Barrel rack

Abstract

A barrel rack is provided for supporting a plurality of barrels thereon, and preferably also for being stacked atop barrels to stabilize them and permit the support of additional barrels. The barrel rack is preferably a unitary member molded of synthetic material, and may be symmetrical about a horizontal plane extending through its center. It is provided with a plurality of cradle beds which support the barrel in an elevated position and permit the circulation of air around the barells stored thereon. The barrel rack may receive casters permitting the barrel rack to be used as a transport device for moving barrels received thereon.

1 . A barrel rack adapted for holding a plurality of barrels above a supporting surface, said barrel rack comprising:
 a first cradle wall having laterally spaced first and second upper cradle beds each respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface;   a second cradle wall having laterally spaced third and fourth upper cradle beds each respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface;   a first connecting member extending between and interconnecting the first and second cradle walls and integrally formed therewith;   a second connecting member oriented substantially parallel to and extending between and interconnecting the first and second cradle walls and integrally formed therewith;   at least one intermediate support positioned intermediate and substantially parallel to the first connecting member and the second connecting member and extending between and interconnecting the first cradle wall and the second cradle wall and integrally formed therewith,   wherein the first connecting member, the second connecting member, and the at least one intermediate support position the first cradle wall opposite to the second cradle wall in spaced relationship with said first and second upper cradle beds longitudinally aligned respectively with said third and fourth upper cradle beds whereby a barrel received on said first and third upper cradle beds or said second and fourth upper cradle beds is retained against lateral movement respective to the barrel rack.   
     
     
         2 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second cradle walls include a plurality of feet having substantially flat surfaces thereon for engagement with a supporting surface. 
     
     
         3 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , including a plurality of wheels mounted to each of said first and second cradle walls. 
     
     
         4 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first cradle wall includes laterally spaced first and second lower cradle beds, each of said first and second lower cradle beds being substantially a mirror image of said first and second upper cradle beds and respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface, said first upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said first lower cradle bed, and said second upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said second lower cradle bed;   said second cradle wall includes laterally spaced third and fourth lower cradle beds, each said third and fourth lower cradle beds being substantially a mirror image of said third and fourth upper cradle beds and respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface, said third upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said third lower cradle bed, and said fourth upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said fourth lower cradle bed; and wherein   said first lower cradle bed and said third lower cradle bed are substantially longitudinally aligned and said second lower cradle bed and said fourth lower cradle bed are substantially longitudinally aligned.   
     
     
         5 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said first and second upper cradle beds are arranged on a first upwardly-facing surface of said first cradle wall and said first and second lower cradle beds are arranged on a first downwardly-facing surface of said first cradle wall, and wherein said third and fourth upper cradle beds are arranged on a second upwardly-facing surface of said second cradle wall and said third and fourth lower cradle beds are arranged on a second downwardly-facing surface of said second cradle wall, and wherein each of said first and second upwardly facing surfaces and each of said first and second downwardly facing surfaces includes a plurality of feet each having a flat surface adapted for engaging a supporting surface. 
     
     
         6 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein each of said first and second cradle walls includes structure defining at least one opening therein, said at least one opening of said first cradle wall being positioned vertically between said first upwardly-facing surface and said first downwardly-facing surface of said first cradle wall and said at least one opening of said second cradle wall being positioned vertically between said second upwardly-facing surface and said second downwardly-facing surface of said second cradle wall. 
     
     
         7 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein each of said first and second cradle walls includes at least a first and a second opening therein, said first opening of said first cradle wall being positioned intermediate and substantially equidistant between said first upper cradle bed and said first lower cradle bed, said second opening of said first cradle wall being positioned intermediate and substantially equidistant between said second upper cradle bed and said second lower cradle bed, said first opening of said second cradle wall being positioned intermediate and substantially equidistant between said third upper cradle bed and said third lower cradle bed, and said second opening of said second cradle wall being positioned intermediate and substantially equidistant between said fourth upper cradle bed and said fourth lower cradle bed. 
     
     
         8 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second cradle walls includes portions extending downwardly from said first and second connecting members, whereby said first and second connecting members are elevated above the supporting surface when the barrel rack is placed thereon. 
     
     
         9 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second cradle walls includes portions extending upwardly from said first and second connecting members. 
     
     
         10 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second cradle walls include a pair of cradle frames corresponding to respective cradle beds, said cradle frames being integrally foamed with and connected by bridges positioned intermediate the cradle frames and laterally spacing the cradle frames and their corresponding cradle beds on a cradle wall from one another. 
     
     
         11 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the bridges of each of said first and second cradle walls include upwardly extending posts positioned respectively intermediate the first and second cradle beds and intermediate the third and fourth cradle beds and downwardly extending posts positioned between the cradle frames of each of said cradle walls, wherein each of said first and second cradle walls include a plurality of feet having substantially flat surfaces thereon for engagement with a supporting surface, and wherein said downwardly extending posts include substantially flat surfaces which are substantially co-planar with the substantially flat surfaces of said feet. 
     
     
         12 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second connecting members each include an upper and a lower surface, and wherein each of said first and second connecting members include an opening positioned between the upper and lower surface and between the first and second cradle walls. 
     
     
         13 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second upper cradle beds of said first and second cradle walls has an interior edge and an exterior edge, and wherein said interior edge is positioned lower that and slopes upwardly to the exterior edge. 
     
     
         14 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein each of said first and second upper cradle beds of said first and second cradle walls has an inboard edge relatively more proximate a respective one of the connecting members and an inboard edge relatively more proximate the at least one intermediate support than the outboard edge, and wherein the inboard edge and the outboard edge of a respective cradle bed arc oriented to intersect whereby a portion of each of the respective inboard and outboard edges proximate the exterior edge of a respective cradle bed are more proximate one another than a portion of the respective inboard and outboard edges proximate the interior edge of the said respective cradle bed. 
     
     
         15 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , the first cradle wall including an upwardly extending stanchion positioned between said first and second upper cradle beds, and said second cradle wall including an upwardly extending stanchion positioned between said third and fourth cradle beds, wherein said stanchions include surfaces having holes therein. 
     
     
         16 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third cradle wall having laterally spaced fifth and sixth upper cradle beds each respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface;   a fourth cradle wall having laterally spaced seventh and eighth upper cradle beds each respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface;   a third connecting member extending between and interconnecting the third and fourth cradle walls and integrally formed therewith;   a fourth connecting member extending between and interconnecting the third and fourth cradle walls and integrally formed therewith;   at least another intermediate support positioned intermediate and substantially parallel to the third connecting member and the fourth connecting member and extending between and interconnecting the third cradle wall and the fourth cradle wall and integrally formed therewith;   a plurality of beams extending between and interconnecting said second and third cradle walls in spaced relationship to one another;   wherein the third cradle wall is oriented substantially parallel to the first, second and fourth cradle walls; and   wherein the third connecting member, the fourth connecting member, and the at least another intermediate support position the third cradle wall opposite to the fourth cradle wall in spaced relationship with said fifth and sixth upper cradle beds longitudinally aligned respectively with said seventh and eighth upper cradle beds whereby a barrel received on said fifth and seventh upper cradle beds or said sixth and eighth upper cradle beds is retained against lateral movement respective to the barrel rack.   
     
     
         17 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the third connecting member is substantially longitudinally aligned with the first connecting member, wherein the fourth connecting member is substantially longitudinally aligned with the second connecting member; and wherein the third cradle wall is substantially parallel to said second cradle wall and spaced therefrom by said plurality of beams. 
     
     
         18 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the first upper cradle bed is longitudinally aligned with the third, fifth and seventh upper cradle beds, and the second upper cradle bed is longitudinally aligned with the fourth, sixth and eighth upper cradle beds. 
     
     
         19 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein:
 said first cradle wall includes laterally spaced first and second lower cradle beds, each of said first and second lower cradle beds being substantially a mirror image of said first and second upper cradle beds and respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface, said first upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said first lower cradle bed, and said second upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said second lower cradle bed;   said second cradle wall includes laterally spaced third and fourth lower cradle beds, each said third and fourth lower cradle beds being substantially a mirror image of said third and fourth upper cradle beds and respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface, said third upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said third lower cradle bed, and said fourth upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said fourth lower cradle bed;   said third cradle wall includes laterally spaced fifth and sixth lower cradle beds, each of said fifth and sixth lower cradle beds being substantially a mirror image of said fifth and sixth upper cradle beds and respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface, said fifth upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said fifth lower cradle bed, and said sixth upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said sixth lower cradle bed;   said fourth cradle wall includes laterally spaced seventh and eighth lower cradle beds, each said seventh and eighth lower cradle beds being substantially a mirror image of said seventh and eighth upper cradle beds and respectively configured to complementally mate with at least a portion of a barrel surface, said seventh upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said seventh lower cradle bed, and said eighth upper cradle bed being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane, aligned vertically above and spaced from said eighth lower cradle bed; and   wherein said fifth lower cradle bed and said seventh lower cradle bed are substantially longitudinally aligned and said sixth lower cradle bed and said eighth lower cradle bed are substantially longitudinally aligned.   
     
     
         20 . A barrel rack as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein at least one of said plurality of beams is longitudinally aligned with said first connecting member and said third connecting member and wherein at least another of said plurality of beams is aligned with said at least one and said at least another of said intermediate supports.