Storage locker
A storage locker in a building space, the building space having a floor, a ceiling and walls bounding the space between the ceiling and floor. The storage locker has at least four walls defining a storage space in the building space, first and second walls forming a first corner. At least the first and second walls each have spaced-apart posts extending between, and mounted to, the floor and ceiling, one of the posts at the first corner and common to the first and second walls. One of the first and second walls has a closure therein mounted between two of the posts forming the wall. At least the other wall has self-supporting wire mesh panelling extending over the length of the wall and mounted on the posts including the corner post to close the wall.
This application claims the priority of Canadian application no. 2,582,839, filed Mar. 22, 2007, and which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Technical Field
This invention is directed toward a storage locker.
2. Background Art
Storage lockers are presently constructed with walls composed of wood or metal framing covered with panels of material to close in the locker storage space. The lockers are usually built against a wall of a building containing the lockers to have the building wall form the back wall of the locker. Adjacent lockers have a common side wall. The framing is rigid enough to define the shape of the locker. Locker construction using framing is however relatively expensive. Locker construction using framing is also difficult to modify to adapt the locker walls to uneven floors and walls and to pipes and ductwork close to the ceiling of the room containing the lockers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is the purpose of the present invention to provide storage lockers which are easier to construct and less expensive to manufacture. It is another purpose of the present invention to provide storage lockers which can be easily and inexpensively modified during construction to accommodate building construction anomalies where the lockers are to be located.
In accordance with the present invention, the lockers are constructed without the need to provide a rigid frame to define the shape of the locker. Instead, the locker walls comprise self-supporting wire mesh panelling mounted on spaced-apart posts and, when needed, mounted directly to one or more walls of the building. The panelling comprises wire mesh panels which are defined by vertical and horizontal wires, the wires joined where they cross. The vertical and horizontal wires are spaced apart to form open squares which are generally small enough to prevent an adult's hand from passing through a square. The wires are also large enough to have the panel self-supporting and to retain its flat shape when stood on an edge.
The locker is constructed by first mounting a number of adjustable length posts between the floor and ceiling of a storage space in the building. The posts are spaced apart and define at least a portion of the perimeter of the storage area of the locker, the remainder of the perimeter defined by any portion of the building walls which may be used as the back, and even as one side, of the locker. The posts are spaced apart along the perimeter of the locker with posts at the corners of the perimeter which corners are located away from the building walls.
Panels of wire mesh are then attached to the posts and to any of the building walls, if used, to enclose the storage area of the locker. The wire mesh panels are rigid enough to be self supporting and are attached to the posts with suitable fastening means and to the building walls defining part of the perimeter of the locker with brackets on the walls and suitable fastening means joining the panels to the brackets.
The storage lockers can also be closed with roofs of the same wire mesh panelling used in the walls if needed. The wire mesh wall panels are normally made for roofs eight feet high, the panels sized to leave some space between the ceiling of the storage area and the top of the panels when installed but not enough to provide entry into the locker over the panels. However, there are storage areas in buildings with ceilings ten feet high or even higher that are used for storage locker locations. In these areas the lockers can be provided with wire mesh roofs to close off the top of the lockers and thus prevent entry into the lockers over the top of the locker walls.
The lockers are usually employed in storage areas where there are water sprinklers for fire protection in the ceiling. To be able to access each water sprinkler, each locker roof is preferably comprised of two half roof sections, one roof section attached hingedly along one edge to one side wall of the locker and the other roof section attached hingedly along one edge to the other side wall. Both roof sections are normally horizontal and sized to slightly overlap. They are detachably secured together in the overlap area to retain them in a horizontal position closing the top of the locker. When servicing of the sprinklers is required, the roof sections can be disconnected from each other allowing them to swing down inside the locker against the side walls. In this position, the top of the locker is open to provide access to the sprinkler.
The invention is particularly directed toward a storage locker for use in a storage space of a building, the storage space having side walls, a floor and a ceiling. The locker comprises a plurality of spaced-apart, vertical posts defining at least two adjacent walls of the storage locker, one of the posts at the corner where the walls defined by the posts join, the one post common to both walls. The posts are fixedly mounted between the floor and ceiling of the storage space.
One wall defined by the posts has a closure mounted therein, the closure mounted between adjacent posts, including the corner post, defining at least part of the one wall. The other wall of the locker includes self-supporting wire mesh panels mounted between the posts, the panels extending substantially between the floor and ceiling. The other wall includes a panel extending from the post in the wall farthest from the corner post to the building wall to be attached to the building wall.
The locker 1 is adapted to be built in a storage area 3 such as in the basement of an apartment and/or condominium building. As shown in
At least two adjacent walls 13, 15 of the locker 1 have spaced apart posts 23A, 23B, 23C extending between the floor 5 and ceiling 7 of the storage area 3. The posts are identical. The posts are spaced apart a standard distance, such as four feet for example. The posts are preferably adjustable in length as will be described and are fastened to both the floor 5 and ceiling 7. The walls 13, 15 are normally perpendicular to each other and joined at a first corner 25 where there is a post 23A common to both walls. The first wall 13 is an end wall of the locker and the second wall 15, which is longer than the first wall 13, is a side wall of the locker. The first wall 13 has two spaced apart posts 23A, 23B with a closure 27 mounted to and between the posts, the closure providing access to the locker storage space 21. The second post 23B is adjacent the fourth wall 19 of the locker. The second wall 15 also has two spaced apart posts 23A, 23B with wire mesh panelling 29 extending over its length, the panelling joined to the posts including the corner post 23A and extending to the third wall 17 of the locker. The third wall 17 of the locker, an end wall and opposite the first wall 13, is formed by a portion of the building wall 9. The fourth wall 19 of the locker, a side wall and opposite the second wall 15, is formed by a portion of the other wall 11 of the building. The third and fourth walls 17, 19 of the locker join to form a right angle second corner 31 of the locker diagonally opposite the right angle first corner 25 formed by the first and second walls 13, 15. The side wall 15 of the locker could have more than two posts 23A, 23C if the locker is made larger as could the end wall 13.
The closure 27 has a door 35, the door hinged on one side 37 to the corner post 23A. There are co-operating latch means (not shown) on the other side 39 of the door 35 and on the second post 23B to be used to close and lock the door. The transom space above the closure 27 is closed by a self-supporting wire panel 40 fastened to the posts 23A, 23B in a manner to be described.
The wire mesh panelling 29 preferably comprises wire mesh panels 41 of standard width, the width generally matching the standard spacing employed between the posts 23A, 23C. A first panel 41A extends between the posts 23A, 23C and is fastened to both posts. A second panel 41B extends between the second post 23C and the end wall 17. The second panel 41B can be cut to fit the length between the second post 23C and the end wall 17 if the distance is less than the standard distance. The second panel is fastened to both the second post 23C and the end wall 17.
In more detail, each post 23A, 23B, 23C, as shown in
Each post 23 is long enough to extend between the floor 5 and the ceiling 7 of the storage area 3 with the legs 45, 47 telescopically extended from the ends of the post member 43. Each post 23 can be mounted in position by first fastening the mounting plate 55 of the bottom leg 47 to the floor 5 with suitable fasteners (not shown) passing through the openings 57 and then mounting the post member 43, carrying the top leg 45, on the bottom leg 47. The top leg 45 is then extended from the top of the post member 43 to the ceiling 7 and its mounting plate 55 is attached to the ceiling with suitable fasteners (not shown). Finally, the post member 43 is raised several inches from the floor 5, relative to the top and bottom legs 45, 47 and then fastened in place with a screw 60 inserted through a wall of the post member 43 into the mounting post 53 of leg 45. The posts are mounted to have their inner wall, facing into the storage space, aligned. The post construction permits solid mounting of the posts to the floor and ceiling even if one of the floor or ceiling slopes or is otherwise uneven with respect to the other. While one telescopic post construction has been described, other constructions could be used. For example, the bottom leg 45 could be fixed to the post member43. Then only the top leg 45 is telescopic. In another example, the screw 60 could be fastened to the bottom leg instead of to the top leg.
Each wire mesh panel 41, as shown in
Wire clips 71 are used to attach the panels 41 to the posts 23A, 23B, etc. Each clip 71 is generally ‘P’ shaped, when viewed from the top, with a pair of flat adjacent legs 73, 75 forming the stem of the ‘P’, the legs joined at one end by a loop 77 forming the loop of the ‘P’. The free ends of the legs 73, 75 have aligned holes 79 there through. The wire clips 71 are attached to each vertical wire 61A at the vertical edges 67 of the panels 41 at spaced apart vertical locations, starting at the top edge of the panel, and usually about two to three feet apart. There is usually a clip at or near the bottom edge of the panel as well. The clips are attached by manipulating the clip 71 to place the side edge wire 61A on the panel between the legs 73, 75 of the clip and into the loop 77. Each clip 71 is fastened onto the flat inner wall 81 of the post member 43 of the posts by a screw fastener 83 passed through the aligned holes 79 in the legs 73, 75. The flat wall 81 of the post member 43 faces into the storage space 21 and the clips 71 are within the storage space.
The free end of the last panel 41B in the side wall 15 is attached to the second end wall 17 formed by part of the building wall 9 by brackets 85 and clips 71 as shown in
The transom panel 40 is attached to the posts 23A, 23B in the end wall 13 using the clips 71A. As shown in
It will be seen that the clips 71, 71A on the corner post 23A are inside the wire panel 41 and the transom 40.
The locker described is relatively small and narrow. The locker can be made larger by widening the end wall and by lengthening the side wall. As shown in the
The locker has been described as being mounted in a corner of a building. The locker could also be constructed to be mounted against one wall only of the building. As shown in
The construction could be used to provide a set of adjacent lockers. After the first corner locker 1 has been built, as shown in
The additional lockers can have a width the same as the width of the locker shown in
The locker could also be built free of the building walls if desired or if needed with all the walls of the locker solely formed of posts and wire mesh panels, there being a post at each corner of the locker common to two adjacent walls. As shown in
The locker 401 can have a width the same as the width of the locker shown in
Any of the lockers described above can be provided with roofs if needed. As shown in
The roof sections 451, 453 can abut when pivoted to a horizontal position but preferably one section is slightly wider than the other so they slightly overlap when pivoted to a horizontal position as shown in
Where a roof is to be provided for a locker having a side wall provided by a building wall, the roof section is hinged to the building wall with brackets similar to the brackets 85 employed to fasten the wire mesh panels of the side wall to the building wall as shown in
To make it easier to mount and to open and close the roof 449, each roof section 451, 453 can be composed of two or more individual roof panels. Roof sections 451′, 453′ of roof 449′ are each composed of two roof panels 491, 492 and 493, 494 respectively as shown in
In some cases where the lockers are built in storage areas with eight foot ceilings, the locker roof may have to be recessed within the locker to provide clearance for any sprinkler heads. As shown in
The wire mesh panels in the side walls of the lockers make it very easy to accommodate piping or ducts in or near the ceiling of the building storage space. Openings are easily cut in the mesh from the top of the panel down to accommodate any pipes or ducts entering or leaving or traversing the lockers. While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or limits of the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. A storage locker in a building space, the building space having a floor, a ceiling and walls bounding the space between the ceiling and floor, the storage locker having at least four walls defining a storage space in the building space, the first and second walls forming a first corner, the first and second walls each having spaced-apart posts extending between, and directly mounted to, the floor and ceiling, one of the posts at the first corner common to first and second walls, the first wall having a closure therein mounted between two of the posts forming the wall, at least the second wall having self-supporting wire mesh panelling extending over the length of the wall and mounted on the posts including the corner post.
2. A storage locker as claimed in claim 1 wherein each post is adjustable in length and has plate members at each end for abutting against, and attachment to, the floor and ceiling.
3. A storage locker as claimed in claim 2 wherein each post has a main tubular body member of square cross-section, at least one of the plate members attached to a mounting post that is telescopically mounted in one end of the tubular body member.
4. A storage locker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wire mesh panelling comprises
- individual wire mesh panels that are self-supporting, each panel extending between, and fastened to, adjacent posts, the panel farthest from the corner post fastened between the post farthest from the corner post and the third wall forming part of the locker.
5. A storage locker as claimed in claim 4 wherein each wire panel is made up of vertical and horizontal wires, the wires joined where they cross, the wires spaced apart a distance between one and a half inches and two and a half inches, the wires between four and ten gauge in diameter.
6. A storage locker as claimed in claim 2 wherein the wire panelling comprises
- individual wire panels that are self supporting, each panel extending between, and fastened to, adjacent posts, the panel farthest from the corner post fastened between the post farthest from the corner post and the third wall forming part of the locker.
7. A storage locker as claimed in claim 6 wherein each wire panel is made up of vertical and horizontal wires, the wires joined where they cross, the wires spaced apart a distance between one and a half inches and two and a half inches, the wires between four and ten gauge in diameter.
8. A storage locker as claimed in claim 3 wherein the wire panelling comprises
- individual wire panels that are self supporting, each panel extending between, and fastened to, adjacent posts, the panel farthest from the corner post fastened between the post farthest from the corner post and the third wall forming part of the locker.
9. A storage locker as claimed in claim 8 wherein each wire panel is made up of vertical and horizontal wires, the wires joined where they cross, the wires spaced apart a distance between one and a half inches and two and a half inches, the wires between four and ten gauge in diameter.
10. A storage locker as claimed in claim 5 wherein each side of a panel between two posts is attached to a post by vertically spaced apart clips each looped about a vertical wire on the side of the panel.
11. A storage locker as claimed in claim 9 wherein each side of a mesh panel between
- two posts is attached to a flat side of a post by vertically spaced apart clips each looped about a vertical wire on the side of the panel.
12. A storage locker as claimed in claim 5 wherein the panel farthest from the corner
- post is attached on one side to the post farthest from the corner post by vertically spaced apart clips each looped about a vertical wire on the side of the one panel, the panel on its other side attached to vertically spaced apart brackets on the third wall by vertically spaced apart clips each looped about a vertical wire on the other side of the panel.
13. A storage locker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third and fourth walls of the locker are formed by wall portions of first and second building walls respectively, the third wall parallel to the first wall, the fourth wall parallel to the second wall, the third and fourth walls forming a second corner diagonally opposite the first corner, the first wall connected to the fourth wall, the wire mesh panelling of the second wall ending adjacent the third wall and connected thereto through brackets on the third wall.
14. A storage locker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third wall of the locker is formed by a wall portion of a first building wall, the wire panelling of the second wall ending adjacent the third wall and attached thereto by brackets on the third wall; the fourth wall parallel to the second wall and joined to the third wall to form a second corner and to the first wall to form a third corner, the fourth wall having spaced apart posts extending between, and mounted to, the floor and ceiling, one of the posts at the third corner common to fourth and first walls, the fourth wall having wire mesh panelling extending over the length of the wall and mounted on the posts including the third corner post, the wire mesh panelling of the fourth wall ending adjacent the third wall and connected thereto through brackets on the third wall.
15. A storage locker as claimed in claim 13 including a second locker adjacent the first locker, the second locker having a first wall aligned with the first wall of the first locker and a second wall spaced from the second wall of the first locker and parallel to it, the second wall of the second locker joining the free end of the first wall of the
- second locker to form a first corner in the second locker, the third wall of the second locker comprising a portion of the first building wall, the fourth wall of the second locker being the second wall of the first locker.
16. A storage locker as claimed in claim 14 including a second locker adjacent the first locker, the second locker having a first wall aligned with the first wall of the first locker and a second wall spaced from the second wall of the first locker and parallel to it, the second wall of the second locker joining the free end of the first wall of the
- second locker to form a first corner in the second locker, the third wall of the second locker comprising a portion of the first building wall, the fourth wall of the second locker being the second wall of the first locker.
17. A storage locker as claimed in claim 15 wherein the first and second walls of the second locker each have spaced-apart posts extending between, and mounted to, the floor and ceiling, one of the posts at the corner common to first and second walls, the first wall having a closure therein mounted between two of the posts forming the wall, at least the second wall having wire mesh panelling extending over the length of the wall and mounted on the posts including the corner post.
18. A storage locker as claimed in claim 9 including a second locker adjacent the first locker, the second locker having a first wall aligned with the first wall of the first locker and a second wall spaced from the second wall of the first locker and parallel to it, the second wall of the second locker joining the free end of the first wall of the second locker to form a first corner in the second locker, the third wall of the second locker comprising a portion of a building wall, the fourth wall of the second locker being the second wall of the first locker.
19. A storage locker as claimed in claim 16 wherein the first and second walls of the second locker each have spaced-apart posts extending between, and mounted to, the floor and ceiling, one of the posts at the corner common to first and second walls, the first wall having a closure therein mounted between two of the posts forming the wall, at least the second wall having wire mesh panelling extending over the length of the wall and mounted on the posts including the corner post.
20. A storage locker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third and fourth walls form a
- second corner diagonally opposite the first corner, the third and fourth walls each having spaced-apart posts extending between, and mounted to, the floor and ceiling, one of the posts at the second corner common to third and fourth walls, the third and second walls forming a third corner, one of the posts of the second and third walls common to both walls, the first and fourth wall forming a fourth corner, one of the posts of the first and fourth walls common to both walls; the third and fourth walls having self supporting wire mesh panelling extending over the length of the wall and mounted on the posts including the corner posts.
21. A storage locker as claimed in claim 20 including a second locker adjacent the first locker, the second locker having a first wall aligned with the first wall of the first locker and a second wall spaced from the second wall of the first locker and parallel to it, the second wall of the second locker joining the free end of the first wall of the
- second locker to form a first corner in the second locker, the third wall of the second locker aligned with the third wall of the first locker, the fourth wall of the second locker being the second wall of the first locker.
22. A storage locker in a building space, the building space having a floor, a ceiling and walls bounding the space between the ceiling and floor, the storage locker having at least two side walls joined by two end walls defining a storage space in the building space; the side walls each have spaced-apart posts attached to the floor and ceiling of the building space, with a corner post at each end of each side wall and one or more intermediate posts between the corner posts depending on the length of the side walls, the corner posts of each side wall common with the end walls; each end wall having one or more intermediate posts, if needed, between the corner posts of the side walls; one of the walls having a closure therein extending between two adjacent posts in the wall; and self-supporting wire mesh panelling extending between all the posts in all the walls including above the closure.
23. A storage locker as claimed in claim 13 wherein the locker has a roof divided longitudinally into two half sections, the half sections made of wire mesh; one half section connected along one side, with hinge means, to the wire mesh panelling of the second wall; the other half section connected along one side, with hinge means, to the fourth wall, both hinge means at the same height, the half sections pivotable about the hinge means to a horizontal position where they overlap, and fastening means detachably connecting the sections together in their horizontal positions to form the roof.
24. A storage locker as claimed in claim 14 wherein the locker has a roof divided longitudinally into two half sections, the half sections made of wire mesh; one half section connected along one side, with hinge means, to the wire mesh panelling of the second wall; the other half section connected along one side, with hinge means, to the fourth wall, both hinge means at the same height, the half sections pivotable about the hinge means to a horizontal position where they overlap, and fastening means detachably connecting the sections together in their horizontal positions to form the roof.
25. A storage locker as claimed in claim 22 wherein the locker has a roof divided longitudinally into two half sections, the half sections made of wire mesh; one half section connected along one side, with hinge means, to one of the side walls; the other half section connected along one side, with hinge means, to the other side wall, both hinge means at the same height, the half sections pivotable about the hinge means to a horizontal position where they overlap, and fastening means detachably connecting the sections together in their horizontal positions to form the roof.
26. A storage locker as claimed in claim 23 wherein the one half section is connected to the top of the wire mesh panelling of the second wall.
27. A storage locker as claimed in claim 24 wherein the one half section is connected to the top of the wire mesh panelling of the second wall.
28. A storage locker as claimed in claim 25 wherein the one half section is connected to the top of the one side wall and the other half section is connected to the top of the other side wall.
29. A storage locker as claimed in claim 23 wherein each half section is made up of at least two separate panels of wire mesh material, each panel in one section opposite a corresponding panel in the other half section, each panel in one half section connected along one side by hinge means to the second wall and each panel in the other half section connected by the hinge means to the fourth wall, the panels in both sections pivotable about the hinge means to a horizontal position where they overlap, and fastening means detachably connecting opposite panels together in their horizontal positions to form the roof.
30. A storage locker as claimed in claim 24 wherein each half section is made up of at least two separate panels of wire mesh material, each panel in one section opposite a corresponding panel in the other half section, each panel in one half section connected along one side by hinge means to the second wall and each panel in the other half section connected by the hinge means to the fourth wall, the panels in both sections pivotable about the hinge means to a horizontal position where they overlap, and fastening means detachably connecting opposite panels together in their horizontal positions to form the roof.
31. A storage locker as claimed in claim 25 wherein each half section is made up of at least two separate panels of wire mesh material, each panel in one section opposite a corresponding panel in the other half section, each panel in one half section
- connected along one side by hinge means to one of the side walls and each panel in the other half section connected by the hinge means to the other of the side walls, the panels in both sections pivotable about the hinge means to a horizontal position where they overlap, and fastening means detachably connecting opposite panels together in their horizontal positions to form the roof.
32. A storage locker as claimed in claim 29 wherein the panels in the one half section are connected to the top of the wire mesh panelling of the second wall.
33. A storage locker as claimed in claim 30 wherein the panels in the one half section are connected to the top of the wire mesh panelling of the second wall.
34. A storage locker as claimed in claim 31 wherein the panels in the one half section are connected to the top of the one side wall and the panels in the other half section are connected to the top of the other side wall.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 12, 2007
Publication Date: Sep 25, 2008
Inventor: Derek Goddard (Beaconsfield)
Application Number: 11/826,083
International Classification: E04B 1/00 (20060101);