Multi-level knock-down framework structure for supporting a plurality of objects

Claim 1

A multi-level portable knock-down framework structure for supporting a plurality of objects of varying shapes, sizes and weights in individual compartments comprising: a first plurality of spaced upright support members; a second plurality of spaced support members, said first plurality of support members removably interconnecting said upright members forming a generally rectangular framework having a front, back and interconnected sides with a plurality of vertical generally rectangularly shaped rows disposed within said framework, each of said rows having an upright member at each corner thereof and divided into a plurality of vertically spaced compartments, each of said compartments having generally horizontally extending support members interconnected to said upright members separating one compartment from another, two of said last-mentioned support members associated with each compartment lying substantially in the same horizontal plane and providing a compartment having a front and a back, said two of said support members forming the front and back of each of said compartments; adjusting means associated with both said upright members and said two of said horizontally extending members for vertically adjusting all of said two of said horizontally extending members at predetermined locations along said upright members; object support means removably mounted on at least some of both of said two of said horizontally extending support members forming the front and back of each of said compartments, said adjusting means including said upright support members having at least one generally T-shaped slot opening outwardly thereof and extending substantially the entire length thereof along one side thereof, said horizontally extending members being secured to said upright support members by non-biased tension bolts having heads movable along said slot, said heads and said slots including retaining means thereon for retaining said horizontally extending members at various locations along said slots in said upright support members, said retaining means including said T-shaped slot having relatively flat inner walls and relatively flat side walls extending generally perpendicular to said inner walls, said walls retaining means further including said heads having a pair of oppositely opposed surfaces interconnected by a pair of oppositely opposed straight surfaces, and said head being undercut forming flattened portions extending from a point at the outer periphery of the underside of the head of each of said bolts to a point adjacent the shank of each of said bolts forming an abutting shoulder thereat so that, when said bolts are disposed in said T-shaped slots, said heads are cammed about said camming surfaces with said camming surfaces abutting against the inner walls of the cross-leg of said T-shaped slots and said flattened portions abut against the flat inner walls of the leg of said T-shaped slots with the shoulders abutting against the perpendicular portions of said slots; and interconnecting means removably interconnecting both of said two of said horizontally extending support members to said upright members, said interconnecting means including a generally flat flange having a generally U-shaped bracket extending from one face of said flange, one of the legs of said bracket being substantially shorter than the other, the ends of each of said two of said horizontally extending support members connected to said upright members having blocks press-fit in each end therein, each of said ends being insertable within said bracket and abutting against the face thereof from which said bracket extends, the opposite face of said flange being secured to an upright member, and securing means associated with said blocks, said ends of said horizontally extending support members, and said bracket for fixedly securing said last-mentioned ends in said brackets.