AU2008200678A1 - Pallet for Transporting and/or Storing Monuments - Google Patents

Description

P/00/001 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: GIANNARELLI HOLDINGS PTY LTD GIANNARELLI; John EKM patent Level 1, 38-40 Garden Street South Yarra Victoria 3141 Australia PALLET FOR TRANSPORTING AND/OR STORING MONUMENTS Details of Associated Provisional Patent Application No.: 2007900727 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 13/02/08,saw101679.spc.1 00-2oo2 SPALLET FOR TRANSPORTING AND/OR STORING MONUMENTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates, generally, to pallets for transporting and/or storing goods or cargo and relates particularly, though not exclusively, 00oO to a pallet for transporting and/or storing grave monuments which includes means for supporting at least one elongate piece of stone in a substantially vertical position for the purpose of protecting same during transportation oo 00 0and/or storage.

N1 10 It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in relation to a pallet for transporting grave monuments from a suppliers warehouse to a cemetery, however it should be appreciated that the pallet of the present invention is not limited to that use only.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material forms a part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Australia or elsewhere on or before the priority date of the disclosure herein.

Grave monuments generally consist of many pieces of stone that are erected at a cemetery to produce a finished monument. All of the stone pieces that make up a single finished monument are often transported together by truck from a suppliers warehouse to a.cemetery ready for erection. Like in the case of many other forms of heavy cargo, gravestones are generally transported on pallets so that they can be readily moved and/or lifted by a forklift, or other form of heavy machinery. Of all of the separate pieces of stone that make up a finished monument, it is considered that the most troublesome stone to transport is the so called slab or ledger as this stone is more often than not the largest stone of the monument, as it is the stone that is laid over the grave or tomb when the monument is fully erected.

13/02108,sawl 01679.spc.2 -3- 00 SConventional pallets for transporting and/or storing grave monuments Sdo not provide a predefined location thereon for positioning the ledger stone.

T As the ledger is a large flat stone it is generally either loaded onto a pallet first, which means that the remaining stones are then placed on top of same, or is loaded onto a pallet last, meaning that it is simply laid on top of the 0 0 remaining stones that have been strategically placed on the flat bed of a Ipallet. In either scenario the ledger stone often ends up being the most Sabused stone on the pallet. If it is loaded onto a pallet first, it can be 00 0damaged by the remaining stones that are placed thereon for transportation.

c 0 In an attempt to solve this problem, packing material has been used to separate the stones during transportation. If it is loaded onto a pallet last it is danger of being scratched or chipped as it can, for example, be walked on or worse still have another pallet stacked thereon.

The problems associated with transporting large flat stones have been known for some time. If many large flat stones are to be transported together, A-frame type pallets are generally used as these pallets allow the stones to be placed on the pallet in a substantially vertical position. The placing of many large flat stones on a pallet in a vertical position, as compared to stacking the stones one on top of another on a flat pallet, is considered to be the preferred method of transporting flat stones as there is less risk of damaging the stones during loading and/or unloading of same.

Although A-frame pallets are very good for transporting a large number of flat stones together, they are not suitable for transporting gravestone monuments as the separate stone pieces that make up a finished monument vary substantially in size and configuration.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments which includes means for protecting at least one large substantially flat stone, preferably the ledger or headstone of a gravestone monument, during transportation and/or storage.

13/02/08,saw1l 01679.spc,3 NSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With this object in mind the present invention, in a preferred aspect, T may provide a pallet for transporting and/or storing a plurality of pieces of stone or the like, at least one of said plurality of pieces of stone being an elongate slab, said pallet including: a platform defining a storage surface for 00oo positioning said plurality of pieces of stone thereon; and, at least one pair of spaced apart substantially vertical support members defining a slot or recess (N for receiving the at least one elongate slab and for maintaining the latter in a oo 00 substantially vertical position during storage and/or transportation.

lo In a practical preferred embodiment said plurality of pieces of stone are stone pieces of a gravestone monument. In this practical preferred embodiment it is preferred that said at least one elongate slab is the ledger or headstone of said gravestone monument. Preferably said platform of said pallet is sufficiently large so as to accommodate the remaining pieces of stone of said gravestone monument, such as, for example, the backstone, the frontstone, the side kerbstones, and the pillarstone. In this way, said pallet has at least two distinct predefined areas for positioning said stone pieces of said gravestone monument during transportation and/or storage, at least one being provided for said at least one elongate slab, such as, for example, said ledger or said headstone, and at least one being provided for said remaining pieces of stone of said gravestone monument, such as, for example, said backstone, said frontstone, said side kerbstones, and/or said pillarstone.

Preferably said at least one pair of spaced apart substantially vertical support members are disposed in a substantially parallel arrangement.

In a practical preferred embodiment, said pallet includes one pair of parallel substantially vertical support members defining a single slot or recess for receiving a single elongate slab. In this practical preferred embodiment it is preferred that said single slot or recess is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed at a lateral edge of said pallet and a plurality of intermediate substantially vertical support members disposed parallel thereto. In an alternative preferred arrangement, said 13/02/08,saw1 01679.spc.4 (3 00 Ssingle slot or recess is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed in a parallel arrangement at a predetermined location between the lateral edges of said pallet.

In an alternative practical preferred embodiment said pallet includes two pairs of parallel substantially vertical support members, each defining a 00oo r slot or recess for receiving an elongate slab. In this alternative practical preferred embodiment it is preferred that each of said slots or recesses is Sdefined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed at a 00 oo lateral edge of said pallet and a plurality of intermediate substantially vertical N 10 support members disposed parallel thereto.

In a further aspect the present invention may also provide a pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments, said pallet including: a platform defining a storage surface for positioning monument sections thereon; and, at least one pair of spaced apart substantially vertical support members defining a slot or recess for receiving at least one elongate monument section and for maintaining the latter in a substantially vertical position during storage and/or transportation.

In a practical preferred embodiment said monuments are gravestone monuments. In this practical preferred embodiment it is preferred that said at least one elongate monument section is the ledger or headstone of a gravestone monument. Preferably said platform of said pallet is sufficiently large so as to accommodate the remaining sections of said gravestone monument, such as, for example, the backstone, the frontstone, the side kerbstones, and the pillarstone. In this way, said pallet has at least two distinct predefined areas for positioning said gravestone monument sections during transportation and/or storage, at least one being provided for said at least one elongate monument section, such as, for example, said ledger or said headstone, and at least one being provided for said remaining gravestone monument sections, such as, for example, said backstone, said frontstone, said side kerbstones, and/or said pillarstone.

Preferably said at least one pair of spaced apart substantially vertical support members are disposed in a substantially parallel arrangement.

13102108sawl 01679.spc,5 -6- 00 SIn a practical preferred embodiment, said pallet includes one pair of Sparallel substantially vertical support members defining a single slot or recess T for receiving a single elongate monument section. In this practical preferred embodiment it is preferred that said single slot or recess is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed at a lateral edge 0 0 of said pallet and a plurality of intermediate substantially vertical support

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members disposed parallel thereto. In an alternative preferred arrangement, Ssaid single slot or recess is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical 00 0support members disposed in a parallel arrangement at a predetermined C io location between the lateral edges of said pallet.

In an alternative practical preferred embodiment said pallet includes two pairs of parallel substantially vertical support members, each defining a slot or recess for receiving an elongate monument section. In this alternative practical preferred embodiment it is preferred that each of said slots or recesses is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed at a lateral edge of said pallet and a plurality of intermediate substantially vertical support members disposed parallel thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect there shall now be described in detail preferred constructions of a pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. la is an end view.of a prior art A-frame type pallet used to transport a plurality of large flat stones, the prior art A-frame pallet shown having a plurality of large flat stones loaded thereon; Fig. lb is an end view of a prior art pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments, the prior art pallet shown having a plurality of stone monument pieces loaded thereon; Fig. ic is a side view of the prior art pallet shown in Fig. Ib; 13/02108,saw 101679.spc6 -7- 00 SFig. 2 is a front perspective view of a pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments made in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is an end view of the pallet of Fig. 2, this time showing the pallet s having a plurality of stone monument pieces loaded thereon; 00 r Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of a pallet for transporting and/or

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storing monuments made in accordance with a second preferred c embodiment of the present invention; 00 0Figs. 5a to 5c are front perspective views of a number of c 10 configurations of a pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments made in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of a pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments made in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In Fig. la there is shown an end view of a prior art A-frame type pallet used for transporting a plurality of large flat stones 12. Pallet 10 is shown having a plurality of large flat stones 12 loaded thereon to illustrate the benefits of transporting flat stones 12 in this manner. Pallet 10 includes a flat base section 14 and an upright A-frame section 16. In use, flat stones 12 are loaded onto pallet 10 in a substantially vertical position. When fully loaded, the innermost flat stones 12a are seated on base section 14 and rest against A-frame section 16. The remaining flat stones 12 are also seated on base section 14, however, these flat stones 12 rest against other flat stones 12 (the innermost flat stones 12a in the case of the first adjacent fiat stones 12 loaded thereafter) loaded onto pallet 10. When a desired amount of flat stones 12 have been loaded onto pallet 10 any suitable strap 18, as for example a ratchet type strap as shown, can be used to secure flat stones 12 on pallet 10 for storage and/or transportation.

The placing of large flat stones 12 on an A-frame pallet 10 in a vertical position, as compared to stacking the stones 12 one on top of another on a 13/021/08.sawl 01679.spc,7 -8- 0 Sflat pallet (not shown), is generally considered to be the preferred method of transporting a plurality of flat stones 12 as there is less risk of damaging the T stones 12 during loading and/or unloading of same.

Although A-frame pallets 10 are very good for transporting a large number of flat stones 12 together, they are not suitable for transporting 00 gravestone monuments as the separate stone pieces that make up a finished Imonument vary substantially in size and configuration. For this reason Sgravestone monuments have been to date simply transported on 00 conventional flat pallets c 10 Figs. lb ic illustrate one of many known methods of transporting and/or storing gravestone monuments 22 utilising a conventional flat prior art pallet 20. Fig. lb is an end view of loaded pallet 20, while Fig. ic is a side view of same. Referring to Fig. Ic it can be seen that a single gravestone monument 22 can consist of a headstone 24, a ledger 26, a backstone 28, a frontstone 30, a pair of side kerbstones 32, and a pillarstone 34.

When loading pallet 20, the various pieces 24,26,28,30,32,34 of gravestone monument 22 are strategically placed on the flat bed of pallet and spacing or packing material 36 is generally used to help protect the stone pieces 24,26,28,30,32,34 from being damaged during storage and/or transportation.

Referring particularly to Fig. Ib, it can be seen that the largest single flat stone of gravestone monument 22 is ledger 26. As ledger 26 is the largest flat stone it is generally either loaded onto the flat bed of pallet 20 first (not shown in the embodiment of Figs. lb ic), which means that the remaining stones 24,28,30,32,34 are then placed on top of ledger 26, or is loaded onto pallet 20 last or almost last (as is shown in Figs. lb Ic), meaning that ledger 26 is simply laid on top of most/all of the remaining stones 24,28,30,32,34 that have been strategically placed on the flat bed of a pallet 20. In either scenario ledger 26 often ends up being the most abused stone on pallet 20. If it is loaded onto pallet 20 first (not shown), it can be damaged by the remaining stones 24,28,30,32,34 that are placed thereon for transportation. If it is loaded onto pallet 20 last (or second last as shown in 13102/08.saw101679spc.8 -9- 00oo SFigs. lb Ic) it is danger of being scratched or chipped as it can, for Sexample, be walked on or worse still have another pallet stacked thereon.

A need therefore exists for an improved pallet for transporting and/or storing gravestone monuments 22, one that provides means for protecting at least the ledger 26 stone of the monument 22 during storage and/or oo 0 transportation.

In Figs. 2 3, there is shown a pallet 40 for storing and/or transporting Sgoods or cargo, for example gravestone monuments 22 as shown in Fig. 3.

00oo Although specifically described as being suited to the storage and/or c 0 transportation of gravestone monuments 22, it should be understood that pallet 40 may be utilised for storing and/or transporting other forms of cargo (not shown) and as such the present invention is not limited to the specific example as shown.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it can be seen that pallet 40 includes a flat base or bed section 42, which is supported by a rectangular horizontal base frame 44 having front and rear frame members 44a,44b, and left and right side frame members 44c,44d. Like in the case of any other conventional pallet, base frame 44 of pallet 40 is configured to receive the prongs of a forklift (not shown) to enable same to be lifted and moved as required. Although not shown in Fig. 2, base frame 44 may also include additional horizontal frame members (see, for example, Figs. 4 to 6) extending between front and rear frame members 44a,44b, and/or left and right side frame members 44c,44d, in order to provide additional strength and support for pallet 40. Similarly, should pallet 40 include additional horizontal support members (not shown), pallet 40 could be embodied without a flat bed section 42 (again see, for example, Figs. 4 to 6) as same would not be needed if gravestone monuments 22 were sufficiently large so as not to fit between the horizontal base frame members. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the specific example provide, and instead a person skilled in the relevant art would appreciate many such variations and/or modifications.

13102108.sawl 01679.spc,9 00 c- Arranged at each corner of pallet 40 is a vertical support member 46.

The two vertical support members 46 arranged on the left hand side 48 of pallet 40 together form a barrier that help to prevent gravestone monuments 22 (not shown in Fig. 2) from sliding off the left hand side 48 of pallet Likewise, the two vertical support members 46 arranged on the right hand 00oo side 50 of pallet 40 also form a barrier to help prevent gravestone monuments 22 from sliding off the right hand side 50 of pallet c- Extending between each of the two vertical support members 46 00 oO arranged on the left and right hand sides 48,50 of pallet 40, is a horizontal c 1o lateral frame member 52. Extending between the left and right base frame members 44c,44d, and each of horizontal lateral frame members 52, is a series of vertical lateral frame members 54. Horizontal lateral frame members 52, and vertical lateral frame members 54 each provide strength and additional lateral support for pallet 40, and also assist with maintaining gravestone monuments 22 on pallet 40 during transportation and/or storage.

In Fig. 2, horizontal lateral frame members 52 and vertical lateral frame members 54 are shown in phantom lines to illustrate that they are not essential features of pallet 40 of the present invention. Pallet 40 could be embodied without any additional lateral support members 52,54, or may include additional horizontal and/or vertical lateral support members 52,54, configured in many other ways to that shown in the drawings. The present invention should therefore not be construed as limited to the specific example provided.

Arranged on the left hand side 48 of pallet 40 is a pair of intermediate vertical support members 56. Each intermediate vertical support member 56 extends from a respective front or rear base frame member 44a,44b, and is positioned adjacent and spaced apart from a corresponding vertical support frame member 46. The spaced apart arrangement of intermediate vertical support members 56 relative to left hand side 48 vertical support members 46, provides a recess having parallel barriers or walls for supporting a large flat stone, as for example, the ledger stone 26, of gravestone monument 22 (see Fig. 3) in a substantially vertical position during storage and/or 13102108,saw1l 01679.spc., -11 0 0 transportation. The actual positioning of intermediate vertical support Smembers 56, relative to left hand side 48 vertical support members 46, depends on the size of the recess required. That is, the positioning of intermediate vertical support members 56 can be varied to suit the particular application of pallet 40, i.e. the recess can be made larger or smaller to 0 accommodate flat stones (ledgers 26, etc) of varying thicknesses.

IAlthough shown in Figs. 2 3 as having intermediate vertical support C) members arranged on the left hand side 48 of pallet 40, it should be oo 00 appreciated that same could be arranged centrally of pallet 40 (see, for c- 10 example, Figs. 5a to 5c), or on the right hand side 50 of pallet 40 (not shown). Similarly, although not shown in Figs. 2 3, pallet 40 may be provided with more than one pair of intermediate vertical support members 56 (see, for example, Fig. 6) to provide pallet 40 with a means of supporting more than one large flat stone (as for example the ledger 26 and headstone 24) in a substantially vertical position during storage and/or transportation.

The present invention should therefore not be construed as limited to the specific examples provided.

It should also be appreciated that intermediate vertical support members 56 could be provided with any suitable configuration of horizontal and/or vertical cross-members (not shown) to provide additional strength and support to assist pallet 40 with maintaining at least one large flat stone in a substantially vertical position during storage and/or transportation.

Reference will now be made to Fig. 3 to illustrate an example of one of many methods of loading gravestone monuments 22 onto pallet 40 of the present invention. In Fig. 3 it can be seen that ledger 26 can be supported and maintained in a substantially vertical position within the recess provided by left hand side 48 vertical support members 46 and intermediate vertical support members 56. By having a predefined position for placing ledger 26 of the gravestone monument 22 being stored and/or transported, the 3o remaining surface area of pallet 40 is free to position the other pieces 24,28,30,32,34 of gravestone monument without having to worry about damaging ledger 26. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the side kerbstones 13/02/08saw101679.spc,1 1 -12- 00 S32, the frontstone 30, and the backstone 28 have been loaded straight onto the flat bed 42 of pallet 40, with suitable packing material 36 positioned T between each stone 28,30,32 to help protect same. The headstone 24 has then been placed on top of these stones 28,30,32 (with packing material 36 therebetween), and all stones 24,28,30,32 can then be secured to pallet 0 0 by any suitable strap or ropes (not shown). By storing and/or transporting the ledger 26 in this way, the need for double handling of ledger 26 during Sunloading of pallet 40 is also eliminated as ledger 26 will be maintained 00 within the recess provided by vertical support members 46,56 until such time that it is needed. Thus, further reducing the chance of the ledger 26 being damaged before gravestone monument 22 is erected.

In Figs. 4, 5a to 5c, 6, there are shown pallets 60,70,80, respectively, for storing and/or transporting goods or cargo, for example gravestone monuments 22, made in accordance with a second third (70) and fourth (80) preferred embodiment of the present invention. Like in the case of the first preferred embodiment shown in Figs. 2 3, although specifically described as being suited to the storage and/or transportation of gravestone monuments 22 it should be understood that pallets 60,70,80 shown in Figs. 4, 5a to 5c, 6 may be utilised for storing and/or transporting other forms of cargo (not shown) and as such the present invention is not limited to the specific example as shown.

Pallet 60 shown in Fig. 4 is very similar to pallet 40 shown in Figs. 2 3, and hence includes a pair of intermediate vertical support members 56 arranged on the left hand side 48 of pallet 60. However, pallet 60 differs from pallet 40 of Figs. 2 3 as it does not include a pair of vertical support members arranged at the right hand side 50 of pallet 60, or a flat bed 42 for placing gravestone monuments 22 thereon. Pallet 60 does, however, include additional base frame members 62 which extend between left and right side base frame members 44c,44d, to provide a surface to place gravestone monuments 22 thereon. Although not shown, in use, pallet 60 of Fig. 4, may have a flat bed 42 placed on base frame member 44, before gravestone monuments 22 are loaded onto pallet 13/02108,sawl 01679.spc, 12 -13- 00 Pallet 70, shown in various forms in Figs. 5a to 5c, differs to pallets 40,60 shown in Figs. 2 to 4, in that two spaced apart pairs of intermediate T vertical support members 56a,56b are disposed centrally of pallet 70. In this way a recess is provided between the two pairs of intermediate vertical support members 56a,56b instead of between a single pair of intermediate 0 vertical support members 56 and a corresponding pair of side vertical support members 46 (as for example, left hand side 48 vertical support members 46).

SGiven that the recess is provided centrally of pallet 70 and that pallet 70 can 00 0still support a large flat stone (as for example, ledger 26) in a substantially c '0 vertical position, pallet 70 can be embodied with: lateral support 46,52 at both the left and right hand sides 48,50 of pallet 70 (see Fig. 5a); lateral support 46,52 at only one side 48 or 50 of pallet 70 (see Fig. 5b); or, no lateral support 46,52 at either side 48,50 of pallet 70 (see Fig. Pallet 80 shown in Fig. 6 is again different to that of pallets 40,60,70, shown in Figs. 2 to 4 5a to 5c. This time pallet 80 includes two pairs of intermediate vertical support members 56a,56b. One pair 56a arranged adjacent left hand side 48 of pallet 80 and spaced apart from the pair of vertical support members 46 disposed thereat and hence providing a recess therebetween those vertical support members 46,56a. The other pair of intermediate vertical support members 56b being arranged at the right hand side 50 of pallet 80 and providing a second recess between those intermediate vertical support members 56b and the corresponding right hand side 50 vertical support members 46. In this embodiment, pallet 80 has two recesses, each one for receiving a large flat stone (as for example, the ledger 26 and the headstone 24) of gravestone monument 22.

The present invention therefore provides a useful pallet 40,60,70,80 for transporting and/or storing gravestone monuments 22 which includes means for protecting at least one large substantially flat stone, preferably the ledger 26, of a gravestone monument 22 during transportation and/or storage. The pallet 40,60,70,80 of the present invention provides a predefined location for positioning at least one large substantially flat stone (ledger 26) that alleviates the problems associated with the transportation 13102/08.saw 101679 spc. 13 -14- 00 0 Sand/or storage of same. By providing at least one predefined location for positioning a large flat stone (ledger 26) during storage and/or transportation, L the remaining stones that make up a finished monument 22 can be easily organised, loaded and unloaded from the pallet 40,60,70,80 of the present invention.

00oo While this invention has been described in connection with specific Iembodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further Smodification(s). The present invention is intended to cover any variations, 00oo 0uses or adaptations of the invention following in general, the principles of the l invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth.

Finally, as the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit of the essential characteristics of the invention, it should be understood that the above described embodiments are not to limit the present invention unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Various modifications and equivalent arrangements are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Therefore, the specific embodiments are to be understood to be illustrative of the many ways in which the principles of the present invention may be practiced.

13/02)08,sawl 01679.spc 1 4

Claims (23)

1. A pallet for transporting and/or storing a plurality of pieces of stone or the like, at least one of said plurality of pieces of stone being an elongate 0 slab, said pallet including: a platform defining a storage surface for r- Ipositioning said plurality of pieces of stone thereon; and, at least one pair of Nq spaced apart substantially vertical support members defining a slot or recess o00 0for receiving the at least one elongate slab and for maintaining the latter in a c l0 substantially vertical position during storage and/or transportation.

2. The pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of pieces of stone are stone pieces of a gravestone monument.

3. The pallet as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least one elongate slab is a ledger or a headstone of said gravestone monument.

4. The pallet as claimed in claim 3, wherein said platform is sufficiently large so as to accommodate remaining stone pieces of said gravestone monument. The pallet as claimed in claim 4, wherein said remaining stone pieces of said gravestone monument include: a backstone; a frontstone; side kerbstones; and/or a pillarstone.

6. The pallet as claimed in claim 5, wherein said pallet has at least two distinct predefined areas for positioning said stone pieces of said gravestone monument during transportation and/or storage.

7. The pallet as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of said at least two distinct predefined areas is provided for said at least one elongate 13/02/08,sawl 01679.spc,15 -16- 00 slab, and at least one other of said at least two distinct predefined areas is Sprovided for said remaining stone pieces of said gravestone monument. aT,

8. The pallet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one pair of spaced apart substantially vertical support members o00o are disposed in a substantially parallel arrangement. S9. The pallet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein 00 oo said pallet includes one pair of parallel substantially vertical support members c io defining a single slot or recess for receiving a single elongate slab. The pallet as claimed in claim 9, wherein said single slot or recess is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed at a lateral edge of said pallet and a plurality of intermediate substantially vertical support members disposed parallel thereto.

11. The pallet as claimed in claim 9, wherein said single slot or recess is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed in a parallel arrangement at a predetermined location between the lateral edges of said pallet.

12. The pallet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said pallet includes two pairs of parallel substantially vertical support members, each defining a slot or recess for receiving an elongate slab.

13. The pallet as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said slots or recesses is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed at a lateral edge of said pallet and a plurality of intermediate substantially vertical support members disposed parallel thereto.

14. A pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments, said pallet including: a platform defining a storage surface for positioning monument 13102/08,sawl 01679.spc, 16 -17- 00 Ssections thereon; and, at least one pair of spaced apart substantially vertical support members defining a slot or recess for receiving at least one elongate L monument section and for maintaining the latter in a substantially vertical position during storage and/or transportation. (0 0 15. The pallet as claimed in claim 14, wherein said monuments are r- gravestone monuments. 00

16. The pallet as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least one C 0 elongate monument section is a ledger or a headstone of said gravestone monument.

17. The pallet as claimed in claim 16, wherein said platform is sufficiently large so as to accommodate remaining stone monument sections of said gravestone monument.

18. The pallet as claimed in claim 17, wherein said remaining stone monument sections of said gravestone monument include: a backstone; a frontstone; side kerbstones; and/or a pillarstone.

19. The pallet as claimed in claim 18, wherein said pallet has at least two distinct predefined areas for positioning said stone monument sections of said gravestone monument during transportation and/or storage.

20. The pallet as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least one of said at least two distinct predefined areas is provided for said at least one elongate monument section, and at least one other of said at least two distinct predefined areas is provided for said remaining stone monument sections of said gravestone monument. 13102/08,saw1 01679.spc. 17 -18- 00

21. The pallet as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein said at least one pair of spaced apart substantially vertical support members are disposed in a substantially parallel arrangement.

22. The pallet as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein said 00oo r pallet includes one pair of parallel substantially vertical support members 0defining a single slot or recess for receiving a single elongate monument C section. o00 c 10 23. The pallet as claimed in claim 22, wherein said single slot or recess is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed at a lateral edge of said pallet and a plurality of intermediate substantially vertical support members disposed parallel thereto.

24. The pallet as claimed in claim 22, wherein said single slot or recess is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed in a parallel arrangement at a predetermined location between the lateral edges of said pallet.

25. The pallet as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein said pallet includes two pairs of parallel substantially vertical support members, each defining a slot or recess for receiving an elongate monument section.

26. The pallet as claimed in claim 25, wherein each of said slots or recesses is defined by a plurality of substantially vertical support members disposed at a lateral edge of said pallet and a plurality of intermediate substantially vertical support members disposed parallel thereto.

27. A pallet for transporting and/or storing a plurality of pieces of stone or the like, at least one of said plurality of pieces of stone being an elongate slab, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

13102108.saw01679 spc,18 -19- 00 O 28. A pallet for transporting and/or storing monuments, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. 00 rO N DATED this 13 th day of February, 2008 00 0GIANNARELLI HOLDINGS PTY LTD c 10 By their Patent Attorneys EKM patent 13102/08.saw101679spc. 19