GB2433567A

GB2433567A - Dismantleable Structure

Info

Publication number: GB2433567A
Application number: GB0526145A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tim Gathercole
Original assignee: WHITTAN IND Ltd
Current assignee: WHITTAN IND Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-22
Filing date: 2005-12-22
Publication date: 2007-06-27
Also published as: GB0526145D0

Abstract

A dismantleable structure (10 FIG 1) including first (12) and second (14) elongate members, the first elongate member (12) being generally upright in use and the second elongate member (14) being generally horizontal in use, the first elongate member (12) having a substantially rectangular cross-section, wherein at least two faces (12a to 12b) of the rectangular cross-section include, at each of a plurality of positions along the first elongate member (12), two alternative first fixing formations (13), and wherein the second elongate member (14) includes a second fixing formation (21, 22) at each end thereof engageable with one of the first fixing formations (13) of the first elongate member (12). All four faces of the first member (12) may have fixing formations (12) on them. Optionally apertures may be widened in control portion (13a). The structure may be provided with a foot support (16) at the base of the upright. In an embodiment the structure may be racking/staging.

Description

Title: Dismantleable Structure Descri tion of Invention This invention

relates to a dismantleable structure, particularly, but not exclusively, of the kind for use as a storage facility such as a shelving, or a staging structure.

According to the invention, we provide a dismantleable structure including first and second elongate members, the first elongate member being generally upright in use and the second elongate member being generally horizontal in use, the first elongate member having a substantially rectangular cross-section, wherein at least two faces of the rectangular cross-section include, at each of a plurality of positions along the first elongate member, two alternative first fixing formations, and wherein the second elongate member includes a second fixing formation at each end thereof engageable with one of the first fixing formations of the first elongate member.

Preferably at least three faces of the rectangular cross-section include, at each of a plurality of positions along the first elongate member, two alternative first fixing formations. Most preferably all four faces of the rectangular cross-section include, at each of a plurality of positions along the first elongate member, two alternative first fixing formations.

Each first fixing formation may include an aperture. The second fixing formation may includes a projection engageable with the aperture.

The aperture may be generally rectangular and may be oriented with its longest dimension substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first elongate member.

The aperture may have a laterally widened mid-region, to more easily receive the projecting formation.

The second fixing formation may include three projecting formations. The three projecting formations may be positioned one above each other.

A foot may be provided, connected to one end of the first elongate member, to engage a floor surface. A part of the foot may be received in an open end of the first elongate member. The foot may be connected to the first elongate member by one or more fasteners which pass through the apertures in the first elongate member.

Examples of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dismantleable structure according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the dismantleable structure of figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of another part of the dismantleable structure of figure 1; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the dismantleable structure of figure 1.

Referring to the figures there is shown, generally at 10, a dismantleable structure including first 12 and second 14 elongate members. In this example the structure 10 includes four first elongate members 12 which are generally upright and eight second elongate members 14 which are generally horizontal.

The first 12 and second 14 elongate members are connected to each other to form a generally cube-shaped lattice.

It must be appreciated, however, that any number of first 12 and second 14 elongate members could be used to assemble any desired structure. For example, the structure could include six first elongate members 12 and twelve second elongate members 14, which would provide a structure roughly twice the size of the structure 10 shown in the figures.

The first elongate member 12 is manufactured from a tube of a metal alloy, such as, for example, steel, which is rectangular in cross-section. Thus the first elongate member 12 has four elongate faces 12 to 12g. Each face 12 to 12d includes a plurality of pairs of first fixing formations, which in this example are spaced apertures 13. The pairs of apertures 13 are spaced from each other along each face 1 2a to 1 2 of the first elongate member 12.

Each aperture 13 is generally rectangular and is oriented with its longest dimension substantially parallel to an longitudinal axis of the first elongate member 12. Each aperture 13 has a laterally widened, barrel-like, mid-region, indicated at 13a.

Received in an open lower end of each first elongate member 12 is a foot 16, which is connected thereto by fasteners 17 which pass through lowermost apertures 13 in the first elongate member 12 and engage with the foot 16.

The foot 16 includes a plate 1 6 which engages a floor surtace to support the first elongate member 12. The foot 16 can be fixed to a floor surface by passing fasteners through apertures 18 in the plate 16g.

The second elongate member 14 includes a tube 1 4 of generally rectangular cross-section, which is manufactured from a metal alloy, such as, for example, steel. The second elongate member 14 also includes two fixing formations 20, one connected to each end of the tube 1 4a.

Each fixing formation 20 is a plate having faces 2O and 2O, which are substantially perpendicular to each other. The plate at the left hand end of the second elongate member 14 is a mirror image of the plate at the right hand end of the second elongate member 14. Therefore only the left hand end plate will be discussed hereinafter.

The face 20a of the plate is connected to the left hand end of the tube 14 by welding, although any other suitable means of connection could be used. The face 20 includes three pairs of adjacent projecting formations 21, 22 (see figure 4), which are provided one above each other. It must be appreciated, however, that fewer or greater pairs of projecting formations 21, 22 could be provided. The projecting formation 21 is a tab which is pressed out of the face 20b, in a direction over the face 20a, and is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the face 20k. Pressing out of the tab 21 from the face 20k, results in an aperture 23 in the face 20k.

The projecting formation 22 is a hook-shaped tab which is also pressed out of the face 20b, generally in the same direction as the tab 21, although the tab 22 extends away from the face 20 and away from the tab 21. Pressing out of the tab 22 from the face 20b, results in an aperture 24 in the face 20b.

The second elongate member 14 can be connected to the first elongate member 12 at any of the plurality apertures 13 along its length. In order to connect one end of the second elongate member 14 to the first elongate member 12, the plate 20 is engaged with an edge portion between two faces, e.g. 12 and 12b, 12b and 12c, l2 and 12 or 12d and 12a. Relative movement is then effected between the plate 20 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first elongate member so that the tabs 21, 22 enter the apertures 13. This relative movement is continued until the tab 22 engages a lowermost end of the aperture 13. A stop member 25 is then passed through the aperture 23 and aperture 13 as an additional safety measure to ensure that the first and second elongate members 12, 14 cannot unintentionally be separated.

Because the first fixing formation on each face of the first elongate member 12 includes a pair of adjacent apertures 13, an end second elongate member 14 can be engaged with any edge part of the first elongate member 12. This is advantageous, because it allows for versatility in the shape of the structure to be assembled.

The present invention is also advantageous because two or more second elongate members 14 can be connected to the first elongate member 12 at the same distance along the first elongate member 12, because each elongate member 14 need only engage the apertures 13 on one side of each face 1 2a to 1 2d.

The first elongate member 12 described herein allows for connection of up to four second elongate members 14 at the same distance along the first elongate member 12. Four second elongate members 14 can be connected to the first elongate member 12 such that all four second elongate members 14 are parallel with each other, with a pair of second elongate members 14 extending away from opposing faces 1 2a, 1 2c and a pair of second elongate members 14 extending away from opposing faces 12b, 12d, respectively.

Alternatively, four second elongate members 14 can be connected to the first elongate member 12 at the same distance along the first elongate member 12, such that one second elongate member 14 extends away from each face 1 2a to 12d.

Of course, depending on the desired structure to be assembled, the second elongate members 14 need not be connected to the first elongate member 12 such that they are at the same level above a ground surface. Indeed, each second elongate member 14 can be connected to the first elongate member 12 at any one of the apertures 13 along the length of the first elongate member 12.

Although the first fixing formations in the above described embodiment are provided by apertures 13 in the first elongate member 12, any other suitable fixing formation could be provided on the first elongate member 12.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A dismantleable structure including first and second elongate members, the first elongate member being generally upright in use and the second elongate member being generally horizontal in use, the first elongate member having a substantially rectangular cross-section, wherein at least two faces of the rectangular cross-section include, at each of a plurality of positions along the first elongate member, two alternative first fixing formations, and wherein the second elongate member includes a second fixing formation at each end thereof engageable with one of the first fixing formations of the first elongate member.

2. A dismantleable structure according to claim 1 wherein at least three faces of the rectangular cross-section of the first elongate member include, at each of a plurality of positions along the first elongate member, two alternative first fixing formations.

3. A dismantleable structure according to claim 1 wherein all four faces of the rectangular cross-section of the first elongate member include, at each of a plurality of positions along the first elongate member, two alternative first fixing formations.

4. A dismantleable structure according to any preceding claim wherein each first fixing formation includes an aperture.

5. A dismantleable structure according to claim 4 wherein the second fixing formation includes a projection engageable with the aperture.

6. A dismantleable structure according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the aperture is generally rectangular and is oriented with its longest dimension substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first elongate member.

7. A dismantleable structure according to claim 6 wherein the aperture has a laterally widened mid-region.

8. A dismantleable structure according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the second fixing formation includes three projecting formations.

9. A dismantleable structure according to claim 8 wherein the projecting formation are positioned one above each other.

10. A dismantleable structure according to any preceding claim wherein a foot is provided, connected to one end of the first elongate member, to engage a floor surlace.

11. A dismantleable structure according to claim 10 wherein part of the foot is received in an open end of the first elongate member.

12. A dismantleable structure according to claim 11 wherein the foot is connected to the first elongate member by one or more fasteners which pass through the apertures in the first elongate member.

13. A dismantleable structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.