EP0327438B1 - Storing device for sheet materials - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the handling and more particularly to the transport of sheet articles such as glazing and in particular the sides of motor vehicles.

The very great fragility of this type of article and the need to frequently load and unload the devices used give rise to requirements which are often poorly compatible: a robust construction which keeps the sheets securely as well as easy accessibility and reduced bulk. .

The handling of such objects in wooden cases has many drawbacks. Not only does it require multiple handling during loading and unloading, but the return of empty packaging poses a problem of space. The loss of time and space, the need for a large workforce make it an expensive means of handling.

Metal devices have been proposed, formed of a floor provided with only three vertical drop sides intended to protect against impact the plurality of sheets resting by their edges. Accessibility to the sheets is facilitated for loading and unloading. However, the size on the return remains the same.

To overcome this drawback, devices have then been made comprising foldable or removable drop sides. But in one case there was a problem of mechanical deterioration, in the other of loss of parts during the comings and goings.

French patent publication 2506728 describes a metal device which has the advantage of a small footprint when empty without requiring disassembly. The proposed device comprises a floor, a rear chord and two substantially vertical side boards in use, facing each other and fixed on two opposite edges of the floor. It is characterized in that it is part of a volume substantially in the trunk of a pyramid, the floor being trapezoidal, which allows immediate nesting of one container in another.

However, stalling in the nested position is not provided and, there may be an accidental dislocation during a vacuum transport in the nested position. In addition, stacking of loaded containers is not envisaged.

American patent 3193093 proposes a device for handling sheet articles which allows stacking both under load and when empty. It consists of a base surmounted by a rear frame and a front frame. However, the stacking of several devices under vacuum can only be carried out by dismantling the front frame, which, being no longer secured to the container, must be, during transport, fixed by additional means in order to avoid its loss.

US-A-4191112 describes a storage device for different materials, according to the preamble of claim 1, which is stackable and built-in, having a substantially rectangular base forming a floor, a substantially rectangular upper frame whose front element is missing. , four vertical uprights connecting the base and the upper frame so that the two front vertical uprights determine the opening of the pallet and the two rear vertical uprights determine the width of the base to be built in, the two rear vertical uprights having a spacing less than that of the two front uprights. This device also has means for wedging in the stacked position. On the other hand, a wedging in the nested position is not provided and as for the device described in the patent FR-A-2506728 already cited, there may be an accidental dislocation during a vacuum transport in the nested position.

The invention provides a device or pallet for handling sheet articles, of simplified structure, stackable and built-in and which, in addition, can be wedged in the embedded position.

The pallet according to the invention comprises a substantially rectangular base forming a floor on which the articles rest by their edges, a rear frame which preferably is slightly inclined outward relative to the vertical, a substantially rectangular upper frame whose element front is missing, four vertical uprights connecting the base and the upper frame arranged so that the two front vertical uprights determine the opening of the pallet and the two rear uprights determine the width of the base to be built in, the two rear vertical uprights having between them less spacing than the front vertical uprights, the four uprights being provided with upper and lower means allowing the positioning and wedging of the pallet in stacked position, the lower means belonging to the rear uprights also allowing the positioning and wedging of the pallet in recessed position, being associated with additional means provided on the floor and arranged just in front of the two rear uprights with the same spacing. The pallet is still provided with a lower structure on which it rests when it is placed directly on the ground. The lower structure also allows the pallet to be gripped by a forklift.

According to an embodiment of the pallet, the upper and lower means of the uprights allowing the positioning and the setting of one pallet relative to the other in the two positions, are for the upper means an upper end of the hollow upright and for the means lower a lower end provided with a lug capable of fitting into the hollow upper end of the four corresponding uprights of the underlying pallet in the stacked position, and the additional means are two hollow elements intended for positioning and wedging of the pins of the two rear uprights of the upper pallet in the recessed position, provided on the floor just in front of the two rear uprights.

The device or pallet according to the invention is advantageously used for the transport of side windows.

The floor is preferably formed of several profiled rails which can be provided with racks in rubber or plastic, or more simply protective profiles intended to prevent the sliding of the glass sheets and their direct contact with the metal of the rails.

• La figure 1 représente une réalisation de la palette en vue de face.
• La figure 2 représente la palette de la figure 1 en vue de dessus.
• La figure 3 représente la palette de la figure 1 en vue de côté, en section selon la ligne A-A de la figure 1.
• La figure 4 représente plus en détail un élément de la palette, servant à positionner et bloquer celle-ci en position gerbée ou encastrée.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description given in connection with the figures of an exemplary embodiment of the pallet.

• Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the pallet in front view.
• Figure 2 shows the pallet of Figure 1 in top view.
• FIG. 3 represents the pallet of FIG. 1 in side view, in section along the line AA of FIG. 1.
• Figure 4 shows in more detail an element of the pallet, used to position and lock it in stacked or embedded position.

The pallet shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is a pallet 1 for handling and transporting automotive side windows. This pallet comprises a floor 2 formed of several beams welded 3 on two profiled crosspieces 4, 5. The front crosspiece 4 is fixedly attached at its two ends, to two uprights 6, 7 which determine the opening of the pallet as well for the loading glazing only for fitting one pallet into the other when they are empty.

These two uprights 6, 7 are welded at their upper part to a set of profiles forming an upper frame 8, fully open towards the front. The rear section 9 of the frame 8 is fixed to two other uprights 10, 11 welded to the ends of the two outer side rails 12, 13 of the floor 2. The distance separating the two rear uprights 10, 11 is less than the distance separating the two front uprights 6, 7 to allow the embedding of two vacuum pallets. To facilitate embedding and to help in positioning one pallet in the other, the attachment of the two lateral profiles 14, 15 of the frame 8 with the rear profile 9 uses connection elements 16, 17 oblique, oriented inwards. The floor 2 is attached to the rear section 9 of the frame 8 by sections 18 slightly inclined relative to the vertical forming a rear frame 19.

The four vertical uprights 6, 7, 10, 11 are hollow and their upper opening 20 can be used for positioning and wedging another pallet for stacking. This positioning is carried out by means of lugs 21 arranged at the lower end of the uprights, and described in more detail below in relation to FIG. 4.

When it is not stacked or embedded, the pallet rests on the ground thanks to a metal structure 22 disposed under the floor 2 and comprising a lower frame 23 formed of flat bars 24 constituting a sole.

The longitudinal members 3 are preferably in sufficient number and arranged substantially equidistant from each other to be able to receive two and possibly more, of piles arranged one next to the other, of glazing resting on their edge.

The longitudinal members 3 constituting the floor 2 are profiles provided with a groove 25 in which can be mounted profiles 26 made of rubber or plastic, various such as racks, on which can rest and possibly block the edge of the glazing transported .

Attached to the two rear uprights, two hollow elements 27, 28, of profile similar to the uprights 6, 7, 10, 11 are welded to the two outer longitudinal members 12, 13 of the floor 2. These two elements 27, 28 serve to block the lugs 21 of the upper adjacent pallet in the recessed position. To this end, their spacing is the same as that of the two lugs 21 carried by the two rear uprights.

In Figure 4 is shown in more detail a rear end of an upright 10, 11 carrying a positioning and locking lug.

The lug 21 is arranged in the axis of the upright 10, 11 and it is welded to the flat 24 belonging to the sole of the pallet, which for this purpose has one end 29 raised so that the lower end 30 of the lug 21 is at a level higher than that of the sole. The inclination of the plate facilitates the positioning of the pallet in the recessed or stacked position.

The pallet according to the invention although of simple structure has the characteristics allowing it to be stacked, in particular when it is loaded and also the embedding of one pallet in the other in order to present a minimum bulk, when it is empty when the pallet returns, or when stored before loading .

On this simplified structure can easily be attached the means for securing the glazing such as straps. The loading volume is represented by the dashed line 31 in FIG. 3.

As indicated above, the device also allows the loading of two and even more glazing stacks, arranged one next to the other when it comes to small glazing.

In FIG. 3, the position of an empty pallet 1 ′ has been shown (the elements of the pallet are referenced with an award-winning number), embedded in the underlying pallet 1 and locked in this position by means of the lugs 21 ′ carried by the rear uprights 10 ′, 11 ′.

Claims (7)

1. Device for handling articles in sheet form, notably panes such as the side window panes of automobile vehicles, comprising a base (2) forming a substantially rectangular floor, a rear frame wall (19), a substantially rectangular upper frame (8), the front element of which is missing, four fixed vertical uprights (6, 7, 10, 11) connecting the base (2) to the upper frame (8) and a lower structure (22) enabling the device to be seized, the two front vertical uprights (6, 7) determining the aperture of the device and the two rear vertical uprights (10, 11) determining the width to be nested, the two rear vertical uprights having a mutual spacing smaller than the front vertical uprights, the four uprights (6, 7, 10, 11) being equipped with upper (20) and lower (21) means enabling the device to be positioned and chocked in the stacked position, characterized in that the lower means (21) belonging to the rear uprights (10, 11) make possible also the positioning and chocking of the device in the nested position, by being associated with supplementary means (27, 28) provided on the floor (2) and disposed just in front of the two rear uprights (10, 11) at the same mutual spacing.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the lower means (21) permitting the positioning and chocking are lugs, the upper means (20) being the hollow end of the uprights.

3. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the supplementary means (27, 28) to be associated, in the nested position, with the lugs of the rear uprights are hollow elements.

4. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper frame (8) has oblique connecting elements (16, 17) between the two lateral elements (14, 15) and the rear element (9).

5. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the floor (2) is formed of several stringers (3), substantially equidistant from one another, for receiving several stacks of glazing resting on-edge.

6. Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the stringers (3) are provided, on their upper face, with profiles (25) contributing to the holding of the edge of the panes.

7. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rear frame wall (10) is inclined.

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