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[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to pallet racks. More particularly, the present invention relates to pallet rack reinforcement kits for protecting the lower pallet rack front legs.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The use of pallet racks is common in warehouses a warehouse stores. They are designed to receive product bearing pallets from a fork lift truck. The normal use of fork lift trucks around the pallet rack commonly results in damage to the lower front legs due to collisions with forklift forks, tires, and outriggers. Storage of pallets of materials in floor locations also results in damage to the lower front legs. It would be desirable to provide an easily installable, heavy duty reinforcement kit which may be installed in the factory or in-place such as in a warehouse to protect the lower legs of an industrial pallet rack frame from damage from placing pallets of materials in floor locations on either side of the frame and to protect the lower section of the front post from damage by forklift forks, tires, and outriggers.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,537 B1, issued Oct. 9, 2001, to Dion, describes a pallet rack repair kit for replacing the damaged lower front post.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,122, issued Dec. 16, 1980, to Klein, describes a reinforced pallet rack for resisting forklift impact, bending, and deflection from fork lifts.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,110, issued Sep. 12, 1978, to Mittag, describes a pallet rack and post protector assembly.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,925, issued Dec. 6, 1994, describes pallet rack lower post protectors supported on the floor and partially surrounding each post from damage by fork lifts.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,549 B1, issued to the present applicant on Dec. 25, 2001, describes a repair kit for a damaged pallet rack frame having front and intermediate uprights and upper and lower cross members for attachment to an undamaged rear post.
[0010] Canadian Patent No. 2,280,645, published Feb. 25, 2001, to Dion, describes a reinforcement unit for a pair of pallet rack lower posts.
[0011] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a reinforcement kit for protecting pallet rack frame solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
[0012] The present invention is an integral pallet rack post reinforcement kit for protecting the lower pallet rack frame from forklifts, etc. The reinforcement is done by removing the six to twelve inches of the front frame post and fastening the heavy gauge reinforcement kit in its place. The reinforcement kit is, for example, three inch by three inch by a quarter inch square tube welded to a quarter inch, three-sided outer clamp which in turn is welded to a two inch by two inch by quarter inch front angle deflector. These components are welded to a four inch by twelve inch by three-eighths inch footplate or anchor base with two three-quarter inch by five inch by half inch wedge bolt anchors for attachment to the warehouse floor. Accordingly, this footplate replaces the original footplate. By using the reinforcement kit with the angle deflector, frontal impacts are deflected off to one side. The front post of the original pallet rack without the reinforcement features of the present kit would, over time, fail from cyclical or repeated impacts.
[0013] Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a heavy duty pallet rack lower post reinforcement kit.
[0014] It is another object of the invention to provide a pallet rack post reinforcement kit which may be installed at the rack factory or in-place in a warehouse.
[0015] It is a further object of the invention to provide a post reinforcement kit as above which is simple in design and installation.
[0016] Still another object of the invention is to provide a post reinforcement kit as above which may replace the lower portion of a damaged post in-place.
[0017] It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
[0018] These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
[0019]
[0020]
[0021]
[0022]
[0023]
[0024] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
[0025] The present invention is an integral pallet rack post reinforcement kit for protecting the lower pallet rack frame from forklifts, etc. The reinforcement is done by removing from six to twelve inches of the front frame upright post to form a truncated upright post and fastening the reinforcement kit in its place.
[0026] Referring to the Figures, the inventive integral reinforcement kit is generally referred to as
[0027] Leg support upright tube
[0028] The lower truncated end portion of post upright U is fitted within and partially surrounded by the upper portion of upright clamp
[0029] In operation, about 6 to 12 inches of the existing post upright of the pallet rack is removed from the lower end thereof to form the truncated post upright. The inventive integral reinforcement kit, made of a substantially heavier gauge of steel than the existing post upright and pallet rack frame is then placed over the front and sides of the remaining pallet rack post or upright such that “U”-shaped upright clamp
[0030] The reinforcement kit is, for example, three inch by three inch by a quarter inch square tube welded to a quarter inch, three-sided outer clamp which in turn is welded to a two inch by two inch by quarter inch front angle deflector. These components are welded to a four inch by twelve inch by three-eighths inch footplate with two three-quarter inch by five inch by half inch wedge bolt anchors for attachment to the warehouse floor. Accordingly, this footplate replaces the original footplate. By using the reinforcement kit with the angle deflector, frontal impacts are deflected off to one side. The front post of the original pallet rack without the reinforcement features of the present kit would, over time, fail from cyclical or repeated impacts. The integral reinforcement kit of the present invention is made of any appropriate material, and preferably steel.
[0031] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.