Electronic equipment rack

Abstract

A two-post electronic equipment rack of this invention is adapted for holding telecommunication equipment and the like. The rack comprises a structural frame including a base and a pair of posts secured to the base and extending up from the base adjacent opposite sides of the base. Each of the posts comprises substantially vertical front and back tubular frame members having a centerline spacing of less than about twelve in. The structural frame also includes a plurality of cross braces connecting the front and back tubular frame members of each of the two posts. A plurality of substantially vertical equipment mounting rails not constituting part of the structural frame are attached to the structural frame for mounting the equipment on the rack.

1 . A two-post electronic equipment rack, comprising 
 a structural frame including a base and a pair of posts secured to the base and extending up from the base adjacent opposite sides of the base,    each of said posts comprising substantially vertical front and back tubular frame members having a centerline spacing of less than about twelve in.,    said structural frame further comprising a plurality of cross braces connecting the front and back tubular frame members of each of said posts, and    a plurality of non-structural substantially vertical equipment mounting rails attached to said structural frame for mounting said equipment on the rack.    
   
   
       2 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said mounting rails are movable independent of the frame whereby during a seismic event the mounting rails are adapted to move at a harmonic frequency different from the harmonic frequency of said structural frame.  
   
   
       3 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said structural frame also includes a substantially horizontal front top frame member connecting upper ends of the front tubular frame members and a substantially horizontal back top frame member connecting upper ends of the back tubular frame members, and wherein said plurality of cross braces include a pair of upper cross braces at opposite sides of the frame spaced below the upper ends of the front and back tubular members for defining, in combination with said front and back top frame members, a space sized and configured to receive cable or a cable tray for holding cable extending across the rack at a level at or below a top of the rack.  
   
   
       4 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the rack has open sides, an open front and an open back to permit routing of cable to and from said equipment through said open sides, said open front and said open back.  
   
   
       5 . A rack as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the rack has an open top and an open bottom to permit routing of cable to and from said equipment through said open top and bottom.  
   
   
       6 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said base comprises a front base frame member connecting lower ends of the front tubular frame members, a back base frame member connecting lower ends of the back tubular frame members, and a pair of side gussets connecting respective front and back tubular frame members, said side gussets having upright plate portions attached to respective front and back tubular frame members and lower plate portions underlying respective front and back base frame members.  
   
   
       7 . A rack as set forth in  claim 6  further comprising reinforcing slabs overlying respective base frame members and respective lower plate portions of the side gussets, said slabs, base frame members and respective lower plate portions of the side gussets having vertically aligned openings therein for receiving fasteners for securing the rack to a floor.  
   
   
       8 . A rack as set forth in  claim 7  wherein the distance between a center of one set of said vertically aligned openings and a respective tubular frame member is about 2 in.  
   
   
       9 . A rack as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said base further comprises a plurality of interior gussets above respective base frame members, each interior gusset having an upright portion attached to a vertical leg of a respective front or back base frame member and a lower portion overlying a lower leg of a respective front or back base frame member.  
   
   
       10 . A rack as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the lower portions of said interior gussets are sandwiched between the lower legs of respective base frame members and respective reinforcing slabs, and wherein said lower portions of said interior gussets have openings therein vertically aligned with openings in respective slabs, respective lower legs of the base frame members, and lower plate portions of respective side gussets for receiving said fasteners.  
   
   
       11 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cross braces have a vertical dimension greater than at least about 0.5 times the horizontal distance between respective front and back tubular frame members.  
   
   
       12 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said tubular frame members are generally rectangular in cross section, and wherein said mounting rails comprise vertical angle bars secured to said cross braces.