Collapsible rack for shipping and/or storing glass sheets

Claim 2

A collapsible rack for shipping and storing a plurality of flat sheets comprising: at least two L-shaped supports made of a rigid material, each of said L-shaped supports comprising a vertical arm and a horizontal arm; means for supporting said horizontal arm in spaced relation to a supporting surface; and means detachably secured to said at least two L-shaped supports for maintaining at least two L-shaped supports in spaced relation, said maintaining means including a base having means on the underside engaging said horizontal arms for limiting movement of said horizontal arms.

Claim 3

The collapsible rack as set forth in claim 1 wherein said maintaining means further includes at least one strut detachably secured to said vertical arm of each of said at least two L-shaped supports.

Claim 4

The rack as set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting means includes lift stabilizing means.

Claim 5

The rack as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said at least two L-shaped supports comprises: a first U-shaped channel member having an end; a second U-shaped channel member having a first end and a second end; means for securing the first end of said second U-shaped channel member to said first U-shaped channel member in spaced relation to the end of said first U-shaped channel member; and said supporting means comprises: spacer block secured to the second end of said second U-shaped channel member; and a stabilizer bar mounted between said spacer block and said first U-shaped channel member.

Claim 6

The rack as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first and second U-shaped channel members form a guideway and further including: flexible banding material in the guideway; and means for detachably securing the banding in the guideway.

Claim 7

The rack as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said at least two L-shaped supports comprises: a first tubular member having an end; a second tubular member having a first end and a second end; means for securing the first end of said second tubular member to said first tubular member in spaced relation to the end of said first tubular member; and said supporting means comprises: spacer block secured to the second end of said second tubular member.

Claim 8

The rack as set forth in claim 6 wherein said mounting means further includes: at least one strut detachably secured to and between each of the vertical members of said L-shaped supports.

Claim 9

The rack as set forth in claim 6 further including: a rigid back support mounting the vertical arm of each of said L-shaped supports wherein a line normal to the horizontal arm of the L-shaped support and the surface of said back support subtend an angle greater than zero degrees.

Claim 10

The rack as set forth in claim 6 further including: a plurality of headed studs mounted on a side of each of said L-shaped supports to define a course for flexible banding.

Claim 11

A collapsible rack for shipping and storing a plurality of flat glass sheets comprising: a pair of L-shaped supports each comprising: a first U-shaped channel having an end; a second U-shaped channel member having a first end and a second end; means for securing the first end of said second channel member to said first channel member in spaced relation to the end of said first channel member to provide a guideway in the L-shaped support; a spacer block secured to the second end of said second channel; and a stabilizer bar mounted between said spacer block and the end of said first channel member; a base; a pair of spaced ribs mounted on the underside of said base and received in the guideway of said second channel member to maintain said pair of L-shaped members in spaced relation; at least one strut; means for detachably securing said at least one strut to the vertical member of each of said L-shaped supports; flexible banding material in the guideway of each of said L-shaped supports; and means for detachably securing said banding in the guideway of each of said L-shaped supports.

Claim 12

A collapsible rack for shipping and storing a plurality of flat glass sheets comprising: a pair of L-shaped supports each comprising: a first U-shaped channel having an end; a second U-shaped channel member having a first end and a second end; means for securing the first end of said second channel member to said first channel member in spaced relation to the end of said first channel member to provide a guideway in the L-shaped support; a spacer block secured to the second end of said second channel; and a stabilizer bar mounted between said spacer block and the end of said first channel member; a base; a pair of spaced ribs mounted on the underside of said base and received in the guideway of said second channel member to maintain said pair of L-shaped members in spaced relation; at least one strut; means for detachably securing said at least one strut to the vertical member of each of said L-shaped supports; flexible banding material in the guideway of each of said L-shaped supports; and means for detachably securing said banding in the guideway of each of said L-shaped supports.

Claim 13

The collapsible rack as set forth in claim 10 further comprising: stacking means, comprising; a vertical structural member slidably mounted in said spacer block; a first I-beam member mounted on top of said vertical channel members; and a second I-beam member mounted on top of said U-shaped channel members.

Claim 14

The collapsible rack as set forth in claim 10 wherein the topside of said base has at least one end restraint.

Claim 15

A collapsible rack for shipping and storing a plurality of flat glass sheets, comprising: a pair of L-shaped supports each comprising: a first tubular member having an end; a second tubular member having a first end and a second end; means for securing the first end of said second tubular member to said first tubular member in spaced relation to the end of said first tubular member; a spacer block secured to the second end of said tubular member; a stabilizer bar mounted between said spacer block and said first tubular member; a back support mounting the first and second tubular member; and a plurality of headed studs mounting a side portion of said first and second tubular member; a base supported on said second tubular member; a pair of spaced ribs mounted on the underside of said base for preventing movement of said second tubular member of each of said L-shaped supports from moving away from each other; a strut; and means for detachably secured said strut to and between said first tubular member of said L-shaped supports.

Claim 16

A collapsible rack for shipping and storing a plurality of flat glass sheets, comprising: a pair of L-shaped supports each comprising: a first tubular member having an end; a second tubular member having a first end and a second end; means for securing the first end of said second tubular member to said first tubular member in spaced relation to the end of said first tubular member; a spacer block secured to the second end of said tubular member; a stabilizer bar mounted between said spacer block and said first tubular member; a back support mounting the first and second tubular member; and a plurality of headed studs mounting a side portion of said first and second tubular member; a base supported on said second tubular member; a pair of spaced ribs mounted on the underside of said base for preventing movement of said second tubular member of each of said L-shaped supports from moving away from each other; a strut; and means for detachably secured said strut to and between said first tubular member of said L-shaped supports.

Claim 17

The rack as set forth in claim 13 wherein said base is provided with a notch wherein the notch is in alignment with the headed studs on said second tubular member to define the course of banding.

Claim 18

The collapsible rack as set forth in claim 13 wherein the topside of said base has at least one end restraint.

Claim 19

The rack as set forth in claim 13 further comprising: stacking means, comprising: a vertical structural member slideably mounted in said spacer block; a protrusion mounted on top end of each of said vertical structural members and insertible in spacer block; and a protrusion mounted on top of each of said first tubular members and insertible in the end of said first tubular member of the rack to be stacked.

Claim 20

The rack as set forth in claim 13 wherein said strut is a horizontal cross member of a back support further includes: a vertical strut; a first horizontal cross member secured to said vertical strut; a second horizontal cross member secured to said vertical strut in spaced relation to said first horizontal cross member; and means for detachably securing said first cross member to and between said first tubular member and said second cross member to and between said second tubular members such that said vertical strut and said back support lie in an imaginary plane.

Claim 21

The rack as set forth in claim 17 wherein a line normal to the base and the imaginary plane subtend an angle greater than zero degrees.

Claim 22

The rack as set forth in claim 18 wherein the angle is about between 3° to 5°.

Claim 23

The rack as set forth in claim 19 further including: a cross support detachably secured to and between said second tubular member in spaced relation to said second horizontal cross member of said back support.