ADAPTABLE BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR FACILITATING STOREHOUSE FLUE SPACE
The general purpose of the new vertical adaptable bracket assembly is to provide a pallet rack load stop system wherein a novel bracket combines with existing beams to easily create a load stop for use on all storage levels of pallet racks, including at top-level near fire sprinkler system components where specified clearance is required by law.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application for Patent Ser. No. 62/022,212, filed on Jul. 9, 2014, entitled “VERTICAL ADAPTABLE BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR PALLET RACKS,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCHNot Applicable.
SEQUENCE LISTINGNot applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe general purpose of the new vertical adaptable bracket assembly is to provide a pallet rack load stop system wherein a novel bracket combines with existing beams to easily create a load stop for use on all storage levels of pallet racks, including at top-level near fire sprinkler system components. The primary benefit of the new vertical bracket is that it prevents goods stored on pallets from interfering with government-required sprinkler systems and other regulations related to large-scale storage of product, such as in warehouses. The current invention improves on previous products in that it imposes space restrictions on both lateral and longitudinal flue space for upper levels of storage pallets to facilitate compliance with fire codes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe general purpose of the new bracket assembly is to provide a simple, yet versatile and adaptable mechanism for restricting the distance between loaded pallets and between a top-rack pallet and the ceiling. In general, the bracket assembly secures to a horizontal beam in a similar fashion as a vertical pallet rack beam is connected to a horizontal pallet rack beam. The vertical bracket assembly can be attached to a horizontal beam such that the bracket is angled either perpendicular to the top of the horizontal beam or perpendicular to the side of the horizontal beam. By attaching perpendicular to the top, the new vertical bracket serves to prevent pallets, including goods stored thereon, from interfering with the storage house's fire sprinkler system.
By attaching perpendicular to the side, the new vertical bracket serves to prevent overhanging pallets, including goods stored thereon, from being positioned too close to each other. Many government fire codes require a minimum of six (6) inches of clearance between pallets of product and the nearest storage house wall for fire sprinkler effectiveness. The same is true for pallets of product on racks that are situated back-to-back. Likewise, there must be six inches of clearance between pallets of product on horizontally adjacent rows. One vertical load stop bracket, for example, can be used to protect and maintain flue space on both sides of pallet racks that are set back to back by preventing overhanging pallets and product from being positioned closer than six inches from one another.
The sum of these advantages unify with the novel device for ensuring adequate spacing between pallets and between pallets and the walls and ceiling of a storage house, resulting in an invention that is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art support, either alone or in any combination thereof.
These, together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty characterizing the invention, are described with particularity in the claims herewith. A more comprehensive understanding of the features, operation and uses of the invention may be gleaned from reference to the enclosed drawings and descriptive matter further illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention.
The embodiments described herein are illustrative of the invention, and it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description and drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. It should be further understood that the phraseology and terminology applied herein merely serve the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As to further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of this invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention, the use of which results in a new adaptable bracket assembly for pallet racks.
Although the description presented heretofore contains specificities for the benefit of illustration, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but rather as illustrative examples of some of the several embodiments. Thus, the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples provided.
Claims
1. An adaptable bracket assembly for facilitating storehouse flue space, comprising:
- a first end unit for attachment to a horizontal pallet rack beam, said first end unit having a top and two sides—and inner and an outer side—and said first end means having a horizontal beam attachment means;
- a second end unit for attachment to one or more vertical beams, such as vertical pallet rack beams or Unistrut channels, said second end unit having two parallel sides positioned at least 3 inches relative to one another, each side being a plate and each said plate having a plurality of holes complimentary to those of the opposing plate, said holes being large enough to accommodate ⅜-inch bolts; and
- a connection means for connecting the first and second end units to each other.
2. The adaptable bracket assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner side of the first end unit contains one or more bolt holes and the second end unit further comprises a third plated side being attached perpendicularly to said sides, said third side having bolt holes complementary to those of said inner side of the first end unit; and the connection means being one or more bolts connecting the first and second end means through said complementary bolt holes.
3. The adaptable bracket assembly of claim 1 wherein the connection means is welding, where the two sides of the second end unit are welded perpendicularly to the outside vertical edges of the inner side of the first end means.
4. The adaptable bracket assembly of claim 1 wherein the horizontal beam attachment means is a bolt-on means, where the inner and outer sides of the first end unit are each of such a length that they extend below a standard horizontal pallet rack beam when the adaptable bracket assembly is in use, and wherein the horizontal beam attachment means is one or more corresponding bolt-size hole in each of the two sides of the first end unit.
5. The adaptable bracket assembly of claim 1 wherein the horizontal beam attachment means is a clip-on means, where the outer side of the first end means is of a length approximately equal to the width of a standard horizontal pallet rack beam and where a horizontal flange is attached longitudinally and perpendicularly to the bottom edge of the outer side, such that the flange extends toward the inner side of the first end means.
6. The adaptable bracket assembly of claim 5 further comprising bumpers, which may be rubber or foam or a comparable substance, and which are adhered to the inside surfaces of the inner and outer sides of the first end unit.
7. The adaptable bracket assembly of claim 1 wherein the horizontal beam attachment means is a clamp-on means, where a clamp having a clamping mechanism and a receiving mechanism each attached to the bottom portion of either the inner side or outer side of the first end unit and positioned such that the clamping mechanism can be secured to the receiving mechanism.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 29, 2014
Publication Date: Jan 14, 2016
Inventor: ROBERT CONSAUL (SAN FRANCISCO, CA)
Application Number: 14/585,178