STORAGE AND TRANSPORT APPARATUS WITH REMOVEABLE LOCKING MEANS
A storage and transport apparatus with a substantially rectangular base platform which is provided in each of four corner regions, with a locating socket for releasably receiving a supporting rod is characterised in that at least one of the locating sockets is provided with a releasable locking device for co-operating in a positive and/or non-positive fit with a supporting rod, where the locking device prevents the supporting rod from being removed from the locating socket in a locked state and permits removal in a released state.
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The invention relates to a storage and transport apparatus with a substantially rectangular base platform element which is provided, in each of four corner regions, with a locating socket for releasably receiving a supporting rod.
Storage and transport apparatuses of this kind are commonly used; mounting means are provided in the supporting rods received in the locating socket, in the form of cut-outs, openings or in some other form, and serve to releasably hold horizontal, shelf or tray-like storage platforms, which are mounted on them with a mutual vertical spacing and on which a very wide range of items can be placed.
If a storage and transport apparatus of this kind has to be moved or transported, the problem frequently arises that the supporting rods inserted into the locating sockets can unintentionally slip out, or, if a number of base platform elements are stacked one on top of the other, that they unintentionally come undone from one another.
The problem of the invention therefore consists in improving a storage and transport apparatus of the generic kind in such a way that the supporting rods cannot be unintentionally separated from the locating sockets and/or that a number of base platform elements stacked one on top of the other cannot come undone from one another.
In a first embodiment, this problem is solved in accordance with the invention in that at least one of the locating sockets is provided with a releasable locking means for co-operating in a positive and/or non-positive fit with a supporting rod, where the locking means prevents the supporting rod from being removed from the locating socket in a locked state and permits removal in a released state.
It can be provided that the locking means co-operates in a positive fit with a mounting means of the supporting rod. It is conveniently provided that the locking means has a locking member which engages in openings or holes drilled in the locating socket and the supporting rod. The locking member can be designed as a flexible tongue or hook or as a W-clip or folding split pin.
Alternatively, it can be provided that the locking member is designed as a spring-loaded or weight-loaded pivotable locking lever. The locking lever can be offset in a V-shape and have a locking arm that can be pivoted through an opening in the locating socket and an actuation arm projecting from the locating socket.
It can be provided that the locating socket (and also the supporting rods to be held) is round, polygonal, rectangular or square in cross-section, the locking lever being mounted on a side wall and pivotable about a pivot axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the locating socket.
It is preferably envisaged that the locking lever is provided with a weight on its actuation arm, or that a spring acts on the actuation arm.
The problem of the invention is solved in a second embodiment in a generic storage and transport apparatus by having at least one locating socket possessing a releasable base platform locking means for co-operating in a positive and/or non-positive fit with a locating socket of a further base platform placed on or beneath it and/or a supporting rod joined on beneath it, where the base platform locking means prevents the base platform from being removed from the further base platform and/or from the supporting rod in a locked state and permits removal in a released state.
It is preferably provided that the base platform locking means has a locking member which engages in openings or holes drilled in the at least one locating socket or supporting rod. The locking member can be designed as a flexible tongue or hook or as a W-clip or folding split pin.
In general, it can be provided that at least one locating socket is equipped, on the underside, with a centring shoulder for co-operating in a centring fashion with a locating socket of a further base platform located beneath it, or with a supporting rod joined on from below.
In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that at least one of the locating sockets has a supporting rod inserted in it, which is composed of two or more rod parts, wherein a releasable rod locking means is disposed on at least one connecting area between two rod parts in order to co-operate with the rod parts in a positive and/or non-positive fit, the rod locking means preventing the rod parts from being separated in a locked state and permitting their separation in a released state.
It can be provided that the rod locking means has a locking member engaging in openings in the rod parts. The locking member can be designed as a flexible tongue or hook or as a W-clip or folding split pin, U-shaped or C-shaped shackle or spring-locked plug-in member.
It can be provided that the rod locking means has a flexible tongue which is mounted, at an end portion, on a rod part and, with a free, resilient end portion, co-operates with an opening in another rod part.
It can also be provided that the rod parts are designed as hollow profiles and that the flexible tongue is disposed in the interior of a hollow profile.
At its free end portion, the flexible tongue can have a hook-shaped detent portion which, in the unloaded state of the flexible tongue, protrudes out of the hollow profile.
Further advantages and features of the invention will become clear from the following description of preferred embodiments, reference being made to a drawing.
In each of the four corner regions of the base platform 2 there is a locating socket 16 with a square internal and external cross-section 2, which is aligned perpendicularly to the floor 8, the purpose of which in each case is to receive a supporting rod 20 in a releasable way.
Each locating socket 16 has a stop 22 at its lower end, which may be a solid part with a square cross-section or a square bushing with a smaller cross-section than the locating socket. The height and positioning of the stop 22 determine the depth to which the supporting rods 20 can be inserted into the locating sockets 16.
The floor 8 of the base platform 2 is provided with a reinforcement 18 on its longitudinal sides beneath the side wall 10 in order to increase its load-bearing capacity.
A series of storage platforms 40 are releasably mounted on the four supporting rods 20, one such storage platform being illustrated in greater detail in
Each storage platform 40 is equipped with four hook-shaped mounting members 42, which are inserted into the supporting rods 20. In this example, the mounting members 42 are disposed in the corner portions in the region of the narrow sides 43 of the storage platform. Each mounting member 42 has an insertion end portion 46, which ends freely, in this example in the direction of the adjacent longitudinal side 50 of the storage platform. In a different construction, the insertion end portion terminates parallel to the longitudinal sides 50.
Each insertion end portion 46 is provided with a recess 48 (or two,
In the web portion 60, over the entire length of the supporting rod 20, there are insertion recesses 28, which are spaced apart from one another, while on the opposite side, the continuous longitudinal slot 26 is formed between the edge portions 62.
The possibility exists of inserting the supporting rod parts into the base platform in such a way that the insertion recesses do not face each other, as illustrated in
The insertion recesses 28 can be disposed in any desired arrangement, number, mutual spacing etc. In two adjacent hollow-profile walls of a C-shaped supporting rod (corresponding to the web portion 60 and a limb portion 61 according to
In addition,
In order also to be able to lay storage platforms of this kind, in which the insertion end portions end in the longitudinal direction of the storage platform, on a base platform in the weight-reducing manner described, it is appropriate for the locating sockets 16 to be provided in each case with cut-outs 30 on two or even three sides, which are each staggered by 90° relative to one another, see
As
As can already be gathered roughly from
At a free end opposite the pivoting lugs 104, the locking lever 102 is provided with a T-shaped weight 110, which is joined on so that the lever automatically drops into the fixed position shown in
According to
If it is desired that the supporting rod 20 should be locked automatically in every possible insertion position, appropriate openings must also be provided in the area of the respective end portions of the side-wall regions, which are shown on the left and right in
In a modification of the embodiment of the locking means 100, as is illustrated in
As
Because of the slot-like cut-outs 30 with which the locating sockets 16 are provided, a narrow corner region 32 is left in the upper end portion of the locating sockets 16 (
In order to ensure that, even with a supporting rod designed as in
At its lower end, as can already be seen from
The latch 152 is connected with a locking or operating lever 160 via a drawing or actuation means 158, such as a wire or plastic cable or a straight or angled connecting rod, which passes through an opening 153. The operating lever 160 is attached laterally to the locating socket 16 so as to be pivotable about an axis 162 parallel to the axis 154 and is equipped at a free end portion with a weight 164.
When a base platform 2 is provided on one or more locating sockets 16, conveniently on two diagonally opposing sockets or on all four locating sockets, with one base platform locking means 150 in each case, as in
The base platform locking means 150 thus automatically locks the base platform 2, which has been placed on from above, on a lower base platform or on sockets 90 of four supporting rods of a storage device terminating freely towards the top, provided the sockets are equipped with an opening corresponding to the opening designated 170 in
Depending on whether the drawing means 158 is flexible or rigid, when the base platform locking means 150 is placed on top and engaged, the operating lever 160 is temporarily swivelled upwards in the pivoting direction 172 into the position shown by a dashed line in
The operating lever 160 is preferably designed as shown in
Differently from what is shown in
Both with the locking means 100 according to
For this purpose, a releasing means in the form of a releasing arm 180 is attached on the pivoting lugs 104. With regard to the pivot axis 108, the releasing arm 180 is disposed rotated by such an angle relative to the locking arm 114 that, in the released state, the releasing arm 180 extends through the cut-out 30 in the insertion recess 28 of the supporting rod 20, as is indicated by dashed lines in
This embodiment has the advantage that no one can forget to move the locking means back into the position where it is ready to lock, once it has been maintained in the released state in order to remove the supporting rod.
The flexible tongue 132 has two forked mounting limbs 134, which are attached laterally to the inside of the supporting rod 20b adjacent to a neighbouring insertion recess 28, such as by spot-welding, in order to achieve a sufficient resilient length between the attachment points and a resilient, angled detent lug 136 of the flexible tongue 132.
The detent lug 136 is angled by about 90° vis-à-vis the longitudinal direction of the supporting rod and projects beyond the outer surface of the supporting rod by a distance corresponding approximately to the thickness of the wall of the supporting rod or socket 90 (or the locating socket).
In an extension of the detent lug 136, the flexible tongue 132 is provided with an angled guide slope 138 which ensures that, whenever the supporting rod 20b is inserted into a socket 90 of another supporting rod 20a, the flexible tongue 132 is deflected in the direction of the arrow 140 against its spring resistance and in the process is moved into the interior of the supporting rod. As soon as the detent lug 136 has reached the longitudinal slot 26 or an insertion recess 28, the flexible tongue 132 springs back in the opposite direction to the arrow 140, so that the detent lug 136 reaches the locked retaining position shown in
When it is intended to pull the supporting rod 20b out, it is sufficient to apply pressure, such as with a finger, to the free end of the flexible tongue 132, approximately in the region of the guide slope 138, in order to shift the flexible tongue and the detent lug 136 in the direction of the arrow 140 and to release the supporting rod.
Although the upper supporting rod 20b is illustrated in
As mentioned, a lock with a flexible tongue in accordance with
Pivotably mounted on one axle 194, which is mounted in drilled holes 195 of the supporting rod 20, is a locking lever 192 which projects outwards with its free end portion 192a through an elongate opening 193 provided in the supporting rod 20. Discs 197 attached on both sides of the axle 194 hold the axle 194 and the locking lever 192 centrally within the free internal cross-section of the supporting rod 20.
A readjusting spring 196, which is indicated in
A release rod 198 is pivotably hinged to the locking lever 192 at its pivot point 199 in order to move the locking lever by hand from below into its release position, which is indicated by dashed lines in
When a supporting rod 20 is inserted into a locating socket 16, the locking lever 192 is automatically swung in the direction of the release position, which is indicated by dashed lines in
The locking means 100 illustrated in
- 1 Storage device
- 1′ Low storage device
- 2 Base platform
- 4 Roller
- 8 Floor
- 10 Side wall
- 12 Overflow
- 14 Protrusion
- 15 Narrow side
- 16, 16′ Locating socket
- 16b′ Upper rim
- 18 Reinforcement
- 20 Supporting rod
- 20a First part
- 20b Second part
- 22 Stop/centring member
- 26 Longitudinal slot
- 28, 28′ Insertion recess
- 28a Lower rim
- 30 Cut-out
- 32 Corner region
- 40 Storage platform
- 41 Floor
- 42 Mounting member
- 43 Narrow side
- 44 Side wall
- 46 Insertion end portion
- 48, 48a Recess
- 50 Longitudinal side
- 54 Protrusion
- 58 Reinforcement
- 60 Web portion
- 61 Limb portion
- 62 Edge portion
- 70 Land
- 90 Socket
- 100 Locking means
- 102 Locking lever
- 104 Pivoting lugs
- 106 Mounting socket
- 108 Pivot axis
- 110 Weight
- 112 Actuation arm
- 114 Locking arm
- 116 Crossbar
- 117 Opening
- 120 Base platform locking means
- 122 Opening
- 124 Hook
- 126, 128 Opening
- 129 Rod locking means
- 130 Alternative rod locking means
- 132 Flexible tongue
- 134 Mounting limb
- 136 Detent lug
- 138 Guide slope
- 140 Arrow
- 150 Base platform locking means
- 152 Latch
- 152a End portion
- 153 Opening
- 154 Axis
- 156 Opening
- 158 Drawing or actuation means
- 160 Locking or operating lever
- 162 Axis
- 164 Weight
- 166 Direction of stacking
- 168, 172 Pivoting direction
- 170, 170′ Opening
- 180 Releasing means
- 182 Magnet (restraining means)
- 190 Rod locking means
- 192 Locking lever
- 192a End portion
- 193 Opening
- 194 Axle
- 195 Drilled hole
- 196 Readjusting spring
- 197 Disc
- 198 Release rod
- 199 Pivot point
- 200 Rod locking means
- 202 Arm
- 204 Axis
- 206 Weight
- 208 Catch
- 210 Guide slope
Claims
1-32. (canceled)
33. A storage and transport apparatus (1, 1′) with a substantially rectangular base platform (2) which is provided, in each of four corner regions, with a locating socket (16) for releasably receiving a supporting rod (20, 20a, 20b), characterised in that at least one of the locating sockets (16) is provided with a releasable locking means (100 for co-operating in a positive and/or non-positive fit with a supporting rod (20, 20a, 20b), where the locking means (100) prevents the supporting rod (20, 20a, 20b) from being removed from the locating socket (16) in a locked state and permits removal in a released state.
34. The apparatus as claimed in claim 33, characterised in that the locking means (100) has a locking member which engages in openings or holes (126, 28, 26) drilled in the locating socket. (16) and the supporting rod (20, 20a, 20b)
35. The apparatus as claimed in claim 33, characterised in that the locking means (100) is designed as a spring-loaded or weight-loaded pivotable locking lever (102).
36. The apparatus as claimed in claim 35, characterised in that the locking lever (102) is offset in a V-shape and has a locking arm (114) that can be pivoted into the locating socket (16) and an actuation arm (112) projecting from the locating socket (16).
37. The apparatus as claimed in claim 36, characterised in that the locating socket (16) is rectangular or square in cross-section, the locking lever (102) being mounted on a side wall and pivotable about a pivot axis (108) perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the locating socket (16).
38. A storage and transport apparatus (1, 1′) with a substantially rectangular base platform (2) which is provided, in each of four corner regions, with a locating socket (16) for receiving a supporting rod (20, 20a, 20b), characterised in that at least one locating socket (16) is provided with a releasable base platform locking means (120, 150) for co-operating in a positive and/or non-positive fit with a locating socket (16) of a further base platform (2) placed on or beneath it and/or a supporting rod (20a, 20b) joined on beneath it, where the base platform locking means (120, 150) prevents the base platform (2) from being removed from the further base platform (2) or from the supporting rod (20a, 20b) in a locked state and permits removal in a released state.
39. The apparatus as claimed in claim 38, characterised in that the base platform locking means (120, 150) has a locking member which engages in openings or holes (126, 28, 26) drilled in the locating socket (16) and the supporting rod (20, 20a, 20b).
40. The apparatus as claimed in claim 39, characterised in that the locking member is designed as a flexible tongue (132) or hook (124) or as a W-clip or folding split pin.
41. The apparatus as claimed in either of claims 33 or 38, characterised in that at least one locating socket (16) is equipped, on the underside, with a centring shoulder (22) for co-operating in a centring fashion with a locating socket (16) of a further base platform (2) located beneath it or with a supporting rod (20a, 20b) joined on from below.
42. The apparatus as claimed in claim 35, characterised in that the centring shoulder (22) projects from the locating socket (16) and is provided with an opening (117), the base platform locking means (150) and the opening (117) being in matching positions such that, in use, the base platform locking means (150) can cooperate with an opening (117) of a centring shoulder (22) of a further base platform (2).
43. The apparatus as claimed in claim 38, characterised in that at least one of the locating sockets (16) is provided with a releasable locking means (100) for cooperating in a positive and/or non-positive fit with a supporting rod (20, 20a, 20b), where the locking means (100) prevents the supporting rod (20, 20a, 20b) from being removed from the locating socket (16) in a locked position and permits removal in a released state.
44. The apparatus as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that the base platform locking means (120, 150) can be operated via an actuation means (158) together with the locking means (100).
45. The apparatus as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that the locking means (100) is designed as a spring-loaded or weight-loaded, pivotable locking or operating lever (102).
46. The apparatus as claimed in claim 45, characterised in that the locking or operating lever (102, 160) is offset in a V-shape and has a locking arm (114) that can be pivoted into the locating socket (16) and an actuation arm (112) projecting from the locating socket (16).
47. The apparatus as claimed in claim 45, characterised in that the locating socket (16) is rectangular or square in cross-section, the locking or operating lever (102, 160) being mounted on a side wall and pivotable about a pivot axis (162) perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the locating socket (16).
48. The apparatus as claimed in claim 45, characterised in that the locking or operating lever (102, 160) is provided with a weight (110) on its actuation arm (112).
49. The apparatus as claimed in claim 46, characterised in that the base platform locking means (150) comprises a latch (152) which is mounted in the interior of the centring member (22) so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (154).
50. The apparatus as claimed in claim 49, characterised in that the latch (152) is connected to the locking means (100) via an actuation means (158).
51. The apparatus as claimed in either of claims 33 or 38, characterised in that at least one of the locating sockets (16) has a supporting rod (20; 20a, 20b) inserted in it, which can be composed of two or more rod parts (20a, 20b), wherein a releasable rod locking means (130, 190, 200) is disposed on one end portion of the supporting rod (20; 20a, 20b) and/or on at least one connecting area between two rod parts (20a, 20b) for co-operating with the locating socket (16) or the rod parts (20a, 20b) in a positive and/or non-positive fit, the rod locking means (130, 190, 200) preventing the supporting rod (20; 20a, 20b) from being separated from the locating socket (16) or preventing the rod parts (20a, 20b) from being separated in a locked state and permitting their separation in a released state.
52. The apparatus as claimed in claim 51, characterised in that the rod locking means (130) has a flexible tongue (132) which is mounted, at an end portion, on a supporting rod (20a, 20b) or a rod part (20a, 20b) and, with a free, resilient end portion (136), co-operates with an opening in a locating socket (16) or in another rod part (20b, 20a).
53. The apparatus as claimed in claim 51, characterised in that, the rod locking means (13) has a flexible tongue (132) forming a locking member, where the flexible tongue, at its free end portion, has a hook-shaped detent portion (136) which, in the unloaded state of the flexible tongue (132), protrudes out of the hollow profile.
54. The apparatus as claimed in claim 51, characterised in that the supporting rod (20a, 20b) is designed as a hollow profile and supports a spring-loaded or weight-loaded locking lever (192) mounted inside the hollow profile which projects out through an opening (193) in the supporting rod (20a, 20b).
55. The apparatus as claimed in claim 51, characterised in that the locking member is designed as a pivotably mounted catch (208) protruding at the end from the supporting rod (20) or from a supporting rod part (20a, 20b).
56. The apparatus as claimed in either of claims 33 or 38, characterised in that it comprises restraining means (182) for maintaining the locking means (100) and/or the base platform locking means (120, 150) in the released state.
57. The apparatus as claimed in claim 56, characterised by a means (180) for automatically releasing the restraining means (182) when a supporting rod (20) is removed from a locating socket (16) and/or when a base platform (2) is separated from a further base platform (2).
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 8, 2007
Publication Date: May 29, 2008
Applicant: Herrn (Hermann Korte)
Inventors: Hermann Korte (Surwold), Rudolf Schomaker (Sogel), Reinhold Trinczek (Buchen)
Application Number: 11/937,151
International Classification: A47B 57/26 (20060101);