AU2021104247A4

AU2021104247A4 - Stillage adapter

Info

Publication number: AU2021104247A4
Application number: AU2021104247A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Francis Bilotto
Original assignee: F V BILOTTO NOMINEES Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Fv Bilotto Nominees Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2020-07-20
Filing date: 2021-07-16
Publication date: 2021-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 2029-07-16

Abstract

A stillage adapter configured to sit atop a stillage and enable one or more trolleys to be stacked above the stillage, the adapter having at least two connection means to connect 5 with corresponding upper extending members of a stillage, and means to receive at least a lower member or portion of a trolley, to prevent sliding movement of the trolley with respect to the stillage. 1/14 10 10 1 Figure 1

Description

1/14

10 1

Figure 1

STILLAGE ADAPTER

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the efficient handling and transport of plants from growers to retailers when using a combination of transport arrangements.

Background of the invention

The distribution of plants from growers to retailers can be direct or can be via a distribution centre. In either case, minimising transportation costs is important and thus there is a desire to maximise the amount of stock that can be transported in a single truck.

Plants can be stacked on pallets, stillages or trolleys for both transport and display at the retailers. Some retailers prefer, once the plants have been delivered, to move the plants onto their own shelves or display arrangements. Different growers, distributors and retailers have preferences for different types of arrangements for stacking their plants for transport. This can present problems, particularly for distribution centres, who may be delivering to retailers a variety of plants received from multiple different growers.

Pallets are often used for large, heavy plants and trees, such that they sit on top of the pallet and may be strapped down to them, but extend above quite a distance. Loaded pallets cannot be stacked on top of each other.

Stillages are generally used for transportation and storage of items that are not capable of being stacked for transportation upon a pallet. Such items include but are not limited to plants in pots. Stillages differ from pallets in that they have side rails to contain the plants and are able to be stacked upon each other, except where the plants extend above the height of the side rails.

Stillages generally comprise a framework having a base with upwardly extending members fixed at corners of the base and interconnected by side rails. Articles to be stored or transported by the stillage, rest on the base and are located between and retained by the upwardly extending members and cross-members. Stillages usually have legs with feet that lift the base above the ground allowing forklift tines to be inserted underneath for lifting and moving. In many arrangements, the stillages can be stacked by placing the feet on top of the upwardly extending members.

Plant trolleys have a number of moveable shelves contained within a frame that is moveable on castors. Again, the base is raised from the ground to allow forklift tines to be inserted underneath for lifting and moving. Typically, trolleys extend 1.8 to 2 metres in height.

Trucks may have a height of 4 metres and thus where trolleys and pallets are used, there is a large amount of vertical space lost during transportation of the plants to the retailers. Stillages can be stacked on top of each other, allowing the fully height of the truck to be utilised.

It is an object of the present invention to address and ameliorate at least one of the above mentioned disadvantages or at least provide a useful alternative.

Reference to any prior art in the specification is not an acknowledgment or suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be understood, regarded as relevant, and/or combined with other pieces of prior art by a skilled person in the art.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect, there is provided a stillage adapter configured to sit atop a stillage and enable one or more trolleys to be stacked above the stillage, the adapter having at least two connection means to connect with corresponding upper extending members of a stillage, and means to receive at least a lower member or portion of a trolley, to prevent sliding movement of the trolley with respect to the stillage.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a stillage adapter system comprising two opposing adapters, each extending across opposite sides of a stillage, the two members working together to receive one or more trolleys stacked above the stillage, each adapter having at least two connection means to connect with corresponding upper extending members of a stillage, and means to receive at least a lower member or portion of a trolley, to prevent sliding movement of the trolley with respect to the stillage.

It is preferable that two trolleys are receivable side by side above a stillage.

Each adapter member may be a hollow box steel length, preferably closed at each end. Extending from one side are two spaced apart connection means, preferably being brackets with passages to allow the adapter to slide over two upward extending member of the stillage such that the adapter member sits atop of a stillage cross beam.

The hollow box steel length may include spaced opening on the upper side to provide means to receive lower members of the trolley. The openings could be recesses, channels, hollows or holes in the upper surface.

According to a disclosed embodiment, there is provided a stillage adapter configured to sit atop a stillage and enable one or more trolleys or pallets to be stacked above the stillage, the adapter having at least two connection means to connect with corresponding upper extending members of a stillage, and means to receive at least a lower member or portion of a trolley or pallet, to prevent sliding movement of the trolley or pallet with respect to the stillage.

The adapter may be a single member that extends across one side of the stillage to receive a portion of a trolley or pallet. Two separate members may be used together that each extend across opposite sides of a stillage, the two members working together to receive a trolley or pallet above them.

Alternatively, the adapter may be an integral unit, having two members extending across opposite sides of a stillage, the two members being connected at each of their respective ends by cross beams.

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Brief description of the drawings

Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a truck stacked the full height with stillages of various heights stacked upon each other;

Figure 2 shows a truck with a trolley;

Figure 3 shows three stillages stacked upon each other, with a stillage adapter in position according to a first embodiment;

Figure 4 shows an isometric view of a stillage adapter member according an embodiment configured to receive a portion of a trolley;

Figure 5 is an exploded isometric view of the stillage adapter member of Figure 4;

Figures 6A to 6C are plan views of the stillage adapter member of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is an end plan view of the stillage adapter member of Figure 4;

Figure 8 shows a stillage with two stillage adapter members in position;

Figure 9 shows the connection means;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a trolley;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the trolley of Figure 10 stacked upon the stillage of Figure 8;

Figure 12 is a front view of a second trolley stacked next to the trolley of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a side view of the arrangement shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a close up view of a portion of the arrangement shown in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of a locking means between two adjacent trolleys;

Figure 16 is a perspective view showing a trolley stacked on the three stillages of Figure 3; and

Figure 17 shows an isometric view of a stillage adapter according to another embodiment configured to receive a pallet.

Detailed description of the embodiments

Figure 1 shows a truck loaded with stillages 10 containing plants to be transported from a distribution centre to a retail location. The stillages shown are adjustable in height to allow for plants of multiple heights. The stillages can be stacked on top of each other such that minimal space within the truck is unused. Contrary to this is when trolleys are loaded into trucks. As shown in Figure 2, trolleys 42 of typical height 1.8 to 2 metres, do not utilise the upper section of a truck, which can be up to 4 metres in height internally. Due to their dimensions, configurations and presence of castors, it has not been possible to stack trolleys on top of each other or on top of other devices.

Part of the present invention is the realisation that it would be beneficial to be able to stack trolleys on top of stillages to maximise the height used within a truck. However there were challenges in devising a system that would allow for flexibility in arrangements for distribution and maintained stability when both the stillages and trolleys are fully loaded and empty.

As shown in Figure 3, each stillage has a framework with a base 12 and upwardly extending members 14 fixed at corners of the base. The corners are interconnected by cross beams 16. Plants or containers rest on the base 12 and are located between and retained by the upwardly extending members 14 and cross beams 16. Feet 18 lift the base 12 above the ground allowing forklift tines to be inserted underneath for lifting and moving. The feet 18 have hollows on their underside that allow them to sit atop an underlying upwardly extending member 14 to allow stacking. This is able to be seen in Figure 3, where three stillages 10 are stacked upon each other. Extension members 20 may be used to give extra height to the upwardly extending members 14, such that feet 18 sit on top of the extension members.

Placed on top of the uppermost stillage 10 are two stillage adapter members 22. Connection means 24 allow the adapter members 22 to lock onto opposing sides of the uppermost stillage 10 in a stack.

Turning to Figure 4, a single stillage adapter member 22 according to a first embodiment is shown. This member 22 is a hollow box section of steel that is closed at each end 26. It has a first, inner side 28 and a second, outer side 30. It has an upper surface 32 and a lower surface 34. The connection means 24 are each rectangular brackets 24 extending from the inner side 28 and have an open passage 36. As shown in Figure 3, an adapter member 22 is placed over one side of a stillage, with the upwardly extending members 14 sliding into the passages 36 to lock the adapter member to the stillage. The lower surface 34 sits on top of the stillage cross beam 16 to provide stability. The inner side 28 sits flush with the inner surface of the cross beam 16 so that the stillage can still be fully loaded with plants without limiting space.

Two separate opposing adapter members 22 can be used to create a stillage adapter. These two adapter members 22 may be joined together by cross members connecting their respective ends to create an integral stillage adapter.

The upper surface 32 of each member 22 includes three or four spaced apart openings 38. In the illustrated embodiment, two end openings 38a and a central opening 38b are provided. The central opening 38b is twice the length as the end ?0 openings 38a. The use of the openings will be explained further below.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the components that make up the adapter members 22. The various components would typically be welded together. As previously explained, the body is a hollow box steel length, which has openings 38 cut into the upper surface 32. End pieces 26a are connected to close ends 26. Rectangular brackets 24 connected on the inner side 28 adjacent the ends 28. Additionally, angled guides 40 are welded at an angle on the inner side of each upper surface openings 38. These can be seen more clearly in Figures 6b, 7 and 8, in particular.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the adapter members 22 positioned on a stillage 10. Figure 9 shows a close up view of the bracket 24 slotted over the upwardly extending member 14. The end opening 38a sits outside the upwardly extending member 14 above the cross beam 16 that lies perpendicular to the cross beam 16 that the adapter member 22 sits atop.

Figure 10 shows a typical trolley 42, which has vertical corner posts 44 connected by a base 46 that creates a lowermost shelf. The corner posts 44 have a series of attachment locations to enable shelving to be fully adjustable. The base 46 is raised from the ground by castors 48 that enable the trolley 42 to be rolled around, and places the base above the ground to enable the tines of a forklift to be positioned underneath from either side to lift a trolley onto a truck, for example. A skirt 50 is provided at each end. The lower end 54 of each corner post 44 extends lower than the skirt 50 to create lower projecting members.

A trolley 42 is shown positioned on top of a stillage 10 with the use of two adapter members 22 in Figure 11. Each end of a trolley is positioned on an adapter member towards one end. The lower end projecting members 52 of the trolley slot into the upper openings 38 on the adapter members 22. The end openings 38a are sized to receive a single projecting member 52, whilst the central openings 38b are sized to receive two projecting members 52, from two adjacent trolleys, as illustrated in Figure 12. The guides 40 assist with ensuring the projecting members 52 slot into the upper opening 38 as the trolleys are lowered by a forklift. The skirts 50 of each trolley 42 sit atop the upper surface 32 of the adapter members 22 and the end pieces 26a provide a ?0 lip 56 on the outside of the trolley corner posts 44. The adapter members 22 are sized to hold two trolleys 42 side by side on a single stillage 10.

As can be seen in Figure 13, the castors 48 sit inside inner side 28 and also line up with the brackets 24, as shown in Figure 14. The angled surface 58 of the brackets 24 provide space for the casters 48 to sit without contacting the bracket, which could wear the castors, the castors are therefore free to spin during transport. Upper locking devices 60 can be used to connect the upper ends of the corner posts 44 together on adjacent trolleys, as shown in Figure 15.

As illustrated in Figure 16, the arrangement is stable enough, that trolleys 42 can be stacked on top of multiple stillages by using the stillage adapter arrangement. This allows for the full height of a truck to be utilised, reducing transport costs.

V

An alternative stillage adapter 62 according to a different invention is shown in Figure 17, which is suitable for receiving a pallet on top. This adapter 62 has a peripheral frame 64 that comprises a vertical wall 66 and a horizontal lip 68. This is sized to receive within the vertical walls 66 a standard sized pallet and prevent lateral movement. The adapter 62 sits on top of an uppermost stillage 10 with hollow downwardly extending legs 70 sliding over the upwardly extending member 14 of the stillage at four corners.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. A stillage adapter configured to sit atop a stillage and enable one or more trolleys to be stacked above the stillage, the adapter having at least two connection means to connect with corresponding upper extending members of a stillage, and means to receive at least a lower member or portion of a trolley, to prevent sliding movement of the trolley with respect to the stillage.

2. A stillage adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is a single member that extends across one side of the stillage to receive a portion of a trolley.

3. A stillage adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter comprises two separate members used together that each extend across opposite sides of a stillage, the two members working together to receive a trolley above them.

4. A stillage adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the adaptor comprises an integral unit having two members extending across opposite sides of the stillage, the two members being connected at each of their respective ends by cross beams.

?0 5. A stillage adapter system comprising two opposing adapters, each extending across opposite sides of a stillage, the two members working together to receive one or more trolleys stacked above the stillage, each adapter having at least two connection means to connect with corresponding upper extending members of a stillage, and means to receive at least a lower member or portion of a trolley, to prevent sliding movement of the trolley with respect to the stillage.

6. A stillage adaptor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein two trolleys are receivable side by side above a stillage.

7. A stillage adaptor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the adapter member is a hollow box steel length.

8. A stillage adaptor according to claim 7, wherein the hollow box steel length is closed at each end.

9. A stillage adaptor according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein extending from one side of the adaptor member are two spaced apart connection means with passages to allow the adapter to slide over two upward extending members of the stillage such that the adapter member sits atop of a stillage cross beam.

10.A stillage adaptor according to claim 9, wherein the connection means are brackets.

11.A stillage adaptor according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the hollow box steel length includes spaced openings on the upper side to provide means to receive lower members of the trolley.

12.A stillage adaptor according to claim 10, wherein the openings are recesses, channels, hollows or holes in the upper surface.