such manner as to hold the bar against movement sideways along the shelf beam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
Storage apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein there is a manually operable bolt on the same end of each bridge bar arranged to be projected under the shelf beam over which the said end of the bridge bar is hooked to releaseably lock the bridge bar against vertical movement after it is in the position where the rail on the bar is aligned with a rail on the shelf.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
93 words
means on said first end operable to depress one of said latch pins only when the bar is so positioned on the shelf with its track rail aligned with a track rail on the shelf, c. whereby said pair of bridge bars may be positioned on any selected shelf of either row with the first ends thereof engaged with the selected shelf to depress the latch pins of the sleected shelf whereby only then may the dolly move from the track rails on the shelf to the track rails on the bridge bars.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
93 words
means on said first end operable to depress one of said latch pins only when the bar is so positioned on the shelf with its track rail aligned with a track rail on the shelf, c. whereby said pair of bridge bars may be positioned on any selected shelf of either row with the first ends thereof engaged with the selected shelf to depress the latch pins of the sleected shelf whereby only then may the dolly move from the track rails on the shelf to the track rails on the bridge bars.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
142 words
For use in a storage apparatus where there are confronting multi-shelf storage racks with an aisle therebetween and at least some of the shelves of the rack have a structural beam across the front thereof and each shelf also has two spaced track rails extending from across the beam at the front of the sHelf to the rear of the shelf and a dolly on the shelf which rests on and is movable along said rails, the invention compris-ing a pair of bridge bars for use therewith, each bridge bar being: a. of an overall length sufficient to be supported at one end on the shelf beam of a first rack at one side of the aisle and be supported at the other end of the confronting rack across the aisle, b. each bar comprising a main bar section, said section having:
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
142 words
For use in a storage apparatus where there are confronting multi-shelf storage racks with an aisle therebetween and at least some of the shelves of the rack have a structural beam across the front thereof and each shelf also has two spaced track rails extending from across the beam at the front of the sHelf to the rear of the shelf and a dolly on the shelf which rests on and is movable along said rails, the invention compris-ing a pair of bridge bars for use therewith, each bridge bar being: a. of an overall length sufficient to be supported at one end on the shelf beam of a first rack at one side of the aisle and be supported at the other end of the confronting rack across the aisle, b. each bar comprising a main bar section, said section having:
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
63 words
The invention defined in claim 5 wherein there are two plates secured to the other end of the main bar section, one at each side of said section arranged to rest on a correspondingly positioned shelf of the opposite rack and straddle a track rail of said correspondingly positioned shelf to thereby aid in keeping the pair of bars when in place parallel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention defined in claim 5 wherein there is a means on said one end of the bar arranged to engage the shelf beam when the respective track rails of the shelf and bar are aligned to releasably hold the bridge bar against vertical movement relative to said shelf beam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said lastnamed means comprises a reciprocable bolt on one of said side plates movable axially into and out of a locking position against the underside of the shelf beam.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
78 words
The invention defined in claim 5 wherein there is a means on said end of the bridge bar operable only when the bridge bar is hooked over said shelf beam with the rail of the bridge bar aligned with a rail on the shelf for holding in an inactive position latching means on the shelf which is effective to restrain a dolly on the shelf against movement on said track rails when not inactivated by the bridge bar.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
80 words
The invention defined in claim 9 wherein the last-named means on the bridge bar presses down on the latch pin on the shelf beam that is spring-biased to push upwardly into the path of travel of the dolly, and there is a reciprocable bolt at said end of the bridge bar axially movable into and out of locking posi-tion with the shelf beam to oppose the lifting force of said spring-biased latch pin against said end of the bridge bar.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
86 words
A storage apparatus comprising in combination: a. two confronting rows of racks with an intervening aisle and shelves at selected levels in the racks of each row, the shelves having track rails extending from front to back and having a dolly movable along said rails, the shelves having means at the back thereof to limit a pair of spring-biased depressable latch pins at the front that normally restrain the dolly from forward movement off the shelf, b. a pair of bridge rails, each of which has:
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
86 words
A storage apparatus comprising in combination: a. two confronting rows of racks with an intervening aisle and shelves at selected levels in the racks of each row, the shelves having track rails extending from front to back and having a dolly movable along said rails, the shelves having means at the back thereof to limit a pair of spring-biased depressable latch pins at the front that normally restrain the dolly from forward movement off the shelf, b. a pair of bridge rails, each of which has:
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) | 1976-09-10 | 1977-03-12 | 1977-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-10 | 1981-03-12 | 1981-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-10 | 1985-03-12 | 1985-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |