US3228358A

US3228358A - Pallet

Info

Publication number: US3228358A
Application number: US407659A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Sepe; John C Natalicio
Original assignee: ROCKET JET ENGINEERING CORP
Current assignee: ROCKET JET ENGINEERING CORP
Priority date: 1964-10-30
Filing date: 1964-10-30
Publication date: 1966-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-11

Description

Jan. 11, 1966 J. J. SEPE ETAL PALLET 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 30, 1964 JOHN J. 65195 Tb/4N i3. NATfiL/C/O I NV ENTORS ATTORNEY Jan. 11, 1966 J. J. SEPE ET AL 3,228,358

PALLET Filed 001:. 30, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN J. SEPE JOHN C. NATALIc/O INVENTORS Z/AMTW ATTORNEY Jan. 11, 1966 J. .1. SEPE ETAL PALLET 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct, 30, 1964 VENTORS 56 JOHN J. SEPE JOHN C. nn p u o Z/vzm W AT T02 N EV Jan. 11, 1966 J. J. SEPE ETAL 3,228,358

PALLET 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 30, 1964 JOHN J. SEPE JZJHH C. NflTAL/c/O INVENTORS a/umw.

AT TOQHEY United States Patent 3,228,358 PALLET John J. Sepe, Glendale, and John C, Natalicio, Granada Hills, Califi, assignors to Rocket Jet Engineering Corp., Glendale, Califi, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 407,659 4 Claims. (Cl. 108-58) This invention relates to pallets formed of a single sheet of material. It is especially suited to pallets made from sheet plastic, and will be so described hereinafter.

It is an object of this invention to provide pallet designs such that from a single sheet of material, e.g. sheet plastic, having substantially uniform thickness, a pallet may be formed having very light weight with high load capacity.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a design that identical pallets may readily be nested for stacking, thereby occupying a minimum of storage and transportation space.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pallet design whereby high load capacity pallets may be made very cheaply, thereby permitting of one-time use and subsequent throw-away if desired.

In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking down on a first form of pallet.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are sectional views taken on the correspondingly numbered section lines in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view looking down on a second form of pallet.

FIG. 8 is a top plan of view thereof.

FIGS. 9, 10, 11, and 12 are sectional views taken on the correspondingly numbered section lines in FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a first form of pallet constructed of a single sheet of material 16, generally rectangular in shape. The present pallet design is particularly suited for the use of sheets of plastic material and will be described with that material in mind. The sheet 16 is substantially uniform throughout its thickness and is dimpled downwardly to form a series of depressions as illustrated in FIG. 1. The dimpling may be done by dies, of the match metal, vacuum or pressure forming type. The longitudinal depressions may be formed during an initial extrusion step, if desired.

Primarily, there are

longitudinal rows

17, 18, and 19 of dimpled elongate depressions, represented for example by the depression 21 (FIG. 2 and The depressions have a depth shown by the dimension 22 (FIG. 5) and constitute legs, the bottoms 23 of which are adapted to rest on a floor. The depressions have sloping side walls and sloping end walls, typified by the walls 24 (FIG. 5) and 26 (FIG. 3), respectively. This makes possible the ready nesting of one pallet into another, so that a large number of pallets may be nested and stacked with occupancy of minimum space.

The depressions do not extend the entire length of the rows, 17, 18, 19, but instead are composed of discrete, elongate, aligned depressions, defined by end walls exemplified by the walls 26. In the examples shown, the

depressions

27 and 28, at the end of each row, are of shorter length than are the intermediate depressions represented in this case by leg depression 21. The discrete leg depressions of each given row are connected by aligned

elongate depressions

29 and 31, which are shallower and narrower than the leg depressions. Referring, by way of example, to the depression 29 (FIG. 6), it will be seen that it is only approximately one-third of the 3,228,358 Patented Jan. 11 1966 depth of a leg depression, thus spacing it well above the floor. Hence, the pallet contacts the floor only at its legs, the purpose of the shallow depressions being to strengthen the pallet against bending moments in both directions. Like the leg depressions, the strengthening depressions are tapered to permit nesting. It will be noted that the bottom or floor of the discrete leg depressions in the center row 18 is appreciably wider than the bottom of the depressions in the

side rows

17 and 18. This is desirable to insure a wider bearing area for roller conveyers, where a narrow leg bottom might wedge between adjacent rollers.

The depressions at each end of the

outer rows

17 and 19 have right angle portions which form L-shaped legs at each corner of the pallet, as exemplified by the corner leg depression 32. From each right angle portion extends a strengthening depression 33 which is transverse to the

rows

17, 18, and 19, and located adjacent each end of the pallet. It will be seen that these depressions likewise are shallow and connect to the adjacent end legs 27 of the intermediate row 18.

The portions of the sheet 16 intermediate the

rows

17, 13, and 19, and exemplified by the portion 34, constitute a platform portion of the pallet on which a load is adapted to rest. This platform portion is interlaced by a plurality of additional strengthening depressions, which are likewise elongate and are shallower and narrower than the leg depressions. These platform strengthening depressions are exemplified by the

transverse depressions

36 and 37. The depressions 36 do not communicate with any other depression; but the central depression 37 extends through at each end to communicate with the

leg depressions

21 and 38.

Intermediate the transverse strengthening

depressions

36 and 37 and approximately mid-way of the length thereof, are a series of elongate but shorter strengthening depressions 41 which serve to further strengthen the pallets against longitudinal bending moments.

The spaces beneath the platform portion 34 and between the leg depressions constitute channels for the insertion of a fork lift. A fork may be inserted from either side of the pallet through the channels 46 (FIG. 3) or may be inserted from either end of the pallet through the channels 47 (FIG. 5).

When thus lifted by a fork lift truck, that portion of the load which is not directly above the tines imposes bending moments on the pallet about axes parallel to the forks. The design of the pallet above described is such that it will adequately resist high bending moments, even though there is no inherent lateral support in the load itself. Thus, it is not necessary with this pallet to overlie the platform with a strengthening floor, such as a floor of plywood or chipboard, because the pallet itself has high resistance to bending in both planes.

Another form of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7-12. This pallet consists of a sheet of material 51 having

parallel rows

52, 53, and 54 of dimpled leg depressions. Each row consists, in this example, of three

discrete leg depressions

56, 57, and 58, the first being an elongate central depression, the latter two being shorter end depressions. These three discrete leg depressions are separated by respective end wall portions 59 (FIG. 7) joined by a narrow horizontal portion 61, which is at the level of, and constitutes a portion of, a platform portion of the pallet. Transverse of the rows 5254 are strengthening depressions 62, which are narrower and shallower than the leg depressions. Four of these depressions, numbered 63, which are aligned with the narrow linking platform portions 61, have tapering end walls 64 where they join the

wall portions

59, 61. The strengthening depressions, 63, while markedly shallower than the leg depression, are somewhat deeper than the strengthening depressions 62.

The pallet shown in FIG. 7 is likewise capable of snug nesting by virtue of the tapered or sloping nature of all of the depression wall-s.

As will be readily seen in FIG. 8 the bottom of the central leg depressions 66 is wider, approximately two times, than the bottom of the two leg depressions 56 at each side of the pallet.

To strengthen the edge of the pallet a small lip 67 is upturned around the four sides.

The pallet shown in FIG. 7 is adapted to be made of a somewhat thinner sheet than the pallet shown in FIG. 1. As such, it is more susceptible to bending when not supported by all of its legs, as on a floor. For this reason the lip 67 is provided to form a seat rim for a strengthening sheet or floor such as of plywood or chipboard.

The pallet of FIG. 7 is readily adapted for lifting by a fork lift truck from either end, by insertion of the forks in the longitudinal channels 69. The transverse channels 71 are not suitable for insertion of most fork lifts, but they do serve as a very convenient recess to accommodate a band, as of wire, rope, or flat metal, by means of which a load may be securely clamped to the pallet.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most prac tical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. Pallet formed of a single sheet of material of substantially uniform thickness throughout,

said sheet having a plurality of parallel rows of elongate leg depressions constituting pallet legs, the bottom portions of said legs being adapted to rest on a floor,

said rows including an outer row at one side of the sheet, an outer row at the other side of the sheet and at least one intermediate row therebetween,

the end depression on each end of said outer rows being located adjacent respective corners of said sheet, each end depression having a right angle portion forming an L-shaped leg at each corner,

each of said rows including longitudinal strengthening depressions of lesser depth than said leg depressions and communicating between leg depressions, said strengthening depressions and leg depressions being substantially identically spaced in each row to thereby provide lateral channels across the pallet for acceptance of the fork of a lift truck in the area of said strengthening depressions,

said sheet having elongate strengthening depressions transverse of said rows at each end of said sheet and communicating with the adjacent right angle leg depressions,

the portion of said sheet intermediate said rows constituting a platform portion on which a load is adapted to rest, said sheet having a plurality of elongate strengthening depressions in the platform portion thereof, of lesser depth than said leg depressions and serving to further strengthen the pallet,

and

said elongate strengthening depressions arranged as isolated channels, a first direction channel bridging laterally between said longitudinal strengthening depressions of each pair and stopping short of interconnecting therewith, and two longitudinal channels extending in the same general direction as said longitudinal strengthening depressions and positioned one on either side of each said first direction channel and stopping short of interconnecting therewith, whereby said pallet is divided into area regions having strengthening ribs longitudinally of the lifting forks of a lift truck, and laterally thereof.

2. Pallet in accordance with claim 1 wherein said last named strengthening depressions include a central row of depressions extending across the pallet from a central leg depression of one outer row to a central leg depression of the other outer row.

3. Pallet formed of a single sheet of material of substantially uniform thickness throughout,

said sheet having a plurality of parallel rows of elon gate leg depressions constituting pallet legs, the bottom portions of said legs being adapted to rest on a floor,

said rows including an outer row at one side of the sheet, an outer row at the other side of the sheet, and at least one intermediate row therebetween thus dividing said pallet into rectangular sections,

the end depressions on each end of said outer rows being relatively short and located at respective corners of said sheet, the remainder of each said outer row being constituted of a single elongate leg depression,

the portion of said sheet intermediate said rows constituting a platform portion on Which a load is adapted to rest, said sheet having a plurality of elongate strengthening depressions in the platform portion thereof, transverse of said rows, one at each end of the pallet, of lesser depth than said leg depressions, and communicating with adjacent leg depressions thereby to strengthen the pallet transversely, and a plurality of short discrete strengthening depressions arranged between longitudinal rows and substantially parallel with said end elongate strengthening depressions, said short channels stopping short of interconnecting with any other depression, and longitu dinal channels extending in the same general direction as said plurality of parallel rows of elongate leg dcpressions and positioned one on either side of each of said short lateral depressions and stopping short of interconnecting with any other depression,

whereby, said pallet is divided into area regions with a support leg at each corner, thereby providing channels for the insertion of a fork lift in two directions across each region and with a strengthening rib channel extending in each direction.

4. Pallet in accordance with claim 3 wherein each row of leg depression includes a relatively short leg depression at each end and a single relatively long leg depression intermediate the end depressions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,797,874 3/1931 Millray 10851 2,463,214 3/1949 Stoner 10858 X 2,615,661 10/1952 Cushman 108-52 2,991,965 7/1961 Drieborg 10858 3,120,825 2/1964 Johnson 10851 3,140,672 6/1964 De Luca 10853 References Cited by the Applicant FOREIGN PATENTS 696,214 8/ 1953 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. PALLET FORMED OF A SINGLE SHEET OF MATERIAL OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM THICKNESS THROUGHOUT, SAID SHEET HAVING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL ROWS OF ELONGATE LEG DEPRESSIONS CONSTITUTING PALLET LEGS, THE BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAID LEGS BEING ADAPTED TO REST ON A FLOOR, SAID ROWS INCLUDING AN OUTER ROW AT ONE SIDE OF THE SHEET, AN OUTER ROW AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHEET AND AT LEAST ONE INTERMEDIATE ROW THEREBETWEEN, THE END DEPRESION ON EACH END OF SAID OUTER ROWS BEING LOCATED ADJACENT RESPECTIVE CORNERS OF SAID SHEET, EACH END DEPRESSION HAVING A RIGHT ANGLE PORTION FORMING AN L-SHAPED LEG AT EACH CORNER, EACH OF SAID ROWS INCLUDING LONGITUDINAL STRENGTHENING DEPRESSIONS OF LESSER DEPTH THEN SAID LEG DEPRESSIONS AND COMMUNICATING BETWEEN LEG DEPRESSIONS, SAID STRENGTHENING DEPRESSIONS AND LEG DEPRESSIONS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICALLY SPACED IN EACH ROW TO THEREBY PROVIDE LATERAL CHANNELS ACROSS THE PALLET FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE FORK OF A LIFT TRUCK IN THE AREA OF SAID STRENGTHENING DEPRESSIONS, SAID SHEET HAVING ELONGATED STRENGTHENING DEPRESSIONS TRANSVERSE OF SAID ROWS AT EACH END OF SAID SHEET AND COMMUNICTING WITH THE ADJACENT RIGHT ANGLE LEG DEPRESSIONS, THE PORTION OF SAID SHEET INTERMEDIATE SAID ROWS CONSTITUTING A PLATFORM PORTION ON WHICH A LOAD IS ADAPTED TO REST, SAID SHEET HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATE STRENGTHENING DEPRESSION IN THE PLATFORM PORTION THEREOF, OF LESSER DEPTH THAN SAID LEG DEPRESSIONS AND SERVING TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE PALLET, AND SAID ELONGATE STRENGTHENING DEPRESSION ARRANGED AS ISOLATED CHANNELS, A FIRST DIRECTION CHANNEL BRIDGING LATERALLY BETWEEN SAID LONGITUDINAL STRENGTHENING DEPRESSIONS OF EACH PAIR AND STOPPING SHORT OF INTERCONNECTING THEREWITH, AND TWO LONGITUDINAL CHANNELS EXTENDING IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION AS SAID LONGITUDINAL STRENGTHENING DEPRESSIONS AND POSITIONED ONE ON EITHER SIDE OF EACH SAID FIRST DIRECTION CHANNEL AND STOPPING SHORT OF INTERCONNECTING THEREWITH, WHEREBY SAID PALLET IS DIVIDED INTO AREA REGIONS HAVING STRENGTHENING RIBS LONGITUDINALLY OF THE LIFTING FORKS OF A LIFT TRUCK, AND LATERALLY THEREOF.