Weapons storage system and kit   

Abstract: In a weapons storage system or kit for constructing a weapons storage system, sidewalls, and a top wall are provided which, when assembled, form a cabinet. At least one weapons back panel section has a plurality of keyhole shaped apertures in rows and columns substantially throughout the back panel section, the at least one back panel section being mountable in or at a rear of said cabinet. A plurality of weapons support members each having a plurality of outwardly extending mounting protrusions each comprising an enlarged head and narrower neck portion are receivable in corresponding keyhole shaped apertures of the at least one back panel section for construction of the weapons storage system.

Weapons storage cabinets and/or racks are known for storing weapons such as rifles, semi-automatic weapons, and hand guns. Some of such prior art cabinets or racks can be expensive to manufacture and some may have limited flexibility and adaptability for different types of weapons and arrangements of the weapons. Furthermore, some may have durability issues and/or security issues.

Four-post storage shelving units are known in the prior art such as shown at 10 in FIG. 1A. These units are sold as part kits to be assembled by the customer or an assembler hired by the customer. Such four-post shelving units 10 are typically constructed of four metal vertical posts 11A, B, C, D having a cross-section as shown at 11B in FIG. 1BA (which also shows the addition of a sidewall 14 described below for FIG. 1B) and have a plurality of metal shelves 12. The vertical posts 11A and 11B are attached by horizontal metal spacers 100A, 100B, 100C to form a first vertical upright assembly 102. Similarly the vertical posts 11C and 11D are attached by respective metal spacers 101A, 101B, 101C to form a second vertical upright assembly 103. In the part kits to be assembled by the customer or an assembler hired by the customer, the respective vertical upright assemblies 102 and 103 are shipped to the customer. The shelves rest on shelf supports such as shown at 13 in FIG. 2 which are horizontally extending from the left front corner post 11A to the right front corner post 11D, and from the left rear corner post 11B to the right rear corner post 11C, and have at each end preferably two outwardly extending mounting protrusions 13A which are received in keyhole shaped apertures 11 BB shown in FIG. 2 arranged in the inwardly facing inside surface of the corner posts such as 11B. These protrusions have an enlarged head 13AA and narrower neck portion 13AB. The shelves 12 then rest at their front and back edges on the horizontal lip 13AC with up-turned edge 13AD of the respective shelf supports 13.

The storage shelving unit 10 of FIG. 1A can be converted to a partially enclosed cabinet 8 also sold as a kit, and as shown in prior art FIG. 1B by adding the metal sidewalls 14, 15, a top 16, and a back wall 18. The metal sidewall 14 and the corner posts 11A and 11B joined to the sidewall 14 form a first metal vertical upright assembly 104 and sidewall 15 together with the respective corner posts 11C and 11D form a second metal vertical upright assembly 105. The vertical upright assemblies 104 and 105 are shipped to the customer in the kit. Various items may be placed on the shelves of the shelving unit 10 of FIG. 1A or the cabinet 8 of FIG. 1B.

FIG. 1BC is a fragmentary cross-sectional top view showing how the backwall 18 is attached by use of bent portions 18A and 18B. Bent portion 18B is sandwiched between the shelf support 13 and the inside surface of the corner post 11B.

As shown in FIG. 1 BA showing a horizontal cross-section through the vertical post 11B, the keyhole-shaped apertures 11BB running along the inside facing surface of the post 11B are mounted on an inside wall 90B spaced from an outside wall 90A. The edge 14A of the metal sidewall 14 (or metal spacers 100A, 100B 100C in the case of FIG. 1A) is received in sandwich-like fashion between an outer wall 90C and an inner wall 90D closely spaced to the outer wall 90C, thus forming a thin slot receiving the edge 14A of the sidewall 14 (or metal spacers 100A, 100B, 100C in the case of FIG. 1A). The sidewall 14 (or metal spacers 100A, 100B, 100C in the case of FIG. 1A) can be secured in place by welds 1.

If two or more shelving units 10 as shown in FIG. 1A or enclosed cabinets 8 as shown in FIG. 1B are to be joined side by side, then at the joinder of such shelving units or cabinets the corner posts have a different construction as shown by the horizontal cross-sectional view illustrated in FIG. 1 BB. Here the common corner post 3 has a back wall 91 C and two front walls 91A and 91B having respective keyhole-shaped apertures 3A and 3B facing inwardly. Receiving walls 91D and 91E closely spaced to each other then receive the edge 2A of a sidewall 2 (or metal spacers in the case of FIG. 1A) in sandwich fashion where they are welded as indicated at 92.

It is also known in the prior art as shown in FIG. 3 to provide a rotatable storage shelving cabinet as generally shown at 19. Such a cabinet 19 has an internal rotatable shelving unit 20 and a surrounding outer cabinet 21 formed of sidewalls 22, 23, a top 24, and a base 6.

The rotatable unit 20 has two sidewalls 20A, 20B and a central dividing wall 20C shown in FIG. 4, in dashed lines, which creates a first compartment 26 at one side and a second compartment 27 at the opposite side. These compartments are shown in FIG. 4 in dashed lines.

In each compartment 26 and 27 a plurality of the shelves 28 are arranged.

Attached to rotatable unit sidewalls 20A, 20B are first and second channels 4, 5 at the inside thereof having respective louvers 31A, 31B receiving respective tabs 28A, 28B of the shelves 28 as illustrated in prior art FIG. 5.

In prior art FIGS. 3 and 4 vertical front panels 32A, 32B are provided at a front opening of the outer cabinet 21, and vertical back panels 33A, 33B are provided at a back opening of the outer cabinet 21. It may be appreciated when the rotatable unit 20 is turned so that one of the respective sidewalls 20A, 20B is at the front opening and back opening of the cabinet, the shelves in compartments 26 and 27 are not accessible from the front or back until the rotatable unit is turned by approximately 90 degrees. In such a secure configuration the rotatable unit can be locked in place so that the respective sidewall 20A or 20B now serves as a blocking front wall or back wall of the cabinet.

SUMMARY

It is an object to provide an improved weapon storage system and kit which has improved flexibility for accommodating a variety of different weapons configurations, is strong and durable, is adapted for providing improved security, and has reduced manufacturing cost.

In a weapons storage system or kit for constructing a weapons storage system, sidewalls and a top wall are provided which, when assembled, form a cabinet. At least one weapons back panel section has a plurality of keyhole shaped apertures in rows and columns substantially throughout the back panel section, the at least one back panel section being mountable in or at a rear of said cabinet. A plurality of weapons support members each having a plurality of outwardly extending mounting protrusions each comprising an enlarged head and narrower neck portion are receivable in corresponding keyhole shaped apertures of the at least one back panel section for construction of the weapons storage system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates in perspective a prior art four post storage shelving unit;

FIG. 1B illustrates in perspective the four post shelving unit of FIG. 1A but with sides, a back, and a top enclosing the shelving unit to form a prior art four post storage shelving cabinet;

FIG. 1 BA is a horizontal cross-section of a left rear corner post of FIG. 1B taken along section line IBB-IBB in FIG. 1B;

FIG. 1 BB is a horizontal cross-section of an alternate embodiment of a corner post where two of the cabinets such as shown in FIG. 1B are adjacent and attached to one another side by side;

FIG. 1BC is a fragmentary cross-sectional top view showing how a backwall is attached in the shelving unit shown in FIG. 1B;

FIG. 2 shows in perspective a prior art shelf support as used at a front edge and a back edge of the shelves in the shelving unit of FIG. 1A and cabinet of FIG. 1B to support the shelves at various adjustable shelf heights;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a prior art rotatable storage shelving cabinet;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an interior of one of the sidewalls of the rotatable shelving cabinet of FIG. 3 in greater detail and with the internal rotatable shelving unit illustrated in dashed lines;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective segment view illustrating engagement of tabs of a shelf in shelf holding members formed as louvers in the internal rotatable shelving unit of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a first embodiment of an improved weapons storage system and kit based upon a unique use of the parts of the prior art four post storage shelving cabinet;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the improved weapons storage system and kit of FIG. 6 with one of the sides removed for clarity;

FIGS. 8A through 8I illustrate various components which may be used in the improved weapons storage system and kit;

FIG. 9A-9E illustrate additional components which may be used in the improved weapons storage system and kit according to the first embodiment or in a second embodiment of FIG. 10;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the improved weapons storage system and kit based upon a unique use of the parts of the prior art rotatable storage shelving cabinet of FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the second embodiment of the improved weapons storage system and kit shown in FIG. 10;

FIGS. 12, 13, and 14 show in perspective installation of components which may be employed when creating the second embodiment of the improved weapons storage system and kit of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 15A-15I illustrate in perspective various components which may be employed in the unique use of to create the system and kit illustrated in FIG. 10.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system and method and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates are included.

A first preferred embodiment of the improved weapons storage system and kit of parts for assembly of said system will now be described with respect to FIGS. 6-9. In this first embodiment, many of the parts of the prior art four post storage shelving cabinet of the type illustrated in FIG. 1B are used to create the improved weapons storage system and kit for assembly thereof are shown at 35 in FIG. 6.

For the kit to assemble the system, the backwall of the prior art cabinet FIG. 1B is retained, but may also be removed or not used. One or more weapons unit back panel sections 36 are employed to form an overall panel 38 serving as a mounting panel. The number of back panel sections 36 used depends on how high the improved weapons storage system cabinet 37 is intended to be. FIG. 8A shows one of the back panel sections 36 to create the back panel 38. The section 36 has a plurality of keyhole shaped apertures 39 arranged in rows and columns preferably throughout the back panel section 36. A narrower portion of the keyhole shape is arranged below a larger portion of the keyhole shape which is large enough to accommodate insertion of the head of a mounting protrusion discussed hereafter.

As shown in FIG. 7 with one of the sides of the cabinet removed and not showing the front doors, the back panel sections 36 are installed to a front side of the existing back posts 11B and 11C. The previous backwall 18, instead of being removed, may be retained from the prior art cabinet shown at FIG. 1B, providing a more finished exterior look and added strength. The sections 36 are now installed by the protrusions 36A, B, C, D shown in dashed lines in FIG. 8A in the keyhole shaped apertures 11BB of the rear corner post 11B on one side or the respective keyhole shaped apertures in rear post 11C on the other side.

The cabinet 37 is formed of the existing sidewalls 14, 15, backwall 18, and top 16 from the prior art cabinet FIG. 1B. Also the existing floor 9 from the prior art unit FIG. 1B may be retained. Also front doors 5A and 5B may be added.

Components relative to weapons storage may now be added to the cabinet 37. These additional components may be added in various orders, although preferably one may start with installation of a sloped bottom shelf 40 illustrated in FIG. 8G which is installed as shown in FIG. 7. The sloped bottom shelf 40 has a sloped top surface 40A and on which various weapons such as an assault rifle 41 having a stock 41A may rest at a butt end 41AA. The sloped bottom shelf rests on a front shelf support 96 attached to the front corner posts by protrusions and keyhole-shaped apertures and a back shelf support 97 attached to the lowest back panel section 36 by protrusions and keyhole-shaped apertures 39.

Slots 43A, 43B, 43C are provided in the sloped top surface 40A of the bottom shelf 40 as shown in FIG. 8G. These slots may receive positioning tabs 45A, 45B, 45C of a bottom shelf stop 45 which may be installed by front lip screws 61A, 61B in a front lip 45D of stop 45 and screwed to the top surface 40A of the shelf 40 as a stop surface for the stock 41A of the weapons 41.

Instead of, or in addition to, a sloped bottom shelf 40, one or more individual weapon stock sloped supporting shelves each of which can accommodate and support one or more individual weapon stocks as shown at 46 in FIG. 81 may be mounted to the lower back panel section 36 in varying locations laterally or vertically by engaging mounting protrusions 46A, 46B into corresponding keyhole shaped apertures 39 of the back panel section 36. These protrusions have a widened head mounted on a neck which are secured to the back vertical mounting surface 46C attached at an angle to an upwardly sloped floor portion 46D having lips 46DA and 46DB and end wall 46DC so as to form a pocket 47 receiving butt end 41AA of the stock 41A of the weapon 41.

Next, for example, a stock saddle 48 shown in FIG. 8F is mounted and which has a vertical mounting surface 48A with mounting protrusions 49A, B, C, for engagement in keyhole shaped apertures 39 of back panel section 36 at the bottom of the cabinet. The stock saddle 48 has a plurality of slots 50 in a horizontal surface 48B and at a substantial right angle to the vertical mounting surface 48A. These slots 50 have a cushioning member 51 for receiving and not damaging the stock 41A of the weapon. The stock saddle may also have sidewalls 48C, 48D. A plurality of stock saddles may be employed adjacent to each other or at different levels depending on the type of weapon and/or the dimensions of the stock for the particular weapon being received.

Thereafter, a barrel saddle 51 shown in FIG. 8E may be mounted to, for example, one of the central back panel sections 36, again by use of protrusions 52A, 52B, 52C. These protrusions are mounted on a vertical mounting surface 51A and are received in the keyhole shaped apertures 39 of one of the central back panel sections 36.

As also shown in FIG. 8E, a horizontal support section 51B is provided at a right angle to the vertical mounting surface 51A and has a slot 51C having at an edge thereof a cushioning member 53. Support sidewalls 51C, 51D are also provided. It should be noted that these barrel saddles 51 may be located at various locations depending upon the size of the weapon so as to receive the gun barrel 41B of the assault weapon 41 for example as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Next, for example, as also shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 a handgun bracket with clip compartment 54 as shown in FIG. 8D may be provided for receiving handguns 55 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The handgun bracket 54 may be designed to hold one or more of a plurality of the handguns within the same bracket 54. Individual receiving bracket sections 54A each have a slot 54AA. Also a corresponding clip compartment for a gun clip may be provided for the respective handgun as shown at 54C.

Of course it is not necessary to have a handgun holder if only assault rifles or other types of rifles, for example, are being stored.

The handgun holder 54 has a back support wall 54D with at least two or more protrusions 56 to be inserted in respective keyhole shaped apertures 39 of one of the central back panel sections 36. Thus it may be appreciated that this handgun bracket may be mounted at different lateral locations or even different vertical locations either above or alongside the rifles.

A shelf 12 may be installed which may, for example, be the shelf 12 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B of the prior art. The shelf may be installed at different vertical locations by use of corresponding prior art front shelf supports 13 described in connection with FIG. 2 and also shown in FIG. 8C by use of the protrusions 13A engaging in various keyhole shaped apertures of the front posts 11A, 11D of the prior art cabinet FIG. 1B. The back of the shelf 12 is supported by a relatively short back shelf support 101 like the front shelf support 13 but slightly shorter. The protrusions of shelf support 101 engage with respective keyhole-shaped apertures 39 in the back panel section 36. Ammunition 4 for the weapons may be stored on top of the shelf 12. As an alternative to a standard prior art shelf 12 a special thin shelf shown in FIG. 8B at 3 may be employed. This special thin shelf 3 at its front may rest on the front shelf brackets 13 shown in FIG. 8C and engaging in the front corner posts by use of protrusions cooperating with the keyhole shaped apertures, and at the back is supported by the slightly shorter shelf support 101.

For other configurations, additional parts such as shown in FIGS. 9A-9E may be employed in the first embodiment of the improved weapons storage system and kit for assembly thereof. These other parts may be retained in similar fashion as described above to the back panel sections 36 by use of protrusions engaging with the keyhole shaped apertures 39 at different locations.

For example as shown in FIG. 9A, a horizontal bracket 57 holding the assault weapons 41 horizontally may be employed. Preferably two of such horizontal brackets 57 will be employed, one for receiving, for example, the stock 41A and the other for receiving the barrel 41B of the weapons. For this purpose, slots 57B are provided in an outwardly protruding vertical support member 57A. One or more of such slots may be provided depending upon how many assault weapons, for example, would be supported substantially parallel to each other outwardly from the back panel sections 36. These slots may also have a protective cushioning member 59. The vertical support member 57A is attached at right angles to the vertical mounting surface 57C having protrusions 58A, B, C.

As shown at 60 in FIG. 9B, a steel storage box may be provided for holding various items such as parts for the weapons, ammunition, or other items associated with the weapons. These may be mounted by use of protrusions 61A, B, C on a back vertical mounting surface 60A of the box 60.

As shown in FIG. 9C, a plastic tote bracket 61 and bracket clip 63 may also be provided for holding various items associated with the weapons. These may be mounted by use of mounting protrusions 62A and 63A.

As shown in FIG. 9D a handgun bracket 64 without a clip compartment may be provided for supporting handguns. Such a compartment 64 is attached by a vertical mounting surface 64A with corresponding protrusions 65A, B, C and a plurality of slots 66 with smaller slots 66A and larger slots 66B as illustrated for receiving a plurality of handguns.

As shown in FIG. 9E a longer barrel saddle 67 having a slot 67A and with a construction similar to the barrel saddle described in connection with FIG. 8E may be provided. Saddle 67 has a longer horizontal surface for a larger weapon barrel.

A second embodiment of the improved weapons storage system and kit for assembly of the system is shown at 68 in FIG. 10. Here this system and kit is based on use of many of the parts of the prior art rotatable storage shelving cabinet shown in FIG. 3, and has an inner rotation unit 69 based on the use of parts of the inner rotation shelving unit 20 of the prior art. That unit 20 is changed such as by removing or not providing all the shelves, or starting without any shelves, and installing in the inner rotation unit 69 a first back mounting panel 70 (see FIG. 11) formed of a plurality of back panel sections 72 such as shown in FIG. 15A, the construction of which was previously described in connection with FIG. 8A, and which has a plurality of keyhole shaped apertures 73. Bottom, middle, and top back panel sections 72 may be provided, depending on the height of the system. The back panel sections 72 are closely spaced to the inner rotation unit dividing wall 20C (see FIG. 11) described in connection with prior art FIGS. 3 and 4, and is mounted as more clearly shown in FIG. 12. Here the back panel section 72 is mounted such as by screws in a side mounting lip 72A into a slotted sidewall of the inner rotation unit 69 like that described in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4. A horizontal spacing wall 72B is provided at a top and at a bottom of each back panel section 72. Side mounting lip 72A and horizontal spacing wall 72B are also included in the FIG. 8A back panel section 36 described in connection with the first embodiment of FIG. 6 and in FIG. 15A for the second embodiment. For this second embodiment as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, and as more clearly illustrated in FIG. 12, the spacing wall 72B has an edge which rests against the inner rotating unit dividing wall 20C. In the case of the first embodiment the spacing wall 72B rests against the back panel 18 of the prior art cabinet shown at FIG. 1B. The first back panel 70 is thus positioned in a first compartment 73 to one side of the dividing wall 20C.

Similarly, for a second compartment 74 on the other side of the dividing wall 20C, a second back panel 71 is installed formed of the plurality of back panel sections 72.

Thereafter, additional components may be added, but not necessarily in any particular order. However, typically first a sloped bottom shelf 75 is installed as shown in FIG. 14. The sloped bottom shelf 75 is also shown in FIG. 15G has two rows of slots 75A, B in a sloped floor 75C. The construction of the sloped bottom shelf 75 is somewhat similar to the bottom shelf shown in FIG. 8G for the first embodiment but differs in that as most clearly shown in FIG. 11 and in FIG. 14, the sloped floor 75C has at one side a front wall 75D with a lower lip 75E and a back support lip 75F. The sloped bottom shelf 75 is attached by screws in the lower lip 75E and attached to the cabinet bottom.

A bottom shelf stop 76 shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 15H may also be attached by screws at front lip to the sloped floor 75C as a stop surface for the rifle stock. Positioning tabs 76A, 76B may engage in respective slots of slot rows 75A, 75B in sloped floor 75C.

Thereafter, additional parts similar to the first embodiment, such as the alternate sloped stock shelf 77 shown in FIG. 15I, the stock saddle 78 shown in FIG. 15F, the barrel saddle 79 shown in FIG. 15E, and a handgun bracket with clip attachment 80 if desired as shown in FIG. 15D.

Shelves 28 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are mounted by use of the louvers 32 and tabs 28A, 28B as previously described with respect to prior FIG. 5 for the prior art rotor shelving unit previously described. Also the special thin shelf 81 shown in FIG. 15B differs and is mounted by use of the louvers and use of tabs on the end of the special thick shelf 81. This thick shelf 81 sits in front of the back panel section 72.

Of course as maybe appreciated, the various components may be added in either the first compartment and/or the second compartment so that when the inner rotation unit 69 rotates, either the first compartment may be exposed or the second compartment may be exposed. Of course, alternately sidewalls at 82 or 83 of the inner rotation unit 69 may be exposed at the front for added security. The inner rotation unit 69 may be locked in place so that access to the weapons in the first compartment or the second compartment is prevented.

Additional components may be employed as previously described for the first embodiment in connection with FIGS. 9A-9E.

With the present system and kit of the preferred embodiments for improved weapons storage, many parts of an existing four post storage cabinet or an existing rotatable unit storage cabinet may be used for the improved weapons storage system without the production of many new components. However the improved system and kit provides a very flexible weapons storage system and kit which can accommodate a wide variety of arrangements of weapons without additional substantial manufacturing expense. Also many of the components for the first embodiment and the second embodiment may be common to both embodiments as previously shown and described in the drawing figures, thus reducing expense. Thus a very flexible and adaptable weapons storage system and kit is provided while minimizing manufacturing cost.

Of course it is not required for the preferred embodiments that pre-existing parts must be used since the kit and system are also unique without use of pre-existing parts.

Although preferred exemplary embodiments are shown and described in detail in the drawings and in the preceding specification, they should be viewed as purely exemplary and not as limiting the invention. It is noted that only preferred exemplary embodiments are shown and described, and all variations and modifications that are presently or in the future lie within the protective scope of the invention should be protected.