Knockdown shelving assembly

Claim 2

A knockdown shelving assembly comprising a shelf member having corner supports secured thereto at each corner thereof, each said corner support including an opening having an annular edge, said opening being adapted to receive an elongated shelf supporting post, each said corner support including gusset means secured to said shelf member at each corner thereof, said gusset means including a crown plate spaced from said shelf member and extending substantially parallel thereto, said opening being formed in said crown plate, and an expandable shelf supporting post within said opening for limited longitudinal movement relative to said shelf supporting post, said shelf supporting post including cam means operative upon longitudinal movement of said supporting sleeve means to engage and expand said expandable shelf supporting sleeve means outwardly from said shelf supporting post against the annular edge of said opening.

Claim 3

The knockdown shelving assembly of claim 1 wherein a shelf opening is formed in each corner of said shelf member, said shelf opening being smaller than the opening in said crown plate and substantially aligned therewith.

Claim 4

The knockdown shelving assembly of claim 2 wherein said shelf opening is of sufficient size to receive said elongated shelf supporting post but of insufficient size to receive said expandable shelf supporting sleeve means.

Claim 5

The knockdown shelving assembly of claim 3 wherein said expandable shelf supporting sleeve means, when mounted on an elongated shelf supporting post, engages and supports said shelf member.

Claim 6

The knockdown shelving assembly of claim 1 wherein a bumper mounting means extends from said crown plate adjacent a corner of said shelf member and resilient bumper means is mounted upon said bumper mounting means.

Claim 7

The knockdown shelving assembly of claim 5 wherein said shelf member includes a planar support surface and said resilient bumper means extends outwardly from said shelf member at each corner thereof and upwardly above said planar support surface.

Claim 8

A knockdown shelving assembly comprising: a shelf having an opening defined therein: a collar plate affixed to said shelf and having an aperture defined therein to be spaced from and aligned with said shelf opening, an elongated shelf supporting standard adapted to be received in said aligned shelf opening and collar plate aperture, said shelf supporting standard including notches spaced apart longitudinally of said supporting standard, each of said notches having a notch shoulder extending radially inwardly of said supporting standard and a ramp angled with respect to a shelf supporting standard center line and intersecting said notch shoulder; a shelf supporting sleeve adapted to surround said supporting standard, said shelf supporting sleeve including an end edge, a sleeve outer surface, a sleeve inner surface and a plurality of projections on said sleeve inner surface, said projections each including a sleeve projection shoulder extending radially inwardly of said sleeve and a sleeve projection ramp angled with respect to a sleeve center line inwardly of said sleeve and intersecting said sleeve projection shoulder, said sleeve projections corresponding in shape to said supporting standard notches and adapted to be received therein with said supporting sleeve ramps engaging said supporting standard notch ramps to hold said tubular shelf supporting sleeve in position on said shelf supporting standard and said shelf abutting said sleeve end edge to rest on said supporting sleeve to be supported on said shelf supporting standard.

Claim 9

A knockdown shelving assembly comprising: a shelf having an opening defined therein: a collar plate affixed to said shelf and having an aperture defined therein to be spaced from and aligned with said shelf opening, an elongated shelf supporting standard adapted to be received in said aligned shelf opening and collar plate aperture, said shelf supporting standard including notches spaced apart longitudinally of said supporting standard, each of said notches having a notch shoulder extending radially inwardly of said supporting standard and a ramp angled with respect to a shelf supporting standard center line and intersecting said notch shoulder; a shelf supporting sleeve adapted to surround said supporting standard, said shelf supporting sleeve including an end edge, a sleeve outer surface, a sleeve inner surface and a plurality of projections on said sleeve inner surface, said projections each including a sleeve projection shoulder extending radially inwardly of said sleeve and a sleeve projection ramp angled with respect to a sleeve center line inwardly of said sleeve and intersecting said sleeve projection shoulder, said sleeve projections corresponding in shape to said supporting standard notches and adapted to be received therein with said supporting sleeve ramps engaging said supporting standard notch ramps to hold said tubular shelf supporting sleeve in position on said shelf supporting standard and said shelf abutting said sleeve end edge to rest on said supporting sleeve to be supported on said shelf supporting standard.

Claim 10

The knockdown shelving assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said tubular shelf support sleeve is flexible.

Claim 11

The knockdown shelving assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said collar plate aperture is larger than said shelf opening.

Claim 12

The knockdown shelving assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said tubular shelf supporting sleeve includes a pair of semi-cylindrical portions.

Claim 13

The knockdown shelving assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said sleeve projections are triangular in cross sectional shape.

Claim 14

The knockdown shelving assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said triangular projections are right triangles.

Claim 15

The knockdown shelving assembly defined in claim 7 further including bumpers on said shelf.

Claim 16

The knockdown shelving assembly defined in claim 7 further including knockouts on said shelf.

Claim 17

A knockdown shelving assembly comprising a shelf member having corner supports secured thereto at each corner thereof, each said corner support including an opening having an annular edge, said opening being adapted to receive an elongated shelf supporting post, and an expandable shelf supporting sleeve means mounted upon each said shelf supporting post within said opening for limited longitudinal movement relative to said shelf supporting post, said shelf supporting post and expandable shelf supporting sleeve means each including cam means formed in said shelf supporting post and said shelf supporting sleeve means by opposed, flat inclined ramp surfaces, said flat opposed, inclined ramp surfaces being in contacting, sliding relationship when said shelf supporting sleeve is mounted upon said shelf-supporting post.

Claim 18

A knockdown shelving assembly comprising a shelf member having corner supports secured thereto at each corner thereof, each said corner support including an opening having an annular edge, said opening being adapted to receive an elongated shelf supporting post, and an expandable shelf supporting sleeve means mounted upon each said shelf supporting post within said opening for limited longitudinal movement relative to said shelf supporting post, said shelf supporting post and expandable shelf supporting sleeve means each including cam means formed in said shelf supporting post and said shelf supporting sleeve means by opposed, flat inclined ramp surfaces, said flat opposed, inclined ramp surfaces being in contacting, sliding relationship when said shelf supporting sleeve is mounted upon said shelf-supporting post.

Claim 19

The knockdown shelving assembly of claim 15 wherein said expandable shelf supporting sleeve means has a cylindrical configuration with a cylindrical outer surface for contacting the annular edge of said opening, said opening being circular and of a diameter greater than the diameter of said expandable shelf supporting sleeve means before the expansion thereof.