Abstract:
Elongated metal risers are oriented perpendicular to the front end of a shelf, and extend from proximate the front edge of the shelf to at least the rear edge of the shelf. The risers are roughly from one and a half inches to four and a half inches (forty to one hundred fifteen millimeters) in height, and three to six inches (seventy five to one hundred fifty millimeters) in width. A package stored on the shelf is advantageously supported by left and right side risers and a center riser disposed beneath therebetween, thereby forming left and right insertion channels adjacent the center riser. In storing and retrieving objects from the shelf, a forklift machine advances with its left and right forks aligned with the left and right insertion channels, until the forks are securely under the object. By this configuration, a package lacking apertures for receiving the blades of a forklift machine does not need to be secured to a wooden pallet in order to safely maneuver the package on or off of a storage shelf by means of a forklift machine.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/049,268 filed Mar. 14, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of warehouse storage devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to pallet risers which eliminate the need for wooden pallets in warehouse storage operations. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    For decades, the methods and apparatus used in warehouse storage have changed very little.  FIG. 1A  illustrates an exploded view of a standard wooden pallet  100  similar to those which are used in warehouse storage operations. The top half of the wooden pallet  100  is made up of parallel wooden deck boards  101 . The deck boards rest on, and are secured to, three parallel stringer boards  105  which are aligned perpendicular to the deck boards. The outer stringer boards  105 A,  105 C are disposed along the outer edges of the deck boards, and the center stringer board  105 B is disposed halfway between the outer stringer boards. Typically, the deck boards are secured to the stringer boards by nails or high-strength staples. The bottom half of the pallet is identically constructed of three parallel stringer boards  105 D, lOSE,  105 F, secured to a plurality of lower deck boards  103 . The top and bottom halves of the pallet are secured to each other by wooden spacer blocks  107  disposed along the stringer boards. 
         [0004]    Within industry, the “width” of a wooden pallet is generally the length of the deck boards, and the “length” of a wooden pallet is generally the length of the stringer boards. Regardless of the number of spacer blocks  107  disposed along the stringer boards, a pallet is normally configured to receive the insertion of forklift blades according to the orientation of directional arrows FLB  1 . As used throughout this disclosure, this “insertion” side will be referred to as the “front” of the pallet. Because of the symmetry on most pallets the reader will appreciate that a forklift machine can similarly insert its forklift blades from the rear of the pallet. If three spacer blocks are evenly spaced along each stringer board, a forklift machine will also be able to insert its blades between the upper and lower portions of the pallet from the “side” of the pallet, as illustrated by directional arrows FLB 2 . Wooden pallets capable of receiving an insertion of forklift machine blades from only the front and back are typically known as “two-way” pallets. Wooden pallets that can also receive forklift blade insertion from the left and right sides are typically known as “four-way” pallets 
         [0005]      FIG. 1B  discloses the wooden pallet of  FIG. 1A  in an assembled state. In many pallets, the bottom half of pallet  100  if typically identical in design to the upper half, such that the pallet will function identically regardless of which side is facing up. A benefit of this design is that if one or more of the wooden deck boards 101 on one side of the pallet are damaged, a warehouse worker may flip the pallet such that the top side of the pallet comprises undamaged wooden deck boards more suitable for supporting various commodities and goods. The insertion slots  109 A and  109 B receive fork lift blades at the front and rear of the pallet, and, for four-way pallets, insertion slots liIA,  11  lB along the sides of the pallet can also receive fork lift blades. 
         [0006]    In an alternative embodiment of prior art wooden pallets, “runners” (not shown) approximately the same height as wooden spacer blocks extend the length of the pallet in place of the stringer boards of  FIG. 1A . Alternatively, runners may be used in conjunction with stringer boards, each runner being disposed between an upper stringer board and a corresponding lower stringer board in an assembled palette. Runners may have horizontally elongated mouse-hole type slots cut therein, providing “four way” access to a pallet by a fork lift machine. 
         [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts a package of goods  201  affixed to a disposable pallet  203  which itself rests on a wooden pallet  100 . The package  201  is wrapped with strapping bands  205  which are typically made from either steel or nylon. The strapping bands  205  may be tightened by a strapping machine (not shown) or a hand held tightening device (also not shown) and secured in a taut condition by a wire loop buckle  207  for nylon strapping bands or a metal crimp buckle (not shown) for steel strapping bands. In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the strapping bands  205  secure the package  201  to the disposable pallet  203 . A disposable pallet  203  is typically made principally of cardboard, or a combination of cardboard and wood. A disposable pallet  203  is typically less expensive to fabricate than a wooden pallet  100 . However, disposable pallets do not normally have insertion slots into which forklift machine blades may be inserted, and are not as rugged as wooden pallets. However, by using a disposable pallet  203  in conjunction with a typical wooden pallet  100 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , the insertion slots  109 A and  109 B of the wooden pallet facilitate storage and retrieval of the wooden pallet, and any content stored thereon, by forklift machine  301  ( FIG. 3 ). The disposable pallet  203  provides a stable and durable base for package  201 . Depending upon the weight, height, and the general stability of a package, when a package with an integral disposable pallet is a placed on a wooden pallet, the package may be secured to the wooden pallet by means of strapping bands to provide additional stability when being moved by a forklift machine. 
         [0008]    To initially position a package with a disposable pallet onto a wooden pallet, a variety of techniques are used by warehouse workers. For lighter packages, warehouse workers may tilt a package onto a back edge, slide a wooden pallet underneath it, and lower the package onto the wooden pallet. Because this process typically leaves the back edge of the package hanging off of the wooden pallet, warehouse workers will attempt to center the package on the wooden pallet by creeping the package toward the center of the wooden pallet, often standing on the wooden pallet during the process to prevent the wooden pallet from sliding away. 
         [0009]    In embodiments wherein the package is too heavy for warehouse workers to tilt onto a back edge, or creep into a stable position in the center of a wooden pallet, a forklift machine may be used. Forklift machines typically have two parallel blades. Each blade has a vertical portion proximate forklift machine and a horizontal portion extending forward from the bottom of the vertical portion. Fork lift machine blades are typically formed from a continuous steel member such that the vertical portion and horizontal portion meet at a 90° bend at the bottom of the vertical portion of the forklift blades. The horizontal portion of a fork lift blade is about an inch and a half thick, depending on the size of the forklift machine and the weight limit for which it is designed. The horizontal portion of the blade is tapered at the distal end of the blade thereby allowing a skilled forklift driver to advance the tapered end of the blades underneath packages resting on the floor. 
         [0010]    When a forklift machine is used to place a package onto a wooden pallet, the forklift driver typically lowers the distal ends (the tips) of the blades to the warehouse floor, with the blades either parallel to the floor, or tilted at a slight downward angle toward the tips. The forklift driver advances the forklift machine toward the package with the distal edge of the blades touching, or almost touching the floor, thereby sliding the blades underneath the package. The blades are then raised, lifting the package off the warehouse floor, allowing warehouse workers slide a wooden pallet underneath the package. The fork lift machine then lowers the package onto the wooden pallet. To allow the forklift machine blades to be withdrawn without pulling the package off of the wooden pallet, the forklift machine driver may tilt the distal ends of the forklift blades downward, thereby lowering the distal edge of the package onto the wooden pallet. As the weight of the package is distributed disproportionately along the back edge of the package, the forklift machine backs up, thereby withdrawing the blades so as to lower the bottom surface of the package out of the wooden pallet without dragging the package off of the wooden pallet. Because the positioning of a package onto a pallet is about one third art, one third science, and one third brute force, the technique described above is simply offered to be illustrative, and is not intended to limit the techniques that warehouse workers use to move large packages by fork lift. 
         [0011]    It can be readily appreciated that the proper insertion of forklift machine blades to a desired depth under a package is usually dependent upon several factors. First, it is important that a warehouse floor be smooth and level so that the tapered (distal) ends of the forklift blades can slide underneath the package, rather than piercing the package. A second factor influencing the depth of penetration of fork lift blades under a package or disposable pallet is the angle of the forklift machine blades relative to the ground. To slide fork lift blades underneath a package or disposable pallet resting on the floor, the horizontal portion of the forklift blade is tilted “downward” slightly such that the distal end is the lowest portion of the horizontal section. According to the judgment of the forklift machine driver, this angle of downward tilt is typically between 1 degree and 15 degrees. It can be appreciated that, as a forklift blade advances beneath a package, the angle of tilt will be transmitted to the package itself, gradually lifting the proximal end of the package, thereby incurring progressively greater friction between the forklift blades and the bottom of the package as the forklift machine advances. Eventually, a package may begin to slide backwards from this force before the forklift machine blades have been inserted to a proper depth. To ensure proper depth of insertion, a third factor considered by a forklift machine driver is speed, acceleration and breaking. If the forklift machine is advancing too slowly, excess friction between the package in the blades may begin to push the package backwards before the forklift blades are properly seated underneath the package. If the forklift machine is advancing too quickly, the blades will slide under the disposable pallet until the face of the package impacts the vertical portions of the blades. The package is then driven backwards until the fork lift machine stops. if the forklift machine is advancing at an optimal rate, the horizontal portions of the blades will slide all the way underneath the package until the vertical portions of the forklift blades touch, or very nearly touch the forward face of the package. 
         [0012]    It can be readily appreciated that while such techniques are appropriate for sliding the blades of a forklift machine underneath a package resting on a warehouse floor, they would be unworkable and even dangerous if used to retrieve packages stacked on top of each other, or stored on shelves. On the floor, a forklift machine can use the warehouse floor to adjust the height of the tips of the forklift blades before advancing toward a package. For retrieval from shelves, the proper height of the forklift blades can only be estimated. Forklift blades that were too high could penetrate a package, dent the contents stored within the package, or drive the package backward, possibly pushing it off the far end of the shelf. Forklift blades that are aligned to low can smash into a horizontal load beam along the forward edge of a shelf, either progressively damaging shelf, or even tipping over an entire shelf, creating a costly and dangerous situation. Because of these limitations, stacked storage techniques known in the prior art seldom use forklift machines to store a heavy package on a shelf unless the package is disposed on a wooden pallet. 
         [0013]      FIG. 3  discloses a forklift machine  301  retrieving a package  201  from a storage shelf  305 . The forklift machine has forklift blades  303  are raised to approximately the height of a wooden pallet  100  to which a package  201  is a secured. The package  201  is stored on the top shelf of a high stack storage shelf  305 . Typically, retrieval is performed by raising the forklift blades to the level of the insertion slots  109 A,  109 B of wooden pallet  100  on which the palletized goods rest, and advancing the forklift machine so as to insert the forklift blades into the insertion slots. The pallet is raised when the blades are fully inserted. 
         [0014]    Returning to  FIG. 2 , even when packages include an integral disposable pallet, the package  201  is often secured to a wooden pallet by strapping bands to improve stability and safety when moved via a fork lift machine. In securing a package in this manner, strapping bands are typically threaded through the cavity between a upper and lower deck boards. Strapping bands running widthwise between the upper and lower deck boards secure the package to the wooden pallet by wrapping around the outer stringer boards. Strapping bands running lengthwise between the upper and lower deck boards secure the package to help by wrapping around some or all of the deck boards. 
         [0015]    To secure a large package to a pallet, the tensile force applied to each strapping band can be several hundred pounds. When a package is secured to a wooden pallet, the force transmitted by the strapping bands to the deck boards is often enough to pull the deck boards off of the stringer boards, or even crack the deck boards. 
         [0016]    In addition to the damage caused to wooden pallets by strapping bands, forklift machines progressively destroy wooden pallets. A collision between the forklift blades  303  and the wooden spacer blocks  107  frequency occurs during blade insertion. Because forklift machines are generally quite powerful, a single such collision can loosen, dislodge, or even split a wooden spacer block. Additionally, a forklift machine often lacks sufficient room to approach a pallet head-on for direct insertion of forklift blades into the insertion slots  109 A,  109 B. To rotate a wooden pallet, a forklift machine driver will insert the tips of the forklift machine blades into the insertion slots  109 A,  109 B, turn the steering wheel of a forklift machine sharply, and backup, thereby forcing the forklift blades into the wooden spacers  107 , exerting a lateral force sufficient to rotate a pallet. The heavier the load, the more force is required to rotate the pallet. Again, the force required to perform this maneuver takes its toll on wooden spacers, which are eventually loosened, dislodged, or destroyed. Additionally, hand pallet trucks typically have a pump action handle that hydraulically raises the lift-blades relative to the wheels, exerting thereby downward force against the wheels equal to the upward force necessary to raise the pallet. If the wheels are resting on a lower deck board, as the pallet is raised by the hydraulic cylinder, a deck board pinned underneath the wheel is ripped from the stringer boards, or split in two. 
         [0017]    Damage to wooden pallets is an ongoing process in most warehouse environments. Because of this, a large warehouse may have a team of workers dedicated to the continual repair of pallets. Alternatively, a warehouse they may simply purchase an inflow of new pallets. Even when repaired, most pallets reach their repair limit, after which they are simply discarded, or disassembled and cannibalized for whatever usable wood might be left. This ongoing repairer and replacement of wooden pallets represents a significant expense for many companies. 
         [0018]    Table 1 references the ten most common sizes of wooden pallets used in the United States, along with the industries that frequently use these respective sizes. Dimensions of Table 1 are in inches. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Grocery 
                 48 × 40 
               
               
                   
                 Telecom, Paint 
                 42 × 40 
               
               
                   
                 Drums 
                 48 × 48 
               
               
                   
                 Cement 
                 40 × 48 
               
               
                   
                 Chemical 
                 48 × 42 
               
               
                   
                 Dairy 
                 40 × 40 
               
               
                   
                 Automotive 
                 48 × 45 
               
               
                   
                 Drums, Chemical 
                 44 × 44 
               
               
                   
                 Beverage 
                 36 × 36 
               
               
                   
                 Beverage, shingles, packaged paper 
                 48 × 36 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0019]    Because these ten sizes represent only about sixty percent of the total number of pallets used in America, it can be readily appreciated that there is no “official” size for a pallet. Additionally, European nations and other metric regions add to the variety of pallet sizes, as illustrated in Table 2. Dimensions of Table 2 are in centimeters. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 ⅛ Euro 
                 40 × 30 
               
               
                   
                 ¼ Euro 
                 60 × 40 
               
               
                   
                 ½ Euro 
                 80 × 60 
               
               
                   
                 Euro ISO 1 
                  80 × 120 
               
               
                   
                 Euro ISO 2 
                 100 120 
               
               
                   
                   
                 114 × 114 
               
               
                   
                   
                 liO × 110 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0020]    Because of the expense in maintaining and replacing wooden pallets, industry has sought alternative solutions. Disposable cardboard pallets have been fitted with “feet” configured to raise a package a sufficient distance from the ground to allow insertion of forklift blades beneath the package. Feet integrally coupled to a carton or a disposable pallet are often cylindrical in shape, or may define a conical frustum. They are commonly in the range of six inches in diameter, and may be formed from molded plastic, with flanges extending horizontally from the upper limit of the cylinder. Corrugated cardboard layers above and below these flanges secure the feet to the carton or disposable pallet. The addition of feet to a disposable pallet however, significantly increases the cost of a carton or disposable pallet. Moreover, because a disposable pallet lacks the rigidity and strength of a wooden pallet, such designs cannot fully replace the functionality of traditional wooden pallets, and sometimes function as a limitation. 
         [0021]    There remains therefore need for a method and apparatus for eliminating or reducing the ongoing expenses associated with procurement, repair and replacement of wooden pallets while retaining many of the advantages of wooden pallets. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1A  depicts an exploded view of conventional prior art wooden pallet. 
           [0024]      FIG. 1B  depicts a perspective view of prior art the wooden pallet of  1 A. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  depicts a package banded to a prior art disposable pallet resting on a conventional wooden pallet. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  depicts a side elevation view of a forklift machine retrieving a palletized package from a prior art multi-tier storage location. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  depicts a perspective view of a plurality of metal risers resting on front and rear load beams out of a storage shelf 
           [0028]      FIG. 4A  depicts an isolated view of the pallet stop shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  depicts a forklift machine retrieving a package from a shelving section fitted with the risers of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 6A  depicts an embodiment of an adjustable riser resting on front and rear load beams. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6B  depicts a side view of the riser assembly of  FIG. 6A  as viewed from the perspective of cut lines  6 B. 
           [0032]      FIG. 6C  depicts a riser not fixed to a load beam and having sidewalls splayed in opposite directions. 
           [0033]      FIG. 6D  depicts a riser with outward turned flanges secured in place by threaded bolts. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6E  depicts a riser with inward turned flanges with through holes for securement to a load beam. 
           [0035]      FIG. 6F  depicts a riser with a hard rubber nose cone for preventing snagging, scraping, cutting, or other personal injury by the edges of a riser. 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  depicts an embodiment of a riser deck comprising multiple center risers with a riser stop extending between them. 
           [0037]      FIG. 8  depicts a top plan view of a riser deck assembly wherein a single common side-riser serves as a side riser for adjacent storage sections. 
           [0038]      FIG. 9  depicts a side elevational view of a high rise shelf with riser decks (left) and a high rise shelf with conventional pallets (right). 
           [0039]      FIG. 10  depicts a wire deck embodiment. 
           [0040]      FIG. 11  is an embodiment of the riser deck depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0041]      FIG. 4  depicts a perspective view of a riser deck comprising elongated metal risers  403 A,  403 B having a proximal end toward the lower left of the figure, and a distal end toward the upper right of the figure. The metal risers are supported by front and rear riser-deck cross beams  675 A,  675 B. As used herein, the term “section” of a shelf is used with reference to a width of shelving area configured to store a single palletized package (including a traditional wooden pallet and a disposable pallet) or a package or object of suitable size. The riser deck assembly of  FIG. 4  depicts a “deckless” embodiment. However, the riser deck embodiments described herein can also be used in conjunction with “decked” shelves, including, but not limited, to wire deck shelves. The elongated metal risers  403  are disposed in parallel alignment. The proximate end of the metal risers preferably extends forward of the front riser-deck cross beam  675 A, and the distal end of the metal risers preferably overhangs the rear riser-deck cross beam  675 B. The risers within a shelving section are uniform in height H, and having sufficient strength to support a package disposed thereon. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 4 , a shelving section comprises two side risers  403 A, and at least one center riser  403 B disposed therebetween. The width W 2  of the center riser  403 B is illustrated as being slightly narrower than the width W of the left and right side risers  403 A. However, alternative embodiments are envisioned wherein the width of the center riser is equal to, or greater the widths of the side risers  403 A. 
         [0042]    According to the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 4 , two insertion channels  413  are formed on opposing sides of the center riser. Referring briefly to  FIG. 5 , each of the insertion channels is configured to receive one of the forklift blades  303  of a two-blade forklift machine. In a less preferred embodiment, a section of a shelving assembly may have no center riser, allowing a fork lift machine to store or retrieve a package by inserting both blades into the expansive gap between the left and right risers. Alternatively embodiments are also envisioned wherein a section of a shelving assembly has multiple center risers, as depicted in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0043]    One benefit of the riser shelving assemblies described herein is that traditional wooden pallets are not needed to safely store and retrieve packages or disposable pallets by fork lift machine. Through the use of metal risers, the blades of a forklift machine can be positioned beneath a package by inserting the blades into the insertion channels  413 , thereby allowing a forklift machine to store or retrieve any stable flat bottomed object or package whether or not it is stored on a wooden pallet, including, but not limited to, a corrugated cardboard box, a wooden crate, a steel barrel (e.g. a 55 gallon drum), a wooden barrel, a cardboard barrel, or an unpackaged item. However the use of pallet risers described herein does not prohibit the use of wooden pallets to which a package or object may be already be secured. Accordingly, specific examples offered throughout this disclosure, which make frequent reference to the storage and retrieval of a disposable pallets, are not intended to limit the uses and applications of the risers described herein, nor should they be construed so as to the scope of the appended claims, which fully comprehend the storage of items and packages as described throughout. 
         [0044]    In view of the wide range of pallet sizes illustrated in Tables 1 and 2, the reader will readily appreciate that there is no “standard” width for a section of shelving, because there is no “standard” width of a pallet. Accordingly, a shelving section must be configured to accommodate the package or disposable pallet of a predetermined width. The overall width of the shelving section of  FIG. 4  is equal to the combination of the widths W 1  of each of the side risers  403 A, the width(s) W 2  of the center riser(s)  403 B, and the widths W 3  of each of the insertion channels  413 , as well as additional space to the right on the right side and riser and the left of the left side riser, into which the outer edges of a packet may extend. In any embodiment, however, the width W 3  of each insertion channel  413  must be wide enough to receive a forklift blade, with reasonable tolerances for accommodating inaccuracies and positioning the forks of a forklift machine under normal warehouse conditions. Ideally, the width W 3  of each insertion channel is greater than or equal to 12 inches. However, in view of the wide range of potential wooden pallet sizes historically available, storage sections with steel risers are envisioned wherein the widths W 3  of individual insertion channels  413  are less than 12 inches. 
         [0045]    Risers can be formed from a rigid material having sufficient strength to support the weight of objects stored thereon. As noted in conjunction with the prior art, fork lift machines often split the wooden blocks of a pallet due to the force of impact. It can be readily appreciated that, in multi-tier shelves, fork lift machine drivers often work on racks above there heads with limited vision, particularly resulting in frequent damage to pallets. It can be appreciated that risers formed of wood would simply replicate the problems associated with wooden pallets. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment a metal alloy riser, and more preferably a steel or aluminum alloy riser, which is impervious to splitting, as experienced by wooden pallet blocks. However, specific references to steel risers, aluminum or metal risers throughout this disclosure are offered as examples, and are not intended to limit alternative riser embodiments envisioned within the scope of the appended claims, including, but not limited to risers comprised of other metals and metal alloys, as well as fiberglass, wood, plastic, concrete, ceramic, clay, composites, polymers, epoxies and combinations thereof. 
         [0046]    In the embodiment of  FIGS. 4 ,  6 A and  613 , the metal risers are formed from elongated sheet steel having two right angle bends extending the length of the metal sheet, thereby forming a horizontal support deck  409  disposed between parallel left and right sidewalls  407 A,  407 B. The height of a riser is therefore approximately equal to the height of the sidewalls. The risers are preferably comprised of a steel alloy, and having a thick enough gauge to support anticipated loads, and to withstand the punishment of misdirected forklift machine blades without needing requiring continual repair or replacement. Although the required metal gauge of steel sheet will vary according to the width of a riser, the height of a riser, and the anticipated loads which will be stored thereupon, roll formed steel having a thickness of between 16 gauge and 10 gauge is preferable for most risers. However, specific references to “steel sheet” are offered only as an example to more clearly explain and illustrated, and enable the reader to make and use the invention described in the appended claims. These specific examples are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims, which envisions alternative shapes and forms of steel and metal risers, including, but not limited to, steel risers made from C-channel, structural steel, or steel plate. I-beams preferably made of aluminum are also envisioned. Additionally, risers may be formed from any rigid material of sufficient strength to store anticipated loads. 
         [0047]    Because an excessive concentration of force on a small area can damage packaging, and can even damage the contents stored therein, the combined widths of the side and center risers is preferably at least 20% of the total width of the package supported thereon, and more preferably at least 30% of the total width of the package supported thereon, thereby distributing the weight of the package over a greater area. Moreover, embodiments are envisioned wherein the combined widths of the side and center risers are at least 40% of the total width of the package supported thereon and even more preferably at least 50% of the total width of the package supported thereon. Depending upon the anticipated width of a package to be stored in a shelving section, an embodiment of  FIG. 4  utilizes a center riser greater than or equal to about four inches (100 mm) in width, and side risers greater than or equal to about least six inches (150 mm) in width, thereby minimizing an excessive concentration of pressure on the bottom of the package. However, center risers less than 100 mm and side risers less than 150 mm are also envisioned. 
         [0048]    According to the depiction of  FIG. 4 , the risers slightly overhanging at least part of the front and rear load beams, and more preferably, each riser completely overhangs the front and rear load beams, thereby ensuring that the weight of a package is not transmitted directly into an unsupported portion of wire deck. This depiction, however, is not intended to limit alternative embodiments wherein the front and/or rear edges of a metal riser are flush with the corresponding front and rear edges of a shelf, or recessed so as to be disposed between the front and rear edges of the shelf. 
         [0049]    To prevent a package from being stored too far to the rear of shelf, and possibly falling off the rear of the shelf, pallet stops  405  are disposed at the rear end of each riser.  FIG. 4A  depicts an isolated view of an embodiment of a pallet stop shown in  FIG. 4 . The pallet stopped  405  is formed from a rigid piece of wire having two parallel attachment segments  425  aligned along the x-axis. Both attachment segments  425  comprise identical 90° upward bends, extending into parallel vertical members  427  aligned along the y-axis. The upper end of each vertical member has a 90° bend inward along the z-axis, thereby forming a horizontal stop ridge  429  extending between the upper ends of the two vertical members. As illustrated in phantom in  FIG. 4 , each of the attachment segments  425  is welded  431  in place at an interior corner formed at the juncture of the horizontal support deck  409  and a respective left or right sidewall  407 A,  407 B. In an alternative embodiment, a pallet stop may be formed by bending a portion of the horizontal support deck  409  upward at approximately a 90 degree angle. 
         [0050]    The rises are welded securely to the wire deck, as shown by welds  415  in  FIG. 4 . However, a variety of circumstances may arise wherein warehouse personnel desire to alter the spacing of risers. For example, industry may standardize pallet sizes to reduce the number of diverse sizes, requiring a warehouse to alter the space allotted for certain packages or goods. A warehouse may begin to stock goods from a different source, or goods having a different “footprint.” Alternatively, warehouse personnel may determine that the space between sections is too narrow for the drivers of fork lift machines to store goods safely and efficiently. For these, and any other number of reasons, a warehouse may desire pallet risers that are removable, slidable, or otherwise adjustable, so that the width of specific select risers, or the spacing between select risers may be adjusted. 
         [0051]      FIG. 6A  illustrates an embodiment of a riser extending between the front load beam  411 A shown as a C-bracket and the rear load beam  411 B also shown as a C-bracket. The riser  603  is removably secured to the front and rear load beams by a securement mechanism  639 , shown in  FIG. 6B  as a threaded bolt  640 . 
         [0052]    As used herein, the terms “bolt” and “screw” are used interchangeably, an include, but are not limited to grooved heads for standard screwdrivers, cross grooves for Philips head or reed and prince screw drivers, hex head bolts, allan wrench heads and torx wrench type bolts, and smooth head bolts that have no means on the bolt head for applying torque to the bolt. Because raised right angle bolts such as hex-head, torx wrench and allan wrench type bolt heads are more likely to catch on a package or strapping band during loading and unloading, threaded bolt embodiments will preferably be include low profile round headed bolts, or countersunk flat head screws. However, the appended claims fully comprehend any variety of cross pin securement devices, including non-threaded shafts such as cotter pins, and threaded cross pins with any type of head. 
         [0053]    When tightened, a threaded bolt  640  of  FIG. 6  will impart significant upward force into the bottom surface of hollow tubular load beam  613 A, and a significant downward force on the top surface of the riser  603 . To prevent the indentation and destruction of these respective structures, a variety of force distribution methods may be used. As shown in the inset  FIG. 6B , the force is distributed over a greater surface area on the bottom surface of front load beam  613 A and over the horizontal support deck of the riser  603  by means of a washer plates  647 ,  648 . The threaded shafts  643  extend through respective holes within the washer plate, and are held securely in place a threaded nut  651  and lock washer  649 . Individual washers can be used in place of the washer plate if the washers are large enough to distribute a force in a manner sufficient to prevent damage to the load beam. 
         [0054]    Screwdriver slots can become gauged during rotation, forming sharp metal tags that can catch on packaging or strapping bands. In a preferred embodiment, therefore, smooth-head bolts  640  having a low rounded profile heads  641  are used to secure a riser to a load beam, thereby eliminating the tags and sharp edges formed on a screwdriver slot. The section of shaft proximate the distal end of the smooth-head bolt is a threaded cylinder  643 , and the section of shaft  642  coupled to the bolt head is non-cylindrical. Examples of non-cylindrical ends are bolts having square shafts coupled to the bolt head. By this shaft configuration, the square segment of the shaft can be held in place by a square hole in the washer plate, and the threaded end can be tightened with a nut without the need of a counter force applied to the head by a tool. In addition to the use of lock washers to prevent loosening, a chemical adhesive such as “Lock Tight” can applied to the junction of the threaded shaft and the nut to ensure a secure coupling which will not loosen unless torque is applied. 
         [0055]    An alternative, or supplemental means of reinforcement for the risers is depicted in  FIG. 613 . A wooden plug  645 , which is preferably at least the width of the load beam, is configured to substantially fill the cross sectional area within the interior of the riser. The wooden plug thereby exerts a resistive force against the interior surface of the riser  603  to prevent the indentation and collapse. Guide holes within the wooden plug are preferably unthreaded to facilitate easy insertion and withdrawal of the threaded shafts  643 . The rear load beam  61  lB depicts an L-bracket embodiment. In such embodiments, a washer plate  647  is not necessary to prevent the deformation of a load beam. 
         [0056]    In the various embodiments of  FIGS. 6A and 613 , the load beams  611 A,  611 B have pre-drilled holes which allow the adjustment of risers to the left or right. Additionally, a riser which is damaged, or which is the wrong width or gauge may be removed and replaced. It will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that load beams formed by L-brackets do not have pressure exerted against an empty cavity, and therefore do not need force spreading devices such as washers or washer plates to distribute force over a greater area. 
         [0057]    In addition to the potential indentation of a hollow load beam or hollow riser, due to excessive tension imposed by a bolt,  FIG. 6C  illustrates a riser  603  experiencing a downward force F on the support deck  653  resulting in a splaying of the left and right sidewalls  655 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 6D  illustrates alternative embodiments of flanged risers which prevent splaying, and eliminate the need for washer plate on the support deck of a riser. Riser  661  comprises outward turned flanges  663 , each flange having at least one through-hole  665  near the proximal end of the riser, and at least one through-hole  667  near the distal end of the riser. Threaded bolts  669  (shown in exploded view) are inserted through the through-holes  665  and secured to a load beam (not shown) or other structurally adequate member of a shelving assembly. The riser deck cross beam  675  is an L-bracket having a vertical ledge and a horizontal ledge, with through-holes  677  disposed along the horizontal ledges of the riser deck cross beam. 
         [0059]      FIG. 6E  displays an alternative embodiment of a flanged riser  679  having inward turning flanges  681  with through holes for securement to a load beam by threaded bolts, as depicted and explained in conjunction with  FIG. 61 ). Because of the use of L-Bracket load beams in conjunction with flanged risers, the threaded bolts compress metal against metal in the embodiments of  FIGS. 6D and 6E . As a consequence, no washer plate is required to distribute weight across a large surface, eliminating the cost of washer plates and wooden inserts discussed previously. Accordingly, flanged risers used in conjunction with L-Bracket load beams can reduce or eliminate the possibility of several potential catastrophic failures of metal risers. 
         [0060]    As depicted in  FIG. 6F , a nose cone  683  is advantageously attached to the proximal end of a riser to prevent warehouse personnel or customers from cutting themselves on sharp edges, particularly on forward protruding risers on lower shelves. Without limiting the appended claims to any one embodiment, nose cones can be advantageously formed from hard rubber such as used in hockey pucks formed into a rounded shape protruding from the proximal end of a riser is tough enough to resist destruction by fork lift blades, and yet soft enough to protect warehouse employees or consumers from cutting or scraping themselves on a metal riser. 
         [0061]      FIG. 7  depicts a shelving section comprising a left outer riser  701 , a right outer riser  703 , a left center riser  705  and a right center riser  707 . A channel stop  709  ensures that a forklift machine driver does not mistake the area between the left center riser in the right center riser as an insertion channel. This distinction may be further enhanced by the use of one color for a channel stop in another color for at least the front ends of the left outer riser  701  and the right outer riser  703 . An advantage of the embodiment in  FIG. 7  is that left and right forklift blades respectively entering the left channel  713  are separated from the center line  717  of the shelving section to ensure a greater minimum stability of a package being retrieved by a forklift machine. In embodiments where in the spacing between risers is adjustable, channel stops of multiple alternative sizes can be attached and detached from the ends of center risers  705 ,  707  attachment points  719 . A single center riser having the width W 6  can also be used to the same effect as the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0062]      FIG. 8  depicts an alternative embodiment wherein separate shelving sections  801 ,  803 ,  805  share a sided riser  811 ,  815  with an adjacent section. Each set of parentheses within the figure defines the width of a shelving section, which is further identified by dotted lines extending below the distal ends of the parentheses. Section A of riser  811  comprises the right side of riser of shelving section  801  section C of riser  811  comprises the left side of riser of shelving section  803 . Section B of riser  811  represents a neutral space between sections  801  and  803 . The width of the neutral space B is preferably between 2 inches and 12 inches. However, embodiments of less than 2 inches and greater than 12 inches are envisioned. 
         [0063]      FIG. 9  depicts a side elevation view of adjacent high-rise shelving structures. The left hand shelving structure has metal risers for granting fork blade access to a package. The right hand shelving structure utilizes traditional shelving technology, and therefore requires storage on traditional wooden pallets. As discussed above, a forklift machine is often required to drive forward in a calculated speed with the distal end of the forklift blade scraping the warehouse floor in order to slide the fourth of blades beneath a package. The use of plastic or cardboard “feet” integral to a disposable palette allows a corporate machine driver to insert forklift blades beneath a package in a more controlled manner. Such feet, however, are frequently limited to one or two inches in height. Although such an elevation can enhance the use of a forklift machine on a warehouse floor, this elevation is not sufficient by itself to allow a forklift machine driver to retrieve packages stored overhead in a high-rise storage shelf as depicted in  FIG. 9 . Accordingly, the advantage is gained through the use of metal risers as shown in the left hand high-rise shelving assembly of  FIG. 9 , is not obviated through the use of “feet” commonly found on disposable pallets. 
         [0064]    As a forklift machine approaches a shelf, pallets and objects on higher shelves become more difficult to see clearly. Accordingly, embodiments are envisioned wherein the height of the risers, and/or the width of the insertion channels increases with higher shelves to compensate for the difficulty in aligning fork lift blades properly on higher shelves. 
         [0065]      FIG. 10  depicts a wire deck embodiment of a riser configuration of  FIG. 6A . 
         [0066]      FIG. 11  depicts a riser deck embodiment such as depicted in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 D. Riser  679  comprises sidewalls  663  with outward turned flanges  655 , each flange having at least one through-hole  665  near the proximal end of the riser, and at least one through-hole (not shown) near the distal end of the riser. An embodiment utilizing threaded bolts  669  (shown in exploded view) depicts the bolts inserted through the through-holes  665 , through holes  677 , and secured to a load beam  411  or other structurally adequate member of a shelving assembly.  FIG. 11  depicts a riser deck cross beam  675  in the form of an L-bracket having a vertical ledge  677  and a horizontal ledge  673 , with through-holes  677  disposed along the horizontal ledges of the riser deck cross beam.