Abstract:
A number of embodiments of moveable storage racks and/or partitions that can be installed in existing buildings without the necessity of installing guide rails for them. In addition, the movement may be controlled so that the partitions move either in a parallel fashion or they can be rotated through an arc. The partitions are supported on drive and guide belts that are mounted on the underside thereof and which eliminate the need for the guide rails and spread the weight of the partition over a greater area of the floor so as to permit use in buildings which were not originally designed for such systems.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to a moveable shelf and partitioning system and more particularly to an improved type of moveable shelving and partitioning system that offers greater flexibility and versatility than those presently in use.  
           [0002]    There are known storage systems that include a number of moveable shelves that are supported for movement along a work area on tracks or guide rails that are affixed to the floor of the area. These shelves can be compressed in abutting relationship to open up space and then moved to offer access to the individual shelf areas for the insertion and removable of articles there from. These types of devices have wide application and considerable utility.  
           [0003]    However, the requirement for having rails or tracks in the floor by which the shelves can be moved means that the area must be specially adapted to utilize this type of system. Also, once converted to this arrangement, the utility of the area is somewhat compromised.  
           [0004]    In addition, once in position the types of moveable shelves aforedescribed are not easily moved to another location. If they are to be moved, then that location must also be modified to provide the necessary guide rails on which the shelves can be mounted.  
           [0005]    It is, therefore, a principal object to this invention to provide an improved moveable shelf arrangement that does not require guide rails for its operation.  
           [0006]    It is a further object to this invention to provide a moveable shelf that can be supported on any type of floor and can be freely moved from position to position to optimize space utilization.  
           [0007]    In addition to having moveable shelving, similar systems have been employed for partitioning rooms where a number of upright panels are mounted by wheels and guide rails and so that they can be moved so as to divide the room into various segments. In addition to having these partitions moveable on rails on the floor, they are also supported often from above on overhead rails.  
           [0008]    Again, this not only means that the room must be specially constructed in order to contain and utilize these moveable partitions, but also the ability to change the shape of the individual compartments that are divided is severely limited. That is, the width of the room is generally maintained constant and the partitions divide the room into areas having the same or different lengths.  
           [0009]    It is, therefore, a further principal object to this invention to provide a moveable partitioning system for a room that offers greater flexibility in the form of the partitions that can be created and the number of partitions that are possible.  
           [0010]    It is a further object to the invention to provide a moveable partitioning system of this type wherein the partitions also permit access between the divided compartments of the room.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0011]    A first feature of the invention is adapted to be embodied in a storage arrangement comprising a shelf adapted to receive articles. The shelf has a base and a drive unit disposed beneath the base and adapted to support the shelf on a floor for movement there along. The drive unit is comprised of a pair of wheels supported for rotation upon the base about parallel, spaced axes. A drive and support belt is trained around the wheels and has a lower flight for engaging the floor and supporting the shelf thereupon. The drive unit further includes a drive for rotating at least one of the wheels for driving the belt and effecting movement of the shelf along the floor.  
           [0012]    Another feature of the invention is adapted to be embodied in a room partitioning system for partitioning an area having a floor and enclosing, fixed walls. The partitioning system comprises a panel supported on the floor by a drive system. The drive system being operable to move said panel along the floor in directions to partition the area into segments of the desired size and shape. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a moveable partitioning and shelving system constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 2, 3 and  4  are bottom views of the supporting frame for the shelf shown in FIG. 1 looking at the left-hand edge, the center and the right-hand edge, respectively.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 5, 6 and  7  are side elevational views of the frame supporting portion showing the same areas illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and  4 , respectively.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a top plan view showing two pairs of drive belts.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the drive belts.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is a view, in part similar to FIG. 9, but only shows one drive belt and in another type of arrangement therefore.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken along the line  11 - 11  of FIG. 10.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 12 is a view, in part similar to FIG. 9, and shows another embodiment of the invention and illustrates the arrangement supported on the floor.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 13 is a graphical view showing how the driving load depends upon the width of the drive belt.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 14 is an enlarged view, in part similar to FIG. 10, and shows how the drive belt supports the shelving and acts as a cushion between the driving wheels and the floor.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 15 is a view, in part similar to FIG. 3, but shows another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 16 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow  16  in FIG. 15.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 17 is a view looking the direction of the arrow  17  in FIG. 15 and is in part similar to FIG. 6.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a room having a moveable partition system constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIGS. 19 through 21 are top plan views of a room divided into various configurations by a partitioning system constructed in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0028]    Referring now in detail to the drawings and initially to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 9 and beginning by specific reference to FIG. 1, a moveable shelf constructed in accordance with this embodiment of the invention is identified generally by the reference numeral  31 . The moveable shelf  31  is adapted to be supported for movement along a floor  32  of any common type in a manner to be described.  
         [0029]    The shelf  31  includes an upper shelf assembly  33  that is mounted on a base, indicated generally by the reference numeral  34 . The shelf assembly  33  can be of any material and construction and, for example, can include adjustable shelves that are held by side pieces. Since those skilled in the art will readily understand the various forms that the shelving may take, further description of that is believed to be unnecessary.  
         [0030]    The base  34  has a construction as best shown and as will be described later by reference to FIGS. 2 through 7. However, it includes driving wheels  35  and driven wheels  36  that are interconnect by an endless belt  37  which provides the direct support for the shelf  31  on the floor  32 .  
         [0031]    Referring now primarily to FIGS. 2 through 6, the base  34  is comprised of a sheet metal assembly comprised of a planar type upper surface  38  and a pair of folded down side surfaces. Reinforcing U-channels  39  may be affixed at spaced locations along the horizontal surface  38  to add rigidity to the construction. A driving shaft  41  and driven shaft  42  are journaled in spaced transverse relationship by means of a plurality of pillow blocks  43  that are affixed to and form a part of the base  34 . Specifically, these pillow blocks  43  are fixed to the under side of the panel surface  38 . Bearings  44  carried by these pillow blocks  43  complete the journaling of the shafts  41  and  42  in the base  34 .  
         [0032]    The driving wheels  35  are affixed at spaced locations and between pairs of the pillow blocks  43  and bearings  44  to the driving shaft  41 . In a like manner, the driven wheels  36  are affixed to the driven shaft  42 . In order to facilitate assembly and machining, the shafts  41  and  42  need not be continuous shafts but can constitute shaft segments that are joined together by couplings  45 .  
         [0033]    The drive belts  37  may be of the toothed type and can cooperate with sprocket teeth on the driving wheels  35  and driven wheels  36 . In addition and if desired, a plurality of sprockets  46  may be fixed along the lengths of the shafts  41  and  42  and interconnected by a chain (not shown).  
         [0034]    The driving shaft  41  is driven by one or more electric motors  47  that are mounted on a mounting bracket assembly  48  on the underside of the plate  38 . These electric motors  47  have pinion gears  49  affixed to their drive shafts. The pinion gears  49  cooperate with gears  51  fixed to the driving shaft  41  so as to drive it. These motors  47  are of the reversible variable speed type and are control by a suitable control panel  49  mounted on the side of the shelves  31  (FIG. 1).  
         [0035]    Although the drive belts  37  may be made of any suitable material and my, as noted above, have their inner flight toothed to provide a non-slip driving relationship with the driving wheels  35  and driven wheel  36 , it may be desirable to provide an arrangement for retaining the drive belt against axial movements. FIGS. 10 and 11 show an embodiment to how this may be accomplished. Aside from this anti-slipping arrangement, the construction is the same as that previously described and, therefore, the components which are the same have been identified by the same reference numerals and will not be described again, except insofar as is necessary to understand the construction and operation of this embodiment.  
         [0036]    In this embodiment, the driving and driven wheels  35  and  36  have annular members  51  affixed to their outer periphery and which extend radially outwardly beyond the outer periphery of the wheels  35  and  36 . Thus, as seen in FIG. 11, these extending portions provided by the annular members  51  will insure that the belts  37  are maintained in axial position on the wheels  35  and  36 .  
         [0037]    Depending upon the width or depth of the shelves  31 , it may be desirable to provide further support on the floor  32  and specifically for the back up side of the belt  37 . FIG. 12 shows such an arrangement where, in addition to the driving wheel  35  and driven wheel  36  mounted on the shafts  41  and  42 , respectively, there are a plurality of back up rollers  61  that are carried by shafts  62  that are journaled in the pillow blocks  43  and bearings  44 . Thus, more back up contact is provided between the drive belt  37  and the floor  32 .  
         [0038]    Also, the width of the belts  37  may be changed from a narrow width to a wide width as shown in FIG. 13 where the different widths are shown at  37   a ,  37   b  and  37   c . Although the support is greater when the width is increased, this provides a larger resistance to driving and requires larger driving motors.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 14 shows how the inter-positioning of the belt  37  between the driving and driven wheels  35  and  36  and the floor  32  provides a cushioning between the wheels  35  and  36  and the floor  32 . Hence, the device can be utilized on a wide variety of floor materials and, special rails embedded in or mounted on the floor  32  are not required. The supporting portion of the drive belt is indicated in FIG. 14 by the reference numeral  63 .  
         [0040]    It has been noted in the embodiment as thus far described, there are provided two electric drive motors  47  spaced transversely across the length of the shelf  31 . Of course, the number of drive motors can be changed. Also although electric motors are illustrated, other means for rotating the driving shaft  41  can be employed. These can include providing a manual crank handle mounted on the side of shelf  31  for rotating the shaft  41 .  
         [0041]    In the embodiment as thus far described, all of the drive wheels  35  are mounted on a common shaft and are driven. Depending upon the loads to be expected and the specific environment, it is not necessary that all wheels be directly driven. FIGS. 15 through 17 are partial views which can be considered to be similar to FIGS. 3 and 6 and show how some wheels, again indicated by the reference numerals  35  and  36 , can be mounted on stub shafts  81  which are journaled in the pillow blocks  43  and bearings  44 . In this case, these drive belts  37  are only driven through their contact with the floor.  
         [0042]    In connection with an arrangement wherein the driving wheels that are driven by an electrical motor or other force are not all coupled to each other, it would be possible to provide controls whereby one motor can be driven and the other remains stationary or is rotated in a reverse direction. In this way, it is actually possible for the shelf to be driven in an arcuate fashion. The possibilities of such various movements should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without further description or illustration.  
         [0043]    In addition to shelving for storage purposes, the moveable partition of the type described also can be employed to partition a room into various areas. FIGS. 18 and 19 through  21  show two such embodiments.  
         [0044]    Referring first to the embodiment of FIG. 18, a room, indicated generally by the reference numeral  101  has a generally rectangular floor  102  closed by two long side walls  103  and  104  and two shorter end walls  105  and  106 . In addition, the room is closed by a roof which is not illustrated.  
         [0045]    A partitioning assembly comprised of a first partition, indicated generally by the reference numeral  107  and a second partition indicated generally by the reference numeral  108  are supported for movement along the floor  102  by any of the types of drives previously described and particularly those shown in the earlier figures. Since the driving arrangement is the same at that previously described, it is not illustrated since it is not believed that a further illustration is necessary for those skilled in the art to understand this feature of the invention.  
         [0046]    In this embodiment, each partition  107  and  108  has the same overall configuration and they are of a width that spans the width of the room  101 . Thus, access to the two room areas that are formed when the partitions  107  and  108  in back-to-back relationship, can be accessed through side doors  109  and  111 . It should be noted that the partitions  107  and  108  can be moved together to vary the sizes of the room areas thus formed. In addition the partitions  107  and  108  can be moved toward and away from each other to provide a third room area between the two partitions  107  and  108 .  
         [0047]    Passage to this third room area is possible through doors  112 , only one of which appears in this figure, formed in alignment with each other in the partitions  107  and  108 . Thus, when the partitions are in back-to-back relationship, access between the room areas formed is obtained by opening both of the doors  112  in the partitions  107  and  108 .  
         [0048]    If the partitions  107  and  108  are spaced from each other, then the area between the two partitions can be accessed through either the door  112  and the partition  107  from one outer room area or through the door  112  in the partition  108  from the remaining outer area of the room.  
         [0049]    On the sides of the partitions  107  and  108  outwardly from the doors  112 , there are further areas provided indicated by the reference numerals  113  and  114 . These partition areas  113  and  114  may be provided with shelving for storage, bookshelves, lockers or other types of storage systems.  
         [0050]    In this embodiment, it is desirable to have the partitions  107  and  108  move so that they are maintained in parallel relationship to each other and to the end walls  105  and  106 . For this purpose, guide strips  115  are provided in the area above the partitions  107  and  108  and are sensed by appropriate sensors carried by the partitions  107  and  108 . These sensors transmit signals to the drive motors, assuming a separate motor is utilized for each side of the partitions  107  and  108 , so that they will be maintained in parallel relationship not only to each other but to the end walls  105  and  106 .  
         [0051]    Although the necessity for this might be avoided by utilizing interconnected drive shafts as in the first mentioned embodiment, there are times when it is desirable to provide separate control as for one reason or another in order to maintain parallel relationship. That is at times, one motor should be driven differently from the other to maintain parallel movement.  
         [0052]    Referring now to FIGS. 19 through 21, these figures show another type of arrangement which can offer more flexibility in the partitioning of a room. The room, again identified by the reference numeral  101  is also formed by two long side walls  103  and  104  and two shorter end walls  105  and  106 . Along one of the walls, such as the side wall  103 , there may be formed one or more vertical pillars  121  for a purpose which will be described shortly. The side wall  104  is formed with two doors, an outwardly opening door  122  and an inwardly opening door  123 , both of which offer access to the room  101 .  
         [0053]    A first shorter end wall partition, indicated generally by the reference numeral  124  is supported in any of the manners previously described. This partition is maintained in parallel relationship to the end walls  105  and  106 . A second moveable partition  125  that is longer than the partition is supported in any of the manners previously described. This second partition  125  is maintained in a position parallel to the side walls  103  and  104 .  
         [0054]    The partition  124  also includes at one of its ends a door  126  which may be swung to an outward position as shown in the figures or to an inward position flush with the end wall of the partition  124 . The partition  125  is provided with two doors that open a common opening and which will be described shortly.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 19 shows the partitions  124  and  125  in a position wherein they do not divide the room  101  into separate areas. Shelves or other types of storage arrangements are formed in the partitions  124  and  125  and can be accessed though the sides facing the interior of the room  101  for storage purposes.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 20 shows another position of the partition  124  with the door  126  swung to an extended position. In this position, the door  126  effectively separates the two areas A and B formed by the moved partition  124 . The room area A can be accessed from the outside through the door  122  or from the area B by the opening of the door  126  to a flush position against the end wall of the partition  124 . The area B can be accessed through the outside by opening the door  123 .  
         [0057]    The partition  125  can also be moved transversely relative to the partition  124  to a position as shown in FIG. 21 to divide the area into the previously area B and two new areas, C and D. As seen in this figure, doors  127  and  128  are formed in the partition  125  so as to permit access between the areas C and D. The area C can communicate with the area A by opening the door  126  and the entire areas can be accessed from the outside through either door  122  or  126 .  
         [0058]    In this embodiment, the area above the partitions  125  and  126  is also provided with guide strips and the partitions  124  and  125  provided with sensors so as to move always parallel to the walls  105  and  106  and  103  and  104 , respectively.  
         [0059]    Thus, from the foregoing description it should be readily apparent that the described embodiments permit the use of storage devices and partitioning walls that can be easily moved and employed in any closed area without the necessity of guide rails. This offers substantially greater versatility and a wider variety of types of storage systems and room partitions. Of course, the foregoing description is that of preferred embodiments of the invention and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.