Variable configuration shelving apparatus and methods

1. A shelving apparatus comprising:

a plurality of support columns;

a plurality of shelves, each having an upper shelf surface;

a plurality of shelf-supporting beams attachable to respective ones of said columns for supporting a respective shelf with said upper shelf surface extending in one horizontal plane;

each of said beams having a top edge and a lower edge and said beams being selectively attachable to said respective columns in one of two selected positions;

said beams each including a shelf-supporting flange extending therefrom, each said flange disposed closer to a respective top edge of each said beam than to a respective lower edge of each said beam, and each said flange having first and second opposed shelf supporting surfaces;

in a first position, said top edge of a beam is disposed above said lower edge thereof, and in a second position, said lower edge of a beam is disposed above said top edge;

said top edge of a respective beam being flush with said upper shelf surface in said plane when said respective beam is attached to said respective columns in said first position and said shelf is disposed on said first shelf supporting surface of said flange of said respective beam, and said lower edge of another respective beam being disposed above said upper shelf surface in said plane wherein said other beam is attached to said respective columns in said second position and said shelf is disposed on said second shelf supporting surface of the flange of said other respective beam;

said shelves each being supported by four of said beams independently attached to said support columns, each of said four beams oriented respectively in any of said first or second positions independently of the orientation of any of the other of said four beams, with said upper shelf surface disposed in said horizontal plane.

2. A shelf apparatus as in claim 1 wherein at least one of said beams defines an upstanding lip along an adjacent shelf and above said upper shelf surface, when said at least one beam is attached to respective columns in said second position.

3. A shelf apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said beams include a web and a reverse fold flange bent over from said web of said beams, said shelf-supporting flange of each beam extending perpendicularly and away from said reverse fold flange of said beams.

4. A shelf apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said shelf-supporting flange is oriented at a first distance from the top edge of said beams approximately equal to a thickness of a shelf.

5. A shelf apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said shelf-supporting flange is oriented at a second distance from said lower edge of said beams, which second distance is greater than said thickness of said shelf.

6. A shelving apparatus as in claim 1 wherein selected beams in said apparatus are in said first position and other selected beams in said apparatus are in said second position.

7. A shelving apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said shelves define flush edges along portions of adjacent beams in said first position and wherein upstanding lips are defined by adjacent beams in said second position along other portions of said shelves.

8. A shelving apparatus comprising:

a plurality of support columns;

a plurality of shelves, each having an upper shelf surface;

a plurality of shelf-supporting beams attachable at ends thereof to respective ones of said support columns for supporting a respective shelf with said upper shelf surface extending in a first horizontal plane;

each of said beams having an upper and a lower edge and including at respective ends thereof a rivet for interconnection to one of said support columns, said beams being selectively disposed in a first position with said upper edge disposed upwardly or in a second position with said lower edge disposed upwardly;

a shelf-supporting flange extending from and along each of said beams;

said flange being disposed closer to said upper edge than a lower edge;

said beams being connected to said columns such that said upper shelf surface is in said first horizontal plane when supported both by a beam flange of a beam in said first position, and when supported by a beam flange of a beam in said second position; and

wherein said upper edge of said beam is flush with said upper shelf surface when said beam is in said first position.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said apparatus includes a shelf supported by one beam in said first position and by another beam in said second position with said upper shelf surface in said plane.