Supports: racks – Shelf type – Knockdown
Patent
1991-01-28
1992-05-26
Gibson, Jr., Robert W.
Supports: racks
Shelf type
Knockdown
211187, 248245, A47F 500
Patent
active
051159244
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a shelf system in accordance with the introductory clause of patent claim 1 or 2.
A great number of shelf systems has become known with which the user purchases a certain number of shelves, post elements and connecting elements which he may use to fasten the shelves at the post elements at graded levels such that he will be able to match the shelf to be set up with his needs correspondingly. On the one hand, this means an adaptation to the required deposit area and on the other hand it means an adaptation to the existing conditions in terms of space and taste. Whenever the user wants to match, for instance, a shelf into a room whose wall extends toward the tilt of the roof the structure of an adapted shelf becomes very difficult, in particular an excessive number of post elements must be used in order to provide for a correct support of the shelves which become successively shorter or displaced in the upward direction. As far as the adaptation of a shelf to characteristics in terms of taste is concerned the use of conventional shelves is bound to use vertical post elements.
One shelf system is known from the German Utility Model DE-GM 19 85 709. In that system several shelves are articulated by their faces near the corners at post elements whereof one pair of post elements displays the supporting function whereas the other pair of post elements is fastened by struts to the first pair of post elements so as to maintain the shelves in an adjustable parallelogram guide. When the supporting posts a placed in vertical position the shelves may be tilted relative to the horizontal so as to be able, for instance, to display books in an inclined position for presentation. With such a system the supporting posts may also be tilted in a direction normal to the longitudinal edges of the shelves so as to maintain them in an arrangement mutually staggered in terms of the shelf depths. With that known system it is not possible either, for instance, to match a shelf with a tilt.
The German Utility Model DE-GM 18 84 722 discloses angular supports which when fastened to vertical posts allow for an inclined positioning of the shelves, too, for presentation of the objects placed thereon. With that system it is not possible either to match the shelf to the conditions prevailing at the installation site.
The French Patent FR-A-11 119 001 discloses a shelf system in accordance with the introductory clause of patent claim 1 or 2. That known system, however, presents only an extremely low stability so that any nonuniform load may result in a tilting motion of the shelf boards.
The present invention is therefore based on the problem of improving a shelf system of the type mentioned by way of introduction to the effect that a high degree of variability is retained while an enhanced stability may be achieved.
This problem is solved either by the subject matter of claim 1 or by the subject matter of claim 2.
In one alternative of an embodiment the post elements are designed as pairs of bars whilst each connecting element includes locking elements, as well in pairs, which are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the shelves. These locking elements may be used to mount each of the bars forming part of a post element at a shelf, at least in the latter's longitudinal direction. The torsional stability of such a connection is achieved due to the fact that when the shelf is tilted relative to the two bars the spacing between the bars ought to be varied. With these bars now being fixed with respect to their mutual spacing, an "automatic" reinforcement of the system is achieved.
In the other alternative of embodiment of the inventive idea, which is set out by way of introduction, a system is provided wherein each post element includes (only) a single bar while each articulation includes a spindle element that extends in the transverse direction of the shelves and may be locked at the post element, as well as at least one anti-rotation locking element which may be secured at the intermediate bar and
REFERENCES:
patent: 749670 (1904-01-01), Gardner
patent: 1705237 (1929-03-01), Bulman
patent: 2963170 (1960-12-01), Lori
Beatrice Konig-Haug
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
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