Transportable part rack

Abstract

A rack for the transport of thin wall parts such as automotive body panels stampings has a steel frame with two parallel channels positioned on either side of a planar floor member. Each channel has a series of parallel slots which receive tabs extending downwardly from parallel plastic leaves. The leaves are restricted from removal from the rack by rods which extend through the frame beneath the channels and through rod openings in the tabs. The plastic leaves are of two types having side structures which do not nest. Because the leaves are not hinged to the floor member, they will stay in either position due to gravity. The non-nesting leaf side structures permit a plurality of leaves to be flipped from one position to the other simultaneously.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A rack assembly for supporting a plurality of workpieces, the rack assembly comprising: 
 a rigid frame having a top wall having portions defining a plurality of sidewardly extending slots, the slots being spaced parallel to one another in a front to back direction;    a plurality of upwardly extending panels, wherein each panel has at least one downwardly extending tab which extends through one of said frame slots;    portions of each panel tab defining a rod opening; and    a first rod extending from front to back through a tab of each of the panels, the rod being positioned beneath the frame top wall, wherein the panels are restricted against upward removal from the frame by engagement with the first rod and are free to pivot within the slots between a first position spaced from an adjoining panel to define a loading opening, and a second position in contact with the adjoining panel.