Storage support member with connection portion

Abstract

Warehouse support structures capable of supporting 3000 pounds or more are fastened to the inside surface of a horizontal support beam attached to a vertical column. A structural support member spans the horizontal support beams and support a platform, such as a mesh platform is supported thereon. The support member can be an inverted formed U or an angle beam. The angle beam should have an attachment bracket secured to each end, at a height to permit the platform to have the same height as the horizontal beam. The mesh platform should nest in the inside surface of the horizontal beam, between the support member and the beam. The construction presents a smooth, easy to assemble, snag free construction.

1 . A storage system, comprising:
 a first and a second horizontal support beam, each having a concave inner surface facing the concave inner surface of the other support beam;   a plurality of support members coupled to the support beams, perpendicular to the support beams and extending from the first support beam to the second support beam, the support members having a central section with a load bearing upward facing surface and first and second ends, and first and second connection portions extending, respectively, from each end of the central section, the first and second connection portions adapted to be secured to the concave inner surface of the first and second support beams;   a deck structure with an upward facing storage surface on the load bearing surface, the deck structure having a first edge along the first support beam and a second edge along the second support beam, the first and second edges extending downward with respect to the storage surface;   the first and second edges of the deck structure nested along the concave inner surface of the first and second support beams, respectively, and the first and second connection portions nested along the first and second edges, respectively, and the first and second connection portions are secured to the respective first and second support beams with the respective first and second edges therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein a bolt extends through the first support beam, the first edge and the connection portion, in that order, with the head of the bolt outside the support beam. 
     
     
         3 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the deck is formed of a plurality of lower rods perpendicular to the support members and a plurality of upper rods, on the lower rods, perpendicular to the lower rods, the upper rods extending downward at the first and second edges. 
     
     
         4 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the support members is cold formed from a single piece of metal and the central section has a U-shaped, curved, dome-like cross section with an upwardly pointing apex. 
     
     
         5 . The storage system of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second connection portions of the at least one support member includes a respective first and second flat portion with at least one bolt receiving hole therethrough, the flat portion extending downward from the respective first and second ends of the central section. 
     
     
         6 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the support members has an L-shaped cross section, with a flat upper wall and a vertical wall extending downward from a vertex with the upper wall. 
     
     
         7 . The storage system of  claim 6 , wherein the connection portion comprises an L-shaped metal piece joined to the central portion. 
     
     
         8 . The storage system of  claim 6 , wherein the connection portion comprises an L-shaped metal piece welded to the vertical wall. 
     
     
         9 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the support beams are C-beams having an inner facing concave surface defined by a top flange, a vertical wall and a bottom flange, wherein the first and second edges of the deck structure conform to the shape of a surface of the top flange and vertical wall of the C-beam. 
     
     
         10 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the deck structure has a width in the direction from the first to the second support beam of at least 40 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the central section has a uniform cross section. 
     
     
         12 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the connection portion includes at least 3 bolt receiving holes, each a different distance below the load bearing surface. 
     
     
         13 . The storage system of  claim 1 , comprising at least 3 similar support members. 
     
     
         14 . The storage system of  claim 3 , wherein rods are formed of steel. 
     
     
         15 . The storage system of  claim 4 , wherein the support members are formed from steel. 
     
     
         16 . The storage system of  claim 6 , wherein the support members are formed from steel. 
     
     
         17 . A storage system, comprising:
 a deck structure with an upward facing storage surface, the deck structure having a first side and a second side opposite and parallel to the first side, a first edge extending downward from the first side and a second edge extending downward from the second side;   a plurality of support members, perpendicular to the first and second sides, the support members having a central section with a load bearing upward facing surface supporting the deck structure, and first and second ends, with first and second connection portions extending, respectively, from each end, the first and second connection portions adapted to be secured to the concave inner surface of a horizontal C-beam;   the first and second connection portions nested along the first and second edges, respectively, and the first and second connection portions are securable to the connection portions.   
     
     
         18 . The storage system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the support members is cold formed from a single piece of metal and the central section has a U-shaped, curved, dome-like cross section with an upwardly pointing apex. 
     
     
         19 . The storage system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the support beams has an L-shaped cross section, with a flat upper wall and a vertical wall extending downward from a vertex with the upper wall. 
     
     
         20 . A storage system, comprising:
 a structural support member having a central section more than about 40 inches long, having a first end and a second end;   an attachment portion secured to the first and second ends, the attachment portion having a flat attachment surface perpendicular to the axis of the central portion and adapted to be attached to a horizontal support beam;   the central section having an L-shaped cross section, with a top wall extending horizontally from a vertex and a side wall extending vertically from the vertex at a right angle to the top wall.