GB2321389A - Reversible shelf bracket - Google Patents

Abstract

A reversible bracket for a shelving system of the type having slotted uprights in which the brackets are mounted has lugs 5a,b,c each of which has an upper and lower hooking portion 6a,b,c and 7a,b,c respectively whereby the bracket can be mounted either way up in the slots. The bracket is symmetrical about its long axis except that the lugs are closer to one long edge 8a than the other 8b whereby the effective spacing of the shelves may be altered by inverting the brackets.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS TO SHELVING Field of the Invention The present invention concems improvements in and relating to shelving.

More particularly, the present invention relates to modular shelving such as is commonly used for retailing merchandise.

Background to the Invention Modular shelving systems as used widely throughout the retail trade and particularly throughout supermarkets are generally constructed of at least the following three primary groups of components, which are generally of steel: - two or more uprights; shelving panels; and shelf-supporting brackets that hook into slots in the uprights.

The uprights may be free-standing or wall-mounted and are usually rectangular section hollow bars of which the front face has been provided with a series of slots spaced at fixed intervals along the length of the upright into which the hooks of the shelf-supporting brackets mount. The slots are equi-distanced apart, commonly with a spacing of 50 mm although this fixed spacing may differ from one shelving system to another. As will be apparent, the spacing, which is known in the trade as "pitch", is a determinant of the vertical spacing between shelves mounted to an upright. The pitch is, therefore, a constraint for each shelving system and in retail display can significantly restrict the volume of products stored and displayed.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a shelving bracket for a modular shelving system of the type which has uprights with a plurality of slots in series and spaced apart, the bracket having at least a first and a second hook projecting from a mounting end to co-operatively engage with respective slots of an upright to supportively mount the bracket from the upright; wherein the first and second hooks of the bracket face in opposing directions, one upwardly and one downwardly, in use, whereby the bracket may be supportively mounted to the upright even when inverted.

By providing such a shelving bracket and wherein the hooks are collectively closer to the first longitudinal edge of the bracket than to the second longitudinal edge of the bracket the effective pitch of the shelving system may be adjusted between two altematives simply by inverting the bracket, Suitably each hook is formed as a hooking recess in a lug which projects from the mounting end of the bracket, each lug having a second hooking recess facing in an opposing direction to said hooking recess of the lug.

In the preferred embodiment the bracket has two or three such lugs.

To optimise reversibility of the bracket, the bracket is suitably substantially symmetrical about its longitudinal axis with the exception of the mounting end.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a modular shelving system which comprises a plurality of uprights, each having a plurality of slots in series and spaced apart, the system further comprising a plurality of brackets each having at least a first and a second hook projecting from a mounting end to co-operatively engage with respective slots of an upright to supportively mount the bracket from the upright; characterised in that the first and second hooks of the bracket face in opposing directions, one upwardly and one downwardly, in use, whereby the bracket may be supportively mounted to the upright by one of the hooks even when inverted.

Bnef Descnption of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a modular steel shelving system of the type to which the invention relates, having shelving supported on brackets mounted to uprights; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of shelving bracket; Figure 3 is a perspective view of brackets of the preferred embodiment in spatial relationship to the uprights and shelving panels of the shelving system.

Figures 4A and 4B are respectively perspective views of the mounting of a bracket of the preferred embodiment to an upright in inverted and non-inverted positions with detail shown in the blown up insets; and Figures 5A and B are the same as Figures 4A and B but illustrating by arrows the movement for inversion of the bracket and corresponding reduction in the effective pitch achievable.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment The modular retail display shelving system illustrated in Figure 1 shows the basic components of such a shelving system - a pair of uprights 1, 1', a set of shelving panels 2a-2c supported between the uprights 1, 1' and brackets 3a-f which mount the opposing ends of the shelving panels to the uprights 1, 1'.

As can be seen more clearly from Figure 3, the uprights 1, 1' each have a plurality of slots 4 in series along the length of the upright 1,1' and equi-distantly spaced apart. (As illustrated, the slots have an H-shaped form, although this varies from one shelving system to another).

Referring to Figure 2, the bracket embodying the invention, in common with the conventional display shelving bracket, has the appearance of a substantially flat fin with hooking lugs 5a-c projecting from the mounting end 6 of the bracket 3. In contrast to conventional bracket design, however, the bracket is substantially symmetrical about its longitudinal axis for virtually its entire length to suit its role as a reversible bracket.

Furthermore, as will be seen, unlike the conventional hooking lugs, the hooking lugs 5a-5c each have not only one hooking recess 6a-6c facing in a common direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bracket 3, but also a complementary hooking recess 7a-7c facing in the opposing direction on each lug 5a-5c. The secondary hooking recesses is 7a-7c enable the hooking lugs 5a-5c to hook into the slots 4 of the uprights 1,1' even when the bracket is inverted.

The hooking lugs 5a-5c are not located symmetrically on the mounting portion of the bracket 3. Instead, they are displaced towards one longitudinal edge 8a and away from the other longitudinal edge 8b. This displacement allows for variation of the effective pitch of the shelving system when the bracket 3 is mounted to the upright 1, 1'.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 these show in detail how the act of inverting the bracket 3 enables the bracket 3 to mount higher or lower to the upright 1, 1' when hooked into the same three slots 4. In Figure 4A the bracket 3 is oriented with the longitudinal edge 8a which has the lugs 5a-5c collectively closest to it as the uppermost edge. The bracket 3 correspondingly sits lower in the slots 4 and, therefore, lower on the upright 1. The converse is true in Figure 4b where the bracket 3 has been inverted by turning about its longitudinal axis prior to hooking into the slots 4 of the upright 1.

By using the reversible brackets of the present invention an unskilled stockman may simply and quickly adjust the vertical separation of shelves in a shelving bay not simply within the limitations of moving a shelf from one set of slots to another on the upright but also to two different heights at any given set of slots.

This provides much more versatility to an installed shelving system.

Claims (6)

1. A shelving bracket for a modular shelving system of the type which has uprights with a plurality of slots in series and spaced apart, the bracket having at least a first and a second hook projecting from a mounting end to co-operatively engage with respective slots of an upright to supportively mount the bracket from the upright; characterised in that the first and second hooks of the bracket face in opposing directions, one upwardly and one downwardly, in use, whereby the bracket may be supportively mounted to the upright even when inverted.

2. A shelving bracket as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the hooks are collectively closer to the first longitudinal edge of the bracket than to the second longitudinal edge of the bracket.

3. A shelving bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each hook is formed as a hooking recess in a lug which projects from the mounting end of the bracket, each lug having a second hooking recess facing in an opposing direction to said hooking recess of the lug.

4. A shelving bracket as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the shelving bracket has two said lugs.

5. A shelving bracket as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the bracket is substantially symmetrical about its longitudinal axis with the exception of the mounting end.

6. A shelving bracket or modular shelving system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A modular shelving system which comprises a plurality of uprights, each having a plurality of slots in series and spaced apart, the system further comprising a bracket as claimed in any preceding claim.

7. A shelving bracket or modular shelving system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as folows CLAIMS 1. A shelving bracket for a modular shelving system of the type which has uprights with a plurality of slots in series and spaced apart, the bracket comprising an elongate fin-shaped plate having at least a first and a second hook projecting from a mounting end to co-operatively engage with respective slots of an upright to supportively mount the bracket from the upright, the longitudinal axis of the bracket extending away from the mounting end and the bracket having opposing longitudinal edges which taper towards each other from the mounting end in the direction away from the mounting end, wherein the bracket is substantially symmetrical about its longitudinal axis with the exception of the mounting end and wherein the first and second hooks of the bracket face in opposing directions, one upwardly and one downwardly, in use, whereby the bracket may be supportively mounted to the upright even when inverted.

2. A shelving bracket as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the hooks are collectively closer to the first longitudinal edge of the bracket than to the second longitudinal edge of the bracket.

3. A shelving bracket as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each hook is formed as a hooking recess in a lug which projects from the mounting end of the bracket, each lug having a second hooking recess facing in an opposing direction to said hooking recess of the lug.

4. A shelving bracket as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the shelving bracket has two said lugs.

5. A modular shelving system which comprises a plurality of uprights, each having a plurality of slots in series and spaced apart, the system further comprising a bracket as claimed in any preceding claim.