Element of load-bearing structures, especially girders for modular shelves

Abstract: The two ends (3) of the girders (1) utilised for the formation of modular shelves are provided with superposed double fasteners (4) wherein the inlet (4a) and outlet (4b) eyelets which circumscribe the passage slits, are perfectly equal and coaxial with each other. The couples of fasteners (4), located near the corners of the ends of the girders, engage in restrained relation and correct vertical alignment with as many superposed indentations (5), obtained along the vertical edges of uprights (6). Indentations (5) and couples of fasteners (4) have the same distance between centres and combine with each other, in stable and aligned restrained coupling, thanks to the equal and coaxial configuration of the sections of the passage slits of said fasteners.

Description: The present industrial utility model relates to an element of load-bearing structures, in particular to a girder for modular shelves, which is constituted by a metal tubular section whose cross-section, having an almost parallelepiped form with shaped sides and the height greater than the width, has both ends substantially flat on at least one front and provided with superposed couples of fasteners, protruding near to the corners. The cross-sections of the inlet eyelets and the outlet eyelets which circumscribe the passage slits of said fasteners are perfectly equal and coaxial with each other. The two superposed fasteners of each end are spaced from each other and so configured as to enter in mutual restraining relation, from up downwards, with as many couples of indentations, also spaced, sequentially obtained along vertical uprights of any type intended for the constitution of modular shelves and/or like structures. The indentations of the uprights enter in a restrained relation with the fasteners of the girders, through an introduction movement from up downwards, which engages them in said inlet and outlet eyelets, through the slits of said fasteners. The known girders for modular shelves and the like are substantially constituted by sections corresponding to those used for the present invention, except that the couples of superposed fasteners, present at the ends of the girders, have the respective inlet and outlet eyelets different from one another; in particular, the inlet eyelets are generally larger than the outlet eyelets, so that the slits have not the desired constancy of the passage section. Such condition, even though it allows the connection and the transversal tie of the girders to the uprights, for the constitution of the horizontal supports of shelves, modular containers, separators and the like on the shelves, does not provide a correct, stable and precise positioning of the parts and an adequate restrained engagement with the respective indentations present on the uprights. Object of this invention is to eliminate the above drawbacks. An element of load-bearing structures, in particular a girder for modular shelves, according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE-A-37 09 003. The element of load-bearing structures of the present invention is characterised in that the metal section has an almost parallelepiped cross-section being a tubular section and each end of said tubular section, provided with a couple of fasteners, is substantially flat. With the element of load-bearing structures, in particular the girder for modular shelves, of the present invention the following results are achieved: the fasteners of said couples are arranged in superposed alignment with each other at the ends of the metal tubular sections have inlet and outlet eyelets which circumscribe the passage slits perfectly equal to one another; the fasteners of said couples are placed at a distance equal to the one comprised between the indentations sequentially obtained along the vertical uprights utilised for the constitution of modular shelves and/or corresponding structures or the like; the fasteners of said couples present at the ends of the metal tubular sections and provided with inlet and outlet eyelets of the passage slits equal to each other are substantially aligned at the corners of said sections and are obtained by means of direct and simultaneous moulding. The advantages achieved by the present invention consist essentially in that the tie at the ends of the metal tubular sections with the corresponding uprights is obtained through the restrained couplings of couples of fasteners with eyelets that are all equal and coaxial on as many couples of indentations, causing all ties to be stable and perfectly aligned. The invention is described with more details in the following, according to an embodiment solely reported by way of non limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the end couplings of two different types of an metal tubular sections with upright, and Figure 2 shows, in particular, the perspective view of an end of a metal tubular section. The figures refer to metal tubular sections 1 for modular shelves, said metal tubular sections being substantially constituted by metal tubular sections 2 whose cross-section, having an almost parallelepiped form with shaped sides having a height greater than the width, has both ends 3 substantially flat and each end is provided with a couple of fasteners 4, said fasteners being superposed and protruding near to the corners. The couples of fasteners 4 are realised, preferably but not limitedly, by means of simultaneous moulding according to the known art of realisation of the components for modular shelves and the like. In each fastener 4, the lower inlet eyelets 4a and the upper outlet eyelets 4b, which circumscribe the passage slits, are perfectly equal to each other and coaxial aligned in the vertical direction. The distance between centres of the two superposed fasteners 4, present at each end of each metal tubular section, is equal to the distance between centres of indentations 5 sequentially obtained along the complementary vertical uprights 6, designed for the constitution of modular shelves and/or like structures. In this way, the couple of fasteners 4 of each end 3 of metal tubular section 1 is engaged in restrained relation from up downwards, in any one of the adjoining couples of said indentations 5. The combination of superposed restrained engagement of two adjoining indentations with the two superposed fasteners 4 of each end 3, ensures the latter a more effective engagement of the parts, with the associated stability and alignment of the composite structures; this is obtained thanks to the fact that the inlet eyelets 4a and the outlet eyelets 4b, circumscribing the passage slits of said fasteners, are perfectly equal and coaxial with each other, and restrainingly engage in the same manner along the sides of said indentations. Said fasteners 4 with inlet eyelets 4a and outlet 4b eyelets having an identical section are advantageously obtained by moulding with simultaneous shearing and drawing.

Claims: An element of load-bearing structures, in particular a girder for modular shelves, constituted by a metal section (2) having a cross-section and a height greater than the width thereof, said metal section (2) having two ends (3) with corners, each end (3) is provided with a couple of fasteners (4), said fasteners being superposed and protruding adjacent said corners, said fasteners (4) of said couple are spaced from one another and configured so as to be coupled in restrained engagement relation from up downwards with any couple of indentations (5) spaced and sequentially arranged along complementary vertical uprights (6) which are designed for the constitution of modular shelves and/or corresponding structures and the like, wherein each fastener (4) has a lower inlet eyelet (4a) and an upper outlet eyelet (4b), circumscribing a passage slit of each fastener (4), said inlet (4a) and outlet (4b) eyelets having exactly equal and coaxial aligned sections, characterised in that the metal section (2) has an almost parallelepiped cross-section being a tubular section and each end (3) of said tubular section (2), provided with said couple of fasteners (4), is substantially flat. The element of load-bearing structures according to claim 1, characterised in that the coupling of each end (3) of said metal tubular section with the corresponding upright (6) is constituted by the double restrained couplings of said couple of superposed fasteners (4) on a couple of sequential indentations (5) by means of said inlet eyelets (4a) and said outlet eyelets (4b), circumscribing the passage slit of each fastener (4); said eyelets (4a, 4b) being exactly equal and coaxial aligned with each other. The element of load-bearing structures according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the said fasteners (4) with said inlet eyelets (4a) and said outlet eyelets (4b) having identical sections are formed by means of moulding with simultaneous shearing and drawing.

Inventors: BRIOSI ANTONELLO, BRIOSI, ANTONELLO
Applicants: METALSISTEM S P A, METALSISTEM S.P.A.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A47B57
IPC codes: A47B57, A47B96