Railway Car Loading Rack

Abstract

A loading rack includes at least one support structure having a plurality of support legs; at least one shelf support disposed in connection with each of the at least one support structures; at least one shelf having a surface disposed in connection with each of the shelf supports; and at least one base disposed in connection with each of the at least one support structures and opposite each of the shelf supports, wherein the loading rack supports a vertical load of no less than about 6,000 pounds.

1 . A loading rack, comprising:
 at least one support structure having a plurality of support legs;   at least one shelf support disposed in connection with each of said at least one support structures;   at least one shelf having a surface disposed in connection with each of said shelf supports; and   at least one base disposed in connection with each of said at least one support structures and opposite each of said shelf supports,   wherein said loading rack supports a vertical load of no less than about 6,000 pounds.   
   
   
       2 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one support structure further comprises a first bracing member disposed transversely from a first end of a first support leg across a second support leg to an opposing end of a third support leg, and a second bracing member disposed transversely from a first end of said third support leg across said second support leg to an opposing end of said first support leg. 
   
   
       3 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one support structure comprises the following:
 a first support structure disposed in connection with a first end of said shelf;   a second support structure disposed in connection with a substantially centered area of said shelf; and   a third support structure disposed in connection with a second end of said shelf.   
   
   
       4 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one support structure is a support structure disposed in connection with a substantially centered area of said shelf. 
   
   
       5 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein the loading rack comprises the following:
 a first support structure having a first support leg, a second support leg and a third support leg;   a second support structure having a first support leg, a second support leg and a third support leg;   a third support structure having a first support leg, a second support leg and a third support leg;   a first shelf support mounted to said first support structure;   a second shelf support mounted to said second support structure;   a third shelf support mounted to said third support structure;   a first base mounted to said first support structure opposite said first shelf support;   a second base mounted to said second support structure opposite said second shelf support;   a third base mounted to said third support structure opposite said third shelf support; and   at least one shelf mounted to said first shelf support, said second shelf support and said third shelf support.   
   
   
       6 . The loading rack of  claim 5 , wherein each of said support legs are welded to each of said bases and each of said shelf supports. 
   
   
       7 . The loading rack of  claim 5 , wherein said shelf is staked or mechanically attached to each of said shelf supports. 
   
   
       8 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein the loading rack comprises the following:
 a support structure having a first support leg, a second support leg and a third support leg;   a shelf support mounted to said support structure;   a base mounted to said support structure opposite said shelf support; and   at least one shelf mounted to said shelf support.   
   
   
       9 . The loading rack of  claim 8 , wherein said first support leg, said second support leg and said third support leg are each welded to said support structure and said base. 
   
   
       10 . The loading rack of  claim 8 , wherein said shelf is staked or mechanically attached to said shelf support. 
   
   
       11 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein the loading rack comprises the following:
 a first support structure having a first support leg, a second support leg, a third support leg, a first bracing member disposed transversely from a first end of said first support leg across said second support leg to an opposing end of said third support leg, and a second bracing member disposed transversely from a first end of said third support leg across said second support leg to an opposing end of said first support leg;   a second support structure having a first support leg, a second support leg, a third support leg, a first bracing member disposed transversely from a first end of said first support leg across said second support leg to an opposing end of said third support leg, and a second bracing member disposed transversely from a first end of said third support leg across said second support leg to an opposing end of said first support leg;   a third support structure having a first support leg, a second support leg, a third support leg, a first bracing member disposed transversely from a first end of said first support leg across said second support leg to an opposing end of said third support leg, and a second bracing member disposed transversely from a first end of said third support leg across said second support leg to an opposing end of said first support leg;   a first shelf support having at least one pair of shelf bracketing members and mounted to said first support structure;   a second shelf support having at least one pair of shelf bracketing members and mounted to said second support structure;   a third shelf support having at least one pair of shelf bracketing members and mounted to said third support structure;   a first base mounted to said first support structure opposite said first shelf support;   a second base mounted to said second support structure opposite said second shelf support;   a third base mounted to said third support structure opposite said third shelf support; and   at least one shelf engaged to said at least one pair of shelf bracketing members and mounted to said first shelf support, said second shelf support and said third shelf support.   
   
   
       12 . The loading rack of  claim 11 , wherein each of said support legs are welded to each of said bases and each of said shelf supports. 
   
   
       13 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein said loading rack supports a first critical buckling load of no less than about 12.4 times said 6,000 pound vertical load in a first critical buckling mode, a second critical buckling load of no less than about  14 . 6  times said 6,000 pound vertical load in a second critical buckling mode, and a third critical buckling load of no less than about 22.7 times said 6,000 pound vertical load in a third critical buckling mode. 
   
   
       14 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of support legs comprise aluminum tubes. 
   
   
       15 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one base and said shelf support both comprise aluminum or an aluminum alloy. 
   
   
       16 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one shelf comprises any one of the following materials: plastic and composite materials. 
   
   
       17 . The loading rack of  claim 16 , wherein said plastic comprises at least one of the following: thermoplastic materials and thermoset materials; and said composite materials comprise at least one of the following: fiber reinforced resin, thermoplastic materials, thermoset materials, foam materials, polyester based polymers and urethane based polymers. 
   
   
       18 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , wherein said shelf further comprises a first end optionally having at least one mechanical fastener and a second end optionally having said at least one mechanical fastener. 
   
   
       19 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one loading area having an area sufficient to accommodate at least one skid and defined by a first support structure, said surface of said shelf and a second support structure. 
   
   
       20 . The loading rack of  claim 1 , further comprising a loading area having an area sufficient to accommodate at least one skid and defined by a first support structure and said surface of said shelf.