Industrial tool chest with modular shelving

Abstract

A mobile industrial tool chest having modular shelving is provided. A frame having a top, a base and a rear wall therebetween defines an interior of a first embodiment of the tool chest. A pair of generally L-shaped doors are pivotally coupled to the frame on opposite sides and adjacent to the rear wall. The doors are movable between open positions where access to an interior of the tool chest is permitted and closed positions where access to the interior of the tool chest is prohibited. The shelving brackets are preferably arranged in a plurality of vertical columns. A plurality of variously shaped shelves are provided for removable coupling with the shelf brackets. A second embodiment of the tool chest defines an interior of the tool chest by a back wall and first and second side walls. The interior of the second embodiment similarly includes columns of shelving brackets accessible through an opening in the front of the tool chest. A retractable roll-up door is provided to control access to the interior of the second embodiment.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An industrial tool chest comprising: 
 a frame having a base and a top, the frame defining an interior of the tool chest;    a plurality of shelf brackets supported on the frame intermediate the base and the top and in the interior of the chest for supporting modular shelving; and    at least one door movable between an open position whereby access to the interior of the tool chest is permitted and a closed position whereby access to the interior of the tool chest is prevented.    
     
     
         2 . The tool chest of  claim 1 , wherein each shelf bracket includes a pair of generally horizontal crossbars, wherein the pair of crossbars are generally parallel to each other and wherein the pair of crossbars are spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance.  
     
     
         3 . The tool chest of  claim 2 , further comprising a modular shelf for removable connection with the shelf bracket, the shelf having a rear wall with top and bottom edges and an attachment flange extending rearwardly therefrom adjacent the top edge.  
     
     
         4 . The tool chest of  claim 3 , wherein the pair of crossbars of the shelf bracket include an upper crossbar and a lower crossbar, wherein the attachment flange abuts the upper crossbar and facilitates the removable connecting of the shelf to the bracket, and wherein the lower crossbar abuts the rear wall adjacent the bottom edge.  
     
     
         5 . The tool chest of  claim 4 , wherein the attachment flange is generally L-shaped, wherein the attachment flange and the rear wall cooperate to define a generally upside down J-shaped portion, and wherein the shelf is removably connected with the shelf bracket by the upper crossbar being received in the upside down J-shaped portion.  
     
     
         6 . The tool chest of  claim 1 , wherein the door is supported on the frame and wherein a plurality of the shelf brackets are supported on the door whereby the shelf brackets on the door are not in the interior of the tool chest when the door is in the open position.  
     
     
         7 . The tool chest of  claim 6 , further comprising a second door movable between open and closed positions, wherein the second door is supported on the frame and wherein a plurality of the shelf brackets are supported on the second door whereby the shelf brackets on the second door are not in the interior of the tool chest when the second door is in the open position.  
     
     
         8 . The tool chest of  claim 7 , wherein a plurality of the shelf brackets are in the interior of the tool chest when both doors are in their open position.  
     
     
         9 . The tool chest of  claim 1 , wherein the base and top are generally horizontal, wherein the frame includes a back wall which extends between the base and top and which is generally vertical, and wherein a plurality of the shelf brackets extend from the back wall towards a front of the tool chest to define a divider.  
     
     
         10 . The tool chest of  claim 9 , wherein shelf brackets in the divider are aligned in a vertical column.  
     
     
         11 . The tool chest of  claim 10 , wherein the divider includes two columns of shelf brackets, wherein both columns are generally perpendicular to the back wall of the frame, wherein both columns of shelf brackets have back sides, and wherein the two columns of shelf brackets are arranged in a back-to-back relationship whereby shelves may be hung on opposite sides of the divider.  
     
     
         12 . The tool chest of  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of the shelf brackets in the divider include upper and lower generally horizontal crossbars which are generally parallel to each other.  
     
     
         13 . The tool chest of  claim 12 , further comprising a second door movable between open and closed positions, wherein both doors have at least one of the plurality of shelf brackets mounted thereon, wherein one of the doors is pivotally coupled with the frame adjacent the back wall on one side of the divider, and wherein the other door is pivotally coupled with the frame adjacent the back wall on the opposite side of the divider.  
     
     
         14 . The tool chest of  claim 9 , wherein the back wall includes a rear door, wherein the back wall includes a rear storage area and wherein the rear storage area is accessible by the rear door.  
     
     
         15 . The tool chest of  claim 1 , further comprising an air compressor, wherein at least a portion of the frame is constructed of tubing which defines an interior chamber, and wherein the interior chamber of the frame serves as a tank for storing air compressed by the air compressor.  
     
     
         16 . The tool chest of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical outlet connected to the frame, wherein the tool chest may be connected to an electrical power source thereby providing power to the electrical outlet, and whereby electrical tools or devices may be plugged in to the electrical outlet of the tool box and receive power therefrom.  
     
     
         17 . A mobile industrial tool chest comprising: 
 a frame having a base, a top and a back wall, wherein the top is spaced apart from the base by the back wall and wherein the base, top and back wall define an interior of the tool chest;    a plurality of castors mounted on the base for mobility;    a door mounted on the frame for movement between open and closed positions, wherein the door permits access to the interior of the tool chest when in the open position and wherein the door prevents access to the interior of the tool chest when in the closed position ; and    a plurality of shelf brackets supported on the frame in the interior of the chest for supporting modular shelving, wherein a plurality of the shelf brackets include an upper crossbar and a lower crossbar spaced apart from each other in a generally parallel orientation.    
     
     
         18 . The tool chest of  claim 17 , wherein a plurality of the shelf brackets having upper and lower crossbars are arranged in a vertical column whereby the upper and lower crossbars are contained in a plane.  
     
     
         19 . The tool chest of  claim 18 , wherein a plurality of the shelf brackets having upper and lower crossbars are arranged in at least two vertical columns and wherein one of the columns is a door column supported on an interior of the door whereby the shelf brackets in the door column are movable from the interior of the tool chest to a location outside the interior of the tool chest when the door is moved to the open position.