Article processing fixture

Abstract

A fixture for supporting articles in an industrial process includes a plurality of elongate members having a plurality of first elongate members, a plurality of second elongate members, and a plurality of third elongate members. Each of the plurality of first elongate members includes a rod member having a riveted portion at an end thereof. The rod member of one of the plurality of first elongate members extends through an aperture of one of the plurality of second elongate members and an aperture of one of the plurality of third elongate members and is movably coupled thereto by the riveted portion of the rod member.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A fixture for supporting articles in an industrial process comprising
 a plurality of elongate members comprising:
 a plurality of first elongate members, the plurality of first elongate members each comprising a rod member having a riveted portion at an end thereof; 
 a plurality of second elongate members; and 
 a plurality of third elongate members, 
   wherein the rod member of one of the plurality of first elongate members extends through an aperture of one of the plurality of second elongate members and an aperture of one of the plurality of third elongate members and is movably coupled thereto by the riveted portion of the rod member.   
     
     
         22 . The fixture according to  claim 21 , wherein the riveted portion for each of the plurality of first elongate members is an integral component of its associated rod member. 
     
     
         23 . The fixture according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of first elongate members extends longitudinally in a first direction,   each of the plurality of second elongate members extends longitudinally in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
         24 . The fixture according to  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of elongate members are movably coupled together to form a support platform for supporting articles that extends along a support plane. 
     
     
         25 . The fixture according to  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of elongate members are movably coupled together to form wall portions extending substantially perpendicular to the support plane to contain the articles on the support platform. 
     
     
         26 . The fixture according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the plurality of elongate members comprises a flat stock member having a first connecting portion with a first aperture extending therethrough, a second connecting portion with a second aperture extending therethrough, and an intermediate portion joining the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. 
     
     
         27 . The fixture according to  claim 26 , wherein the first connecting portion comprises a first width, the second connecting portion comprises a second width, and the intermediate portion comprises an intermediate width that is less than both the first width and the second width. 
     
     
         28 . The fixture according to  claim 26 , wherein the first connecting portion comprises an edge portion that partially circumscribes an axis of the first aperture and maintains a substantially constant thickness of material partially about the aperture in a radial direction. 
     
     
         29 . The fixture according to  claim 21 , wherein one of the plurality of first elongate members comprises a spacer that the rod member of the first elongate member is inserted through, further wherein the spacer defines a minimum or maximum distance between one of the plurality of second and third elongate members and another one of the plurality of second and third elongate members. 
     
     
         30 . The fixture according to  claim 21 , wherein one of the plurality of elongate members comprises a first material and is coupled to another one of the plurality of elongate members comprising a second material that is different from the first material. 
     
     
         31 . The fixture according to  claim 21 , further comprising at least one handle member movably coupled to the plurality of elongated members, wherein the handle member comprises a first material and one of the plurality of elongate members that is coupled thereto comprises a second material that is different from the first material. 
     
     
         32 . The fixture according to  claim 31 , wherein the first material is lower in thermal strength than the second material. 
     
     
         33 . The fixture according to  claim 21 , further comprising a first stacking member comprising a first stacking portion and a second stacking member comprising a second stacking portion, wherein the first and second stacking members are arranged such that when the fixture is stacked with a substantially identical fixture with the first and second stacking portions of the fixture and identical fixture aligned, the first stacking portion of the fixture will mate with the second stacking portion of the identical fixture. 
     
     
         34 . A fixture for supporting articles in an industrial process comprising
 a plurality of elongate members comprising:
 a plurality of first elongate members extending longitudinally in a first direction, wherein each of the plurality of first elongate members comprises a rod member having a riveted portion at an end thereof; 
 a plurality of second elongate members extending longitudinally in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and 
 a plurality of third elongate members extending longitudinally in a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, 
   wherein the rod member of one of the first elongate members extends through an aperture of one of the plurality of second elongate members and an aperture of one of the plurality of third elongate members and is movably coupled thereto by the riveted portion of the rod member.   
     
     
         35 . The fixture according to  claim 34 , wherein the riveted portion for each of the plurality of first elongate members is an integral component of its associated rod member. 
     
     
         36 . The fixture according to  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of elongate members are movably coupled together to form a support platform for supporting articles that extends along a support plane. 
     
     
         37 . The fixture according to  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of elongate members are movably coupled together to form wall portions extending substantially perpendicular to the support plane to contain the articles on the support platform. 
     
     
         38 . The fixture according to  claim 34 , wherein at least one of the plurality of elongate members comprises a flat stock member having a first connecting portion with a first aperture extending therethrough, a second connecting portion with a second aperture extending therethrough, and an intermediate portion joining the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. 
     
     
         39 . The fixture according to  claim 38 , wherein the first connecting portion comprises a first width, the second connecting portion comprises a second width, and the intermediate portion comprises an intermediate width that is less than both the first width and the second width. 
     
     
         40 . The fixture according to  claim 38 , wherein the first connecting portion comprises an edge portion that partially circumscribes an axis of the first aperture and maintains a substantially constant thickness of material partially about the aperture in a radial direction.