GB2309629A

GB2309629A - Support clip for racking

Info

Publication number: GB2309629A
Application number: GB9601805A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victor Edward Dolling
Original assignee: Dexion Group Ltd
Current assignee: Cork Oak Holding Ltd
Priority date: 1996-01-30
Filing date: 1996-01-30
Publication date: 1997-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 2016-01-30
Also published as: GB9601805D0; EP0787448A1; GB2309629B

Description

t - - 1 Support Clip 2309629 The present invention relates to clip means

for supporting a load bearing member on a frame of a racking system.

In known support clips for supporting load bearing members of racking systems, in particular inclined members, loads are transmitted to the main framework of the racking system through edge or line contacts, often of short length. These give rise to relatively high stresses and hence the load carrying properties of the clip are limited.

The present invention seeks to provide a clip with improved load carrying properties.

According to the present invention there is provided clip means for supporting a load bearing member of a racking system, the clip means comprising a clip having at least one hook member adapted to engage a frame member of the racking system, and a boss having a substantially arcuate support surface adapted to engage with an arcuate recess in the load bearing member, thereby supporting the load bearing member on the boss.

In a preferred embodiment the load bearing member is adapted to be fitted in a selectively inclined position. Preferably, the clip means further includes a support bracket having hook means by which the support bracket is adapted to engage the frame member, which support bracket is provided with a plurality of openings, in at least one of which openings the said clip is engageable. Preferably, the clip further comprises flange means arranged so as to locate a wall of the load bearing member between said flange means and the frame member.

In a preferred embodiment of the load bearing member the wall has an offset arranged adjacent to the arcuate recess so that a lower portion of this wall abuts a lower face of 2 the f langes of the clip, whereby when a load is applied rotational forces tend to urge the clip into stranger contact with the frame member.

In the following the invention is described by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 a schematic perspective view of bays of a racking system; shows a front view of the clip; a side view of the clip; a front view of the clip with support bracket in the assembled position; a side view of the clip with support bracket in the assembled position.

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of bays of a racking system, which comprises upright frame members 100 and horizontal transverse frame members 101. Located between front frame members 100a and rear frame members 100b are a plurality of vertically spaced bays each having track sections 102, which track sections comprise aligned rows of coaxial rollers which may be additionally supported on transverse crossmembers 11 arranged between load bearing members 10. The track sections are inclined to the horizontal, sloping downwardly from the rear to the front, to provide a live storage system. The load bearing members 10 are connected to the frame members by clip means. The track sections 102 may extend beyond the front face of the front frame members, with the lowermost track sections 102c extending the most and the uppermost track section 102a extending least, with the intervening track section having an intermediate extension. Alternatively, all track sections may end flush with the rack face.

Figure 2 shows a clip 1 comprising in the installed position a vertically elongated rectangular portion 2 and an arcuate substantially semicircular portion at the top end of 3 portion 2, which arcuate portion serves as a location boss 3. In the portion 2 two substantially rectangular pressed out portions form vertically spaced flat hooks 4,5. The flat hooks 4,5 are bound at their top end to the portion 2 and therefore point downwards. At the two vertical side edges of the portion 2 are flanges 6,7, which extend perpendicularly from the ' plane of portion 2 and which run the entire length of the portion 2 and extend vertically upwards above the boss 3, so that their total length is about 1.5 times that of the portion 2. The location boss 3 is slightly spaced from the flanges 6,7.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the clip 1 with vertical extensions 6a,7a of the flanges 6,7, the ends of which are rounded off. The location boss 3 lies spatially adjacent to the vertical flange 6,7. The length of the f langes is approximately ten times their width. Protruding from the clip on the opposite side to the flange 6,7 are the two flat hooks 4,5, which have the form of an inverted L. The free end of the hooks 4,5 is generally parallel to the plane of and extends away from the free end of the flange 6,7 and the location boss 3.

In Figure 4 the clip 1 is shown with a support bracket 8, vertical frame member 100 and load bearing member 10, all of which components are formed of pressed steel. The support bracket 8 is adapted to fit on two sides of a substantially rectangular frame member 100.

The support bracket 8 is L shaped in plan having an outer face abutting the front face of the frame 100 and an inner face abutting the side face of the bay. The support bracket 8 is provided with six horizontally elongated openings 12a-f arranged spaced vertically in a column. The height of the openings 12a-f corresponds to the height of the hooks 4,5. The width of the openings 12a-f is approximately 2.5 times that of the hooks 4,5.

4 The spacing of the openings 12a-f with respect to one another corresponds with the spacing of the two hooks 4,5 with respect to one another. In use, the clip 1 is hooked onto the support bracket 8, the hooks 4,5 engaging two of the openings 12a-f. In a standard racking system the support bracket may be moved up and down in 76.2 mm increments.

To obtain the required inclination of the load bearing member 10 the clip may be moved in 19.05 mm increments relative to the support bracket thus allowing for gentler inclines than would otherwise be available. The inclination is required to permit loads to run down wheel tracks from the on-load to the pick face sides of a live storage rack.

As the inclination of the load bearing member is desirably adjustable it is desirable to provide for lost motion for the clip, as the horizontal front to back lengths are standardised. This is provided by the openings 12a-f which allow the clip to be moved with respect to the support bracket by a short distance, enough to allow for the variation in inclination.

The vertical frame member 100 is provided with a plurality of circular openings adjacent to its edge which is adjacent to the free edge of the support bracket 8.

The load bearing member 10, which is adapted to be fitted in a selectively inclined position is provided with a recess 13, which recess consists of a lower horizontally rectangular portion and a centrally located upper arcuate portion, the length of the rectangular portion being wider than the width of the clip 1. The dimensions of the arcuate portion correspond to the dimensions of the location bass 3. Therefore, in use the arcuate portion of the recess fits positively with the location boss 3 of the clip 1 and a part of the load bearing member 10 sits between the flange extensions 6a,7a and the support bracket 8. The load bearing member may be provided with more than one recess 13 to allow for variable projection of the frame members beyond the rack face. The load bearing member 10 is further provided with an offset 14 which acts to counter the rotational motion induced by applying a load to the member. The lower portion of the side member web abuts the flanges of the clip 1 and any rotational motion has the ef f ect of locking the clip into position in its location holes, thereby making it difficult to dislodge without raising the side member completely clear of the support clip.

Figure 5 shows a side view of the clip 1 with support bracket 8,_frame member 100 and load bearing member 10 in the assembled position. The frame member 100 is substantially vertical and has pairs of coffin shaped openings 17 arranged in columns along its length.

The support bracket 8, in which the clip 1 is mounted, has two hooks 15, 16, which hooks engage vertically adjacent openings 17. The hooks are pressed out of the web of the support bracket 8, the pressed out portion having a coffin shape, larger than that of the openings 17. The hooks 15, 16 comprise two portions the upper portion is contiguous with the web of the support bracket 8; the lower portion is cut from the web and further pressed to form a narrow elongate downwardly pointing member which functions as the engaging member of the hooks 16,17.

The web of the load bearing member 10, which engages the location boss 3 lies in the vicinity of the clip 1 substantially between the upper portions of the flanges 6,7 and the support bracket 8. The offset 14 extends substantially horizontally between the flanges 6,7 and downwards adjacent to and between them.

In the clip means described the arcuate location bass and recess on the load bearing member provide a positive location in a f ront to back direction. Furthermore the 6 arcuate surface spreads the applied load around the surface, which reduces the stresses caused by the applied loads and hence improves the load carrying properties. Although the clip is shown here with a support bracket, it could also directly engage the frame member 100.

7

Claims

1. clip means f or supporting a load bearing member of a racking system, the clip means comprising a clip having at least one hook member adapted to engage a f rame member of the racking system, and a boss having a substantially arcuate support surf ace adapted to engage with an arcuate recess in the load bearing member, thereby supporting the load bearing member on the boss.

2. Clip means according to Claim 1, f urther including a support bracket having hook means by which the support bracket is_adapted to engage the frame member, which support bracket is provided with a plurality of openings, in at least one of which openings the said clip is engageable.

3. Clip means according to Claim 1, wherein the clip means further comprises flange means arranged so as to locate a wall of the load bearing member between said flange means and the frame member.

4. Clip means according to Claim 2, wherein the clip means further comprises flange means adapted to support the load bearing member between said flange means and the support bracket.

5. Clip means according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the load bearing member is adapted to be fitted in a selectively inclined position.

6. clip means according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the hook member is a flat hook.

7. Clip means according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein at least two hooks are provided.

8. clip means according to any one of Claims 1 to 7. wherein an offset is arranged adjacent to the arcuate recess 8 in the load bearing member so that a lower portion of this wall abuts a lower face of the flanges of the clip means, whereby when a load is applied to said load bearing member, rotational forces tend to urge the clip into stronger contact with the frame member.

9. Clip means according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the openings are arranged vertically spaced in a column in the support bracket.

10. clip means according to any one of Claims 2 to 9, wherein the openings are adapted to provide lost notion horizontally.

11. Clip means substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.