US3767059A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Folding bed for a storage rack
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-04-27
•
Granted: 1973-10-23
•
Expires: 1992-04-27
Abstract
Abstract A folding bed is provided for use in supporting load materials between parallel horizontal load-bearing elements in a storage rack. The bed comprises a pair of elongated beams which are disposed in spaced parallel relation, and a series of support members span in spaced parallel relation between the beams. The support members are pivotally fastened at their ends to the beams so that the bed may be folded into a compact parallelogram-like configuration for shipment. In one embodiment, the ends of the beams are supported on arms extending outwardly from spaced upstanding columns in a cantilever rack; in another embodiment, the beams are supported along their lengths by underlying loadbearing elements. An upstanding divider which is capable of being releasably mounted onto the load beams by means of clips is also provided.
Inventors
- 👤 E Seiz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:35
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B43/00; B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
A foldable support, comprising: a pair of hollow elongated load beams disposed horizontally in spaced parallel relation, flange means extending longitudinally on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with the end portions of each member engaging the flange means of said beams, means on said flange means and said end portions of said support members pivotally mounting said members to pivot about vertical axes relative to the beams, ledge means extending longitudinally on said beams including indentations extending into said beams from locations outboard of the ends of said support members and terminating adjacent the vertical medians of said beams to engage and support the end portions of said support members in the zone of the vertical medians of said load beams when said support members are disposed transversely to said load beams, said flange means including upper and lower flanges spaced vertically from one another with said lower flange being separate from said indentation and substantially coplanar therewith, whereby the beams and support members may be folded into nested relation with one another for shipment in a compact configuration and may be disposed in a load-carrying configuration when the support members are disposed at right angles to the load beams with their end portions engaged with the ledge means so that loads carried by the support members are transferred to the ledge means, whereby torquing of the load beams about their longitudinal axes is avoided.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
246 words
A foldable support, comprising: a pair of hollow elongated load beams disposed horizontally in spaced parallel relation, flange means extending longitudinally on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with the end portions of each member engaging the flange means of said beams, means on said flange means and said end portions of said support members pivotally mounting said members to pivot about vertical axes relative to the beams, ledge means extending longitudinally on said beams including indentations extending into said beams from locations outboard of the ends of said support members and terminating adjacent the vertical medians of said beams to engage and support the end portions of said support members in the zone of the vertical medians of said load beams when said support members are disposed transversely to said load beams, said flange means including upper and lower flanges spaced vertically from one another with said lower flange being separate from said indentation and substantially coplanar therewith, whereby the beams and support members may be folded into nested relation with one another for shipment in a compact configuration and may be disposed in a load-carrying configuration when the support members are disposed at right angles to the load beams with their end portions engaged with the ledge means so that loads carried by the support members are transferred to the ledge means, whereby torquing of the load beams about their longitudinal axes is avoided.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said beam has a web with horizontally and vertically disposed portions connecting said upper flange and said indentation and defining a recess for receiving the ends of said support members, said web having a downward offset from its horizontal portion and said upper flange being turned from said offset to dispose said upper flange below the horizontal portion of said web.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said support members has a substantially C-shaped transverse cross-section with vertically-spaced flanges engaging the flanges of said load beams and said pivot means including an aligned pair of bosses and apertures connecting said support and load beam flanges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said apertures are aligned with one another and are formed in said flange means and each of said bosses comprises curved ears struck from said support members and having edges engaging in said apertures to prevent substantial displacement of the support members relative to their associated load beams while permitting relative pivotal movement therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including storage rack means for supporting said foldable support when in said load-carrying configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
176 words
A storage structure comprising: a foldable support and rack means for supporting said foldable support, said foldable support including a pair of elongated load beams disposed in spaced parallel relation, flange means extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relation on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with the end of each member engaging between the flange means of said beams, means on said flange means mounting said end portions of said support members to pivot relative to the beams, a layer of decking having an edge and carried on said support members, said load beams each having a vertically-disposed portion projecting upwardly beyond said edge to protect said edge against damage, and including means to prevent inadvertent disengagement of said support from said rack means, whereby the beams aNd support members may be folded into nested relation with one another for shipment in a compact configuration and may be disposed in a load-carrying configuration when the support members are disposed at right angles to the load beams.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
176 words
A storage structure comprising: a foldable support and rack means for supporting said foldable support, said foldable support including a pair of elongated load beams disposed in spaced parallel relation, flange means extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relation on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with the end of each member engaging between the flange means of said beams, means on said flange means mounting said end portions of said support members to pivot relative to the beams, a layer of decking having an edge and carried on said support members, said load beams each having a vertically-disposed portion projecting upwardly beyond said edge to protect said edge against damage, and including means to prevent inadvertent disengagement of said support from said rack means, whereby the beams aNd support members may be folded into nested relation with one another for shipment in a compact configuration and may be disposed in a load-carrying configuration when the support members are disposed at right angles to the load beams.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
170 words
A storage structure comprising: a foldable support and rack means for supporting said foldable support, said foldable support including a pair of elongated load beams disposed in spaced parallel relation, flange means extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relation on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with the end portions of each member engaging between the flange means of said beams, means on said flange means mounting said end portions of said support members to pivot relative to the beams, said rack means including a pair of arms each having an outturned flange engaging and supporting the ends of said load beams and extending transversely thereto, and means to prevent disengagement of said support from said rack means, including an end plate mounted on one end of each arm and disposed transversely to said flange and an upturned tongue on said outturned flange at the other end of said arm, whereby the support is secured against movement in the rack means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
170 words
A storage structure comprising: a foldable support and rack means for supporting said foldable support, said foldable support including a pair of elongated load beams disposed in spaced parallel relation, flange means extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relation on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with the end portions of each member engaging between the flange means of said beams, means on said flange means mounting said end portions of said support members to pivot relative to the beams, said rack means including a pair of arms each having an outturned flange engaging and supporting the ends of said load beams and extending transversely thereto, and means to prevent disengagement of said support from said rack means, including an end plate mounted on one end of each arm and disposed transversely to said flange and an upturned tongue on said outturned flange at the other end of said arm, whereby the support is secured against movement in the rack means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
163 words
A storage structure comprising: a foldable support and rack means for supporting said foldable support, said foldable support including a pair of elongated load beams disposed in spaced parallel relation, flange means extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relation on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with the end portions of each member engaging between the flange means of said beams, means on said flange means mounting said end portions of said support members to pivot relative to the beams, said rack means including a pair of rack-elements underlying said load beams to support said load beams along their lengths, means to prevent disengagement of said support from said rack means including a lip on each rack element engaging the bottom of its associated load beam with said rack element projecting above said lip and engaging an unconnected side of said associated beam, whereby the support is secured against movement in the rack means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
163 words
A storage structure comprising: a foldable support and rack means for supporting said foldable support, said foldable support including a pair of elongated load beams disposed in spaced parallel relation, flange means extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relation on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with the end portions of each member engaging between the flange means of said beams, means on said flange means mounting said end portions of said support members to pivot relative to the beams, said rack means including a pair of rack-elements underlying said load beams to support said load beams along their lengths, means to prevent disengagement of said support from said rack means including a lip on each rack element engaging the bottom of its associated load beam with said rack element projecting above said lip and engaging an unconnected side of said associated beam, whereby the support is secured against movement in the rack means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
179 words
A foldable support, comprising a pair of elongated load beams disposed horizontally in spaced parallel relation, flange means providing upper and lower flanges extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relation on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with each member having an end portion with a flange engaging one of the flanges of said beam, integral means struck from one of said flanges and an aperture in the other flange engaged therewith receiving said integral means, said integral means and aperture pivotally mounting said support member to the beam, each of said load beams having web means connecting said upper and lower flanges and cooperating therewith to form a recess interiorly of each beam for receiving the end portions of the support members and protecting them from damage, whereby the beams and support members may be folded into nested relation with one another for shipment in a compact configuration and may be disposed in a load-carrying configuration when the support members are disposed at right angles to the load beams.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
179 words
A foldable support, comprising a pair of elongated load beams disposed horizontally in spaced parallel relation, flange means providing upper and lower flanges extending longitudinally in spaced parallel relation on each beam, a series of support members spanning in spaced parallel relation between said load beams with each member having an end portion with a flange engaging one of the flanges of said beam, integral means struck from one of said flanges and an aperture in the other flange engaged therewith receiving said integral means, said integral means and aperture pivotally mounting said support member to the beam, each of said load beams having web means connecting said upper and lower flanges and cooperating therewith to form a recess interiorly of each beam for receiving the end portions of the support members and protecting them from damage, whereby the beams and support members may be folded into nested relation with one another for shipment in a compact configuration and may be disposed in a load-carrying configuration when the support members are disposed at right angles to the load beams.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said integral means is struck from said support member and said aperture is in one of said beam flanges.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said integral member-mounting means includes a series of apertures spaced apart in said beam flanges with the apertures in the upper beam flange being in vertical alignment with the apertures in the lower beam flange, said integral means including a pair of vertically-aligned bosses in the end portions of each of said support members, said bosses engaging in selected ones of said apertures, whereby said support members may be readily engaged with and disengaged from said load beams.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of said load beams include U-shaped members having horizontally-disposed legs defining said flange means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein each support member has a cross-section with a horizontally-extending portion of a dimension greater than the dimension of its portion extending vertically between the flange means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said support member has a C-shaped cross-section with longitudinally-extending inturned flanges terminating in spaced relation, and said pivot mounting means includes an aperture in one of said flange means and a boss in the horizontally-extending portion of the support member pivotally engaging in said aperture.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
125 words
In combination with a folding support having a pair of load beams disposed in spaced parallel relation and a series of support members spanning between said load beams and pivotally connected thereto to permit said support to be collapsed into a compact shipping configuration, a separate elongated base member extending transversely to said beams, clip means rigidly connected adjacent the ends of said base member and extending in opposite directions from said base member along said beams, each of said beams having a portion with at least one aperture and each of said clips having at least one tongue engaging in said aperture when said clips are operatively engaged with said beams, whereby said base member prevents said beams from moving relative to one another.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
125 words
In combination with a folding support having a pair of load beams disposed in spaced parallel relation and a series of support members spanning between said load beams and pivotally connected thereto to permit said support to be collapsed into a compact shipping configuration, a separate elongated base member extending transversely to said beams, clip means rigidly connected adjacent the ends of said base member and extending in opposite directions from said base member along said beams, each of said beams having a portion with at least one aperture and each of said clips having at least one tongue engaging in said aperture when said clips are operatively engaged with said beams, whereby said base member prevents said beams from moving relative to one another.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each of said beams has a vertically-disposed portion with a bight located therebelow and said base member overlies said beams, each of said clips includes a latch projecting upwardly to engage in said bight portion, and including partition means carried on said base member and projecting upwardly therefrom, whereby planar articles may be stacked on edge on the support and leaned against the partition.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |