Rack for supporting items such as bottles

• US 5,215,199 A
• Filed: 01/16/1992
• Issued: 06/01/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Houston Wire Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Houston Wire Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Bejarano, Pedro
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US07/821,583
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 211/74, 211/181, 211/189, 248/175
• US Class Current: 211/74
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 55/02 made of wire
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/13 made of tubes or wire assemblies of elements of the same kind, e.g. stackable, A47B87/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/281 for vertically-stacked containers; Stabilising means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/32 using clamps, clips, wedges, sliding bolts, or the like

Abstract

A rack which may be assembled and disassembled without the use of conventional threaded fasteners is provided. The rack may consist of welded wire construction of various components which are secured in a desired relationship by engagement elements which engage each support member through use of spring elements placed in tension. Front and rear support members may be engaged by a top element which engages both members through use of a spring, and by one or more base members which engage both the front and rear members through use of a spring.

Claims

1. A rack which may be assembled and disassembled, comprising:

a rear support member;

a front support member; and

a securing assembly adapted to secure said rear support member and said front support member in secure, generally parallel relation, such securing assembly including,

a base assembly adapted to selectively engage said rear support member at a first location and to engage said front support member at a first location, and to retain said first locations of said front support member and said rear support member at a generally fixed spaced distance from one another, said base assembly including sections which are in tension when said base assembly is secured to said rear support member and to said front support member, and

a clamp assemble adapted to releasable engage said rear support member at a second location and a front support member at a second location, and to maintain said second locations of said front and rear support members at a generally fixed spaced distance from one another, said clamp assembly including sections which are in tension when said clamp assembly is engaged with said rear support member and said front support member.

2. The rack of claim 1, wherein said front and rear support members are each formed of wire members.

3. The rack of claim 1, wherein said front support member includes a plurality of horizontal support members, ad wherein said rear support member includes a plurality of horizontal support members.

4. The rack of claim 1, wherein said base assembly includes a first base member adapted to engage said front and rear support members on a first side, and a second base member adapted to engage said front and rear support members on a second, opposing, side, and wherein said base assembly further comprises first and second retention members, each retention member adapted to engage one of said base members, and at least one of said rear support member and front support member, when said base member is in tension, said retention member further adapted to retain said base member in tension.

5. A bottle rack, which rack may be assembled and disassembled, comprising:

a rear support member;

a front support member, said front support member having at least one support element for supporting at least one of said bottles when said rack is assembled; and

a securing assembly adapted to secure said rear support member and said front support member in a generally secure, spaced and parallel relationship through spring sections, said securing assembly comprising,

a securing clamp adapted to engage said rear support member and said front support member at a first location on each, and to maintain said rear support member and said front support member in a generally spaced relation proximate said first locations, said securing clamp having a first spring section for engaging said rear support member and a second spring section for engaging said front support member, and

a base assembly adapted to engage said rear support member and said front support member proximate the second location on each, and to maintain said second locations in a generally secure, spaced relationship from one another, said spaced relationship between said front and rear members proximate said second locations being generally the same as said spaced relationship between said rear support member and said front support member proximate said first locations, said base assembly having a first spring section which is actuated to engage said front support member and a second spring section which is actuated to engage said rear support member.

6. The rack of claim 5, wherein said rear support member is formed of wire elements, and comprises a plurality of vertical support elements and a plurality of horizontal support elements.

7. The rack of claim 5, wherein said front support member is formed of wire elements, and comprises a plurality of vertical support elements and a plurality of generally horizontal support elements.

8. The rack of claim 5, wherein said base assemble comprises:

a first base member, formed at least partially of wire, and adapted to engage said front support member and said rear support member on a first side;

a second base member, formed at least partially of wire, and adapted to engage said front support ember and said rear support member on a second, opposing side;

a first retention member engageable with said first base ember and with said front and rear support members when said first and second spring sections of said first base member are in tension, and adapted to retain said spring sections in tension; and

a second retention member engagable with said second base member and with said front and rear support members when said first and second spring sections of said first base member are in tension, and adapted to retain said spring sections in tension.

9. The rack of claim 5, wherein said securing clamp includes a pair of spaced wire element, each wire element having two spring sections.

10. A rack for supporting bottles, which rack may be assembled and disassembled, comprising:

a rear support member formed of a plurality of wire elements, said plurality of wire elements including a first set of elements arranged in generally parallel relation to one another, and a second set of elements also arranged in generally parallel relation to one another, and also arranged in generally perpendicular relation to said first set of elements;

a front support member formed at least partially of wire elements, said plurality of wire elements including a first set of elements arranged in generally parallel relation to one another, and a second set of elements arranged in generally parallel relation to one another, said second set of elements arranged in generally perpendicular relation to said first set of elements;

a clamping member adapted to extend between said rear support member and said front support member and to releasably engage said rear support member and said front support member, and to maintain said rear support member and said front support member at a generally fixed separation distance at the points of engagement, said clamping member including at least one resiliently movable section adapted to engage said front support member, and further including at least one resiliently movable section adapted to engage said rear support member; and

a base assemble adapted to selectively engage said rear support member and said front support member at a spaced distance said base assembly including, means for engaging said front and rear support members while in a state of tension, and comprising means for maintaining at least a degree of tension between said base assembly and said front and rear support members, when said base assembly is secured to said front and rear support members.