Patent ID: 8632272

Claim:
A post coupler for use in a shelving unit having composite corner posts of two angular post sections comprising post flanges of predetermined thickness and having longitudinally-extending lateral edges, one post section atop another, each section at a respective end abutting with another section and having longitudinally spaced rivet receiving apertures extending through each said post flange, spaced from said lateral edges a first distance, for receiving rivets extending from end potions of horizontal, shelf-supporting beams, said post coupler comprising: a pair of integrally-formed post coupler flanges with planar interior surfaces connected at a longitudinally-extending interior corner forming an included angle with respect to each other; an integrally-formed reverse bend flange extending laterally inwardly in a direction toward said interior corner from a longitudinally-extending distal edge of each post coupler flange, each reverse bend flange having a lateral width and a planar interior surface facing a respective said post coupler flange; each reverse bend flange and each respective post coupler flange forming a gap therebetween as wide as said predetermined thickness for receiving said abutting ends of said post flanges respectively therein; and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures extending through each of said post coupler flanges for indexing with apertures in said post sections when said coupler couples said post sections together and said reverse bend flanges having longitudinally-extending distal edges laterally spaced from said apertures in said post coupler flanges for allowing rivets extending from said shelf-supporting beams to extend through aligned said apertures in said post coupler flanges and in said post flanges.