Abstract:
A guide is attached to the top of a glass rack on a glass transporting vehicle. When attaching a brace to the rack, the top stake is engaged to the guide. The guide automatically directs the top stake into its corresponding spot.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a guide system designed to assist in inserting a stake on a glass rack into a slot. Specifically, the present invention relates to a guide system consisting of a device protruding outward from the edges of a slot having slanted walls that automatically align the stake with the slot into which it is to be fitted. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Because plate glass shatters easily, care must be taken in transporting it. Typically, large glass plates are stacked next to one another and slightly slanted against a series of supports on one or both sides of a pickup or other truck. Braces are then placed on the outside of the glass plates to hold them firmly in place between the supports and the stakes. In order to attach the braces to the frames, the braces are fitted with stakes that fit securely into slots on a frame. These frames are typically several feet tall. Because of this, the slots on the top of the frame into which the top stakes are to be inserted may not be seen by an operator at ground level. Accordingly, a trial and error approach is used. The stake must simply be slid around on top of the rack until it falls into a slot. It may take a substantial amount of time to find the proper slot for the stake. 
   There have been several designs developed for improving glass racks mounted on vehicles. There have also been numerous designs for a tongue and groove and similar engagement structures to facilitate insertion of the tongue portion with the groove portion. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the stake and slot engagement system utilized by braces on glass racks is essentially a tongue and groove design. The following patents illustrate inventions relating to improvements on glass racks and tongue and groove designs. 
   Rhodes (U.S. Pat. No. 1,625,745) discloses a bracket for a building roof having a semi-cup shaped member to receive a head of a hook. 
   Kraft (U.S. Pat. No. 2,518,624) discloses an example of a rack structure for a glass truck. Removable inner and outer stakes carry adjustable clamps in order to engage the glass panels. Each stake has a lateral arm having a down turned hook that carries a stud to be received in a slot in a frame. 
   Schodorf, Sr. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,811) discloses a plate glass rack having spaced, removable stakes or standards. Upper section of the standard is provided with a hook which fits around the top board of the rack. 
   Huntley (U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,608) discloses a bracket to receive an inverted U-shaped ladder. An upper part of the bracket is cut away to provide a throat or guide into which a ladder flange is slidable. 
   Lyszczek (U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,755) discloses an adjustable stake for a glass rack having an upper end with an L-shaped support member received in the glass rack. 
   Peebles (U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,905) discloses a demountable ladder having lugs receivable in sockets. 
   Ritten (U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,872) discloses a boat ladder with a bracket having a U-shaped slot to receive a ladder latch plate. 
   McCarty (U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,782) discloses a boat ladder having a connector portion received in a tubular rod holder on a boat. 
   Moser et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,645) discloses a spindle guide to receive and hold a tube. 
   The prior art does not disclose a method or apparatus for rapidly inserting a tongue or stake into a groove or slot that is not within the line of sight of the operator. 
   The prior art does not disclose a method or apparatus for guiding a stake in both side to side orientation and front to back orientation into a slot. 
   It is therefore desirable to provide a means for guiding a tongue or stake into a groove or slot. 
   It is also desirable to provide a method for guiding a stake into a slot on the top of a glass rack such that the stake is rapidly and efficiently placed within the desired slots. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a mechanism for rapidly and accurately inserting the top stake of a brace for a glass rack into the proper slot on the top of the rack. It includes a guide that rests directly on the top of the glass rack and has outwardly slanting walls surrounding three of the four sides to the slots on the top of the glass rack. Once a stake makes contact with one or more of the slanted walls, it will automatically fall directly into the desired slot merely by moving the brace downward. Because the guide protrudes upward, it is in view of the operator. The operator merely makes contact between the top stake of the brace and the guide and then lets the brace drop. The guide ensures that it falls into the appropriate slot. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this greatly increases the speed with which a brace may be attached to a glass rack. 
   A variety of different designs may be used to make an appropriate guide. It may be desirable to connect a series of guides on a single piece of material. This may ease manufacturing and attachment of the guides. So long as the guides provide three slanted walls that align with three of the four sides of the slot on top of the rack, the guide will perform well. The walls may even be curved. It will also be appreciated that the guides do not need to be substantially visible, because the guide creates a much larger target area for which the operator can aim for a particular slot. Without the guide, an operator must place the stake in the exact spot where the slot is. Using a guide, the operator needs only to place the stake relatively close to the location of the slot and the guide will move the stake to the exact location. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows an environmental view of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  shows an alternative embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  shows a top plan view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 7  shows a top plan view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 9  shows a top plan view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use the invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the instant invention. 
   While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the details of the invention&#39;s construction and the arrangement of its components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification. 
   The present invention is a guide means that assists in the insertion of a tongue or stake into a slot or groove that is not visible to the operator. The invention is particularly useful when used in conjunction with a rack mounted on a vehicle for transporting glass. The device readily guides the top stake of a brace used on a glass holding rack into the desired slot in a time efficient and reliable manner. 
     FIG. 1  shows an environmental view of the invention. Glass transporting vehicle  10  has a glass rack  24  into braces  12 . Braces  12  hold glass panes against racks  24  securely. Brace  12  consists of rod  18  having multiple adjustable pins  20  and a bottom stake  14  and a top stake  16 . Guide  22  located on the top of frame  24  guides top stakes  16  into the appropriate slot. 
   Guide  22  can be seen more clearly in  FIG. 2 . Top stake  16  fits into slot  26 . Guide  22  is comprised of a body  34 . Body  34  may be comprised of metal, plastic or other suitable material. Guide  22  is bolted to frame  24  by means of bore  36  drilled through body  34 . Guide  22  has slanted guide walls  30  on either side of slot  26  and rear guide wall  28  that lines up flush with the back side of slot  26 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when stake  16  makes contact with back guide wall  28  and/or side guide walls  30 , stake  16  will slide directly into slot  26 . 
     FIG. 3  shows an alternative embodiment of the invention. The embodiment in  FIG. 2  is designed as a guide for a single slot. The design shown in  FIG. 3  may be used along the entire length of the top of the frame and serve as a guide for multiple slots. Guide  40  includes a back plate  46  and guide panels  50  and  52  that are attached to back plate  46 . Guide panels  50  and  52  have bores  48  through which they may be bolted, screwed, nailed or otherwise attached to frame  45 . Guide panels  50  and  52  have slanted sides  44 ,  54 ,  56  and  47 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when stake  16  comes into contact with back panel  46  and/or one of the slanted sides of panels  50  and  52 , it will be guided directly into slot  42  or, alternatively, slots  41  or  43 . In this embodiment and that shown in  FIG. 2 , the guiding walls or edges are straight. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that these may be curved also. It will also be appreciated that the angles at which the guide plates and guide walls are at may vary widely, so long as they effectively move the stake toward the slot. 
     FIG. 4  shows alternative use of the design shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , as well as a combination of the two.  70  is a front planned view of a series of guides having the same design as that shown in  FIG. 2 . Here, guides  98  are all attached to beam  96  which may then be attached to the top of the frame of a glass plane rack. This simplifies the installation of the guide.  72  is a top plan view of the same series of guides  70 .  74  and  76  show a front and top view, respectively, side panels  100  are flush with and attached to back panel  102  and both are attached to beam  104 . As with beam  96 , beam  104  simplifies installation of the series of guides.  78  and  80  respectively show a front and top plan view of a series of stake guides that are a combination of the designs shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Guides  90  are essentially the same design as guides  22  of  FIG. 2  and guide panels  94  and back panel  106  are similar to the design shown in  FIG. 3 . This combination may be used when there are two rows of slots on the top of the glass racks frame. This allows the operator to adjust the distance between the brace and the frame. 
   As can be seen in the drawings, the guiding sides of the guides form approximately a 70° angle with the plane of the top of the glass rack frame. The embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  also includes side guides  54  and  56  that are at an approximately 30° angle to the top of the glass rack frame. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the preferred angle will be between 20° and 80°, preferably 70° to 30°. The back panels in the embodiments shown are at a 90° angle to the top of the rack. It is generally preferred to have the back panel at a greater angle, preferably between 90° and 50°. This increases the ease with which the guide may direct the stake into a slot. 
   It may also be desirable to cast or mold the guide from one material and coat it with another. Coating may make the body erosion resistance or it may decrease the friction between the guide and the stake as it moves into a slot. 
   Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.