Parker Hannifin T-slot aluminum framing serves as basis of sports utility rack

By Mario Mitchell • Parker Hannifin

Despite all the expertise of a motion control manufacturer, a distributor, or an integrator, sometimes it’s the customer who is best suited to create the application they need. Case in point: Yost Chokes owner Bill Yost (in Creston, Ohio) recently needed a special storage rack to organize his inventory … and he knew he could build one if the right components were available.

Yost Chokes specializes in the manufacture of chokes — a tapered constriction of a gun barrel at the muzzle end designed to alter the distribution of the shot as it leaves the firearm. It may be implemented as either a screw-in type (for specific applications) or as a fixed and permanent unit that is integral to the firearm barrel.

Enter the T-slot aluminum framing from Parker’s Industrial Profile Systems (IPS). These high-strength structural components allowed Yost (an experienced inventor) to build a sports utility rack that he uses to store the rifles and shotguns at his factory.

“I had accumulated a lot of inventory over the years, so I worked with the IPS engineering team to come up with a very clean and unique design,” says Bill.

Prior to building the sport utility rack, he was storing his firearms in a wooden cabinet, which reduced the already limited floor space in his factory. He chose Parker because he was very familiar with Parker products and knew exactly what he wanted to do with the Parker IPS products. He ordered the sports utility rack as a kit and assembled it himself.

Bill is now thinking of adding a bottom shelf on each side of the rack to hold two more pieces of equipment, which will be no problem for the versatile, modular IPS system. In fact, Parker’s T-slot aluminum framing is not only well suited for the factory floor, but it can be used in applications in and around your home, garage, and for other personal interests.

This is just one application of the sports utility rack. The system can also be used to construct racks for ski equipment, surfboards, and fishing equipment. For more information, contact the Parker IPS engineering team at [email protected]. Also email [email protected] and visit www.parker.com/ips.

Or to get started designing a storage rack, cart, or guarding, download Parker’s free design tool TADA at www.parker.com/designarchitect.