Seismic shelf restraint

Abstract

A seismic shelf restraint for use with a shelf structure of a type having a shelf and two front columns on opposite sides of the front ledge of the shelf with each front column having a mounting slot positioned higher than the shelf surface and facing the same direction as the other mounting slot. The seismic shelf restraint preferably is an elongated thin flat bar with two tabs, one at each end, which are seatable in the mounting slots of the two front columns so that the rigid body is wholly positioned alongside the front ledge, for restraining objects from falling from the front ledge.

1 . An apparatus for restraining objects on a shelf of a shelf structure of a type having two front columns on opposite sides of a front ledge of the shelf with each front column having a mounting slot positioned higher than the shelf surface, the apparatus comprising:
 an elongated substantially linear rigid body having two connector arms one at each end of the rigid body which are seatable in the mounting slots of the two front columns to mount the rigid body thereon whereby the rigid body spans the width of the shelf alongside the front ledge for restraining objects from falling therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mounting slots of the front columns are rear-facing mounting slots, and the connector arms protrude from the rigid body in the same direction as each other transverse to a longitudinal axis of the rigid body.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the rigid body is a thin flat bar having front and back faces, and the connector arms protrude out of plane from the front face so that, upon seating the connector arms in the rear-facing mounting slots, end portions of the front face confront the front columns to be substantially flush therewith.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the connector arms are tabs bent to protrude out of plane from the front face.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 ,
 wherein each of the tabs is bent along a respective bend axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the thin flat bar.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 ,
 wherein each of the tabs form an acute angle with the front face of the thin flat bar to catch a lower edge of one of the mounting slots.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elongated substantially linear rigid body has at least two body sections operably connected to adjust the length of the rigid body.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for restraining objects on a shelf of a shelf structure of a type having two front columns on opposite sides of a front ledge of the shelf with each front column having a mounting slot positioned higher than the shelf surface and facing the same direction as the other mounting slot, the apparatus comprising:
 an elongated thin flat bar having front and back faces, and two tabs one at each end of the elongated thin flat bar which are bent to protrude out of plane from the front face in the same direction as each other, said tabs being seatable in the mounting slots of the two front columns to mount the thin flat bar thereon and so that end portions of the front face confront the front columns to be substantially flush therewith and the thin flat bar is positioned alongside the front ledge for restraining objects from falling therefrom.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 ,
 wherein each of the tabs is bent along a respective bend axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the thin flat bar.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein each of the tabs form an acute angle with the front face of the thin flat bar to catch a lower edge of one of the mounting slots.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the elongated thin flat bar comprises at least two bar sections operably connected to adjust the length of the elongated thin flat bar.   
     
     
         12 . A shelf restraint comprising:
 an elongated rigid body having two catches one at each end of the rigid body, with each catch capable of catching a lower edge of a mounting slot on one of two columns on opposite sides of a ledge of a shelf to mount the rigid body on the two columns so that the rigid body spans the width of the shelf alongside the ledge for restraining objects from falling therefrom.   
     
     
         13 . The shelf restraint of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the mounting slots face the same direction as each other and the catches protrude from the rigid body in the same direction as each other transverse to a longitudinal axis of the rigid body.   
     
     
         14 . The shelf restraint of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the rigid body is a thin flat bar having front and back faces, and the catches protrude out of plane from the front face so that, upon catching the lower edges of the mounting slots with the catches, end portions of the front face confront the columns to be substantially flush therewith.   
     
     
         15 . The shelf restraint of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the catches are tabs bent to protrude out of plane from the front face.   
     
     
         16 . The shelf restraint of  claim 15 ,
 wherein each of the tabs is bent along a respective bend axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the thin flat bar.   
     
     
         17 . The shelf restraint of  claim 16 ,
 wherein each of the tabs form an acute angle with the front face of the thin flat bar to catch the lower edge of one of the mounting slots.   
     
     
         18 . The shelf restraint of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the elongated rigid body has at least two body sections operably connected to adjust the length of the rigid body.