US3438344A - Knockdown steel shelving unit and corner fastening means - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1969 J, FERDINAND ET AL. 3,4385344 KNOCKDOWN STEEL SHELVING UNIT AND comma FASTENING MEANS Sheet of14 Filed March 14, 1967 FIG. 4

mm 5 NWT Wm l m F w. N h mm Y 8 2 2 I. 3 m? o ,9 W a 4 4 2 I 2 :2 2 m m F I, w 2 z I" 5 w m A 4 O W 5 WAIIIS April 15, 1969 J. FERDINAND ET AL 3,438,344 KNOCKDOWN STEEL SHBLVING UNIT AND CORNER FASTEN Filed March 14, 1967 ING MEANS INVENTORS IRWIN J. FERDINAND BY DALE R. LOPATKA ATTYE l lvlilllllltlilll -E u q a I. J. FERDINAND ET AL 3,438,344 KNOCKDOWN STEEL SHELVING UNIT AND CORNER FASTENING MEANS A ril15, 19 9 Filed March 14, 1967 FIG. u

I25 4 aoan 58a 800 2a.

FIG.I5

FIG. I7

XNVENTORS IRWIN J. FERDINAND DALE R. LOP TKA BY MN I ATTYS April 15, 1969 m D ET ALv KNOCKDOWN STEEL SHELVING UNIT AND CORNER FASTENING MEANS Filed March" 14, 1967 FIG. l8

l24b BOG INVENTORS IRWIN J. FERDINAND DALE R. LOPATKA United States Patent U.S. Cl. 108-410 28 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Knockdown steel shelving in which a notched shelf flange has a lever arm rotatable thereon, either about a fixed axis or a shifting axis for retracting a sliding clamp element fully within the flange confines or extending it to carry latching tongues on it into latching engagement with apertures on corner support posts for locating the shelf at a selected height. The rotatable lever arm eccentrically carries an arcuately moving driving element that cams the sliding element about a fixed working axis to draw the shelf flange into end-abutting rigidifying contact against the post with the lever arm portion concealed behind the flange, said lever arm having a hardened offset portion of large diameter rotatably engaging a circular wall of an opening in the Wall.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application, Serial No. 597,344, filed Nov. 28, 1966, now US. Patent 3,392,681.

The present invention relates to knockdown steel shelving in which corner notched shelves are adjustably mounted at various levels upon corner posts and is characterized by a concealed lever pivotally mounted behind a shelf reinforcing flange to draw the flange endwise into clamped engagement against the post.

Background The disclosure of said application is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto since the present invention is an improvement and modification thereof in that the lever carries a camming arrangement with the follower comprising a sliding member movable rectilineally in the box flange of the shelf and having hooklike protuberances releasably engaging the post in interlocking relationship.

As noted in said application the shelves are rectangular and have side and end flanges made of prestruck sheet metal blanks rolled in one piece wherein transverse and longitudinal compound flanges of plural thickness are provided and include marginally rolled box-shaped flanges on at least the front and back edges that reinforce the shelves. The corners of the shelves are notched out to expose the ends of the flanges for square abutting engagement against the walls of the corner post with the posts clamped in place to prevent end sway of the shelving unit. As shown in said application for and aft braces may be employed to held reinforce against sway in that direction if the shelving does rest against a wall.

Summary The invention provides a simple-to-operate structure and fastening relationship for knockdown shelving that is readily assembled and tightened without tools merely with a manual crank actuation of a lever pivotally mounted on an inner wall of a shelf flange engaging the cornot support post. A die formed element slidably mounted in a b0x-shaped shelf flange has tongues provided with head portions initially engage: in slots in the corner post and form thereby a preliminary assembly in which the shelves are loosely located at desired levels in weight supported relationship. Thereafter the assembly, when tightened, form a rigid, squared self-locking joint between the shelf flange and each corner post merely with a quick manual movement of the: lever to a concealed position behind the flange.

The invention is further characterized by a rotatable support for the lever having a large circumference of rotational support that enables same to be supported upon a. thin sheet metal wall with the camming engagement disposed geometrically within the projected bearing area so that a load upon it at its axis of rotation does not cause any tilting of the sliding element during operation, the forces exerted being balanced between the tongues, they being the elements of force application.

A further structural arrangement of the invention is the retractibility of the sliding element, and with it the tongue elements, to clear the posts when it is desired to adjust or readjust the shelf level without dismantling the shelving.

The invention further contemplates easily stamped sheet metal members in which a slide element reciprocated rectilineally by a cam rotatable by a crank lever easily assembled on a shelf flange for clamping into engagement is with the posts, with the resultant clamping force vectors triangulated to distribute the stresses developed beween spaced interlocking members at the post and spread over a substantially large circular edge of the shelf flange at the cam.

Objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the description herein of the structural relationship and advantages and the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings wherein the last two like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a knockdown steel shelving unit embodying the present invention;

FIGS. 2, 11 and 18 are fragmentary perspective views of shelf corners of units such as shown in FIG. 1 taken from a point of view within the shelving looking outwardly and upwardly at a corner post with the clamping mechanism in loosened position;

FIGS. 3a and 2 4 are respectively similar to FIGS. 2, l1 and 18 with the clamping mechanism dismantled therefrom;

FIG. 3b is an external front elevational view of the shelf corner of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 11 and 18;

FIGS. 4 and 2 3 are perspective views from the flange side of the pivoted crank levers of FIGS. 2 and 18 respectively as they appear before assembly;

FIG. 5 is a lateral view of a post section showing the openings by which an interlocking relation is established in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section of the post taken at the level of line 65 of FIG. 5 showing the interlocking relationship;

FIG. 7a ies a perspective of the cross-head type slider shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7b is a view similar to FIG. 7a showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 8a and 8b are sectional views taken on line 83 of FIG. 2 showing the sliders of FIGS. 7a or 7b in operative position;

FIG. 9a shows the slider of FIG. 7b in a cross-section with the crank in assembled relation with respect thereof;

FIGS. 9b, 12 and 19 show the sliders of the respective embodiments of FIGS. 7b, 11 and 18 in medial line sections with the crank lever in assembled relationship with the sliders;

FIG. is a diagrammatical representation of the interaction between the clamping elements shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 13 and 20* is a plan view from inside the shelf showing the cranks of FIGS. 11 and 18 in fully closed shipping position with the sliders fully retracted within the flanges and for location of the shelf heights;

FIGS, 14 and 21 are views similar to FIGS. 13 and 20 showing the sliders in fully extended position for engagement in the corner supports and selected levels;

FIGS. 15 and 22 are views similar to FIGS. 13 and showing the shelf sliders and posts in set position immediately preceding the clamping movement of the cranks;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the cam element made as a separate part for the crank shown in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the crank shown in FIG. 11.

Describing now in further detail the structure and structural relationship mentioned and shown in the draw ings, reference is made to FIG. 1 wherein a unit of shelving 10 is shown comprising vertical corner posts or supports 12, cross members or braces 14, and flanged shelves 16 which can be easily located and relocated vertically along the corner supports 12 without the use of tools. As more particularly shown in said application, a knurled kerf-headed thumb screw 18, usable in two ways, secures the cross braces 14 against the support 12. Since all corner constructions under consideration are similar in the shelving in each embodiment, the following description of one corner in each embodiment relates to the other corners thereof.

As seen in FIGS 2 and 3, taken partly from below,

looking towards a notched shelf corner at 23, the structure of the shelf 16 includes a flat portion 21) bordered by depending side and end reinforcing flanges 22 and 24, respectively. The end flange 24 of the shelf may or may not be roll-formed but preferably is shown as having a reverse bend 26 to avoid contact with any sharp sheet metal edges.

The side flange 22 is preferably box-shaped in construction and comprises an outer wall 28 and an inner wall 30 connected by a bottom ribbed wall 32 and a dual thickness top wall 34. Outer wall 28 in FIG. 3b may be provided with a shallow terminal recess 36 bordered by contact ears 38 which ensure a square abutment between flange 22 and the corner support 12 (FIG. 2). The inner wall 30 has vertically spaced longitudinally extending upper and lower ribs 40 and 42 that laterally strengthen the flange 22 and is apertured near its end to provide an opening 44 whose dimension transversely of the flange is preferably approximately one-half the height of the flange exposed below the fiat portion 20 of the shelf. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3a the opening 44 has circular ends 46 and 48 preferably with the end wall 48 having a slightly sharper curve at 49. In the other embodiments the openings 44a (FIGS. 12 and 19) are circular. See FIG, 24 intersecting the ribs 40 and 42. In both the force bearing area is extensive, self centering and angularly compliant.

As viewed in FIGS. 2, 4, 8 and 9 a lever or crank 50 is mounted for rotational operation in the opening 44. The crank is struck from heavy sheet metal to provide at one end an outwardly drawn oval or egg-shaped offset defining a wall portion 58 and a bottom wall 60 with a boss 62 having a sharper curve remote from the handle that is rotatably and slidably received in aperture 44. A flat handle portion 52 with inwardly turned finger grip wings 54 and outwardly struck detents 56 is provided at its free end. Eccentrically of the boss in the direction of and in approximate alignment with the handle 52, the bottom wall 60' is pierced and upset to provide a cylindrical crank bearing surface 64 through which a rivet member 66 is received having a head 68 at one end. The head provides a terminal flange at 70, and the shank is upset at the other end, as at 72, to hold the head 70 in place.

As the wall 58 of the boss 62 is rotated at least a quarter turn in the direction of the arrow (FIG. 10) from its released or loosened position, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3a in solid lines, to the position shown in solid lines in FIG, 10, not only is the crank surface 64 of the rivet member 66 displaced to the right, about a theoretical axis 53 with respect to the aperture 4-4, but the sharper curve 49 of the major radius further displaces the crank surface 64- by displacing the theoretical axis 53 in the same direction to 53a when the handle 52 of the crank Si) is moved to its closed position parallel with the flange 22 (FIG. 10).

The curvature of the right half of the egg-shaped boss 62 as shown in FIG. 10 is circular with a minor radius about the theoretical axis 53. The contour of the lower section of the aperture 44 at its left end is circular with said minor radius centered at the axis when the boss is approximately 90 clockwise from its position shown in FIG. 10. The contour of the upper section of the aperture 44 at the left end is circular with said major radius centered on the axis located as shown at 53a with the boss disposed in its clamping position. Thus the lower half of the aperture supports the cam as it moves when the crest of the boss cam contour is rotated counter-clockwise to displace flange 22 and the theoretical axis 53 with respect to each other in clamping relationship. The structure described as the left hand is that portion nearest the support 12. At the opposite end of the flange 22, it is the right hand portion, the boss 60 being symmetrical about its major diameter and the aperture 44 being symmetrical on opposite sides of its vertical centerline.

The member actuated by the crank 54 is a sliding member 74 which is struck also from heavy sheet metal stock and formed to have parallel spacer elements or flanges 76 on opposite sides of a flat portion 78, in a relationship with the flanges on one side as shown in FIG. 7a or the flanges divided for disposal on opposite sides as shown at 76a in FIG. 7b. The flanges slide is guided relation between and upon the upper and lower walls 34- and 32 of the flange 22 like a cross head member. When the flanges 76 are all on one side (FIG. 7a) the end edges of the member 74 are offset in the direction opposite to the flanges as at 80. The overall effective thickness of the sliding members as measured across the combined Widths of flanges 76a, or the combined width of flange 76 and the height of offsets 80, is such that the sliding element slides snugly between the inner and outer walls 30 and 28 of the flange 22.

Intermediate its ends the sliding element 74, 7441 or 74b is provided with a cross-slot 82 having an enlargement 84 intermediate its ends on the side nearest the end of the flange 22 and a camming wall 85 opposite thereto. At its end nearest the flange, the sliding element and the support are provided with a catch means or relationship in which the sliding element is provided with tongues 86 that are located proximate to its flanges which tongues have offsets 38 struck therein to provide shoulders 96. The corner supports 12 have spaced slots as shown in FIG. 5 having centrally widened positions 24. These tongues and shoulders as shown in FIG. 6 are received through the slots 92 in the support at the widened portions 94 of the slots and then displaced downwardly to dispose the shoulders behind the narrow portion 25 of the slots where they are offset at inwardly to work-harden and structurally reinforce the metal engaged by the shoulders 90. It will be observed that the slots are constructed with double ended narrow slots to accommodate the tongues regardless of which end of the support or post is uppermost.

It will be noted that all posts may be faced forwardly at both the front and back of the shelving and the sliding elements 22 can be inverted in the box flange at the back corners of the shelves, or, the wide portion 94 of the slot can be provided on both sides of the slot 92 for complete universality.

In the utilization of the elements and structure described, the sliding element 74 can be slipped into the box flange 22 either edge up until the slot 82 appears in the aperture 44 and then the offset 58 of the crank 50' is slipped through the aperture 44 with the head 70 of the rivet member 66 received through and beyond the enlargement '84 in the slot 82. The relative position of the handle 52 will be about parallel with the flange 22 and once the bearing 64 coincides with the plane of the slot 82, the handle can either be left there for shipping with the slider fully retracted or moved to a crosswise position for mounting the shelf. The detent 56 engages in the groove of the lower rib 42 to preserve the parallel assembly.

Whenever it is desired to mount the shelf, or dismantle the shelf, the handle is moved to a position crosswise of the flange, the tongues 86 are advanced into engagement with the support slots 92 and lowered into weigh-t supporting position. Thereafter the wall portion 58 engages the end 48 of the aperture 44 and clamps the support against the end of the flange 22 in rigidifying supported relationship as the handle is returned to its position parallel with the flange where it is concealed behind the flange 22. This is done at all four corners of each shelf until the shelving is assembled.

In event it is desired to relocate a shelf at a new level without disturbing the set spacing of the supports, the cranks for that shelf are turned downwardly and moved away from the supports to carry the wall portion 58 into contact with the end 46 of the apertures 44. At this point the tongues are fully retracted far enough to clear the supports 12. The shelf is then moved to its new level, the cranks reactivated outwardly to insert the tongues in the selected slots and then turned to their clamping position as already described.

Whichever way the offsets 88 and flanges are faced in their manufacture, it is desired that the end of the shelf flange 24 be located and held close to the support 12 by the tongues in relation to the flanges 76, 76a and the offset 80 to establish and hold a snug and tight relationship at each shelf corner, it being appreciated that the camming action of the bearing surface 64 in the slot 82 against the wall 85 exerts a force magnifying effort upon the sliding member when it reaches dead center of its closing movement as when the crank 50 is parallel to the flat portion 2 0 of the shelf. Further, it will be noted that the resulting force effort of the camming action exerted by the bearing surface in the slot is exerted at a point geometrically triangulated with the tongues to exert equal forces upon the tongues, the flanges 76 or 76a slidably retaining the sliding member against any cocking action during the application of the triangulated forces. Furthermore in order to assist against any possible cocking action the curvature of the circular end wall 48 of the aperture 44 is slightly larger as represented by the broken line 58a so that mutual engagement occurs intermediate the ribs 42 and 40 and yields slightly on a circular curve to establish a self centering heavy resilient strain between the clamped parts.

The movable distance between the end walls 46 and 48 is approximately the exposed length of the tongues and permits the relative movement of the sliding member 74 that is necessary to retract the tongues 86 from interference with the support if the shelf is to be relocated. Furthermore, it will be observed that the clamping elements are confined to a single wall and because of this the external appearance of the joint between the shelf and support is clean in appearance and concealed from conventional view, yet manual operation required is readily detected and understood upon inspection.

Referring now to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 11 and 18, the structure and principles of operation are quite similar except that the cranks rotate on the box flange on a fixed axis and the sliders have the elongated aperture disposed lengthwise for relative extension and retraction in cooperation therewith. Elements carried by the cranks preferably provide positive advance and retraction of the slider by operation of the crank as well as a positive clamping relationship.

In FIG. 11 an embodiment is shown in which the bottom of the offset position 58a, sometimes referred to as a boss, on the crank 50a, has a dual depth draw, the shallow portion defining a circular external bearing surface 102 (FIG. 12) and the deeper portion 103 (FIG. 13) having a central opening 105 and defining a portion having two parallel arranged flat portions on its sides providing wrench like surfaces 104. A drive plate 106 similar in external shape to that of the plate 108 shown in FIG. 16 has its center punched out as a socket with flat portions at 110 (FIG. 13) mating with the external shape of the deeper portion 103 to be recieved thereon in wrenching relation. A portion of the edge of the plate defines a cam surface 112 and circumferentially spaced therefrom the plate is provided with a radial finger 114 terminally bent from the plane thereof to provide a driving ear 116.

The slider 74a in this embodiment has book-like tongues 86a received in vertically spaced slots 94a offset inwardly on the corner posts 12a for strength as indicated at 118 in FIG. 12. A longitudinal slot 82a is provided in the slider 74a at the level of the center aperture 105 of the crank and the lower edge is notched as at 120 to clear the driving car 116. The notch is otherwise shaped to provide a square shoulder 122 engaged by the driving car 116 for projecting the tongues 86a beyond the end of the box flange 22 as shown in FIG. 14 and an inclined shoulder 124 engaged by the driving ear 116 to retract the tongues 86a fully within the box flange as shown in FIG. 13.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the slider 74a is provided with a die struck tab 125 which serves as a follower engaged by said cam 112 when the tongues 86a engage in slots 94 and the crank 52 is moved from the :position shown in FIG. 14 to the fully clamped position shown in FIG. 15.

For purposes of ready assembly and the disposition of the parts to cooperate as indicated, the slider is further provided with spacers 80a to guide the slider in the flange and a rivet type element 126 is slipped into the slot 82a and receives the driven plate 106 loosely thereon as the assembly is slipped into the open end of the flange to a point where the rivet shank 128 is at the center of the opening 100. Thereupon the deeper wrench portion 103 of the crank cavity is slipped over the shank 128 into mating engagement with the punched out socket 110. The rivet head is then backed by a suitable production tool (not shown) and a spring nut 13th is pressed on the shank to secure the assembly with the bearing surface 102 of the crank journalled in the opening 44a on the inner wall 30 of the box flange to operate as indicated.

In FIGS. 16 and 17 the bottom of the crank offset cavity 58c is integrally made with a spring nut 130a and the drive plate is centrally apertured to receive the rivet 126 there through. The drive in this instance comprises two diametrical openings 132 in the bottom of the cavity 580 and two pierced upturned ears 134 on the drive plate 106a received in said openings when assembled. The wrench drive operation of this embodiment is otherwise as described in connection with FIGS. 1215.

In FIGS. 18-23 the embodiment is one in which the driver plate 106!) and the crank 52]; are formed integrally. In the forming operation the bottom 58b of the offset cavity is partially cut and drawn from the sheet metal of the crank 50]) as shown in which an arm 1314b extending radially from the bottom 58b is sheared and then offset as the cavity is deepened to the depth shown. Part of the sheering provides a cam edge 112k around a central opening 1051) at the initial portion of the forming die stroke and with the die elements (not shown) remaining in the opening 105b, the forming portion of the die is advanced to provide the circular wall 192,]; of the cavity that is journalled in the opening 44a of the box flange 22 leaving the cam edge 1121) in position to engage a cam follower 125]) provided on the slider 7417. An oppositely directed tab 140 lies in the path of movement of the arm l14b.

In assembly, the slider 74b is inserted into the box flange 22 with a sleeve rivet 12Gb in the slot 8%. The arm ll4b is then slipped through the opening 44a and the bottom 58b is lowered with its opening 105!) over the sleeve rivet as they move centrally into the opening 44a.

Thereafter the sleeve rivet is lifted and backed up by a suitable production tool and the open end is spread into a clover leaf expansion 144 to lock the .parts in operative assembly. This assembly is one in which the slider 74b is fully retracted in FIG. 20 by the end of the arm 114]; engaging a tapering edge 146 of the cam follower 1124b for shipping or vertical adjustment of the shelves. When a desired level is reached during shelf assembly the crank is moved clockwise as shown in FIG. 21, the arm 114!) engages the tab 140 and drives the slider and tongues outwardly to enter and drop into place in slots 94a. Thereupon the crank is turned counter clockwise as shown in FIG. 22. The cam 11212 engages the follower 146 and clamps the tongues 86b in place rigidifying the shelving as already explained. If desired a plastic cover 148 (FIG. 18) can be snapped into place to cover the cavity 58b to finish off its appearance. The cover 148 is shown in broken lines 148 in FIGS. 19-22.

From the description and the drawings, it will be noted by those skilled in the art how the stated objects are attained; how the walls of the apertures 94 and 94a when offset inwardly as at 118 not only strengthen the clamping relations-hip by arching and work hardening the post elements but the side Walls of the apertures guide the tongues into insertion in the apertures; how the elements 114 and 54 of the several embodiments are located radial on the same side of the bosses 58 and on opposite sides of the apertures 44; how the elements are easily constructed, assembled and used; but also how various changes and modifications can be made for different production techniques including castings as well as sheet metal stampings within the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a knockdown shelving construction comprising an upright post member having aperture means through a wall portion thereof, a shelf having a horizontal portion and a depending flange member terminally abutting said wall portion with a side wall having an aperture therein rounded adjacent to the post, a clamp device interconnecting said members including a lever having a boss element with a circular portion pivotally journalling in said rounded aperture, an elongated element slidably supported for rectilineal movement on said flange member, a crank protuberance located on one of said elements, a cam wall on the other of said elements receiving said crank protuberance in a slidable relationship, and catch means on said elongated :member releasably engaging in said aperture means to draw said flange endwise tightly against said post upon rotation of said lever moving said protuberance away from said post.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said flange member is a box flange and said side wall thereof is the inner side wall, said elongated member and said crank protuberance being located in the space between the side walls of said box flange member.

3. The combination called for in claim 2 in which said elongated members have vertically spaced marginal flanges slidably mounted between the top and bottom walls of said box flange in guided relationship.

4. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said elongated member slidably engages said side wall with the rectilineal movement .parallel to the wall and perpendicular to the post member, said catch means comprising vertically spaced tongues .and said crank protuberance being disposed at a level between said tongues.

5. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said protuberance has a head upon its outer end and said cam wall comprises one wall of a slot having an enlargement for receiving said head therethrough located on the side thereof adjacent its said post.

6. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said aperture is elongated longitudinally of said flange member for movement of said boss therein a distance approximately the height of said catch means extending beyond the end of said flange member in its aperture engaging position.

7. The combination called for in claim 2 in which said elongated member has laterally directed spacing means along its upper and lower edges slidably supporting the intermediate portion in spaced relationship from the inner wall to rest slidably against the free end of said boss with said crank protuberance in engagement with said cam wall.

8. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said catch means includes tongues projecting from the central portion of the elongated element with a portion thereof laterally offset to engage behind a wall portion when said tongues are inserted through said aperture means and moved laterally with respect thereto.

9. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said catch means comprise two vertically spaced projections engaging said aperture means and said crank protuberance is disposed at a working level between said projections.

19. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said lever comprises a flat central portion bordered by finger engageable wings at one end and an oifset depression and the other end externally defining a substantially cylindrical surface of revolution journalled in said aperture and a bottom wall eccentrically carrying a crank protuberance engaging said cam wall, said eccentricity being aligned with said lever.

'11. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said boss is substantially egg-shaped with the circular portion disposed on the crank protuberance side of the boss and defining a minor radius, said aperture having a width transversely of the flange approximately equal to the major diameter of the boss.

12. The combination called for in claim 1 including a latching engagement between said lever and said flange member including a receiving element on one of them and a detent member on the other of them interengaging when said lever is coincident with said flange.

13 In a knockdown shelving construction comprising an upright post member, a shelf having a flange member disposed normal to a side of a post and having an aperture therein adjacent to the post member, means for clamping said members together in assembled relation including a lever means having a boss journalled in said aperture and a planar portion bordering the boss supported on the flange member, eccentric means on said boss, and an element slidably supported on said flange member releasable engaging said post and engaging said eccentric means for actuation by rotary movement of the boss by the lever in one direction to clamp said flange member endwise against said side of the post under shelf rigidifying pressure.

14. The combination called for in claim 13 in which said eccentric means is a cam element and said slidable element includes a cam follower engaged by said cam element.

15. The combination called for in claim 14 in which said lever means includes a drive element engaging said elongated element for moving said slidable element into and out of engagement with said post member when said cam and cam follower are out of engagement.

16. The combination called for in claim 14 in which said boss has an opening in the bottom thereof and said slidable element has an elongated aperture therein registering with said opening, means extending through said opening and said elongated aperture to retain said cam and follower in assembled cooperating relationship and with said planar portion engaging said flange member retaining the assembled cam and follower in operative position on said flange member with respect to said post member.

17. The combination called for in claim 14 in which said means on said boss includes a plate on the bottom of the boss defining said cam, and drive means interconnecting said boss and plate for unitary operation thereof.

18. The combination called for in claim 15 in which said cam element and said drive element are integrally formed as part of the bottom of said boss, said drive element extending radially beyond the journal of said boss.

19. In a knockdown shelving construction comprising an upright post member having aperture means through a wall portion thereof, a shelf having a horizontal portion and a depending flange member terminally abutting said wall portion with a side wall having an aperture therein rounded adjacent to the post, a clamp device interconnecting said members including a lever having a boss journalled in said round aperture, an elongated element slidably supported for rectilineal movement on said flange member, catch means on said elongated member releasably engaging in said aperture means, means interengaging said lever and elongated element to draw said flange endwise tightly against said post upon rotation of said lever.

20. The combination called for in claim 19 in which said interengaging means includes cam and follower elements moving the elongated element away from said post member upon movement of said lever in a position behind said flange.

21. The combination called for in claim 20 in which said lever and boss include two members engaging each other to move the catch means towards said post by movement of the lever towards said post for releasing said draw.

22. The combination called for in claim 19 in which said aperture has a dimension transversely of the flange member approximately one-half the width of the flange exposed below said horizontal shelf portion.

23. The combination called for in claim 19 in which said depending flange member side wall has vertically spaced longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs and said aperture intersects portions of at least two ribs.

24. The combination called for in claim 19 in which said depending flange member has a longitudinally extending reinforcing rib intersected at least in part by said aperture, and said lever has a planar portion around said boss in engagement with said reinforcing rib.

25. Thet combination called for in claim 19 in which said aperture means of the post members comprises vertically spaced elongated apertures having end and lateral walls bordering the apertures and work hardened oifset in a direction away from said flange member to guide said catch means into engagement in said apertures.

26. In a knockdown shelving construction comprising an upright post member having aperture means through a wall portion thereof, a shelf having a horizontal portion and a depending flange member terminally abutting said wall portion with a side wall having an aperture therein with rounded contour adjacent to the post, a clamp device interconnecting said members including a lever having a boss with a rounded portion journalling in said rounded aperture, cam means located eccentrically on said boss, an elongated element slidably supported for rectilineal movement on said flange member and having a follower means engaged by said cam means operable in relative rotating relationship, and clamp means on said elongated member releasably engaging in said aperture means to draw said flange endwise tightly against said post upon rotation of said lever moving said follower means away from said post.

27. The combination called for in claim 25 in which said elongated members have vertically spaced laterally disposed spacers slidably mounted. between the top and bottom walls of said box flange to hold the elongated members in guided relationship on said side wall.

28. The combination called for in claim 25 in which aperture means include vertically spaced openings and said clamp means includes tongues projecting from the elongated element for insertion through said openings olfset to engage behind a wall portion bordering two of said openings when moved outwardly with respect thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,053,996 2/1913 Isbell 108107 1,679,995 8/1928 Bartholomew 292 2,896,794 7/1959 Jarvis 108-l07 XR 2,909,289 10/1959 Laurie 108107 XR 3,081,717 3/1963 Yureriah 108-107 3,276,403 10/1966 Ferdinand et al. 108-106 XR 3,332,374 7/ 1967 Ferdinand et al. 108-107 3,392,689 7/1968 Ferdinand et a1. 108107 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

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