Abstract:
The invention depicted herein is a simple connection bracket used in conjunction with standard vertical and horizontal pallet rack beams and locking mechanisms to prevent material handlers from damaging walls during placement of pallets or from removing pallets from storage on or under pallet racks.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application references U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,346 filed on 13 Nov. 2012, entitled “ADAPTABLE BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR PALLET RACK LOAD STOP SYSTEM,” and references and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/729,409 filed on 22 Nov. 2012, entitled “ADAPTABLE LOCKING BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR A LOAD LOCK PALLET RACK SYSTEM,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The general purpose of the new adaptable and lockable bracket assemblies is to provide a pallet rack load stop and lock system wherein a novel bracket combines with existing beams to easily create a load stop or lock for use on all storage levels of pallet racks, including at floor-level. There are countless embodiments of the bracket assembly, several of which are herein described and others of which were described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,346, but each can be used as either a load stop or a load lock adapter or both. The load stop system prevents damage to walls or inappropriate placement during movement of pallets onto or off of pallet racks. The load locking system prevents unwanted removal of pallets and, thus, pallet rack materials, from storage on or under a pallet rack. The general pallet rack bracket assembly is an adapter bracket made of welded steel with lock-in-place connector pins (a “clip-on” model) or bolt outlets similar to the pins (a “bolt-on” model) and existing pallet rack vertical and horizontal beams with attachment means complimentary to those of the bracket assembly. 
         [0003]    This bracket assembly allows for universal use with a variety of pallet rack styles found in hundreds of thousands of existing warehouse facilities. The new adapter presents to manufacturers of pallet racks a low-cost option for creating a physical barrier to removal of pallets and pallet material or a barrier to over-positioning of pallets on racks, as it can be fabricated by repurposing new, leftover, and recycled partially damaged vertical pallet rack beams. Further, the new adapter is compact and easy to stock in supply houses making it readily available for customer acquisition. 
         [0004]    The bracket assembly for pallet rack load stopping or locking is designed to connect to pallet rack vertical beams via the same mechanisms as existing pre-engineered horizontal beams, thus making the device highly adaptable and easy to use with existing materials. Since pallet racks can be engineered with different compositions and thicknesses of metal and any of several different types of connectors, the new adaptable bracket assembly can be engineered to compliment any type of pallet rack system. 
         [0005]    Descriptions of pallet rack systems commonly reference “beam locking devices.” Though these devices sound as though they are designed or able to be used for securing pallets within pallet bays, they are, however, generally referencing devices for securing horizontal beams to vertical beams in pallet rack construction where the reference “horizontal beams” are actually the beams used to support pallets while housed within a pallet rack system. These prior art crossbeams are designed to be installed once—at the time of construction—and to bear the weight of the pallets and pallet contents. They are not designed to be removed and replaced at will and generally do not have any type of discretionary locking means, and, thus, they cannot be used as pallet rack load locks. 
         [0006]    Another commercially available product for securing pallet contents is an “entire cover system,” which likens to a portable storage unit. These systems are expensive and impractical to implement in small or large warehouse settings, and the substantially increased surface area of such systems makes them wholly undesirable in food warehouses due to increased likelihood and difficulty in sterilizing of biological contaminations. The new bracket assembly enables a superior and simpler locking system that does not pose these challenges. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The general purpose of the new bracket assembly is to provide a simple, yet versatile and adaptable, mechanism for restricting the movement of loaded pallets on and off pallet racks and within any level of pallet rack bay. In general, the bracket assembly converts a horizontal pallet rack beam into a “load stop” by securing the horizontal beam to the back of the pallet rack such that it prevents damage to walls from otherwise protruding forklifts, pallets and other devices that might be used to load and position pallets onto pallet racks. The “load lock” function of the bracket assemblies converts the load stop into a pallet removal prevention tool by enabling a horizontal beam to attached and lock to the front of a pallet rack. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIGS. 1A-1F  show, respectively, top-side-front, top-side-back, front, back, top and bottom views of the standard model pallet rack bracket assembly. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a three-dimensional view primarily of the front of a pallet rack vertical beam with a bracket assembly locked in place with a padlock. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows the front view of a six-inch bracket assembly locked to a standard vertical beam and to a horizontal beam. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows the bottom view of a six-inch bracket assembly locked to a vertical beam and a horizontal beam to prevent pallets from being moved. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows the locking bracket assembly in use on a pallet rack. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 6A-6J  depict one embodiment of the bracket assembly, with ( FIGS. 6A ,  6 C,  6 E,  6 G and  6 I) and without flanges ( FIGS. 6B ,  6 D,  6 F,  6 H and  6 J), having a ⅛-inch-wide vertical front-end gap that allows for subtle but often critical adjustment of the width of the male connectors, as the width of female connectors on vertical pallet rack beams can vary slightly among manufacturers.  FIGS. 6A ,  6 C,  6 E,  6 G and  6 I show, respectively, the top view, back view, side view, top view of bracket in use, and side view of bracket in use of a bracket assembly with flanges.  FIGS. 6B ,  6 D,  6 F,  6 H and  6 J show, respectively, the top view, back view, side view, top view of bracket in use, and side view of bracket in use of a bracket assembly without flanges. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 7A-7E  collectively depict two versions of a U-shaped embodiment of the bracket assembly. This U-shaped bracket assembly can be mounted from the side instead of the front and, thus, is better suited for use on closed-back pallet rack vertical beams.  FIG. 7A  shows the front-side-top and back-side-top views of a U-bracket having side slots for attachment to an upright beam, and  FIG. 7C  shows the side view of the same bracket.  FIG. 7B  shows the front-side-top view of a U-shaped bracket having side bolt holes for attachment to an upright beam, and  FIG. 7D  shows the side view of the same bracket.  FIG. 7E  shows the top view of a U-shaped bracket while attached to both an upright and a horizontal beam. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8A-8B  illustrate the front-side-top and back-side-top views, respectively, of another embodiment of the new bracket assembly wherein the bracket can be attached to the vertical pallet rack beam via bolts through bolt holes, not male connectors, in the front end plate of the bracket assembly and into the female teardrop connectors of the vertical beam. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 9A-9E  depict, respectively, the top view, side view, front-side-top view, back-side-top view, and top view while attached to an upright and a horizontal beam, of a three-piece adjustable model of the bracket assembly wherein mounting bolts attach flanges to the bracket assembly side plates through slits, allowing for adjustment in clearance from 6 to 9 inches. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIGS. 1A-1F  collectively illustrate one embodiment of the locking bracket assembly.  FIG. 1A  shows the top-side-front view of the bracket  100 . The number, shape, arrangement of connectors, and locking pin hole depicted here match the number, shape, arrangement of connectors, and locking pin hole of the common upright-horizontal beam system in pallet rack and load stop manufacturing, but the number, shape, arrangement of connectors, and locking pin hole can vary depending on the type of pallet rack and purpose of the load stop. The side plates  101  are 6-inches high and can vary in length, but the commonly used lengths are 3″ and 6″. The front plate  104  is attached perpendicularly by its long edges to the side plates  101  flush with the top and bottom. 1½-inch deep “flanges”  109  attach perpendicularly to the vertical edges of the front plate. There is a pair of ⅜-inch mounting holes  105  placed through the flanges  109  for connecting to a vertical beam or for locking the bracket to a vertical beam. There is an additional pair of ⅜-inch threaded mounting holes  108  placed through the near-top-back and near-bottom-back corners of the side plates  101  for extra support for stacking two units together or bolting a horizontal beam, if needed. A locking clip pin penetrates from the back of the front plate  104  through the locking pinhole  110 . There is a top plate  103  that is welded on its four sides flush to the top edges of the front  104 , back  106  and side  101  plates. 
         [0018]    This bracket assembly model can be used alone or, in an alternative embodiment, stacked with another unit to achieve desired clearance for the load lock. The front end  104  connects to the existing pallet rack vertical in the same manner as an existing pallet rack horizontal beam. Alternatively, the front end  104  can be connected (or “piggybacked”) to the back end  106  of a second bracket assembly unit  100  for added clearance. In this embodiment, bracket assembly units can clip together via the teardrop connectors and locking pin. It can be further secured by bolting the units together using the ⅜-inch holes  105 —though larger sizes may be used—in the flanges  109  of one bracket assembly unit and the ⅜-inch threaded holes  108  in the side plates of a second unit. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1B  shows the top-side-back view of the stackable model  100 . As described above, the number, shape, and arrangement of the connectors is variable and should be selected to compliment the pallet rack system in which the bracket assembly will be used. The back plate  106  is attached perpendicularly by its long edges to the side plates  101  flush with the top corner, bottom corner and long edge. The pallet rack horizontal beam connects to the back end of the bracket assembly. This combination of horizontal beam connected to the bracket assembly creates a load lock that can be placed at any desired height on a pallet rack vertical beam. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1C  shows the front view of the standard model  100 . This view shows the front plate  104  connected perpendicularly on its edges to the flanges  109  of the side plates  101 , having an inner horizontal dimension of 3⅛-inch and an outer horizontal dimension of 3⅜-inch. The male teardrop connectors  102  are spaced vertically 2 inches from the connector centers, and the minimum vertical spacing is 15/16-inch. The locking pinhole  110  is 5/16-inch in diameter and is 1/16-inch above a male connector. The male teardrop connectors and locking pin hole are set in the same configuration as necessary for connecting to an existing pallet rack vertical beam. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1D  shows the back view of the standard model  100 . This view shows the back plate  106  having six female teardrop connectors  107 . The female teardrop connectors  107  have minimum vertical spacing of 15/16-inch and minimum horizontal spacing of ¾-inch. The female teardrop connectors are set in the same configuration as necessary for connecting to an existing horizontal beam. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1E  shows the top view of the standard model  100 . In one embodiment, the top plate  103  covers the inside of the unit, keeping it clean from dust and debris. The top plate can be a welded metal piece or a removable cap. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1F  shows the bottom view of the standard model  100 . A locking pin clip  111  is attached to the back of the front plate  104 . In use, the locking pin is manually inserted into the locking pinhole  110  by pressing on a clip that pushes the pin through the hole. The pin then connects to the residual space inside a female teardrop connector while the corresponding male teardrop connectors of a standard or piggybacked bracket are in place. The locking pin clip  111  locks the units together by restricting movement and, thus, preventing inadvertent lift and extraction from the connected position. The use of such clips is not restricted to teardrop connectors but, rather, is adaptable to any type of connector used in pallet rack systems (e.g., slotted, speedrack, interlake, old style teardrop, keystone, sturdibilt, T-bolt, slide-and-lock, lynx, structural, teardrop and simple bolt-and-hole). 
         [0024]    The top of the bracket assembly can be open or solid. Having a solid top does not increase the strength because the bracket assembly is meant to be a connection bracket between a pallet rack vertical and an existing horizontal beam to create a load stop. The solid top, however, keeps the inside of the bracket assembly clean from dust and debris, which is particularly important when used on pallet racks in storage facilities that house consumable products such as produce or other food-based products. 
         [0025]    The front flanges can be comprised of repurposed male teardrop connection plates, locking pin clip, and locking pin hole that are pre-engineered for horizontal beams. Or, the flanges can be welded onto both sides of the front plate to align the bracket assembly when connecting to a vertical beam or when piggybacking to another adapter unit. 1½″-deep flanges are depicted, but the precise depth is not critical to the function of the flanges. The back plate is derived from existing vertical pallet rack beams that are pre-engineered with female teardrop connectors. The bracket assembly can be fabricated with other materials but it is less costly to repurpose materials used to make pallet rack horizontal and vertical beams with only a few necessary modifications. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows a three-dimensional view of the bracket assembly  202  as locked to a vertical pallet rack beam  203  via a padlock  205  that extends through the flanges of the bracket and the vertical beam and is locked to a horizontal beam  201  via a padlock  204  that secures the beam through the lower side hole  206  of the bracket. In this embodiment, either side hole  206  can be used for a locking device, a bolt or left unused when the other side hole is used for locking or locking is not desired at the moment. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows the front view of the bracket assembly  302  as locked to a vertical pallet rack beam  301  via a padlock  304  that extends through the flanges of the bracket and the vertical beam and locks to a horizontal beam  303  via a padlock  305  that secures the beam through the side hole of the bracket and a locking clip  306  that is inserted from behind the abutting panel of the horizontal beam through the residual space of one of the teardrop connectors on the back panel of the bracket assembly. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  shows the bottom view of the bracket assembly  403  as locked to a vertical pallet rack beam  402  via a teardrop connector mechanism  406  and a padlock  404  that extends through the flanges of the bracket and the vertical beam and locks to a horizontal beam  401  via a padlock  405  that secures the beam through the side hole of the bracket and a locking clip  407  that is inserted from behind the abutting panel of the horizontal beam through the residual space of one of the teardrop connectors on the back panel of the bracket assembly. 
         [0029]    In use, one snaps the front plate of the bracket assembly onto an existing pallet rack vertical via insertion of male connectors into the female connectors of the vertical at the desired height, then locking them in place with the locking pin just as one would attach a horizontal beam to a pallet rack vertical beam. Then, an existing horizontal beam having male connectors can be attached to the back plate of the bracket assembly by inserting the male connectors of the beam into the female connectors of the bracket assembly. A first padlock can be used to secure the bracket to the vertical beam by inserting one prong of the horseshoe mechanism through the four aligned holes of the bracket flanges and the vertical beam and then engaging the locking mechanism. A second padlock can be used to secure the bracket to a horizontal beam by latching through the aligned side panel hole of the bracket and corresponding hole in the abutting panel of the horizontal beam. The result is a height-adjustable, locked barrier to pallet removal. 
         [0030]    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 pallet rack locking system. 
         [0031]    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. For example, bracket assemblies may primarily be made from 14-gauge steel since most existing pre-engineered standard duty pallet rack uprights are made of 14-gauge steel. There exist, however, other pre-engineered heavy duty and light duty pallet rack uprights and horizontal beams that are made of a thicker or lighter gauge depending on the required support. Bracket assembly load stop adapters can and should be made from steel of a gauge thickness and connection type complimentary to that used in the uprights and horizontal beams with which the bracket assembly will be utilized. Further, the locking mechanism could employ a means other than a padlock, such as a zip tie, depending on the specific use of the load lock. Thus, the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples provided. 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  shows the locking bracket assembly in use on a pallet rack. In one embodiment, two bracket assemblies  500  are shown as attached to two parallel vertical beams  501 . Each bracket assembly is locked to a vertical beam via a padlock  502  that extends through the holes in the flanges of the bracket assembly and the holes in the sides of the vertical beam. Each bracket assembly is also locked to a horizontal beam  503  via a padlock  504  that secures the beam through a side hole of the bracket assembly. The locked horizontal beam  503  prevents the removal of loaded pallets  505 . 
         [0033]      FIGS. 6A-6J  depict the bracket assembly, with and without flanges, having a ⅛-inch-wide vertical front-end gap. The gap allows for subtle but often critical adjustment of the width of the male teardrop connectors, as the width of female teardrop connectors on vertical pallet rack beams can vary slightly among manufacturers. 
         [0034]      FIG. 6A  shows a top view of an assembled 3-inch bracket assembly  600  with right and left 3-pin front end plates  601  with flanges  603  spaced ⅛-inch apart to allow for the adjustment gap  604  and welded to the back of a 6-inch deep vertical column  605 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 6B  shows a top view of an assembled 3-inch bracket assembly  606  without flanges and having a gap  604  between the front end plates  601 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 6C  shows the right and left front end plates  601  of the bracket assembly with flanges having three male teardrop connector pins  607  on each side. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6D  shows the right and left end plates  601  of the bracket assembly without flanges having three male teardrop connector pins  607  on each side. Each end plate is extended by a two-inch metal piece  608  welded to and in line with the end plates. Each extension piece  608  contains a central bolt hole  609 , through which a bolt can further secure the bracket assembly to a pallet rack vertical beam. 
         [0038]      FIG. 6E  shows a side view of a 3-inch bracket assembly  600  with flanges  603  welded to the back of a 6-inch deep vertical column  605 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 6F  shows a side view of a 3-inch bracket assembly  606  without flanges and having an extension piece  608  extending from the bottom of the end plates. 
         [0040]      FIG. 6G  shows the top view of a clip-on bracket assembly  605  with flanges  603  attached by the front to a pallet rack vertical beam  610  via six teardrop connectors  612  and attached by the back to a horizontal pallet rack beam  611  via three teardrop connectors  614 . In this embodiment, both the front and back teardrop connections  612 ,  614  are secured by locking pins  602 , each of which fits into the empty space present in the female teardrop connectors when the male teardrop connectors are in place. 
         [0041]      FIG. 6H  shows the top view of a clip-on bracket assembly  605  as depicted in  FIG. 6G  but without flanges. 
         [0042]      FIG. 6I  shows the side view of a clip-on bracket assembly  605  with flanges  603  attached to an vertical pallet rack beam  610  via teardrop connectors  612  and further secured via bolts  616  that extend through opposing bolt holes in the flanges and corresponding holes in the sides of the vertical beam. The bracket assembly  605  is attached by the back plate to a horizontal pallet rack beam  611  via teardrop connectors  614 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 6J  shows the side view of a clip-on bracket assembly  605  as depicted in  FIG. 6I  but without flanges and having a two-inch enhancement  618  of the front plate that extends below the main body of the bracket assembly and has a centrally place hole through which a bolt  617  can be used to further secure the bracket to the vertical beam. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 7A-7E  depicts a U-shaped embodiment of the bracket assembly. This U-shaped bracket assembly can be mounted to an inner side of a vertical pallet rack beam as opposed to the outer side and, thus, is better suited for use on closed-back pallet rack vertical beams. Whether mounted to an outer side or an inner side of a vertical beam, this U-shaped embodiment is adjustable, allowing for three to nine inches of desired clearance. 
         [0045]    In terms of production value, this model does not require welding and is less costly to produce than most other embodiments. Some pallet racks do not have an open back so the front bolt on will not work for closed back pallet rack vertical beams. 
         [0046]      FIG. 7A  shows the top-front-side view  700  and the top-back-side view  704  of one embodiment of an adjustable U-shaped bracket assembly having bilateral flanges  702  attached to two side plates  701 . The flanges each contain two horizontal slots  703  for adjusting clearance as desired. Also shown are six female teardrop connectors  706  in the end plate  705  of the U-shaped bracket assembly. 
         [0047]      FIG. 7B  shows the top-front-side view of another embodiment of an adjustable U-shaped bracket assembly having bilateral flanges  702  attached to two side plates  701 . The flanges each contain two parallel sets of horizontal bolt holes  709 . Visible in part are six female teardrop connectors  706  in the end plate  705  of the U-shaped bracket assembly. 
         [0048]      FIG. 7C  shows the side view of an adjustable U-shaped bracket assembly  700  having upper and lower bolt slots  703  through the visible flange  702  extending from the front, open end of the bracket. 
         [0049]      FIG. 7D  shows the side view of an adjustable U-shaped bracket assembly  708  having a set of upper and lower bolt holes  709  through the visible flange  702 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 7E  shows the top view of a U-shaped bracket assembly attached by the open end to an existing pallet rack vertical beam  710  via a bolt  711  inserted through the bilateral flanges  702  of the bracket assembly and the existing bolt holes on the sides of the vertical beam and attached by the end plate to two horizontal pallet rack beams  712  via insertion of the three pin connectors  713  of the horizontal beams into the female teardrop connectors  714  of the end plate of the bracket assembly. 
         [0051]      FIGS. 8A-8B  collectively illustrate another embodiment wherein the bracket assembly can be attached to the vertical pallet rack beam via bolts through bolt holes in the end plate of the bracket assembly and into the female teardrop connectors of the vertical beam instead of male teardrop connectors on the end plate. 
         [0052]      FIG. 8A  shows the top-side-front view  800  of the bolt-on model. In one embodiment, the front plate  801  is embellished with six holes  802  at least ⅜-inch in diameter, through which bolts can be inserted. Use of only one of the top hole and one bottom hole is necessary for secure bolting. The front side can connect to a pallet rack vertical beam or to the back of either another bolt-on or a clip-on bracket assembly for extended length. 
         [0053]      FIG. 8B  shows the top-side-back view  803  of the bolt-on model. In one embodiment, the back plate  804  contains six female teardrop connectors  805 . The number, shape, and arrangement of the connectors is variable and should be selected to compliment the pallet rack system in which the bracket assembly will be used. The pallet rack horizontal beam connects to the back end of the bracket assembly. 
         [0054]      FIGS. 9A-9E  depict a three-piece adjustable model of the bracket assembly wherein mounting bolts attach flanges to the bracket assembly side plates through slits, allowing for adjustment in clearance from 6 to 9 inches. 
         [0055]      FIG. 9A  shows the top view  900  of the three-piece adjustable bracket assembly, which is comprised of two flanges  901  that attach to the main bracket body  902  via four bolts  903  that span complimentary slits in the flanges and bracket body. 
         [0056]      FIG. 9B  shows the side view  904  of the three-piece adjustable bracket assembly as it appears fully collapsed. Visible are the four bolts  903  that extend through the side slits  905  of the flanges and bracket body, as well as the two mounting bolt holes  906  positioned toward the front of each flange and the two mounting bolt holes  907  positioned toward the back of each side plate of the bracket body. 
         [0057]      FIG. 9C  shows the top-front-side view  908  of the three-piece adjustable bracket assembly. 
         [0058]      FIG. 9D  shows the top-back-side view  909  of the three-piece adjustable bracket assembly. The back plate  910  can be seen clearly, having six female teardrop connectors  911  for attaching the bracket assembly to a horizontal pallet rack beam. 
         [0059]      FIG. 9E  shows the top view of a six-inch U-shaped adjustable bracket assembly attached by the front end to an upright pallet rack beam  912  via a bolt  913  extending through the mounting bolt holes of the bilateral bracket flanges and also through the corresponding holes of the upright beam. The bracket assembly is attached by the back end to a horizontal pallet rack beam  914  via insertion of the three pin connectors  915  of the horizontal beam into the female teardrop connectors  916  of the end plate of the bracket assembly.