EP0026009A1 - Pallet for a fork-lift apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Palette for forklift trucks, comprising an upper platform and optionally a lower base interconnected to parallel feet. Each foot is comprised of a tube bent symmetrically three times at right angles. The ends of the tube are connected at its unbent middle portion, so as to form a rigid tubular double frame allowing the transversal, respectively longitudinal, engagement of the forks.

Description

The present invention relates to a pallet for forklift.

In essence, the pellet comprises an upper floor and possibly a lower sole secured to parallel feet allowing the longitudinal and transverse engagement of the forks under the floor.

There are already various pallets, the metal legs of which are made by assembling two beams and several spacers connecting them.

In general, the side members and the spacers are separate metal elements in the form of profiles, for example in a U shape, preferably having substantially identical cross sections. In most cases, these profiles are welded together at the junctions of the side members and spacers. In some cases, these sections are stapled together in the same places.

There are also other pallets in which the still metallic feet each form a frame made from a single strip of profiled steel. The steel strip is bent several times in the same direction, substantially at right angles. The ends of the steel strip are welded to each other in the middle of the upper part of the frame. On the other hand a tubular metal spacer is welded or crimped by its ends to the upper and lower parts of the frame and connects the media of these parts.

There are also pallets whose feet made of synthetic material are cast in one piece or result from the assembly of non-tubular elements.

The aforementioned known pallets have the drawback of having a load capacity limited by the construction and construction of their feet.

In fact, in the first pallets, the welded or stapled junctions of the side members and spacers constitute weakening points of the foot, which reduces the latter's resistance to compression. Moreover, to make the walk, the welded joints cause a penny work _- dage important while stapled joints require pre-folded profiles accordingly factory.

On the other hand, in the second pallets, the steel strip of the foot frame is flat and reinforced simply by identical longitudinal ripples.

Despite the presence of these undulations, the foot has limited resistance to bending in the upper and lower parts of the frame and also limited resistance to buckling in the lateral parts of this frame. In addition, the production of each leg requires a corrugated steel strip for the frame and a tube end for the middle spacer.

Finally, in the third pallets, the synthetic elements of the monobloc foot or not have resistances under loads limited by the very nature of their constituent material, these resistances being able to be improved by various reinforcing ribs complicating the production of these elements.

The invention relates to a new foot making it possible to remedy the aforementioned drawback of known pallets. The inventive idea essentially consists in constituting the feet by means of tubular elements.

Thus, in the new palette, each leg consists of at least one tube which is symmetrically folded at least three times at right angles to each side and whose free ends are secured to its unfolded middle part. In this way, a rigid double tubular frame is formed having at least one transverse, respectively longitudinal, engagement opening of the forks.

In the case of a metal foot of the new pallet, to facilitate the folding of the tube of this foot, this tube has a rectangular cross section, its folding being made on the side of its large faces.

Depending on the dimensions of the floor of the new .palette, the ends of the tube folded back towards its unfolded middle part and secured to it, are adjacent to each other or distant from each other.

In the new palette, the floor can be secured to the unfolded middle part of the tube or to the folded parts of this tube opposite its unfolded middle part.

In order to increase the footing surface of the new pallet without adding any base, the unfolded middle part of the tube is squashed substantially over its entire length or between its ends and its central part. On the other hand, to allow the passage of a pallet truck, the elements of the lower sole are advantageously chamfered.

When the floor of the new pallet has a significant useful face, each leg is constituted by at least a second tube which is analogous or identical to the first and which is folded symmetrically once at right angles on each side. In this way, a U-shaped element is formed which is disposed between the folded ends of the first tube with its wings secured to the unfolded middle part of this first tube.

In this case, the wings of the second tube are respectively adjacent to the folded ends of the first tube or distant from these ends.

When the new pallet must also support significant loads, the folded parts of the first tube opposite its unfolded middle part and the unfolded core of the second tube are secured to a common bottom sole. In this eventuality, however, the first tube may not have its ends folded and folded back towards its unfolded middle part.

According to an interesting characteristic of the new palette, the floor is secured to the foot tubes by twisted steel nails, corrugated or the like, which are struck in its constituent material and in the upper wall of the adjacent parts of these tubes without being in the bottom wall of these parts.

This characteristic ensures an easy and rapid joining of the floor to the feet and avoids the presence of protrusions along the upper part of the foot thereby reducing the risk of injury to users.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective partielle d'une nouvelle palette avec pieds comportant un seul tube.
• La figure 2 est une vue en élévation de la palette.
• Les figures 3 à 6 sont des vues en élévation de palettes analogues avec pieds à un seul tube.
• Les figures 7 à 10 sont des vues en élévation semblables de palettes avec pieds comprenant deux tubes.
• La figure 11 est une vue de dessous de la palette relative à la figure précédente.
• La figure 12 est une coupe verticale montrant le montage du plancher sur un pied de la palette.

Other details and particularities of the invention will appear during the description of the drawings appended to this memo, which show schematically and by way of examples only, several embodiments of the invention.

• Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a new pallet with feet comprising a single tube.
• Figure 2 is an elevational view of the pallet.
• Figures 3 to 6 are elevational views of similar pallets with single-tube feet.
• Figures 7 to 10 are similar elevational views of pallets with feet comprising two tubes.
• Figure 11 is a bottom view of the palette relating to the previous figure.
• Figure 12 is a vertical section showing the mounting of the floor on a foot of the pallet.

Each pallet shown essentially comprises a floor 1 secured to feet 2 parallel.

The floor 1 is formed for example of several wooden planks.

The feet 2 are metallic and steel but could be made of synthetic material. The feet 2 define between them passages for the longitudinal engagement of the forks of an elevator.

In addition, the feet 2 define in themselves one or more openings for the transverse engagement of these forks.

In the first example shown in Figures 1 and 2, each foot 2 is constituted by a single tube 3 which has a cross section for example rectangular and relatively flat. The tube 3 is folded symmetrically three times at right angles on each side, the folding being made on the side of its large faces. In this way, the tube 3 forms a double tubular box comprising its non-folded middle part 4 forming a lower spar, its two parts 5 folded perpendicular to the previous 4 and forming two lateral wings, its two parts 6 folded parallel to the first 4 and forming two upper half-spars opposite the lower spar and its two ends 7 folded perpendicularly to the first part 4 and folded down until the latter 4. For its part, the floor 2 is fixed to the folded parts 6.

In the case of the first example, the ends 7 of the tube 3 are adjacent to each other and are joined by welds in the middle of the unfolded middle part 4, that is to say in the middle of the lower spar of the double frame. These ends therefore form median spacers between the lateral folded parts 5 for the foot 2. On the other hand, the unfolded median part 4 opposite the floor 1 is crushed substantially over its entire length so as to be wider than the parts remaining from tube 3.

Thus, each leg constitutes the aforementioned double box which is a particularly solid tubular construction, robust and resistant to bending and buckling under the effect of a significant compression stress applied to the floor.

The feet 2 delimit between them under the floor 1 passages for the longitudinal engagement of the forks of an elevating machine. The feet 2 delimit in themselves, by their double open box, transverse engagement openings of these forks. In this order of ideas, it could be that the feet 2 are aligned in the transverse direction of the floor 1 in which case these feet define between them passages for the transverse engagement of the forks and in them openings for the longitudinal engagement of these forks.

In the second example illustrated in FIG. 3, each foot 2 is a double tubular casing which differs from the previous one only by the fact that the free ends 7 of the tube 3 are distant from one another while delimiting with the folded parts side 5 the two openings for passage of the forks.

In the third example shown in Figure 4, each foot 2 is still a double tubular box distinguished from the first only by the fact that the unfolded middle part 4 or lower spar is crushed only between its ends and its central part 8.

The ends 7 of the tube 3 are welded to this central part 8.

In the fourth example relating to FIG. 5, the double tubular box of the foot 2 is turned over or reversed compared to that of the first case. Thus, the unfolded middle part 4 of the tube 3 forms the upper spar to which the floor 2 is secured, while the folded parts 6 opposite this middle part 4 constitute two lower half-spars for supporting the pallet on a floor. It should be noted that the middle part 4 is not crushed as in the three previous cases "teeth.

In the fifth example drawn in FIG. 6, the double tubular box of the foot 2 differs from the previous one by the fact that the ends 7 of the tube 3 are distant from each other and that the folded parts 6 forming the half lower beams are flattened and wider.

The other examples relate to pallets of the same type, the floor 1 of which have larger dimensions than in the five preceding cases.

In the sixth example illustrated in FIG. 7, each leg 2 comprises the first tube 3 and at least one second tube 9. Preferably, the second tube 9 is identical in cross section to the first tube 3.

Strictly speaking, this second tube 9 can be similar to this first tube 3.

In fact, the first tube 3 is bent as in the fifth example above. The middle part 4 which is not folded forms the upper spar to which the floorplate is fixed 1. The folded parts 6 parallel to the middle part 4 form two lower half-spars which are relatively short and substantially distant from each other.

No part of the tube 3 is crushed.

On the other hand, the second tube 9 is folded symmetrically once at a right angle on each side. The second tube 9 therefore forms a U-shaped element whose core 10 and wings 11 are not crushed. The height of the wings 11 is also equal to that of the ends 7 of the first tube, 3.

The second tube 9 is arranged between the folded parts of the first tube 3 so that the core 10 is in the extension of the parts 6 and is parallel to the unfolded middle part 4 and that the wings 11 are adjacent to the ends 7. Like the latter, the wings 11 are welded to the middle part 4 that is not folded.

Thus, the first and second tubes 3 and 9 together form a triple tubular box in which the core 10 and the wings 11 delimit with the middle part 4 not folded a relatively wide opening for the engagement of the forks of the lifting machine.

In a variant of the sixth example, the wings 11 of the second tube 9 can be respectively distant from the ends 7 of the first tube 3 while remaining welded to the unfolded middle part 4 of this first tube 3.

The seventh example shown in FIG. 8 relates to a pallet which has to support greater loads than the previous cases. For this purpose, the feet 2 are identical to those of the sixth example but the folded parts 6 of the first tube 3 and the cores 10 of the second tube 9 carry lower boards 12 identical to those of the floor 1. These boards 12 form a lower sole making the pallet reversible or double-sided.

The eighth example relating to FIG. 9 differs from the previous one by the fact that the core 10 of the second tube 9 is shorter and that the wings 11 of this tube 9 are clearly distant from the ends 7 of the first tube 3. In addition , the lower boards 12 are chamfered to allow the passage of a pallet truck. In this case, the lower boards 12 are aligned perpendicular to the folded parts 5 to 7 of the first tube 3 and to the wings 11 of the second tube 9 instead of being parallel and extend to a predetermined distance from the ends of these feet 2. On the other hand, two similar elements 13 connect the ends of the elements 12 and extend perpendicularly to the latter while being secured to the feet 2.

The ninth example presented in FIGS. 10 and 11 is identical to the eighth except that the first tubes 3 of the legs 2 do not have the ends 7 and end in the parts 6 folded parallel to the middle parts 4 not folded.

In the examples described, the boards of the floor 1 and of the sole 12, if any, are joined to the corresponding parts of the feet 2 by nails 14 made of steel. These twisted, corrugated, or similar nails 14 are struck and driven through the wood of these boards and through the adjacent steel wall of the corresponding parts of the feet 2. However, the tips of the nails 14 do not touch and do not pass through the wall. opposite steel of these same parts of the feet 2.

It is obvious that the invention is not exclusively limited to the embodiments shown and that many modifications can be made in the form, the arrangement and the constitution. of some of the elements involved in their realization, without departing from the scope of the present invention, provided that these modifications are not in contradiction with each of the following claims.

Claims (16)

1. Pallet for forklift, comprising an upper floor and possibly a lower sole secured to parallel legs allowing the longitudinal and transverse engagement of the forks under the floor,
characterized
in that each leg is constituted by at least one tube which is folded symmetrically at least three times at right angles on each side and whose free ends are secured to its unfolded middle part, so as to form a double rigid tubular frame having at least one transverse, respectively longitudinal, opening of the forks. 2. Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the foot tube is metallic and has a rectangular cross section, its folding being made on the side of its large faces. 3. Pallet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ends of the tube folded back towards its unfolded middle part and secured to it are adjacent to each other. 4. Pallet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ends of the tube folded back towards its unfolded middle part and secured to it are spaced from each other. 5. Pallet according to either of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the floor is secured to the unfolded middle part of the tube. 6. Pallet according to either of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the floor is secured to the folded parts of the tube opposite its unfolded middle part. 7. Pallet according to claim 6, characterized in that the unfolded middle part of the tube is crushed substantially over its entire length. 8. Pallet according to claim 6-, characterized in that the unfolded middle part of the tube is crushed between its ends and its central part. 9. Pallet according to either of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that each foot is constituted by at least a second tube which is analogous or identical to the first and which is folded symmetrically once at right angles to each side, so as to form a U-shaped element which is disposed between the folded ends of the first tube with its wings secured to the unfolded middle part of this first tube. 10. Pallet according to claim 9, characterized in that the wings of the second tube are respectively adjacent to the folded ends of the first tube. 11. Pallet according to claim 10, characterized in that the wings of the second tube are respectively distant from the folded ends of the first tube. 12. Pallet according to either of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the folded parts of the first tube opposite to its unfolded middle part and the unfolded core of the second tube are secured to the bottom flange for make this palette reversible. 13. Pallet according to claim 12, characterized in that the elements of the lower sole are chamfered to allow the passage of a pallet truck. 14. Pallet according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the first tube does not have its ends folded and folded towards its non-folded middle part. 15. Pallet according to either of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the floor is secured to the foot tubes by twisted, corrugated steel nails or the like, which are struck in its constituent material and in the upper wall of the adjacent parts of these tubes without being in the lower wall of these parts. 16. Pallet in substance as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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