Telescoping shelf assembly

Claim 2

A shelf assembly including: a shelf unit of resilient sheet material having a rectangular planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along the longitudinal edges thereof; each of said flanges extending above and below the plane of said planar portion and presenting internal opposing walls on each side thereof; apertures in each of said internal walls adjacent to and substantially equally spaced from the ends of said shelf; and a pair of bracket members having arm portions adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar positions from a supporting structure; said bracket members each having a pair of transversely extending tabs on the inner surfaces of said arm portions adapted to span between and engage within said apertures; and the resiliency of said shelf unit allowing the effective transverse span between said flanges to be spread so as to engage said apertures over said pairs of tabs.

Claim 3

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein: a pair of said shelf units is provided as a shelf assembly; a tubular flange on one side of each of said shelf units being smaller in cross-sectional area than the other flange; the internal opposing wall of said smaller flange having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along one side of said planar portion; the internal opposing wall of said other and larger flange having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the opposite side of said planar portion; said pair of shelf units being telescoped one upon the other with the smaller flange of one inside the larger flange of the other and said respective slots receiving the integral planar portion of the other whereby the effective length of said shelf assembly is adjustable.

Claim 4

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 1 including: a second pair of bracket members having arm portions adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar positions from said supporting structure above said pair of brackets for said shelf unit, with the extended ends thereof substantially coextensive therewith; said second pair of brackets each having tab members extending inwardly from the inside and extended end of said arm portions along a longitudinal axis of said shelf unit; and a tubular guard rail unit adapted to span between and engage at its open ends over said tab members of said pair of bracket members.

Claim 5

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which: spaced upright substantially coplanar rail members are provided in fixed positions on said supporting surface to hold said shelf assembly; said rail members each presenting a pair of upright spaced walls with an inwardly offset connecting wall therebetween; a series of spaced slots in said connecting wall; and said bracket members include a base flange at one end of said arm portion with hook means extending therefrom; said hook means including a downwardly projecting portion the effective length thereof being longer than the vertical opening of said slots and the inner surface of said projecting portions being spaced from said base flange substantially the same distance as the offset of said connecting wall from said pair of upright walls whereby said hook means of said bracket members are engageable through said slots in an upward angular position and said inner surface thereof engages over the bottom of said slots with said base flange abutting same pair of upright walls of said rail members.

Claim 6

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 3 in which: spaced upright substantially coplanar rail members are provided in fixed positions on said supporting surface to hold said shelf assembly; said rail members each presenting a pair of upright spaced walls with an inwardly offset connecting wall therebetween; a series of spaced slots in said connecting wall; and said second pair of brackets for said guard rail include a base flange at one end of said arm portion with hook means extending therefrom; said hook means including upwardly and downwardly projecting coplanar hook members the effecting lengths of which are greater than the vertical opening of said slots; the inner surfaces of said planar hook members being spaced from said base flange Substantially the same distances as the offset of said connecting wall from said pair of upright walls, whereby said hook means of said bracket members are engageable through said slots in an upward angular position and said inner surfaces thereof engage over the top and bottom of said slots with said base flange abutting said pair of upright walls of said rail members.

Claim 7

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 3 in which: a pair of said tubular guard rail units is provided; said guard rail units being substantially identical and having an encompassing wall with over-lapping terminal edges spaced axially from each other and one edge being spaced inside the other to define an elongated open-ended slot; said pair of guard rail units being telescoped one upon the other with a portion of the encompassing wall of each within the elongated slot of the other.

Claim 8

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 3 in which: a pair of said tubular guard rail units is provided; said rail units being identical and having an encompassing wall with over-lapping terminal edges spaced axially from each other and one edge being spaced inside the other to define an elongated open-ended slot; said pair of guard rail units being telescoped one upon the other with a portion of the encompassing wall of each within the elongated slot of the other; a pair of said shelf units is provided as a shelf assembly; a tubular flange on one side of each of said shelf units being smaller in cross-sectional area than the other flange; the internal opposing wall of said smaller flange having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along one side of said planar portion; the internal opposing wall of said other and larger flange having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the opposite side of said planar portion; said pair of shelf units being telescoped one upon the other with the smaller flange of one inside the larger flange of the other and said respective slots receiving the integral planar portion of the other whereby the effective length of said shelf assembly is adjustable.

Claim 9

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which: said bracket members include a transverse supporting flange coextensive with said planar portion between said internal opposing walls; and said tabs extend from and are coplanar with the ends of said supporting flanges.

Claim 10

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which said resilient sheet material is metal.

Claim 11

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 3 in which said tab members on said second pair of brackets comprise: a pair of spaced individual resilient protuberances having outwardly curved divergent ends; said curved ends extending beyond the sides of said tab members and adapted to snap-fit into the open end of said tabular guard rail unit.

Claim 12

A shelf assembly including: a pair of identical shelf units of resilient sheet material; each of said shelf units having a rectangular planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along the longitudinal edges thereof; each of said flanges extending above and below the plane of said planar portion and presenting integral opposing walls on each side thereof; one of said tubular flanges on one side of each of said shelf units being smaller in cross-sectional area than the other flange; an internal opposing wall of said smaller flange having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the one side of said planar portion; an internal opposing wall of said other and larger flange having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the opposite side of said planar portion; said pair of shelf units being telescoped one upon the other in over-lapping relationship with the smaller flange of one inside the larger flange of the other and said respective slots receiving the integral planar portion of the other whereby the effective length of said pair of shelf units iS adjustable.

Claim 13

A shelf assembly including: a pair of identical shelf units of resilient sheet material; each of said shelf units having a rectangular planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along the longitudinal edges thereof; each of said flanges extending above and below the plane of said planar portion and presenting integral opposing walls on each side thereof; one of said tubular flanges on one side of each of said shelf units being smaller in cross-sectional area than the other flange; an internal opposing wall of said smaller flange having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the one side of said planar portion; an internal opposing wall of said other and larger flange having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the opposite side of said planar portion; said pair of shelf units being telescoped one upon the other in over-lapping relationship with the smaller flange of one inside the larger flange of the other and said respective slots receiving the integral planar portion of the other whereby the effective length of said pair of shelf units iS adjustable.

Claim 14

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein: bracket means are provided to engage the ends of said pair of telescoped shelf units to hold same in a substantially horizontal plane from a supporting vertical surface.

Claim 15

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 11 in which: apertures are provided in each of said internal opposing walls of said tubular flanges adjacent to and substantially equally spaced from the ends of each shelf unit; and a pair of supporting bracket means is provided, each having oppositely disposed pairs of transverse tab members spaced from the end of said shelf units a distance greater than the spacing of said opposing internal walls of said tubular flanges, whereby the resiliency of said shelf unit allows the effective transverse span between said flanges to spread so as to engage said apertures over said pairs of tab members on the respective bracket means.

Claim 16

In a sheet metal shelf assembly the combination of: a pair of identical shelf units each having a rectangular planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along the longitudinal side edges thereof; one of said tubular flanges of each of said shelf units being smaller in cross-sectional area than the other; each of said flanges of a shelf unit extending above and below the plane of said planar portion and presenting internal opposing side walls on each side thereof; apertures in each of said internal side walls of said shelf units adjacent to and substantially equally spaced from the ends of said shelf units; said internal opposing walls of said smaller flange of each shelf unit having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along one side of said planar portion; the internal opposing walls of said larger flange of each shelf unit having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the other side of said planar portion; said pair of shelf units being telescoped one upon the other into a shelf assembly with the smaller flange of one inside the larger flange of the other and said respective slots receiving the integral planar portion of the other whereby the effective length of said shelf assembly is adjustable to expose a pair of said apertures on the same side and at each end of said shelf assembly; a pair of bracket members having arm portions adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar positions from a supporting structure; said bracket members each having a pair of transversely extending tabs on the inner surface of said arm portions adapted to span between and engage within said exposed apertures of said shelf assembly; a pair of identical tubular guard rail units; said guard rail units having an encompassing wall with overlapping terminal edges spaced axially from each other and one edge being spaced inside the other to define an elongated open-ended slot; said pair of guard rail units being telescoped one upon the other into a guard rail assembly with a portion of the encompassing wall of each within the elongated slot of the other; a second pair of bracket members having arm portions adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar position from said supporting structure above said first pair of bracket members; said bracket members of said second pair each having a pair of laterally extending tabs on the inner surfaces of said arm portions adapted to span between and engage within the extended ends of said tubular guard rail assembly.

Claim 17

In a sheet metal shelf assembly the combination of: a pair of identical shelf units each having a rectangular planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along the longitudinal side edges thereof; one of said tubular flanges of each of said shelf units being smaller in cross-sectional area than the other; each of said flanges of a shelf unit extending above and below the plane of said planar portion and presenting internal opposing side walls on each side thereof; apertures in each of said internal side walls of said shelf units adjacent to and substantially equally spaced from the ends of said shelf units; said internal opposing walls of said smaller flange of each shelf unit having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along one side of said planar portion; the internal opposing walls of said larger flange of each shelf unit having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the other side of said planar portion; said pair of shelf units being telescoped one upon the other into a shelf assembly with the smaller flange of one inside the larger flange of the other and said respective slots receiving the integral planar portion of the other whereby the effective length of said shelf assembly is adjustable to expose a pair of said apertures on the same side and at each end of said shelf assembly; a pair of bracket members having arm portions adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar positions from a supporting structure; said bracket members each having a pair of transversely extending tabs on the inner surface of said arm portions adapted to span between and engage within said exposed apertures of said shelf assembly; a pair of identical tubular guard rail units; said guard rail units having an encompassing wall with overlapping terminal edges spaced axially from each other and one edge being spaced inside the other to define an elongated open-ended slot; said pair of guard rail units being telescoped one upon the other into a guard rail assembly with a portion of the encompassing wall of each within the elongated slot of the other; a second pair of bracket members having arm portions adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar position from said supporting structure above said first pair of bracket members; said bracket members of said second pair each having a pair of laterally extending tabs on the inner surfaces of said arm portions adapted to span between and engage within the extended ends of said tubular guard rail assembly.

Claim 18

A sheet metal shelf assembly in accordance with claim 14 including: spaced upright substantially coplanar rail members are provided in fixed positions on said supporting surface to hold said shelf assembly; said rail members each presenting a pair of upright spaced walls with an inwardly offset connecting wall therebetween; a series of spaced slots in said connecting wall; said bracket members of said first pair of brackets include a base flange at one end of said arm portiOn with hook means extending therefrom; said hook means including a downwardly projecting portion the effective length thereof being longer than the vertical opening of said slots and the inner surface of said projecting portions being spaced from said base flange substantially the same distance as the offset of said connecting wall from said pair of upright walls whereby said hook means of said bracket members are engageable through said slots in an upward angular position and said inner surface thereof engages over the bottom of said slots with said base flange abutting same pair of upright walls of said rain members; and said second pair of brackets for said guard rail include a base flange at one end of said arm portion with hook means extending therefrom; said hook means including upwardly and downwardly projecting coplanar hook members the effective lengths of which are greater than the vertical opening of said slots; the inner surfaces of said planar hook members being spaced from said base flange substantially the same distances as the offset of said connecting wall from said pair of upright walls, whereby said hook means of said bracket members are engageable through said slots in an upward angular position and said inner surfaces thereof engage over the top and bottom of said slots with said base flange abutting said pair of upright walls of said rail members.

Claim 19

In a sheet metal shelf assembly the combination of: a pair of identical shelf units each having a rectangular planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along the longitudinal side edges thereof; one of said tubular flanges of each of said shelf units being smaller in cross-sectional area than the other; each of said flanges of a shelf unit extending above and below the plane of said planar portion and presenting internal opposing side walls on each side thereof; apertures in each of said internal side walls of said shelf units adjacent to and substantially equally spaced from the ends of said shelf units; said internal opposing walls of said smaller flange of each shelf unit having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along one side of said planar portion; the internal opposing walls of said larger flange of each shelf unit having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the other side of said planar portion; said pair of shelf units being telescoped one upon the other into a shelf assembly with the smaller flange of one inside the larger flange of the other and said respective slots receiving the integral planar portion of the other whereby the effective length of said shelf assembly is adjustable to expose a pair of said apertures on the same side and at each end of said shelf assembly; a first pair of bracket members adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar positions from a supporting structure; said bracket members each having tab means adapted to span between and engage said shelf assembly; a pair of identical tubular guard rail units; said guard rail units having an encompassing wall with over-lapping terminal edges spaced axially from each other and one edge being spaced inside the other to define an elongated open-ended slot; said pair of guard rail units being telescoped one upon the other into a guard rail assembly with a portion of the encompassing wall of each within the elongated slot of the other; a second pair of bracket members adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar position from said supporting structure above said first pair of bracket members; said bracket members having tab means adapted to span between and engage within the extended ends of said tubular guard rail assembly.

Claim 20

In a sheet metal shelf assembly the combination of: a pair of identical shelf units each having a rectangular planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along the longitudinal side edges thereof; one of said tubular flanges of each of said shelf units being smaller in cross-sectional area than the other; each of said flanges of a shelf unit extending above and below the plane of said planar portion and presenting internal opposing side walls on each side thereof; apertures in each of said internal side walls of said shelf units adjacent to and substantially equally spaced from the ends of said shelf units; said internal opposing walls of said smaller flange of each shelf unit having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along one side of said planar portion; the internal opposing walls of said larger flange of each shelf unit having an edge defining an elongated open-ended slot along the other side of said planar portion; said pair of shelf units being telescoped one upon the other into a shelf assembly with the smaller flange of one inside the larger flange of the other and said respective slots receiving the integral planar portion of the other whereby the effective length of said shelf assembly is adjustable to expose a pair of said apertures on the same side and at each end of said shelf assembly; a first pair of bracket members adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar positions from a supporting structure; said bracket members each having tab means adapted to span between and engage said shelf assembly; a pair of identical tubular guard rail units; said guard rail units having an encompassing wall with over-lapping terminal edges spaced axially from each other and one edge being spaced inside the other to define an elongated open-ended slot; said pair of guard rail units being telescoped one upon the other into a guard rail assembly with a portion of the encompassing wall of each within the elongated slot of the other; a second pair of bracket members adapted to be affixed in horizontal spaced coplanar position from said supporting structure above said first pair of bracket members; said bracket members having tab means adapted to span between and engage within the extended ends of said tubular guard rail assembly.

Claim 21

A sheet metal assembly in accordance with claim 16 in which: said flanges of said pair of shelf units are rectangular in cross-section; said guard rail units are rectangular in cross-section; and the edge of the outermost of said over-lapping walls of said guard rail units is rounded along its length.

Claim 22

A shelf assembly comprising: at least a pair of shelf units of resilient sheet material each having a planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along opposite longitudinal edges thereof; one of the tubular flanges of a shelf unit being smaller and having an external cross-sectional area which is no greater than the internal cross-sectional area of the other larger tubular flange; each of said tubular flanges having an internal wall with an edge disposed in spaced relationship along said planar portion and defining an elongated open-ended slot along one side of said planar portion; each of said open-ended slots being transversely spaced and on opposite sides of said planar portion; one of said shelf units being telescoped upon the other with its smaller flange inside the larger flange of the other to form an extendable shelf assembly; and means operative to engage said telescoped shelf units to a supporting bracket are provided at each of the extended ends of said assembly.

Claim 23

A shelf assembly comprising: at least a pair of shelf units of resilient sheet material each having a planar portion between coextensive integral tubular flanges along opposite longitudinal edges thereof; one of the tubular flanges of a shelf unit being smaller and having an external cross-sectional area which is no greater than the internal cross-sectional area of the other larger tubular flange; each of said tubular flanges having an internal wall with an edge disposed in spaced relationship along said planar portion and defining an elongated open-ended slot along one side of said planar portion; each of said open-ended slots being transversely spaced and on opposite sides of said planar portion; one of said shelf units being telescoped upon the other with its smaller flange inside the larger flange of the other to form an extendable shelf assembly; and means operative to engage said telescoped shelf units to a supporting bracket are provided at each of the extended ends of said assembly.

Claim 24

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 18 in which: more than a pair of said shelf units are employed in telescoping relationship.

Claim 25

A shelf assembly in accordance with claim 18 in which: said engaging means are provided on both ends and on opposite sides of said ends whereby each of said shelf units is interchangeable and said engaging means are exposed in any attitude of extension and on either side of said shelf assembly.