US5004201A — Interlock shelving bracket and standard cover

Claim 1

Independent Claim 229 words

A shelving standard, cover and bracket assembly comprising: vertical standards to be mounted to a wall in spaced parallel relationship to each other; said standards each having a front face and a pair of spaced side faces; said standard front face having a plurality of vertically spaced elongated slots and intermediate webs for attachment of cantilever brackets thereto; an elongated cover on each of said standards; said cover having a pair of legs for engaging said standard side faces; said cover having a plurality of vertically spaced elongated slots to generally align with said standard slots, and intermediate webs between said slots; said cover slots having greater length than said standard slots and said standard webs having a greater length than said cover webs, whereby portions of said standard webs at said front face remain exposed adjacent said standard slots; cantilever brackets each having side walls and having at least two rear lugs projecting from one end thereof to be inserted through said cover slots and through said standard slots to anchor on and engage behind said standard webs; said lugs extending rearwardly and then downwardly; said bracket having a rear edge surface area spaced forwardly of said lugs, said surface area having receiving portions defining cavities to receive both said standard webs and said cover webs, and having an abutment portion to engage said exposed standard web portions.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 229 words

A shelving standard, cover and bracket assembly comprising: vertical standards to be mounted to a wall in spaced parallel relationship to each other; said standards each having a front face and a pair of spaced side faces; said standard front face having a plurality of vertically spaced elongated slots and intermediate webs for attachment of cantilever brackets thereto; an elongated cover on each of said standards; said cover having a pair of legs for engaging said standard side faces; said cover having a plurality of vertically spaced elongated slots to generally align with said standard slots, and intermediate webs between said slots; said cover slots having greater length than said standard slots and said standard webs having a greater length than said cover webs, whereby portions of said standard webs at said front face remain exposed adjacent said standard slots; cantilever brackets each having side walls and having at least two rear lugs projecting from one end thereof to be inserted through said cover slots and through said standard slots to anchor on and engage behind said standard webs; said lugs extending rearwardly and then downwardly; said bracket having a rear edge surface area spaced forwardly of said lugs, said surface area having receiving portions defining cavities to receive both said standard webs and said cover webs, and having an abutment portion to engage said exposed standard web portions.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

The assembly in claim 1 wherein said abutment portion is adjacent the bottom of said bracket.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 74 words

The assembly in claim 1 wherein said lugs have forward surfaces for engaging the rear of said standard webs, said forward surfaces being spaced rearwardly from said bracket rear edge portions an amount at least substantially the combined thickness of said standard web plus said cover web, and said forward surfaces being spaced rearwardly from said abutment portion an amount of the thickness of said standard web but offset vertically from said abutment portion.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 60 words

The assembly in claim 3 wherein said lugs comprise an upper lug and a lower lug, an upwardly sloped camming surface extending from the top of said lower lug to said bracket rear edge surface area for engaging the upper edge of said standard slot, causing downward movement of said bracket as said lugs are inserted into said standard slots.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 72 words

The assembly in claim 3 wherein said lugs comprise three lugs of an upper lug, an intermediate lug and a lower lug, said intermediate and lower lugs each having an upwardly sloped camming surface extending from the top of the lug to said bracket rear edge surface area for engaging the upper edge of said standard slots, causing downward movement of said bracket as said lugs are inserted into said standard slots.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 49 words

The assembly in claim 1 wherein said exposed portions of said standard webs include first exposed portions adjacent the top of said standard webs for preventing said bracket lugs accidentally bearing on said cover webs, and include second exposed portions for engagement by said abutment portion of said bracket.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 58 words

The assembly in claim 6 wherein said bracket has three lugs including a top lug, an intermediate lug and a bottom lug; said abutment portion for said intermediate lug engaging one of said second exposed portions adjacent the bottom of a standard web, and said abutment portion for said bottom lug engaging one of said first exposed portions.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 56 words

The assembly in claim 3 wherein said cover including said cover webs is of resilient polymeric material, and said forward surfaces are spaced rearwardly from said bracket rear edge receiving portions an amount relative to the combined thicknesses of said standard web and said cover web such that said resilient cover webs are put under compression.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 45 words

The assembly in claim 1 wherein said cover extends forwardly of said standard front face and includes means abutting said bracket side walls for stabilizing said brackets, whereby said brackets vertically anchor said cover relative to said standard, and said cover laterally stabilizes said brackets.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 65 words

The assembly in claim 1 wherein said U-shaped cover has an elongated space at the apex thereof, a pair of elongated spaced flanges on opposite sides of said space, extending inwardly from said apex, and said cover webs connecting the inner ends of said flanges and including said cover slots therein; said flanges straddling said cantilever brackets and providing the lateral stability to said brackets.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 52 words

The assembly in claim 10 wherein said flanges in the free state of said cover diverge from each other away from said webs, and are shiftable toward each other into stabilizing engagement with said brackets by said shifting of said legs to a spacing substantially like that of said standard side faces.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 18 words

The assembly in claim 1 wherein said cover legs have interior ribs to engage said standard side faces.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

The assembly in claim 11 wherein said cover, including said legs, flanges and webs comprises an integral polymeric structure.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 177 words

A shelving standard, cover and bracket assembly comprising: vertical standards to be mounted to a wall in spaced parallel relationship to each other; said standards each having a front face and a pair of spaced side faces; said standard front face having a plurality of vertically spaced elongated slots and intermediate webs for attachment of cantilever brackets thereto; an elongated cover on each of said standards; said cover having a pair of legs for engaging said standard side faces; said cover having elongated slots generally aligned with said standard slots, and intermediate webs between said slots; cantilever brackets each having side walls and having at least two rear lugs projecting from one end thereof to be inserted through said cove slots and through said standard slots to anchor on and engage behind said standard webs; said lugs extending rearwardly and then downwardly; and said bracket having a rear edge surface area spaced forwardly of said lugs, said surface area having receiving portions defining cavities of sufficient width to receive both said standard webs and said cover webs.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 177 words

A shelving standard, cover and bracket assembly comprising: vertical standards to be mounted to a wall in spaced parallel relationship to each other; said standards each having a front face and a pair of spaced side faces; said standard front face having a plurality of vertically spaced elongated slots and intermediate webs for attachment of cantilever brackets thereto; an elongated cover on each of said standards; said cover having a pair of legs for engaging said standard side faces; said cover having elongated slots generally aligned with said standard slots, and intermediate webs between said slots; cantilever brackets each having side walls and having at least two rear lugs projecting from one end thereof to be inserted through said cove slots and through said standard slots to anchor on and engage behind said standard webs; said lugs extending rearwardly and then downwardly; and said bracket having a rear edge surface area spaced forwardly of said lugs, said surface area having receiving portions defining cavities of sufficient width to receive both said standard webs and said cover webs.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 171 words

A cantilever shelving bracket for a slotted standard having slots and intermediate webs comprising: an elongated body having at least an upper lug and a lower lug extending from one end thereof for insertion into the slots of a slotted standard, said lower lug being beneath said upper lug, each of said lugs extending rearwardly and downwardly to extend behind individual webs of a slotted standard; said lugs being spaced from said one end of said body to define a web receiving space between each lug and said one end of said body; each lug having a top and a bottom surface; the bottom surface of said upper lug being spaced from the top of said lower lug an amount slightly greater than the height of the web received therebetween; an upwardly sloped surface extending from said top of said lower lug to said bracket end for defining a narrow throat with the lug thereabove for resisting vertical movement of said lower lug tending to dislodge said bracket from a standard.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 171 words

A cantilever shelving bracket for a slotted standard having slots and intermediate webs comprising: an elongated body having at least an upper lug and a lower lug extending from one end thereof for insertion into the slots of a slotted standard, said lower lug being beneath said upper lug, each of said lugs extending rearwardly and downwardly to extend behind individual webs of a slotted standard; said lugs being spaced from said one end of said body to define a web receiving space between each lug and said one end of said body; each lug having a top and a bottom surface; the bottom surface of said upper lug being spaced from the top of said lower lug an amount slightly greater than the height of the web received therebetween; an upwardly sloped surface extending from said top of said lower lug to said bracket end for defining a narrow throat with the lug thereabove for resisting vertical movement of said lower lug tending to dislodge said bracket from a standard.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 25 words

The bracket in claim 15 wherein said upwardly sloped surface requires upward and forward movement of said bracket for removal thereof from a slotted standard.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

The bracket in claim 15 wherein said bottom surface of said upper lug having a sloped surface generally parallel to said upwardly sloped surface on said lower lug.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 37 words

The bracket in claim 15 including a third lug also beneath said upper lug, said third lug also having an upwardly sloped surface extending from the top thereof to said bracket end for resisting vertical movement thereof.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-04-01	1994-10-01	1995-04-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-04-01	1998-10-01	1999-04-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-04-01	2002-10-01	2003-04-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Interlock shelving bracket and standard cover

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