System for connecting wire shelf units end-to-end

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein each of said side rails is a generally C-shaped channel having an outer vertical side wall and inwardly depending upper and lower horizontal walls, said side wall aperture thereof extending through said vertical wall and to a limited extent into said horizontal walls to define an obstruction-free vertical throughput to receive said anchor pad; said anchor pad of said horizontal clip having a generally rectilinear shape and conforming to the outer vertical wall of a side rail in which said strut is inserted whereby said pad cannot pass through said aperture of said side rail of said first shelf.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 wherein said strut of said horizontal clip has a height dimensioned to fit within the trough of two axially aligned side rails to prevent bending said side rails relative to each other when said strut is inserted into adjacent, aligned rails.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 further comprising a leg assembly having an end vertical side plate; and a side clip adapted to mount a wire end frame to said second shelf; said end clip, said vertical end plate of said leg assembly, and said horizontal clip all defining apertures adapted to be aligned relative to said aperture of said side rail of said second shelf; and bolt means adapted to pass through said aligned apertures and to secure all of said elements to said side rail of said second shelf.

Claim 6

In a system for connecting first and second wire shelves end-to-end, the combination comprising: elongated side rails on each side of each shelf, each side rail having a C-shaped cross section and providing an aperture adjacent each end thereof, said C-shape providing an open channel including a vertical side wall and upper and lower horizontal walls depending therefrom and opening toward the longitudinal center of an associated shelf, said aperture being formed in the vertical side wall of each side rail and extending to a limited degree into the associated horizontal walls thereof to define a vertical throughput; horizontal clip means including a rectilinear anchor pad and an elongated strut member, the height of said strut member being slightly less than the spacing between said horizontal walls of said channels; whereby when said channels are axially aligned, said horizontal clip may be pre-assembled to adjacent end rails of said first and second shelves whereby the strut thereof is received within each channel and prevents relative bending between said side rails and said anchor pad firmly locks into an end aperture of said first shelf; a leg assembly having an end plate at each end thereof adapted to be received in an associated end rail of said first shelf; an upright end frame including clip means; and bolt means for attaching one end clip of said upright end frame, the distal end of said strut of said horizontal clip, and one end plate of said leg assembly to the side rail of said second shelf adjacent the end aperture thereof.

Claim 7

In a system for connecting first and second wire shelves end-to-end, the combination comprising: elongated side rails on each side of each shelf, each side rail having a C-shaped cross section and providing an aperture adjacent each end thereof, said C-shape providing an open channel including a vertical side wall and upper and lower horizontal walls depending therefrom and opening toward the longitudinal center of an associated shelf, said aperture being formed in the vertical side wall of each side rail and extending to a limited degree into the associated horizontal walls thereof to define a vertical throughput; horizontal clip means including a rectilinear anchor pad and an elongated strut member, the height of said strut member being slightly less than the spacing between said horizontal walls of said channels; whereby when said channels are axially aligned, said horizontal clip may be pre-assembled to adjacent end rails of said first and second shelves whereby the strut thereof is received within each channel and prevents relative bending between said side rails and said anchor pad firmly locks into an end aperture of said first shelf; a leg assembly having an end plate at each end thereof adapted to be received in an associated end rail of said first shelf; an upright end frame including clip means; and bolt means for attaching one end clip of said upright end frame, the distal end of said strut of said horizontal clip, and one end plate of said leg assembly to the side rail of said second shelf adjacent the end aperture thereof.