EP0014669A1 - Enclosure for handling pallets - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Enclosure for handling palletts, characterized in that it consists of a panel which comprises, in combination : - at least two bottom brackets (4) extending beneath its lower edge and bent inwardly, - at least two elongated openings (6) situated adjacent its upper edge and co-operating with the said brackets to permit super-imposition of the enclosure, - means (5, 7, 17, 18) provided on its lower part and on its upper part to lock transversely, either two superimposed enclosures, or one enclosure onto a pallette or vice versa, - a plurality of studs (8) provided on and in the extension of one of its two vertical edges, - a plurality of corresponding holes (9) provided in its internal surface, in the immediate vicinity of its other vertical surface and for co-operation with the said studs, - at least one articulated lever (10) co-operating either with a recess (11) provided in the external surface, or with a recess (11) provided in the external surface of the adjacent panel, depending on whether the enclosure is in the inoperative position or in the operative position, - and at least two bolting members (12) which are apparent on its external surface and co-operate either with the said lever (10) of the same panel, or with the lever (10) of an adjacent panel, depending on whether the enclosure is in the inoperative position or is in the operative position.

Description

The subject of the invention is an extension for a handling pallet.

It is known to provide the handling pallets with removable lateral elevations making it possible to transform them into large boxes, and to use them either as a pallet proper, or as boxes.

The aim of the invention is precisely to provide such extensions to users of pallets and it relates, for this purpose, an extension whose arrangement is such that its implementation on the pallet is easy and quick, that its connection with the pallet and with the adjoining extensions gives rise to a solid and rigid assembly, that it allows by superposition of several rows of extensions to obtain very deep cases, and that the extensions of the upper row can be removed in n ' any order, which facilitates access to the content of the palette, regardless of its accessible side.

• - au moins deux pattes de base débordant sous son bord inférieur et coudées en direction de l'intérieur,
• - au moins deux ouvertures allongées situées à proximité de son bord supérieur et coopérant avec lesdites pattes pour la superposition des rehausses,
• - des moyens prévus dans sa partie inférieure et dans sa partie supérieure pour bloquer transversalement, soit deux rehausses superposées, soit une rehausse sur une palette ou inversement,
• - une pluralité de tétons prévus sur et dans le prolongement de l'un de ses deux bords verticaux,
• - une pluralité de trous correspondants prévus dans sa face intérieure, à proximité immédiate de son autre bord vertical et destinés à coopérer avec les tétons précités,
• ,- au moins un levier articulé coopérant soit avec un logement aménagé dans sa face extérieure, soit avec un logement aménagé dans la face extérieure du panneau adjacent, suivant que la rehausse est en position de repos ou en position d'utilisation,
• - et au moins deux organes de verrouillage apparaissant sur sa face extérieure et coopérant soit avec le levier précité du même panneau, soit avec le levier d'un panneau adjacent, suivant que la rehausse est en position de repos ou en position d'utilisation.

This goal is achieved by providing in combination, on the same panel constituting the extension:

• - at least two base legs protruding under its lower edge and bent inwards towards the interior,
• - at least two elongated openings located near its upper edge and cooperating with said tabs for the superimposition of the extensions,
• means provided in its lower part and in its upper part for blocking transversely, either two superimposed risers, or one riser on a pallet or vice versa,
• - a plurality of pins provided on and in the extension of one of its two vertical edges,
• a plurality of corresponding holes provided in its inner face, in the immediate vicinity of its other vertical edge and intended to cooperate with the aforementioned pins,
• , - at least one articulated lever cooperating either with a housing arranged in its external face, or with a housing arranged in the external face of the adjacent panel, depending on whether the extension is in the rest position or in the use position,
• - And at least two locking members appearing on its outer face and cooperating either with the aforementioned lever of the same panel, or with the lever of an adjacent panel, depending on whether the extension is in the rest position or in the position of use.

• Figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une palette de manutention sur laquelle ont été positionnées une première rangée complète de rehausses et une seconde rangée dont une rehausse est représentée séparée des autres;
• Figure 2 est une vue en plan correspondant à la figure 1;
• Figure 3 représente une rehausse en coupe verticale,
• Figure 4 est une vue en coupe horizontale montrant partiellement deux rehausses dans leurs zones de jonction, et
• Figure 5 est une vue en perspective illustrant une variante d'exécution des moyens de blocage transversal entre les rangées de rehausses.

Other characteristics of this enhancement will emerge from the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing which represents, by way of non-limiting example, an embodiment:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a handling pallet on which have been positioned a first complete row of risers and a second row, one of which is shown separated from the others;
• Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1;
• Figure 3 shows an extension in vertical section,
• FIG. 4 is a view in horizontal section partially showing two risers in their junction zones, and
• Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the transverse locking means between the rows of risers.

In FIG. 1, 1 designates a handling pallet which comprises, as is known per se, elongated openings 2 whose role is twofold, namely, on the one hand, allowing the passage of the arms of the lifting and transport and, on the other hand, allow the passage of the legs by which the pallet can be provided with extensions, which are hereinafter generally designated by 3.

Each extension 3 consists of a panel which, in its lower part, has two legs 4 whose lower ends are curved in the direction of the interior and two openings 5. The legs 4 are intended to pass, by their lower curved ends, through the openings 2 of the pallet 1, in order to allow the mounting of the risers 3 on the pallet.

These tabs 4 are however also intended to allow the mounting of the risers 3, not only on the pallet 1, but also on each other. Each riser has, for this purpose, in its upper part, two openings 6 through which pass the curved ends of the legs 4 of the riser placed above.

Since the extensions 3 are intended to be positioned, not only above the pallet 1, but also one above the other, it must of course be that the extensions rest strictly on each other, without the possibility of lateral sliding between them. This lateral blocking is obtained by means of two Z tabs which are provided at the upper part of each extension, are fixed on the external face of the latter and protrude above its upper edge. Thus an upper riser engaged by its legs 4 in the openings 6 of a lower riser cannot move inward, that is to say towards the center of the pallet, because the legs 3 of the upper riser bear against the outer face of the lower riser; but it cannot simultaneously move outward because said upper riser bears against the projecting part of the legs Z of the lower riser.

Means are necessary, however, not only to link the extensions 2 either with the pallet 1, or with the extensions of an upper row or of a lower row, but also to rigidly link the pallets of the same row. These latter means are of two types: firstly positioning means and then blocking means.

The positioning means consist of pins 8 provided on one of the vertical edges of each extension and cooperating with blind holes 9 arranged so corresponding on the inner face of each extension, near its other vertical edge. The positioning of two adjacent risers is thus done by arrangement of the two risers orthogonally to one another, with penetration of the pins 8 of one into the holes 9 of the other.

The risers being thus positioned, their blocking in position is obtained by means which consist, for each riser, of a lever 10 in the general form of a crank which is housed in a groove 11 of corresponding shape arranged on the external face of the riser , near one of its vertical edges. This lever 10 in the form of a crank has two ends folded at a right angle coaxially to one another and serving as its axis of articulation on the riser. It should be noted that each extension has only one lever 10, but has a groove 11 in its two end parts. The locking means constituted by each lever 10 is completed by a locking device consisting of a part 12 which can be likened to a bolt and is slidably mounted in a housing 13 which is arranged in the external face of the riser 3 and opens into the housing. 11 of the lever 10. It should be noted that two such latches 12 are provided on the external face of each extension 3.

• Une première rehausse 3 est mise en place sur la palette 1 par coopération de ses pattes 4 avec les ouvertures 2 de la palette; une deuxième rehausse 3 est placée de façon adjacente mais orthogonale par rapport à la précédente, en faisant pénétrer les tétons 8 de cette deuxième rehausse dans les trous 9 de la première; puis une troisième et une quatrième rehausses sont mises en place dans les mêmes conditions, pour former finalement une ceinture au-dessus de la palette 1. Pour que l'ensemble des quatre rehausses 3 constituant cette ceinture soit rigide et stable, il faut bien entendu mettre en oeuvre les moyens de blocage constitués par les leviers 10 et les verrous 12. Pour ce faire, chaque levier 10 associé à une rehausse 3 est dégagé par pivotement hors de son logement 11, après déverrouillage de sa targette 12 et est amené par un pivotement de 270° jusqu'à prendre appui dans le logement 11 laissé libre dans la partie extrême de la rehausse adjacente 1, et le levier 10 est ainsi immobilisé dans son nouveau logement 11 au moyen du verrou 12 prévu sur cette rehausse adjacente 13.

The riser being thus arranged, the transformation of a pallet into a box by means of such risers 3 is done under the conditions below:

• A first extension 3 is put in place on the pallet 1 by cooperation of its legs 4 with the openings 2 of the pallet; a second riser 3 is placed adjacent but orthogonal to the previous one, making the pins 8 of this second riser penetrate into the holes 9 of the first; then a third and a fourth extension are put in place under the same conditions, to finally form a belt above the pallet 1. So that the whole of the four risers 3 constituting this belt is rigid and stable, it is of course necessary to use the blocking means constituted by the levers 10 and the latches 12. To do this, each lever 10 associated with a riser 3 is released by pivoting out of its housing 11, after unlocking its bolt 12 and is brought by a pivoting of 270 ° until it takes support in the housing 11 left free in the extreme part of the adjacent riser 1, and the lever 10 is thus immobilized in its new housing 11 by means of the lock 12 provided on this adjacent riser 13.

In the event that, as shown in Figure 1, a second row of risers must be provided above the first row, the same operations as above are carried out, taking care to pass the legs 4 of the row upper through openings 6 of the lower row. The establishment of this second row, however, poses a problem. This is that of the establishment of the legs 4 of the upper row in the openings 6 of the lower row, despite the presence of the legs Z which project above the risers of the lower row.

This problem is solved by bringing the risers of the upper row in a position such that the legs Z of the risers of the lower row pass through the openings 5 of the risers of the upper row. This requires first positioning the risers of the upper row as shown at the bottom of FIG. 2, that is to say of giving the risers of the upper row a position laterally offset from their final position. In this offset position, the extensions of the upper row can be put in place by moving each of them in the direction of arrow 14 in FIG. 2; and when a riser of the upper row has thus been brought above a riser of the lower row, it suffices to move it laterally in the direction of the arrow 15 in FIG. 2 to that the lower part of the upper riser can be in abutment against the tab 7 of the lower riser, the opening 5 of the upper riser then being offset with respect to the tab 7 of the lower riser; and during this movement of movement of the upper riser in the direction of arrow 15, the pins 8 of this riser enter their housing 9 of the adjacent riser, provided that this adjacent riser has already been put in place. Thus are positioned all the extensions of the upper row; and they will then be locked together by pivoting their lever 10 in the direction of arrow 16 in FIG. 2.

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the transverse locking means of an extension relative to that corresponding to the lower row or the upper row. The lateral locking tabs Z of each riser and the notches 5 intended for the passage of the legs 7 of another riser are replaced respectively by pins 17 projecting from the upper edge of each riser and by notches 18 arranged in its lower edge , each of these notches having two orthogonal branches, one of which is placed in the longitudinal plane of the riser and the other of which opens to the outside to allow the enhancement of the riser of the upper row by two successive movements: one frontal and the other lateral.

• - elles permettent la transformation d'une palette en une caisse très rigide dont la paroi peut être formée par superposition d'une ou plusieurs rangées de rehausses, donc une paroi dont la hauteur peut être grande;
• - elles permettent la transformation facile et rapide de palettes de manutention en caisses de manutention et vice-versa;
• - sous réserve que la palette soit de forme carrée, toutes les rehausses utilisables sur cette palette sont identiques entre elles, ce qui facilite leur fabrication, notamment s'il s'agit de palettes réalisées par moulage en résine synthétique.

The main advantages of such pallets for handling pallets are:

• - They allow the transformation of a pallet into a very rigid box whose wall can be formed by superposition of one or more rows of risers, therefore a wall whose height can be large;
• - they allow the easy and rapid transformation of handling pallets into handling cases and vice-versa;
• - provided that the pallet is square, all the extensions usable on this pallet are identical to each other, which facilitates their manufacture, in particular in the case of pallets produced by molding in synthetic resin.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this extension for a handling pallet which has been indicated above by way of example; on the contrary, it embraces all of its variants, whatever the material or materials constituting the enhancement, whatever its dimensions; and thus in particular that can be combined extensions of the same length, but whose heights are different, some may have a height which is 2, 3 or n times greater than the others.

Claims (4)

1.- Extension for handling pallet, characterized in that it consists of a panel comprising in combination - at least two base legs protruding under its lower edge and bent inwards towards the interior, - at least two elongated openings located near its upper edge and cooperating with said tabs for the superimposition of the extensions, means provided in its lower part and in its upper part for blocking transversely, either two superimposed risers, or one riser on a pallet or vice versa, - a plurality of pins provided on and in the extension of one of its two vertical edges, a plurality of corresponding holes provided in its inner face, in the immediate vicinity of its other vertical edge and intended to cooperate with the aforementioned pins, at least one articulated lever cooperating either with a housing arranged in its external face, or with a housing arranged in the external face of the adjacent panel, depending on whether the extension is in the rest position or in the use position, - And at least two locking members appearing on its outer face and cooperating either with the aforementioned lever of the same panel, or with the lever of an adjacent panel, depending on whether the extension is in the rest position or in the position of use. 2.- riser according to claim 1, characterized in that its transverse locking means with respect to a riser located above or below it are constituted by at least two tabs projecting from its outer face above from its upper edge and by at least two openings provided in its lower edge and dimensioned to allow the passage of said tabs, but offset with respect to them. 3.- riser according to claim 1, characterized in that its transverse locking means with respect to a riser located above or below it are constituted by pins protruding from its upper edge and by notches for two orthogonal directions arranged in its lower edge. 4. A riser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lever used on each riser for its connection with the neighboring riser consists of a metal rod folded in the general shape of a crank, and having two ends themselves. same folded coaxially to serve as a hinge axis and in that the housing cooperating with this lever consists of a generally U-shaped groove traced in the outer face of the panel of the riser.

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