SHELVING WITH ADJUSTABLE SHELVES PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR GOODS VANS

Abstract: Shelving (12) with adjustable shelves (130) especially suitable for goods vehicles in which each shelf (131) is formed of a series of rectangular components (91), (92) supported at their two ends by two lateral parallelogram devices (80), (81), each formed of a series of paired X-shaped articulated bars (123), (124), each rectangular component (91-92) being fixed to one of the two X-shaped bars (122), (123) of each reciprocally parallel pair so that when the two bars (123), (124) of each pair lie in a practically horizontal position, said components (91), (92) will also lie horizontally side by side forming a shelf (131) while, by pressing said components (91), (92) towards the inside of the shelving (12), said pairs of bars (123), (124) and said components (91), (92) will stand practically vertical one against another leaving a free volume for loading.

Description: _ , _ SHELVING WITH ADJUSTABLE SHELVES PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR GOODS VANS Widely used is the so-called shelving comprising one or more fixed or moveable horizontal shelves on which objects or goods of various kinds can be placed. The possibility of exploiting shelves set at different height enables large quantities of objects to be contained in a li¬ mited space, whereas if placed on one level, they would requir a much larger area. Most goods vehicles generally have only one loading platform consisting of the floor of the vehicle. It follows that the goods have to be piled up with consequent risk of deteriora¬ tion especially if subjected to bumping and shaking due to the vehicle's movements. If some of the goods have to be unloaded at an initial deli¬ very point, those placed on top must first be removed. To avoid doing this loading must be carefully planned putting in last those items to be unloaded first. This creates problems both as regards placing the goods in the best way and as regards the time taken in loading and un¬ loading, and in making out a- loading plan. The present invention avoids the above drawbacks, at the same time offering considerable advantages as will be explained below. Subject of the invention is a shelving arrangement ,with shelves at adjustable heights, especially suitable for goods vans. Each shelf is formed of a series of rectangular components placed side by side lengthwise, their width being supported at each end by two lateral parallelogram supports, parallel to each other, each comprising a series of bars, X-shaped and used in pairs. The two bars of each pair are articulated centrally at their crossing point while their ends are articulated onto the ends of the adjacent pairs of X-shaped bars. Each rectangular component is fixed at its two ends to one of the two reciprocally parallel bars of each pair. The lower extremities of the first X-bars of each of the two parallelogram devices are articulated on sliders freely moving along two horizontal guide rods while the lower ex¬ tremities of the last X-bars of said devices are articula¬ ted on supports fixed to said guide rods. It follows that when the sliders lie at the minimum distance from the fixed supports, all the pairs of X-bars, and thus all the rectangular components, are standing in a practical¬ ly vertical position one up against another, leaving sub¬ stantially free the space intended for that piece of shel- ving while, by drawing the rectangular components outwards or even pulling the front bar connecting the sliders out¬ wards, the pairs of X-bars will become inclined until they assume a practically horizontal position. On completing the movement, the rectangular components will be lying horizontally one against another and, by means of the pairs of X-bars, will be practically resting on the guid rods thus forming an almost continuous shelf of the shelving The space occupied by said shelf can obviously be once more left free by pushing the horizontal components or else the front bar connecting the sliders towards the inside of the shelving . The guide rods of the horizontal components are supported at the two ends by pairs of uprights each coinciding with one corner of the shelving. Said guide rods can be trans ' u- ted vertically, guided at their two ends by two columns tπa: stand inside the uprights and" penetrate into holes in said guide rods . The guide rods can be locked in position by horizontal pins that translate freely inside closed horizontal slots cut in the ends of said guide rods. Said slots allow movement of the pins between the position nearest to the outside, where said pins can match with the open upward-sloping slots of the uprights, and the inner position which is the point of release of the pins from said open slots in the uprights and therefore the point of release of said guide rods. It is thus possible to move the shelves from one level to the next in a set of open-ended slots cut one above another in said uprights. One longitudinal side of each rectangular component is made practically like a channel while the other side is made prac ¬ tically like a tongue being free below and laterally. The space between said channel and said tongue is such that when the rectangular components are placed horizontal 1y , the tongue of one component enters the channel of the adjacent one forming a firm connection between one component and the next . In one execution the lateral parallelogram devices have an intermediate slider, moving along both guide rods. In this way, by releasing the upper articula ions between the pair of X-bars upstream of said intermediate slider and the pair of X-bars downstream of said intermediate slider, the upstream components lie horizontally and are ready for loading, and the downstream components stand vertically in the out-of-use position, or else the contrary. A free volume can thus be created in place of about half the shelving so that the amount of shelving used can be adapted to the quantity and type of goods or else to facilitate ac¬ cess to the upper and lo er shelves or loading and unload ¬ ing . - k - Characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following examples of its execution illustrated by diagrammatic drawings. Fig. l. The shelving subject of the invention, with one shelf mounted in a van, ready for loading, in perspective from the back. Fig.2. The same as above with half the shelf ready for load¬ ing and half in the out-of-use position. Fig.3. Detail, in perspective ,of the parallelogram device of the shelving. Fig.4. Detail, in perspective, of one upright. Fig.5. Detail, in perspective, of the shelf ready for load¬ ing. Fig.6. Detail, from the front, of the bars of the parallo- gram device . Fig.7. Detail, from the side, of the rectangular components of a shelf. The shelving (12) comprises two pairs of uprights ( 13), ( 14) to fix to the inner sides of the loading volume (11) inside the van (10), said uprights being made of U-shaped metal sheeting, closed at the top end by a cap ( 15) and at the bot tom end by the cap (16). By means of the holes (17), (18) made in them, said caps ca hold the cylindrical columns (19), (20) in position. In sides (30), (31) of the uprights (Fig.4.) there is a ser ies of open-ended slots (32), (33) each slot having a mouth (34), a downward inclined section (35) and a rounded base (36). Said uprights support horizontal L-shaped cross bar (40) , (41) having U-shaped downward-facing end pieces (42), (43' formed by the side sections (44. , (45). Said side sections comprise the horizontal aligned and parallel closed slots (47), (48),whose width is substantially the same as that of the slots (32), (33) in the uprights, wi¬ thin which can move the horizontal pin (60) comprising two cylindrical ends (61), (62) of a diameter slightly smaller than the width of the slots. In the end pieces (42), (43) of the cross bars (40), (41) there are holes (49), (50) through which the columns ( 19), (20) in the uprights can pass (Fig. 1). As will be seen in Fig.4, the extremities (61), (62) of the pins (60) can enter one or other of the pairs of open slots (32), (33) through the mouths (34) and fit down into the rounded base (36). To raise or lower the cross bars (40), (41), the pins (60) have merely to be detached from the open slots moving said cross bars upwards. The extremities (61), (62) of pins (60) will then ease out from the open slots and can be fit¬ ted into another pair of slots either higher or lower in the uprights. By means of sliders (70), (70' ) and fixed supports ( 72 ) , the pair of cross bars (40), (41) respectively support the ex¬ tremities (88) and (89) of the opposing and aligned paral¬ lelogram devices (80), (81) (Fig. 2). Said devices are obtained from a series of X-bars (82), (83) freely articulating at their central crossing point by pins (90), (90'). Each pair of bars (82), (83) is connected to another iden¬ tical pair (84), (85) by the end articulations (86), (87). Each bar (83), (85) and others identical to it, comprised in the opposite device (81), support he rectangular cois- ponents (91) , (92) (Figs. 2, 3). Said components comprise the transversal sides (93) and longitudinal sides (94), (95). In sides (93) there are three holes ( 100) , ( 101 ) , ( 102) ; (Fig. 7). Side (54) consists of a continuous tongue set sligh ly away from the transversal sides. The opposite side (95) consists of a U-shaped tongue com¬ prising the bottom (96) and the side (97). Each component is fixed to the bars (83), (85) by rivets (110) through holes (100), ( 102) in the transversal sides (93), and through the corresponding holes ( 103), ( 104) in the bars (Figs. 3, 6). The position of the U-shaped sides (94), (95) corresponds to that of the ar icula ions (86), (87) on the pairs of bars (82), (83), (84), (85) (Figs. 3, 5, 6, 7). The sliders (70) moving along the guide rods (40), (41), consist of a U-shaped body with sides (111), ( 112). Pins (113), (114) are fixed to sides (111); said pins are for rotating rollers (115), (116) counterposed to the cen¬ tral part of the U-shaped body to allow the sliders to move freely along the horizontal part of the relative guide rod. As the sliders (70), (71) approach the fixed support (72) the pairs of bars (82-83), (84-85) (Fig.3) will obviously tend to line up perpendicular to the cross bars until they have assumed the position held by the bars ( 120), ( 121) seen in Fig.2. When the sliders (70), (71) move away from the fixed sup¬ port (72) the pairs of bars (82-83), (84-85) will tend to align themselves parallel to the guide rod as seen i Fig. 5, and also as shown by bars ( 122 , ( 123) in Fig. 2. Once the position illustrated in these Figures is reached the side (94) of each rectangular component 2 penetrates into the U-shaped side (95) of an adjacent rectangular con:- ponent (91) until a continuous shelf ( 130) is formed (Figs. 1, 2, 5). The intermediate slider (71) of cross bar (40), and ob ¬ viously the corresponding one on cross bar (41), will be placed between slider (70) and the support (72) should it be desired to divide the shelf into two separate parts ( 131), ( 132) (Fig. 2). To obtain the two independent parts, the pins ( 133)(Fig.3) must simply be detached from their positions in the holes in bars ( 134) and ( 120) of device (80), and in those of de¬ vice (81) on the opposite side of the shelves (Fig.2) leav¬ ing free the extremities ( 136), ( 137) of said bars ( 134) , ( 120) (Fig. 3). By moving the slider (71) close to the support (72) (Fig.2) it is then possible to keep the rectangular component s ( 132 ) standing vertically in the out-of-use position to leave load¬ ing volume free and, by moving slider (70) away from slider (71) obtain the loading surface ( 131). By keeping the bars ( 134), ( 120) articulated at ( 133), with sliders (70) and (71) moving freely on the cross bar, a single load surface (130) can be formed (Fig.1) or else, if desired, the rectangular components (91), (92) can be grouped verti¬ cally close up together. In Fig. 3 the slider (71) has the two articulations ( 140), ( 141) free in slot ( 142) to avoid interference between the two ends ( 143), ( 144) of bars ( 135), ( 120) in the positions shown in Fig. 2 (shelf ( 131) ready for loading and shelf ( 132) vertical in the out-of-use position). Fig. 6 shows in more detail the shape of each bar (83 i parallelogram devices (80), (81). Said bars are inscribed wi hin a rectangle whose sides are ( 150) and ( 151). The eyelets ( 153), ( 154) lie substantially at one end and the other end of the axis XX so that, in the space left free by each eyelet above and below the axis XX, there is room for fitting the eyelet of a second bar (85) that sup¬ ports the component (92) adjacent to component (91) βup- ported by the first bar (83) as will be seen in Figs.3 and 5 - On said axis XX there are holes (103), ( 104) in bar (83) corresponding to holes ( 100) and ( 102) in the transversal sides (93) of the rectangular componente (91), also the hole (157) for articulation with the pair of bars (82) matching with hole (101) in the side (92) of said compo¬ nents. To ensure simultaneous and integral operation, sli ¬ der (70) and slider(70') mounted on guide rod (41), are con¬ nected by a tubular bar (160) (Figs. 1, 2, 3). Advantages These are evident. The uprights fixed in the loading space of the van take up very little room when the shelves are folded up in the out-of-use position. The height of each shelf can be varied as required using one or other of the sets of slots in the uprights made at different heights. Each shelf can be divided into two separate parts; in this way, for example, half the loading volume can be left al¬ most entirely free. The easy change-over of each shelf from the loading positio to being out of use means that packages as tall as the avai able height inside the van can be loaded, or else smaller ones placed on the various shelves. The fact that the shelves can be set back in the out-of-us. position facilitates unloading of goods placed on the lower shelves . This is especially convenient when dealing with fragile goods and when loading or unloading has to be done at dif¬ ferent times . Considering the advantages offered by the invention and the simplicity in using it, the cost is very reasonable.

Claims: Claims 1. Shelving (12) with adjustable shelves ( 130) especially suitable for goods vehicles ( 10) characterized in that each shelf (130) is formed of a series of rectangular components (91), (92) laid side by side lengthwise and supported at their two ends by parallelogram devices (80), (81) consist¬ ing of a series of X-shaped paired bars (82-83), (123-124), (134-135) with central articulations (90), (90') at their meeting point, also with end articulations (86), (87) made with the ends of the adjacent pair of X-shaped bars (84-85), (120-120'), each rectangular component (91-92) being fixed to one (83), (85), ( 120), (121), ( 122), ( 123) of the reci¬ procally parallel bars of each pair, the lower end of the external bar (82) of the first X-shaped pair (82-83) of each of the two parallelogram devices (80-81) articulating on a slider (70), (70') free to move along a horizontal guide rod (40), (41), while the lower end of the inner second bar (89) of the X-shaped pair of said devices (80, (81) articu¬ lates on a fixed support (72) mounted on said guide rod(40), (41) so that when said sliders (70), (70') lie at the mini¬ mum distance from the fixed supports (72), all the pairs of X-shaped bars (82-83), (84-85), ( 123-124), ( 134- 135 ) , ( 120-120' ) are standing practically vertical and therefore the rectan¬ gular components (91-92) also stand practically vertical, one superimposed over another, leaving substantially free the loading volume ( 11) while, by drawing the rectangular components (91-92) outwards, the pairs of X-shaped bars (82-83, (84-85, ( 123-124 ),( 134- 135) ,( 120- 120' ) will gradual become inclined until they reach a practically horizontal position and, when the movement is completed, the rectan ¬ gular components (91), (92) w ll be lying norizontaii or.. against another resting on the guide rods (40;, .4.,, ςnυ- forming a practically continuous shelf ( 130) of the shel¬ ving. 2. Shelving with adjustable shelves especially suitable for goods vehicles as in claim 1, charac erized in that the guide rods (40-41) of the parallelogram devices (80- 81) are supported at their two ends by two pairs of up¬ rights ( 13-14) each coinciding with a corner of said shelving ( 12), said rods (40-41) being able to translate vertically guided by two columns ( 19-20) placed inside the uprights ( 13-14), it being possible to lock said rods (40- 41) in position by means of horizontal closed slots at their ends within which slots a pin (60) can translate from a point nearer to the uprights ( 13-14),and said pin can be in¬ serted in open, upwardly-inc1 ined slot s ( 32 ) , ( 33 ) in said uprights ( 13-14), to an inward position on the rods at which point said pin (60) is released from said open slots (32), (33), it being thus possible to move the shelves to another height corresponding to the open slots (32), (33) made one above another in the uprights ( 13), ( 14) to which reference is made . 3. Shelving with adjustable shelves especially suitable for goods vehicles as in claim 1, characterized in that one of the longitudinal sides of each rectangular component (90), (91) of the shelves ( 130) is made practically in the form of a channel (95) while the other side is made prac¬ tically in the form of a tongue (94), the distance between the channel (95) and the tongue (94) being such that when the rectangular components (90, (91) lie horizon ally, tongue (94) of one component (90) penetrates into e chan- nel (95) of the adjacent component (91 ) forming a groo e- and-tongue joint. 4. Shelving with adjustable shelves especially suitable for goods vehicles as in claim 1, characterized in that on each of the guide rods (40), (41) there is an interme ¬ diate slider (71) on which articulate the lower ends ( 143), (144) of one (135), (120) of the bars (134), (135), and (120), (120')of two X-shaped pairs of the parallelogram devices (80), (81), one upstream and the other downstream of said intermediate slider (71) so that, by releasing the upper articulations (133) of said two pairs (134-135) and (120-120'), it is possible to obtain the horizontal load¬ ing position of the rectangular components (90), (91) up¬ stream of said intermediate slider (71) and the vertical out-of-use position of the rectangular components (90), (91) downstream, and therefore creation of a free volume in place of about half of the shelf, adapting said shelf to the quantity and nature of the goods and facilitating access for loading and/or unloading the upper and lower shelves .

Inventors: MAGISTRELLI MAURIZIO, MAGISTRELLI, MAURIZIO
Applicants: MAGISTRELLI MAURIZIO, MAGISTRELLI, MAURIZIO
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B60P1
IPC codes: B60P1