RACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF STORING PALLETIZED ITEMS

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a racking system and method of storing palletized items in the racking system. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a racking system for storing multiple pallets stacked with palletized items and delivered for storage by a fork lift vehicle.

SUMMARY

[0002] In accordance with the present disclosure, a racking system for storing palletized items, includes a pair of vertically-disposed side supports, which may be substantially parallel to one another, having a plurality of vertically-disposed and laterally- spaced apart pairs of posts. The posts of the side supports are laterally-spaced-apart at a first separation distance to accommodate the entrance of a fork-lift vehicle therebetween and to define a lower storage space for receiving and storing a lower group of palletized items stacked on pallets. The pallets are arranged in a three-pallet-wide, side-by-side configuration arranged to fit between the pair of side supports.

[0003] In an illustrative embodiment, the racking system includes a plurality of horizontally-disposed and co-planar overhead support platforms each having an outer end secured to one of the side supports. The outer ends extend towards one of the support platforms and inner ends of the plurality of support platforms terminate short of each other in spaced-apart relationship to define a second separation distance. The second separation distance provides a clearance space to accommodate the entrance of a vertically-extendable mast of the fork-lift vehicle. The support platforms and inner ends at least further define an upper storage space over the support platforms for receiving and storing an upper group of

palletized items stacked on pallets arranged in the three-pallet- wide, side -by-side configuration and arranged to fit between the pair of side supports.

[0004] In an illustrative embodiment, the support platforms each include a support member, which may be T-shaped, secured on the posts and the support members extend toward one another from each of the posts. Each support member is sized to underlie and support a full width of one of the three side-by- side pallets and a first or end portion of a middle pallet of the three side -by-side pallets, and a second or intermediate portion of the middle pallet lying between the end portions spans the second separation distance.

[0005] Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a racking system, according to the present disclosure, showing upper and lower groups of palletized items in a three-pallet-wide, side-by- side configuration stored in the racking system, the upper group having two of the three pallets fully supported by support platforms and a middle pallet spanning a clearance space between support members of the support platforms;

[0008] Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the racking system of Figure 1 , showing a connected series of racking systems with palletized items or cartons stored therein and showing a fork-lift vehicle loading an upper group of a three-pallet- wide, side-by- side configuration of palletized items on the support platforms of the racking system; and

[0009] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a plurality of forks of the fork-lift vehicle of Figure 2, the plurality of forks being mounted to a carriage of a vertical mast of the fork-lift vehicle, the forks configured to engage and lift the three-pallet-wide, side-by-side configuration of pallets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00010] While the present disclosure may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, embodiments with the understanding that the present description is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of disclosure and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.

[00011 ] As suggested in Figures 1 and 2 and in accordance with the present disclosure, a racking system 10 for storing palletized items 12 comprises a frame assembly 13 including at least a pair of vertically-disposed side supports 14, which side supports 14 may be aligned substantially parallel to one another. Further included is a plurality of horizontally-disposed and co-planar overhead support platforms 28. Side supports 14 include a plurality of vertically-disposed and laterally-spaced-apart pairs of posts 16. Posts 16 of the side supports 14 are laterally-spaced-apart at a first or lower separation distance D ₁ to accommodate the entrance of a fork-lift vehicle 18 therebetween and to define a lower storage space 20 for receiving and storing a lower group of palletized items 22 stacked on pallets 24. The pallets 24 are arranged in a three -pallet-wide, side-by-side configuration 26 arranged to fit between the pair of side supports 14.

[00012] In an illustrative embodiment, each of the support platforms 28 include an outer end 30 secured to one of the side supports 14. The outer ends 30 extend towards one of the

support platforms 14 and inner ends 32 of an innermost of the plurality of support platforms 28 terminate short of each other in spaced-apart relationship to define a second or upper separation distance D ₂ . The second separation distance D ₂ provides a clearance space to accommodate the entrance of a vertically-extendable mast 34 of the fork-lift vehicle 18, as suggested in Figures 2 and 3. The inner ends 32 further define an upper storage space 36 over the support platforms 28 for receiving and storing an upper group of palletized items 38 stacked on pallets 24 arranged in the three-pallet-wide, side-by-side configuration 26 and arranged to fit between the pair of side supports 14.

[00013] In an illustrative embodiment, the support platforms 28 each include an upper support member 40 secured on posts 16, which support member 40 may be T-shaped, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Support member 40 may be shaped in a variety of different configurations (not shown). Support members 40 extend toward one another from each of the posts 16. Each support member 40 is sized to underlie and support a full width 46 of one of the three side-by- side pallets 24, for example, an end pallet 47, and a first or end portion 48 of a middle pallet 50 of the three side-by-side pallets 24, and a second or intermediate portion 52 of the middle pallet 50 lying between the first portions 48 spans the second separation distance D ₂ .

[00014] In an illustrative embodiment, support member 40, support platforms 28 and second separation distance D ₂ cooperate to comprise a means for supporting a full width of the group of palletized items 38. The group of palletized items 38 is stacked on three pallets 24, the three pallets 24 being arranged in the three -pallet- wide, side-by- side configuration 26 in the upper or second storage space 36 located above the first or lower storage space 20.

[00015] In accordance with the present disclosure and as shown in Figure 2, a connected series of the racking system 10 of Figure 1 are adapted to be secured to a floor 19 of a building to provide increased storage capacity. This is accomplished by having palletized items 12 arranged in the three-pallet-wide, side-by-side configuration 26 stored in the lower and upper

storage spaces 20, 26, respectively of each of the rack systems 10. As suggested in Figures 2 and 3, individual pallets 24 are loaded and delivered by fork-lift vehicle 18 for storing in the multi-tiered rack system 10.

[00016] Racking system 10 includes the pair of vertically disposed and parallel side supports 14, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. One of the side supports 14 is common to a next-adjacent racking system 10 of the connected series of racking systems, as shown in Figure 2. The parallel side supports 14 for each racking system 10 are laterally spaced apart at the first or lower separation distance D ₁ , providing the clearance space to accommodate the entrance of the fork-lift vehicle 18 therebetween, as suggested in Figure 2.

[00017] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vertically-disposed and laterally- spaced side supports 14 of each racking system 10 define lower storage space 20 for receiving and storing the lower group of palletized items 22 therein. As shown in Figure 1, the pair of horizontally disposed and co-planar overhead support platforms 28 each have outer end 30 secured to a respective one of the side supports 14, the outer end 30 extending towards another support platform 28. Inner ends 32 of the support platforms terminate short of each other in spaced-apart relationship to define the second or upper separation distance or clearance space D ₂ . Such clearance space D ₂ accommodates the entrance of the vertically-extendable mast 34 of fork-lift vehicle 18 therebetween, as shown in Figure 2. Upper storage space 36 is located on and over platforms 28 for receiving and storing the upper group of palletized cartons 38 therein.

[00018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, each side support 14 of each racking system 10 comprises the plurality of vertically-disposed and longitudinally-aligned posts 16. Each post 16 terminates at a lower end 13 at an anchor plate 17 adapted to be secured to a surface 19, which may, for example, be the floor of a storage building. In the illustrative embodiment, of Figure 1, a plurality of spaced-apart posts 16 are shown. A pair of posts 16, for example,

provides a depth D ₃ for racking system 10. These posts 16 are secured together by diagonally-disposed braces 21. An upper end 23 of each post 16 terminates at T-shaped upper support member 40, the support members 40 cooperating, in part, to support or to possibly form part of support platforms 28.

[00019] Each support platform 28 further comprises an elongated first runner or inner member 29 secured to distal ends 41 of support members 40 to define an inner end side 32 of a respective support platform 28. Each support platform 28 further comprises an elongated second runner or outer member 31 secured between distal ends 41 of a respective upper support member 40. Elongated members 29 and 31 may be formed as steel angles positioned to provide horizontally-disposed surfaces adapted to support and guide an underside 37 of one or more respective pallets 24 thereon. Support platforms 28, including inner members 29 and outer members 31, are configured to span depth D ₃ for racking system 10 that includes the at least two pairs of vertically-disposed and laterally-spaced apart side supports 14.

[00020] A rectangular frame structure 33, as shown in Fig. 2, is integrally secured via side supports 14 and is disposed vertically above each adjacent pair of laterally- spaced support platforms 28. In an illustrative embodiment, each rectangular frame structure 33 comprises a pair of laterally-spaced upper posts 42, positioned in substantially vertical alignment with respective lower posts 16, which upper posts 42 may form extensions of posts 16. The rectangular frame structure 33, as shown in Fig. 2, thus at least partially defines upper storage space 36. Each pair of laterally-spaced upper posts 42 may be capped, for example, by a reinforcement rail 44.

[00021] As suggested in Figures 2 and 3, fork-lift vehicle 18 includes vertically-extendable mast 34 coupled to a carriage 25 configured to hold a plurality of forks 27. In an illustrative embodiment, forks 27 are arranged, for example, as three pairs of forks 35, each pair of forks 35 configured to engage a pallet 24. The three pair of forks 35 are

configured to engage and transport three pallets 24 in the three-pallet- wide, side-by- side configuration 26. Selective extension of extendable mast 34 and raising of the carriage 25 on the mast 34, under control of an operator of the fork-lift vehicle 18, will lift the three-pallet-wide configuration 26 from, for example, ground level to a position on the overhead support platforms 28.

[00022] A method, according to the present disclosure, for storing palletized items 12 on racking system 10 is next described. A plurality of horizontally-disposed pallets 24 arranged in a three-pallet- wide side-by-side configuration 26 and having palletized items 12 stacked thereon is provided. Also provided is a fork-lift vehicle 18 having extendable mast 34 and a plurality of forwardly-projecting forks 27 arranged to simultaneously engage within the plurality of horizontally-disposed pallets 24 arranged in the three-pallet-wide side-by-side configuration 26. At least one of the racking systems 10 is provided, which at least one racking system 10 includes the pair of vertically-disposed and parallel side-supports 14 and the plurality of horizontally-disposed and co-planar overhead support platforms 28. The support platforms 28 are secured to one of the side-supports 14 and inner ends 32 of the support platforms 28 define a separation distance and clearance space D ₂ to accommodate the entrance of vertically-extendable mast 34 of fork-lift vehicle 18. The support platforms 28 support or include support members 40, which support members 40 are each sized to support a full width 46 of one of the three side-by-side pallets 24 and first or end portion 48 of middle pallet 50 of the three side-by-side pallets 24, and the second or intermediate portion 52 of middle pallet 50 spans separation distance and clearance space D ₂ .

[00023] A fork-lift operator loads the three-pallet- wide configuration 26 on the plurality of forks 27 and vertically extends vertically-extendable mast 34 to a height above support platforms 28. The operator moves fork-lift vehicle 18 such that vertically-extended mast 34 is positioned within the separation distance and clearance space D ₂ to position the

three-pallet- wide configuration 26 over the support platforms 28. The operator then lowers extendable mast 34 to deposit the three-pallet- wide configuration 26 onto the support platforms 28. The three-pallet- wide configuration 26 is deposited such that two of the pallets 24 are fully supported by support platforms 28 and the third or middle pallet 50 has first or end portions 48 supported by support platforms 28 and the second or intermediate portion 52 spans the separation distance and clearance space D ₂ between inner ends 32 of support platforms 28. [00024] Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.