GB2148100A - Stayed framework arrangement, for example for a shelf system - Google Patents

Abstract

A riser arrangement or plane framework for shelf systems and the like comprises upright members (1) having a C-shaped profile in cross section with a stem portion (2), two opposing side walls (3, 4) and inwardly directed flanges (5, 6). The ends of diagonal stays (15, 16) are introduced into the opening (13) between the flanges (5, 6) and secured by means of bolts (20) at junction points. In both side walls (3, 4) of the C-profile, longitudinal, external grooves (7, 8) are formed. At the bottom wall (9) of the external grooves (7, 8), a plurality of holes is provided, preferably uniformly spaced apart. Within the C-profile, the distance between the inside faces of the grooves (7, 8) is greater than the distance between the edges of the flanges (5, 6). The distance between the flanges (5, 6) is sufficient to permit the introduction of two diagonal stays (15, 16) side-by- side or interdigitated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stayed framework arrangement, for example for a shelf system The present invention relates to a stayed framework arrangement (e.g. for a shelf system), wherein the upright members of the frame have a Cshaped profile in cross section with a stem portion, two opposing side walls and flanges, and the ends of diagonal stays are introduced into the opening of the C and fastened to the frame by means of bolts at the junction points.

Vertical supports or risers of this type actually constitute a plane truss consisting of two uprights or sidepieces connected by intermediate diagonal stays and often also cross-stays. These risers are widely used for industrial shelving systems in which the separate parts are so formed and dimensioned that they may easily be assembled to form a unit adapted to the requirements of the particular situation. Horizontal beams are attached to these uprights, and the load rests on the beams. The risers are mounted to stand vertically upright, and the load is introduced as a strictly vertical load. The riser uprights are therefore subjected to forces in their longitudinal direction, and must be dimensioned to withstand breaking. Usually, the stays are screwed to the uprights, but in some cases they may be welded.

This is a simple product in the sense that the price of the material is a critical factor. It is important, therefore, that the profile have the highest possible breaking strength in relation to its weight. It is also important that the uprights be easily adaptable for various tasks, that they are simple to assemble and that the junctions of the stays to the uprights are reliable. Furthermore, it is desirable to be able to splice the uprights together in a simple manner in order to increase the height of the shelving unit without the splice creating difficulties at the junction points for the stays, i.e., the junctions should be able to be placed at any iocation on the upright irrespective of the splice.Moreover, the lower part of the uprights should be able to be reinforced in a simple manner and in such a way that the reinforcement does not interfere with the choice of where to place the junction points for the stays.

British Patent No. 2,084,450 discloses a C-shaped profile for upright members for risers or a plane truss of this type, wherein a longitudinal, external groove is formed on each side of the upright at the neutral axis of the profile, with a plurality of holes provided at the bottom of the groove. The profile members may be spliced together to increase their height by means of internal fishplate connectors.

These are arranged so that it is not possible for a stay junction to coincide with a splice.

It is, however, very important to be able to place a junction point at or in the immediate vicinity of a splice, in order not to weaken the profile members' breaking strength. The spliced member's ability to resist breaking is proportional to the distance of the splice from the junction points; the farther the splice is from the junction, the weaker the resistance.

One aim of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of uprights for shelf systems and the like of the type defined above, which provides good utiiization of the strength of the material in the uprights, allows the junction points to be securely and simply fastened, permits the uprights to be spliced together for lengthening the member without interfering with the desired placement of the junction points, and which permits reinforcement of, say, the base part of the upright members without interfering with the placement of the junction points.

This is obtained in accordance with the invention with a riser or plane truss for shelf systems or the like, wherein the two uprights have a C-shaped profile in cross section with a stem portion, two opposing side walls and inwardly facing flanges, wherein the ends of diagonal stays are introduced into the C-opening between the flanges and secured (e.g. by means of bolts) at the junction points, and wherein a longitudinal, external groove is formed in each of the two opposing sides at or in the vicinity of the profile's neutral axis, and a plurality of holes, preferably uniformly spaced apart, are provided in the bottom of the groove, which is characterized in that the distance between the groove, within the Cprofile, is greater than the distance between the flanges, and that the distance between the flanges is adapted such that the flanges will lie against the side of the diagonal stays introduced at the junction point.

In a practical embodiment of the invention, the distance between the internal faces at the bottom of the grooves and the introduced diagonal stays is at least twice the thickness of the material of which the C-profile is made.

Another practical embodiment is characterized in that a recess is provided in the web portion at both ends of the diagonal stays, situated adjacent to one flange and extending about the half the width of the web, and that the stays are joined by introducing the remaining web portion of one stay into the recess in the web portion of the adjacent stay.

To obtain a simple and secure locking of the bolt at the junction points, it is a characteristic feature of the invention that the head of the bolt, on at least two opposing sides thereof, has a bevelled section whose angle of incline corresponds to the sloping sides of the groove.

The invention will be explained in greater detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a cross section through an upright member according to the invention, at a junction point of two stays to the upright, Figure 2 also shows a cross section through an upright, but at the base part of the upright, Figure 3 shows a junction point seen from the side, Figure 4 shows part of a shelf unit during assembly, Figure 5 is a cross section through an upright at a junction point, as in Figure 1, but where the diagonal stays are joined in a different manner, Figure 6 shows the end of one embodiment of a diagonal stay, and Figure 7 shows a junction point in perspective view and exploded to show the various parts.

The upright support 1 of the invention consists of a C-profile with a web portion 2, two opposing side walls 3 and 4, and inwardly facing flanges 5 and 6 at the free ends of the side walls 3 and 4. This profile provides good utilization of the material, as the profile has favorable moments of resistance and inertia in both the x- and y-axes.

In each of the side walls 3 and 4, at about the neutral axis (y-axis), an external groove 7, 8 is formed. The bottom 9 of the grooves 7,8 is formed with a purality of holes 10, preferably uniformly spaced apart. The grooves 7 and 8 taper inwardly toward the bottom wall of the groove, thus having sloping side walls 11. Into the gap between the ends of the flanges 5 and 6, the ends of diagonal stays 15 and 16 are introduced at junction points to the frame. The ends of the stays are placed side by side and the distance 13 between the free edges of the opposing flanges 5 and 6 is exactly twice the width of one stay 15, 16, or equal to the width of the two adjacent stays.The distance between the opposing internal surfaces ofthe bottom walls ofthe grooves 7 and 8, however, is greater than the combined width of the two stays 15 and 16. The purpose of this is to provide sufficient space between the outside walls of the stays and the inside faces of the grooves for the insertion of fishplates or splice members 17.

The distance between the inside faces of the grooves 7,8 is so much greater than the distance between the edges of the flanges 5 and 6 that there is room, between the outside walls of the stays 15 and 16 at the junction point 14, for a splice member 17 or an optional reinforcing member at the lower ends of the vertical upright member, with sufficient space also for lugs 18 for fastening the upright to a foot or base 19.

The stays 15 and 16 are fastened at the junction points 14 by means of a bolt 20 which passes through the holes 10 at the place selected for the junction point. The bolt passes through the holes 10 on both sides of the profile 1, and through holes at the ends of the stays 15 and 16. The stays are secured by screwing a nut 21 onto the bolt and are retained between the opposing edges of the flanges 5 and 6. The head 22 of the bolt 20 has bevelled edges 23 and 24 at two opposing sides of the head, adapted to the sloping side walls 11 of the groove 7.

The nut 21 is made as a bent plate and has two opposing, sloping side sections 21' which also coincide with the angle of incline of the groove walls 7. Owing to the inherent resilience of the side walls 3 and 4 of the upright, the head 22 can be rotated with å wrench until the flanges 5 and 6 press firmly against the stays 15 and 16.

Even when both a reinforcing member or a splicing member 17 and lugs 18 have been introduced into the space between the internal surface of the grooves 7 and 8 and the inserted stays 15 and 16 at a junction point, there will still be sufficient space for the side walls 3 and 4 to flex enough to exert the necessary spring force for pressing the flanges 5 and 6 against the stays.

As seen in Figure 5, two uprights 1 with intermediate diagonal stays 15 and 16 are assembled to form the vertical supports or framework. Shelf beams 24 are fastened horizontally between two sets of uprights. These beams are secured in a conventional manner by means of welded fastener mountings 25, provided with downwardly directed tongues that engage with similarly formed holes 26 at the stem portion 2 of the profile 1.

Figure 5 shows an alternate way ofjoining two diagonal stays 26 and 27 together at a junction point whereby the stays lie in approximately the same vertical plane, in the vicinity of they-axis of the upright 2. As seen in Figure 6, a recess 28 has been cut into the web portion of the diagonal stays directly adjacent to one flange and extending about half the width of the web. When the vertical supports are being assembled, the diagonal stays are joined together at a junction point by inserting the remaining portion of the web 29 on one stay into the recess 28 on an adjacent diagonal stay, so that the flanges of the two interjoined diagonal stays lie side by side at the junction point. This embodiment provides a number of advantages. Firstly, the components of force will be equally distributed in the flanges of the diagonal stays and transferred equally to each of the flanges on the upright member. The resultant force in each of the flanges of the upright is exerted on the junction point in a direction parallel with the upright. There will be no tendency toward twisting of either the upright or the diagonal stay, because the moment exerted by the forces in the diagonal stays is absolutely minimal.

The forces travel nearthe neutral axis both in the diagonal stays and in the uprights.

In addition, this solution provides greater possibiiities for varying the width of the upright member, and at all widths it is possible to make diagonal stays of practical dimensions for absorbing pressure and tension.

Claims (9)

1. A stayed framework arrangement wherein upright members thereof have a C-shaped profile in cross section with a web portion, opposing side walls and inwardly directed flanges, wherein the ends of diagonal stays are introduced into the opening between the flanges and fastened there at junction points, and wherein longitudinal, external grooves are formed in each of the side walls with a plurality of holes, provided at the bottom wall of the grooves, characterized in that the distance between the grooves, within the C-profile, is greater than the distance between the flanges, and that the distance between the flanges is adapted such that the flanges rest against the sides of the diagonal stays introduced atthejunction points.

2. A framework arrangement according to claim 1, in which the distance between the internal surface of the bottom wall of the grooves and the introduced diagonal stays is at least twice the thickness of the material of which the profile is made.

3. A framework arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which a recess is formed in a web portion of the stay at both ends of the diagonal stays located adjacent to one flange and extending substantially half the width of the web, and that the stays are joined by inserting the remaining web portion of one stay into the recess in the web portion of the adjacent stay.

4. A framework arrangement according to claim 1, in which the distance between the flanges is twice the width of one diagonal stay and two such stays are arranged side by side at the junction point.

5. A framework arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which each stay is fastened in an upright member by a bolt, the head of which is provided with a bevelled portion whose angle of incline corresponds to the sloping side walls of the grooves.

6. A framework arrangement according to claim 5, in which the nut for the bolt is also adapted to the shape of the angle of incline of the side walls of the grooves.

7. A framework arrangement according to any preceding claim in which the holes in the side walls are uniformly spaced apart.

8. A framework arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or Figures 3 and 4 as modified by Figures 5,6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A shelf system employing a framework arrangement according to any preceding claim.