Supports: racks – Of wire
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-28
2001-06-05
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Of wire
C211S106000, C403S187000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241107
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCES TO CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS
None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of article handling devices, and more specifically to a device that permits secure storage of articles which require ventilation and visibility during storage.
2. Background of the Invention
Many activities require that special clothing be worn by the person engaged in the activity. Many such activities require that the special clothing be worn for relatively brief time periods, such as during participation in a sport, firefighting or utility repair work. This type of “turnout” clothing is typically worn during strenuous physical activity in outdoor environments, resulting in clothing that is often soiled and damp after use. Cleaning and drying of such clothing after each use is often impractical since the clothing must either be kept available for emergency use or is so bulky or complex that cleaning is a time consuming and expensive process.
Such clothing and accessories are best stored at the workplace, and when used, the wearer's normal attire must then be stored, usually in the same place or container as the work clothes. The traditional solution to this problem is the installation of some sort of locker or closet.
In order to provide security, lockers are constructed with solid walls and doors, with a number of vents, holes or slits in the door to provide ventilation. Lockers are typically constructed so as to abut or share a common wall with an adjacent locker, resulting in a row or bank of lockers lining a wall in a gymnasium or fire station. While such an arrangement provides a relatively high level of security, ventilation is poor and the contents of each locker are concealed from view, thereby preventing a rapid method of taking inventory. Labels are also required for each locker in order to identify its contents or its owner. Due to the use of solid walls, doors and floors, the interior of the locker is usually not well illuminated and is difficult to keep clean, especially due to the accumulation of debris on the floor of the locker.
The traditional locker is constructed as a solid rectangle of nonadjustable dimensions, with each adjacent locker having identical dimensions. In order to change locker dimensions, some lockers in the bank must be removed and a new, custom made locker must be substituted in their place. The difficulty and expense of such an operation results in its seldom being performed even when needed. Instead, items are forced into an undersized locker or some required materials are stored in different locations. For example, the clothing needed by a pipeline repair person may be stored in a locker, but needed tools, footwear or headgear may be stored in a separate room since they will not fit in a locker designed only for clothing. This arrangement requires the repair person to go to different locations and consume additional time in order to properly prepare for work.
Ideally, the dimensions of a clothing and accessory storage system would be readily adjustable to accommodate different items in adjacent lockers. The stored articles would be visible without the need to open a door or provide additional illumination. The stored articles would be well ventilated to promote drying and reduce odor; and cleaning of the interior of the storage system would be easily accomplished, or better yet, not even be required. An ideal storage system would be strong in order to provide the required security, but lightweight enough to permit easy installation and relocation. Finally, installation and modification of an improved storage system should be relatively simple as well as adaptable to existing locations rather than requiring the designer of a building to specifically plan for the installation of a prefabricated array of lockers in a dedicated space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an article storage system that addresses many of the shortcomings of prior art devices. The present invention is designed primarily for storing special use turnout gear, and includes a modular, adjustable framework which may be mounted either on a vertical wall surface or on a wheeled, movable base. The walls are formed primarily of an open wire mesh supported by a tubular framework. An underlying support structure may be mounted to a vertical wall, thereby permitting the tubular framework to be mounted at various positions along the wall and forming an enclosed region. The width of the enclosed region may be varied by selecting different rails which form the underlying support structure. Adjacent enclosed regions may have different widths.
The floor and ceiling of the enclosed storage region may be spaced apart from the adjacent interior of the room, thereby permitting airflow through the entire storage system even when the sidewalls abut adjacent structure or walls. Cleaning of the area beneath the storage region is simplified, and articles may be placed within the interior storage region while still damp. The interior of the storage region can accommodate various custom hangers and shelves adapted to support specialized garments and accessories. A secure storage box may also be mounted within the interior storage region for protecting and concealing valuables. A lockable door, also constructed of an open wire mesh, may be affixed to the tubular framework to create a completely enclosed and secure container while still permitting illumination and viewing of the contents of the interior storage region.
The various components of the present invention are fastened together using a combination of conventional hardware and a novel wedge fastener. The wedge fastener fits within portions of the underlying support structure. Adjacent portions of the underlying support structure may thereby be fastened together without the need for drilling or preassembly alignment. Further, the top and bottom rails which form the underlying support structure may be selected at the installation site to accurately fit the available wall space or to permit adjustment of the dimensions of the interior storage regions. The entire system may be assembled without the use of power tools.
The support structure may be mounted on a movable base formed to include castering wheels, or it may be mounted on brackets permanently affixed to a wall. The use of brackets permits the entire storage assembly to be easily removed whenever necessary. This feature of the present invention allows the room to be painted, utility panels to be accessed, and oversized equipment to be moved through the room without delay.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is constructed of a strong rigid material, such as steel. The open wire grids are formed of cold rolled steel wire, but any material may be used which would supply the strength and durability needed for the particular articles to be stored. For example, a storage system placed in an environment which is constantly under surveillance may perform less of a security function and be primarily used to organize needed items. Similarly, the wire grid spacing may be varied depending on the articles to be stored and the environment in which the storage system will be placed.
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Harris Erica B.
Jaeger Hugh D.
Stodola Daniel P.
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