Jerome P Merkel

44187572, Dec 6, 1983

Dec 8, 1980

6/213855

Jerome P. Merkel - Plymouth MN

United Sprinkler, Inc. - Hamel MN

A62C 3700

169 54

An improved sprinkled warehouse stacker rack in which the sprinkler system is an integrated portion of a rack structure. A plurality of load bearing side frame members of any given heighth are operably interconnected to provide a stable structure having a plurality of load receiving cells. A sprinkler system comprised of a plurality of pipe members, each having a length, such that when assembled to connect a pair of side frame members, a load receiving cell of a predetermined width is created. A clamp for providing limited tri-axial movement of a sprinkler pipe is disposed on each of the side frame members and is adapted to co-act with the end of a sprinkler pipe to operably engage the same and to horizontally space the side frame members while permitting vertical and horizontal misalignment to accommodate normal construction tolerances. The clamp also provides for disposing the ends of the pipes in adjacent spaced-apart relationship to receive and be sealably engaged by a sprinkle head or connector fitting to form a sprinkler system on the completed rack. The clamps are also configured and arranged to provide integrity to the sprinkler system by shielding the connections at the ends of the individual pipes from damage due to accidental contact.