AU628746B2

AU628746B2 - A latching mechanism for a collapsible pallet cage

Info

Publication number: AU628746B2
Application number: AU78176/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Deane Coogan
Original assignee: Rees Operations Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Rees Operations Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1988-05-17
Filing date: 1991-06-05
Publication date: 1992-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2009-05-16
Also published as: AU7817691A

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Regulation 3.2 I 4 1 ti f I r I rt I 'LIr Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: REES OPERATIONS PTY LTD JAMES DEANE COOGAN Address for Service: Invention title: R K MADDERN ASSOCIATES, 345 King William Street, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 'A LATCHING MECHANISM FOR A COLLAPSIBLE PALLET CAGE' Details of Associated Provisional Aplication No(s): The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

This invention relates to an improved collapsible or folding container for the storage of goods, and is particularly concerned with an improved latching mechanism for a collapsible container of the type comprising a substantially rectangular support base having an horizontal floor, a pair of opposed end panels hinged about respective horizontal axes for folding inwardly relative to the base into a collapsed condition, and a pair of opposed side panels hinged about respective horizontal axes for folding inwardly relative to the base into a collapsed condition, the arrangement being such that panels can be folded inwardly approximately flat one on top of the other with adjacent panels in an overlying relationship, wherein each said panel comprises metal 4* peripheral frame members and panel infill means secured to said frame members.

This application is a divisional of the Applicant's co-pending application 34800/89 dated 16th May 1989.

Known latching arrangements for latching together adjacent panels of the container are prone to disengage easily, for example during transport of the container, and generally do not impart sufficient rigidity to the erected structure. A further problem is that the latches and/or clips are often located so that they project into the interior of the erected container and hence there is a likelihood of the goods or products stored in the container being damaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved latching mechanism for a collapsible container of the aforementioned type which will allow adjacent wall panels of the container to be conveniently locked together when in their erected condition, and which is unlikely to disengage during use of the container.

According to this invention therefore, there is provided an improved latching mechanism for releasably latching together adjacent panels of a container (of the type hereinbefore described) at the upper corners thereof, when in an erected 2

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t condition, the latching mechanism comprising a pivotal rocker arm externally mounted on one of said adjacent panels near an upper corner thereof for limited rocking movement about an axis extending at right angles to the plane of said one panel between latch release and latch engaging positions, means for biasing the rocker arm in the direction of its latch engaging position, the rocker arm carrying at one end thereof a latch pin which extends away from the arm at right angles thereto in a direction parallel to the plane of said one panel, an external latch engaging bar slidably mounted at the upper corner of the other of said adjacent panels for sliding to S and fro movement between extended and retracted positions in a direction at right angles to the axis of the latch pin, S said bar being provided with a pin receiving hole adjacent its distal end, constructed and arranged so that when the I t rocker arm is in its latch engaging position and said bar is f in its extended position, the latch pin extends through said hole to thereby lock the adjacent panels together, said bar when in its extended position projecting through aligned slotted openings formed in said metal peripheral frame members of said adjacent panels, whilst when said rocker arm is in its latch release position the latch pin is disengaged from the latch engaging bar whereupon the bar can be removed back through said slotted openings to its retracted position and the latch mechanism released.

In order to more fully explain the present invention several embodiments are described hereunder in some further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage pallet container (with the lid shown in dotted lines in its open position) according to one embodiment: FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view of the container showing the front panel folded down and the lid open; 3 FIGS. 3 to 5 are perspective views of the container in progressively folded down conditions, with FIG. 5 showing the container fully collapsed with the lid panel folded on top thereof.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the corner latching mechanism between adjacent panels; FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the double hinge mechanism used to hinge together the panel halves of the front panel and lid panel; S FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hinge between the lid panel and the rear panel; C 4 r It I FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a pallet container according to a second embodiment; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the container fully collapsed; and FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the pallet base only.

S In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8, there is shown a storage pallet concainer/cage 10 having a rectangular pallet base 11 which is provided at each of its four corners t with stub corner posts 12 of angle section, the pallet base 11 having an horizontal timber floor supported by an upper deck 15 which in turn is supported by a lower deck 16 by short length vertical uprights 17, in addition to the stub corner posts 12. The pallet base 11 is also provided with three upwardly projecting peripheral wall or skirting members 21, 22 extending along both sides and the rear of the base 11, respectively the height of the two side wall members 20, 21 being different to each other and being slightly lower than that of the rear wall member 22. In this embodiment, the front of the pallet base 11ii is left open (without a wall member), whereby the upper edges of the front, rear and sides 4 of the pallet are spaced at different distances from the pallet floor 13.

The pallet container 10 is provided with a pair of folding end panels, 23, 25 (panel 23 constituting the front panel or gate, panel 25 constituting the rear panel or gate) and a pair of folding side panels, 27, 29 each of the panels 23, 27, 29 comprising a peripheral metal frame of angle section frame members 40 to which are secured a solid timber ply panel located on the inside of the angle metal frame members. In this embodiment each of the side panels 27, 29 and rear panel 25 is a one-piece panel whilst the front panel or gate 23 is divided horizontally into two halves 23', 23" which are hinged together to permit the two halves 23', 23" to hinge relative to one another. A top or lid panel 30 is N hingedly connected to the rear panel 25 and which, when in its closed position, is supported on the top edges of the vertical side and end panels so as to close off the open upper end of the container 10, the top or lid panel 30 also being formed in two panel sections 30', 30", hinged together by hinge means 33 (refer FIG. 7) which permits panel section to be hinged back so as to lie flat on top of the other panel section 30' so that in turn, the two panel sections 30" can then be bodily swung outwardly away from or outboard of the container 10 so that they are suspended from the hinges 34 which connect the top or lid panel 30 to the upper edge of the rear panel 25, whereupon the upper end of the container 10 is fully open.

Each of the panels 23, 25, 27, 29 is hingedly connected with respect to the pallet base 11 by means of a pair of laterally projecting, horizontally aligned pivot pins or bolts 35 which engage in apertures 36 formed in the corner posts 12, each of the side panels 27, 29 being hingedly mounted for inward swinging movement about an axis which is at right angles to the pivot axis of the hinge connection for the end panels 23, the hinge axis for the front panel 23 being slightly below the hinge axis of the side panel 27 which in turn is slightly below the hinge axis for the side panel 29, which -7 also in turn is slightly below the hinge axis for the rear panel 25. The panels are arranged so that the front panel 23 can be firstly folded inwardly so as to lie flat on the floor 13 of the pallet base 11 (over approximately the whole of its area) followed by the side panel 27 so as to lie approximately flat on top of the folded down front panel 23, then the side panel 29, followed finally by the rear panel together with its attached top or lid panel 30, the rear panel 25, being folded inwardly so as to lie approximately flat on top of the side panel 29, with the top or lid panel being supported on top of the rear panel 25 with its two panel sections 30', 30" folded on top of one another.

With the side panels 27, 29 and rear panel 25 in their erected positions, their bottom edges or edge surfaces rest on or are contiguous with the upper edge surfaces of the corresponding wall members 20, 21, 22 whereby any load applied to the panels 27, 29, 25 is transmitted directly to the base 11 via the wall members and virtually no weight is carried by the pivot pins or bolts 35 of the panels. The front panel 23, when erect, has its lower edge resting on the tt e j floor 13 of the base 11, but it will be realised that it too may be supported on a fourth peripheral wall member having a height different to the other three.

In this embodiment, each of the panel halves 23', 23" of the t i front panel 23 is provided with releasably engageable hinge connections 38, 39 to permit either panel half to be swung outwardly relative to the other panel half or to permit the panel as a whole to be folded inwardly as described hereinabove. The hinge connection 38 for the lower panel half 23" comprises a pair of horizontally aligned slidable hinge bolts or pins, each of which is arranged to slidably engage in an aligned recess or hole formed in a respective stub corner post 12, whilst the hinge connection 39 for the upper panel half 23' similarly comprises a pair of horizontally aligned slidable hinge bolts at the lower corners thereof, each of which is arranged to releasably engage in a hole or recess formed in the metal frame member 6 of an adjacent side wall panel 27, 29. With this arrangement, the interior of the pallet container can be readily accessed either through the upper of lower panel half of the front gate 23 (depending upon whether the upper half or lower half of the container interior is required to be inspected). In addition, this arrangement permits the container to be used as a grain hopper, for example, by opening the lower half 23" of the front gate 23. The inspection feature is of course an advantage when containers are stacked one on top of the other, namely where one cannot open the lid panel to inspect the container interior.

Each upper corner of the pallet container 10 (when in its erected condition) has a panel fastening or latching JL5 mechanism 43 (refer FIG. 6) to secure together adjacent pairs t t S of panels so that the whole assembly is held securely in its erected condition. Each latching mechanism 43 comprises a vertically mounted pivoted rocker or lever arm 44 rockingly supported on a pivot 45 spaced a short distance from the arm and which extends in a direction at right angles to the plane of the panel on which it is carried, the pivot 45, in this embodiment, being supported by one of the peripheral angle frame members 40 of the panel. The rocker arm 44 is provided with a latch pin 47 which projects at right angles to the arm 44, the pin 47 being arranged to engage through an aperture 48 formed adjacent the end of a slidable latch engaging bar S, 50 which is carried adjacent the upper corner of an adjacent panel, the latch engaging bar 50 being arranged to slide through slotted openings (not shown) formed in the frame members 40 of the adjacent panels. The lever arm 44 is spring loaded being biased towards its engaged position.

The component parts of the latching mechanism 43 are designed so that their outer surfaces do not project outwardly beyond the outer edges of the angle metal peripheral angle frame members 40 of the wall panels. This minimises any likelihood of damage to the latching mechanism, particularly when the containers are being transported and also minimises the likelihood of the latching mechanisms being accidentally disengaged.

7 °1 Additional latching mechanisms 51 are provided between the top or lid panel 30 and the side and end wall panel 23 to ensure that the top panel 30 is firmly secured in its closed Sposition during transportation of the container 10. Each latch mechanism 51 comprises a slidable bar releasably j engaging in an aperture in the frame member of the lid panel 0The connections made by the latch mechanisms 43, 51 impart significant rigidity to the container, and of course, with the latch mechanisms located on the exterior walls of the Scontainer, the interior of the container is completely smooth S and there is thus no likelihood of any damage being done to the goods stored therein.

It will be realised that the front panel or gate 23 of the container 10 can be folded or hinged outwardly (as a whole) by simply disengaging the latching mechanism 43, 51 and also the hinge or pivot bolts 39 on the upper half 23' of the front panel 23, whereafter the panel 23 as a whole can be swung outwardly to completely open the front of the container without having, for example, to lift the lid or cover panel (as is normally the case with prior art containers).

Turning to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11, there is shown a storage pallet container 53 having a rectangular pallet base 54 which is provided at each of its four corners with stub corner posts 57 of angle section, the base 54 having a horizontal load supporting floor 58 supported by upper and lower decks identical to that previously described.

The base 54 is also provided with three upstanding peripheral wall members 59, 60, 62 extending between respective pairs of corner posts 57 and along both sides and the rear of the base 54. The height distance from the floor 58) of wall member 59 is less than that of wall member 60 which in turn is less than wall member 62.

8 _-m The container 53 is provided with hinged wall panels, namely a front panel 63 which, when erect, rests on the floor 58, side panels 64, 66 which rest on members 59, 60 respectively, and a rear panel 67 which is supported on member 62, whereby the panels are supported by the base 54 on different horizontal planes containing the floor 58 and the upper edge surfaces of the members 59, 60, 62.

Each of the panels 63, 64, 66 and 67 is pivotally connected to the base 54 by a pair of laterally projecting, horizontally aligned pivot pins 68 welded to the panel frame and which are journalled in holes 70 formed in the corner posts 57 (or the members 59, 60, 62) the panels being mounted for inward swinging movement about horizontal axes which are contained in different horizontal planes. The panels when folded down lie flat on top of one another with adjacent panels being in overlying relationship. The order in which the panels are folded down is the same as described for the container of the first embodiment.

The height of the corner posts 57 is selected so that all four side and end panels, when folded down, are stored within the confines of the base 54 and assume a "stacked" height which is less than the corner post height the corner post height above the base floor 58 will be greater than 4 times the thickness of the panels). The lid panel 71, in this embodiment, is removable and being of tray-like construction, is able to be supported, when the container is collapsed, at its four corners by the upper ends of the corner posts 57 (refer FIG. 10). When collapsed, the container 53 thus forms a relatively flat, neat package.

Corner angle members 72 fixed to the corners of the lid 72 and projecting from the upper surface thereof form locating members to enable another folded-down container to be simply and securely stacked on top thereof, with the load being transmitted through the cocner posts 57.

-9- As in the first embodiment, each panel comprises a peripheral metal frame of angle section frame members 73 to which are secured a solid timber ply panel 74 located on the inside of the angle metal frame members. Instead of timber ply, metal mesh or sheet metal may be used for the panels 74.

If required, simple slidable latching bolts 75 are used to releasably fasten together the upper corners of adjacent panels. In this embodiment, the hinge connection for the front panel 63 is formed by slidable hinge pins or bolts 76 which when disengaged, permits the panel 63 to be bodily removed when the container is erected and the lid 71 on.

[i Normally, the lid 71 is removably supported on top of the upper edges of the side and end panels.

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Claims

2. Improved latching means according to claim 1 wherein each said metal peripheral frame member is of angle section, the angle section frame members of each said panel defining an outwardly facing recessed portion, wherein the rocker arm and the latch engaging bar are housed within the confines of their respective said recessed portions. 11 EC U~ i
3. Improved latching means according to claim 2 wherein said latch pin, when the rocker arm is in its latch engaging position, extends through said latch engaging bar hole and in turn locates in an aligned hole formed in a flange of a said angle section frame member of said one panel.
4. Improved latching means according to either claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said biasing means comprises a compression spring co-acting between the, other end of said rocker arm and a flange of an angle section frame member of said one panel. Improved latching means for releasably latching together adjacent panels of a collapsible storage container substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 5th day of June 1991 REES OPERATIONS PTY LTD By its Patent Attorneys R K MADDERN ASSOCIATES 12