Shelving system with clamp connectors

Abstract

A shelving system is comprised of one or more shelves of rectangular outline, each shelf having an open-ended post receiving channel secured in each corner thereof. The post receiving channel is transversely oriented with respect to a support surface of the shelf and has a vertical opening facing inwardly of the shelf. The post has spaced-apart arresting formations on an outer wall portion thereof. A clamp is provided and has a clamping jaw with one or more connecting formations for interlocking with the arresting formations of the post. A latch urges the clamping jaw against an inner wall portion of the support post which projects in the vertical opening of the post receiving channels whereby the one or more connecting formations engage with the one or more arresting formations. The latch maintains a constant locking pressure against the clamping jaw to immovably secure the shelf to the support post at a desired position.

1 . A shelving system comprising one or more shelves of rectangular outline, each shelf having an open-ended post receiving channel in each corner thereof, said post receiving channel being transversely oriented with respect to a support surface of said shelf and having a vertical opening facing inwardly of said shelf, said channel being shaped to receive a support post in close fit therethrough with an inner wall portion of said support post facing said vertical opening, said inner wall having spaced-apart arresting formations on an outer surface thereof, a clamp having clamping means provided with one or more connecting formations for interlocking with said arresting formations, and a latch for urging said connecting formations against said inner wall portion of said support post with said connecting formations in engagement with one or more of said arresting formations, said latch maintaining a constant locking pressure against said clamping means to immovably secure said shelf to said support post at a desired position.  
   
   
       2 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said clamping means is a clamping jaw.  
   
   
       3 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said latch has a pivotal arm whereby to engage and disengage said connecting formations with said arresting formations.  
   
   
       4 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said clamp is removably securable to said shelf.  
   
   
       5 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said clamp is pivotally and permanently secured to said shelf by a pivotal connection to a wire rod of said shelf.  
   
   
       6 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said pivotal arm is pivotally secured at one end thereof to an end pivot connection projecting from an outer surface of said clamping jaw, a bracing arm pivotally connected to said pivotal arm at a further pivot connection spaced from said end pivot connection, said bracing arm having a shelf engaging end for detachable connection to an engageable element of said shelf disposed in a plane substantially aligned with a central pivot axis of said end pivot connection.  
   
   
       7 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said pivotal arm is further provided with flexible retention means to engage said pivotal arm with an element of said shelf when said pivotal arm is in a shelf engaging position.  
   
   
       8 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said shelf is a wire-rod steel shelf, said bracing arm shelf engaging end being constituted by a U-shaped notch formed in a free end of said bracing arm and dimensioned to receive a wire rod of said shelf thereacross.  
   
   
       9 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said flexible retention means is a spring clip shaped to snappingly engage a wire rod of said steel shelf.  
   
   
       10 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said support post has an oval-like cross-section defining opposed parallel side walls and convex end walls, said post receiving channel having a U-shaped cross-section defining opposed parallel side walls and a concave end wall, said clamping jaw having a concave clamping surface provided with said one or more connecting formations, said inner wall portion being an inner wall portion of an inner one of said convex end walls.  
   
   
       11 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said arresting formations are transverse notch depressions formed at the apex of inner wall portions, said connecting formations being one or more transverse ribs formed in said concave clamping surface.  
   
   
       12 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said pivotal arm is pivotally secured to a pivot connection of said shelf spaced adjacent said clamping jaw, said latch having a cam formation at an actuating end thereof opposite said pivotal arm, said arm when displaced to a shelf engaging position causing said cam to apply a clamping force against said clamping jaw.  
   
   
       13 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said shelf is a wire-rod steel shelf, said pivotal arm having a U-shaped cavity under said pivotal arm forwardly of said cam formation for snap-engagement with a wire rod to constitute said pivot connection, said pivotal arm lying below said support surface when said latch is in said shelf engaging position.  
   
   
       14 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said post receiving channel has a U-shaped cross-section defining opposed parallel side walls and a concave wall, said clamping jaw has a concave clamping end wall provided with said one or more connecting formations, said side walls of said clamping jaws having outer projecting tabs received in respective guide slots disposed in said parallel side walls of said post receiving channel.  
   
   
       15 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said arresting formations are transverse notch depressions formed at the apex of inner wall portions, said connecting formations being one or more transverse ribs formed in said concave clamping surface.  
   
   
       16 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said latch is a one-piece latch detachably securable to said shelf adjacent said clamping jaw.  
   
   
       17 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said opposed parallel side walls of said post receiving channel have outwardly sloping end edges, said clamping jaw concave clamping surface having opposed inner wall end portions disposed for sliding displacement on said outwardly sloping end edges when urged thereon by said latch.  
   
   
       18 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said channel is constituted by a pair of parallel spaced wire rods bent to form a U-shaped channel when viewed from above or below said shelf whereby to receive in close fit therein said support post, said support post having an oval-like cross-section defining opposed parallel side walls and convex end walls, said U-shaped channel defining opposed parallel side wire sections and concave end wire sections, said clamping jaw is a flat clamping plate having a flat clamping surface provided with said one or more connecting formations.  
   
   
       19 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said flat clamping plate is provided with a pair of spaced notches in opposed parallel vertical side edges thereof for receiving in sliding fit therein a respective one of said parallel spaced wire rods of said opposed parallel side wire sections.  
   
   
       20 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said post receiving channel has a U-shaped cross-section defining opposed parallel side walls and a concave end wall, said clamping jaw being a flat clamping plate having a flat end wall provided with said one or more connecting formations, said side walls of said clamping plate having outer projecting tabs received in respective guide slots disposed in said parallel side walls of said post receiving channel whereby to guidingly displace said clamping plate from an engaged to a disengaged position by the actuation of said pivotal arm.  
   
   
       21 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 20  wherein said guide slots are curved guide slots.  
   
   
       22 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein there are provided four of said support posts secured to respective post receiving channels secured in each corner of a plurality of said shelves.  
   
   
       23 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said clamping means is a wire rod clamping member shaped to provide said one or more connecting formations as spaced transverse straight rod sections.  
   
   
       24 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 23  wherein said wire rod clamping member is secured to a free end of said latch, said latch having a clamping formation for engaging a transverse edge of said shelf spaced forwardly of said vertical opening.  
   
   
       25 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 24  wherein said clamping formation is constituted by an upward bend in said latch spaced a predetermined distance from said wire rod clamping member, said upward bend merging into a substantially transverse handle formation integrally formed therewith at an opposed end of said latch.  
   
   
       26 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 25  wherein said shelf is a wire-rod shelf constructed of transversely connected wire rods, said transverse edge being a transverse wire rod of said shelf.  
   
   
       27 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said latch is a wire-rod latch, said predetermined distance of said upward bend being calculated in relation to a distance between said inner wall portion of said support post and said transverse wire rod whereby an outer face of said bend of said wire-rod latch can be clamped under pressure over a forward face of said transverse wire rod by applying a downward pressure against said handle formation to pressure clamp said connecting formations into said arresting formations of said post.  
   
   
       28 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 27  wherein said wire-rod clamping member is formed by a single wire rod bent in S-shape with opposed half sections of said S-shape being angled with respect to one another and to a connecting transverse straight wire section.  
   
   
       29 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 28  wherein said wire-rod latch is formed by a single wire rod bent to provide a pair of closely spaced equal length wire rods.  
   
   
       30 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein said pair of wire rods have a hook formed at said free end to engage said connecting transverse straight wire section of said wire-rod clamping member.  
   
   
       31 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 23  wherein said wire rod clamping member is secured to a free end of said latch, said clamping member being a rectangular wire rod member having opposed parallel horizontal wire sections and opposed parallel vertical wire sections, said horizontal sections being spaced and dimensioned to clamp into opposed ones of a pair of said arresting formations of said post.  
   
   
       32 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 31  wherein said latch has a clamping formation for engaging a transverse edge of said shelf spaced forwardly of said vertical opening.  
   
   
       33 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 32  wherein said clamping formation is constituted by an upward bend in said latch spaced a predetermined distance from said wire rod clamping member, said upward bend merging into a substantially transverse handle formation integrally formed therewith at an opposed end of said latch.  
   
   
       34 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 33  wherein said shelf is a wire-rod shelf constructed of transversely connected wire rods, said transverse edge being a transverse wire rod of said shelf.  
   
   
       35 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 34  wherein said latch is a wire-rod latch, said predetermined distance of said upward bend being calculated in relation to a distance between said inner wall portion of said support post and said transverse wire rod whereby an outer face of said bend of said wire-rod latch can be clamped under pressure over a forward face of said transverse wire rod by applying a downward pressure against said handle formation to pressure clamp said horizontal wire sections of said clamping member into said arresting formations of said post.  
   
   
       36 . A shelving system as claimed in  claim 35  wherein said vertical wire sections of said clamping member are welded to a free end of a pair of parallel straight wire rods of said wire rod latch.