EP0174896A1 - Stackable pallet for cylindrical products - Google Patents

Abstract

This pallet is formed by the combination, on the one hand, of a rectangular frame (6) supporting a cradle (4) which matches the outer curvature of the rolls over a part of their circumference, and, on the other hand, of two double uprights (5), each double upright (5) being formed by a tube bent into the shape of an arch, the frame (6) being equipped at each corner on its upper face with means (17) into which the lower end of each double upright (5) fits and, on its lower face, with means (9) capable of supporting the frame (6) on the ground or enabling it to fit on the arch-shaped upper part (19) of each double upright (5) of a lower pallet (2). The fitting means (9) consist of prism-shaped feet comprising two lateral flanks (10, 11) extending inwards to and outwards from the pallet and an outer flank (14) extending between the two lateral flanks (10, 11). The double uprights (5) are fitted on the frame (6) of the pallet by means of tubular sleeves (17). This pallet permits palletisation of products having the form of rolls and their stacking on a stage. <IMAGE>

Description

The subject of the present invention is a stackable pallet intended for the palletization of products, and in particular bags, in the form of rolls.

Until now, large capacity paper bags, such as cement bags, were stacked on rectangular pallets of the traditional type; this delivery method made it possible to obtain a homogeneous compact unit of parallelepiped shape, allowing optimization of storage on the ground as well as stacking on one floor.

The extensive automation of the bagging stations has led to packaging of the bags into "rolls", the bags being superimposed in "shell" and wound around a central cardboard core by means of links so as to form rolls.

For the transport of these rolls of bags, rectangular pallets of traditional type are used until now, the rollers are arranged in two side by side in the direction of the width of the pallet, and wooden corners, extending over the entire width of the pallet, are nailed to the ends of its length in order to secure the rotation of these rollers.

This provisional storage method does not optimize the storage surfaces since the pallets thus produced cannot be stacked; in addition, the parts of the rollers which are in contact with the pallets and the corners undergo deformations which can cause damage to the rollers; finally, the wooden corners attached to the pallet do not withstand repeated transport and handling, due to their fragility, and only half of the pallets can be reused.

There are devices for stacking traditional wooden pallets, using uprights fitted under the pallets. Besides that these traditional pallets are not suitable for the transport and storage of products in rolls, these devices are composed of a multitude of parts, which considerably complicates the assembly and disassembly operations, and are not very stable in the high position.

There are also flat bottom storage racks for storing traditional pallets in height. These storage lockers are not suitable for transporting and / or storing products in rolls, nor to repeated handling.

- The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and in particular to provide a pallet for products in the form of rolls which is adapted to the shape of these rolls, which is stackable, which is solid, easy to use and to ride and safe.

This object is achieved in that the pallet according to the invention is formed in combination on the one hand by a rectangular frame supporting a cradle conforming to the external curvature of the rollers over part of their circumference and, on the other hand, by two double uprights, each double upright being formed by a tube folded in the shape of an arch, the frame being provided at each angle on its upper face, means for fitting the lower end of each double upright and, on its lower face, means capable of ensuring the support of the frame on the ground or its nesting on the upper hoop-shaped part of each double upright of a lower pallet.

The cradle provides a constant cylindrical bearing surface for the rollers, and therefore does not risk damaging them, and also ensures dynamic stability of the rollers. The manual installation, by interlocking, of the double uprights allows the stacking of an identical pallet on the floor.

Advantageously, the cradle is constituted by a rolled sheet in the form of a cylinder portion having substantially the same diameter as the rollers and extending over an arc of a circle at least equal to a quarter of the circumference of these rollers, which ensures a better retention of the rollers on the pallet.

In order to ensure the nesting of the upper part of each double upright of a pallet in the frame of the upper pallet, a foot of substantially prismatic shape is provided at each angle of this frame on the underside of it, each leg being able to receive the upper part of an amount of a lower pallet.

Each leg has two lateral flanks extending by flaring from the underside of the frame respectively inward and outward at a determined angle with the vertical, these lateral flanks being distant at their upper ends d 'a length corresponding to the largest transverse dimension of the tube constituting each double upright. These lateral flanks form a sort of funnel facilitating the introduction of the arch of each amount in the prismatic part; they also ensure the transverse positioning of the arches of the double uprights of the pallet.

Each leg also has an outer flank, extending between the two lateral flanks, widening from the underside of the frame outwards, at a determined angle with the vertical. These external flanks of the prismatic part ensure the longitudinal centering of the arches, that is to say in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal part of the arches.

Advantageously, each external flank of the prismatic part forms with the vertical an angle corresponding substantially to the curvature of the connections between the horizontal part and the vertical parts of each double upright in the form of an arch.

Advantageously also, a tubular sleeve extending vertically is provided at each corner of the frame, each sleeve being able to receive the lower end of a vertical part of a double upright.

In order to facilitate the installation of the double uprights in the tubular sleeves, these are cut at 45 ° in their upper part, which allows quick and easy centering of the tubes forming the double uprights. This 45 ° cut also allows centering and stacking of empty pallets on top of each other, cooperating with the 45 ° outer face of the prism.

• - Figure 1 est une vue en perspective de deux palettes selon l'invention superposées ;
• - Figure 2 est une vue de dessus de figure 1,
• - Figure 3 et 4 sont des vues en coupe respectivement selon 3-3 et 4-4 de figure 2.

In any case, the invention will be well understood and other characteristics will be highlighted with the aid of the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing by way of nonlimiting example an embodiment of the pallet according to the invention:

• - Figure 1 is a perspective view of two pallets according to the invention superimposed;
• - Figure 2 is a top view of Figure 1,
• - Figure 3 and 4 are sectional views respectively along 3-3 and 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows two pallets (2,22) according to the invention for products in the form of rollers (1), stacked one on the other. Each roll is formed, for example, by bags of cement wrapped around a central cardboard core so as to form a cylinder with a diameter of 1.70 m and a length equal to 50 to 52 cm. and is arranged across the width of the pallet, that is to say so that its longitudinal axis is parallel to the smallest side (measured overall) of this pallet.

Each pallet (2,22) is essentially formed by a rectangular metallic base (3) supporting a cradle (4) in rolled sheet, and by two double uprights (5) each formed by a tube folded in the shape of an arch. The base (3) of each pallet is constituted by a square frame (6) formed of tubes with rectangular section and reinforced by longitudinal members (7) as well as crosspieces (8) also in tube of rectangular section (Cf. Figures 2, 3 and 4).

This base (3) of the pallet is provided at each angle with a foot (9) of prismatic shape. Each foot (9) has two lateral flanks (10,11) extending by flaring on either side of a tube constituting the frame (6) of the base (3) of the pallet.

These sides (10,11) extend respectively towards the outside and towards the inside of the pallet by forming with the vertical an angle equal to 30 °. They are folded horizontally at (12) at their bottom to form the support surface of the pallet when it is placed on the ground. The distance between the outermost parts of the lateral flanks (10) constitutes the overall length of the pallet.

The feet (9) also include an outer flank (14) extending between the two lateral flanks (10,11), widening from the underside of the frame (6) to the outside. These outer sides (14) form an angle of approximately 45 ° with the vertical. A fourth sidewall (9a), extending vertically, of each foot ensures the rigidity thereof.

The sides (9a, 10,11,14) of the prismatic feet (9) do not extend, in the width direction, beyond the frame (6), so that the overall width of the pallet ( 2) consists of the length of one side of the frame (6) (this being equal to 1.20 meters maximum). This arrangement is particularly advantageous because it allows two pallets (2.22) to be placed side by side within the useful width of a truck (this being equal to 2.44 m).

The cradle (4) is formed by a cylindrical surface with a diameter of 1.70 m extending over an arc of a circle of about 90 °, in this way, the cradle (4) follows the external curvature of the rollers (1) of goods over a quarter of their circumference, which ensures good dynamic stability of the rollers on the pallet (2) as well as a constant cylindricity which does not risk damaging these rollers (1).

The edges of the sheet metal cradle are folded at (16) (see Figure 1) across the width of the base (3) of the pallet in order to stiffen the structure and not have any sharp edges, the sheet being folded and descending between the sleeves (17) to the frame (6). Tube portions (15) are also added to the cutting edge of the sheet, in order to eliminate any risk of cuts. Therefore, the pallets are very safe to handle.

Tubular sleeves (17) are welded to the upper part of the base (3). Each sleeve (17) is arranged at an angle to the frame forming the base, being juxtaposed with the cradle (4), and extends vertically. Each sleeve has a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the tube constituting each double upright (5) and is therefore able to receive one end of these uprights. These sleeves (17) have a length of approximately 250 mm in order to ensure a vertical fitting of the uprights (5) allowing only a very small angular deviation of these uprights (5), due to the play necessary for setting in place. easy place of these in the sleeves, and thus ensuring good stability for the stacked assembly.

These tubular sleeves (17) are cut at 45 ° in their upper part to allow very easy and quick centering of the tubes constituting the uprights (5). This 45 ° cut also makes it possible to stack the empty pallets (2,22) on top of each other, by cooperation of the 45 ° slope of the tubular sleeves with that of the outer flank (14) of the feet (9) of each pallet (2). As a result, handling and transport of empty pallets is facilitated.

Each double upright (5) is formed by a tube of circular section and diameter 50 mm folded in the shape of an arch. Each double upright (5) therefore comprises two vertical parts (18) and a horizontal part (19) connected together by two transition zones (20) having a radius of curvature of approximately 200 mm corresponding substantially to the slope of the outer flanks ( 14) of each leg (9) of the pallet (2,22).

For stacking an upper pallet (22) on a lower pallet (2), the double uprights (5) of the lower pallet (2) are put in place by their vertical parts (18) in the sleeves (17) associated therewith and the upper pallet (22) is then embedded by its centering feet (9) on the horizontal parts (19) of the double uprights ( 5) of the lower pallet (2). The lateral sides (10,11) of the prismatic centering feet (9) of the upper pallet (22) form a sort of funnel facilitating the introduction of the double upright (5) of the lower pallet (2) therein and also provide centering and longitudinal positioning (that is to say in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the rollers (1)) of the upper pallet (22) relative to the lower pallet (2) .

The outer sides (14) of the feet (9) cooperate with the curvatures (20) of the uprights (5) of the lower pallet (2) and ensure transverse centering (that is to say in a direction parallel to the axis of the rollers) of the upper pallet (22) relative to the lower pallet (2).

As the bearing surface of each arch (19) at the top of each of the prism-shaped centering feet (9) is constituted by one face of a tube constituting the frame (6), this face being plane, the laying plane between the upper pallet (22) and the hoop (19) of the lower pallet (2) is perfectly straight and the stacked assembly (2,22) will therefore be particularly stable.

The locations of the side members (7) and the crosspieces (8) are provided as a function of the minimum and maximum dimensions of the forklift trucks currently on the market. Two metal angles (21) are placed on the underside of the frame (6) forming the base (3) of each pallet (2,22), along the length thereof, on each side of the frame (6). These two angles (21) serve as polarizers and eliminate any risk of misalignment when taking the pallet, in the case of using a manual pallet transport carriage with close forks. Therefore, the greatest risk of lateral tilting of the load is eliminated.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the single embodiment shown here by way of non-limiting example and, on the contrary, embraces all the embodiments using similar or equivalent means.

Claims (10)

1- Stackable pallet for products in the form of rollers, characterized in that it is formed in combination, on the one hand, by a rectangular frame (6) supporting a cradle (4) conforming to the external curvature of the rollers (1 ) over part of their circumference, and, on the other hand, by two double uprights (5), each double upright (5) being formed by a tube folded in the shape of an arch, the frame (6) being provided at each angle on its upper face, means for fitting (17) of the lower end of each double upright (5) and, on its lower face, means (9) capable of ensuring the support of the frame (6) on the ground or its nesting on the upper part (19), in the form of an arch, of each double upright (5) of a lower pallet (2). 2- Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the cradle (4) is constituted by a rolled sheet in the form of a cylinder portion having substantially the same diameter as the rollers (1) and extending over an arc of a circle. less than a quarter of the circumference of these rollers (1). 3- Pallet according to all of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the interlocking means (9) consist of prismatic feet (9) and in that each foot (9) has two lateral flanks (10, 11) extending by widening from the underside of the frame (6) respectively towards the inside and the outside by forming a determined angle with the vertical, these lateral flanks (10,11) being distant at their upper ends of a length corresponding to the largest transverse dimension of the tube constituting each double upright (5). 4- Pallet according to claim 2, characterized in that each foot (9) also comprises an outer flank (14) extending between the two lateral flanks (10,11) perpendicular to them by flaring from the face lower of the frame (6) outwards, at a determined angle with the vertical. 5- Pallet according to claim 4, characterized in that each external flank (14) of the prismatic part forms with the vertical an angle corresponding substantially to the curvature (20) of the connections between the horizontal part (19) and the vertical parts ( 18) of each double upright (5) in the form of an arch. 6- Pallet according to any one of the preceding claims teeth, characterized in that a tubular sleeve (17) extending vertically is provided at each corner of the frame (6), each sleeve (17) being able to receive the lower end of a vertical part (18) d '' a double amount (5). 7- Pallet according to claim 6, characterized in that each tubular sleeve (17) is cut at 45 ° in its upper part. 8- Pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the edges of the cradle (4) are provided with means (15,16) eliminating any risk of cuts. 9- Pallet according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the lateral flanks (10,11) of each foot make an angle of 30 ° with the vertical. 10- Pallet according to any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that the outer sides (14) of each foot (9) make an angle of 45 ° with the vertical.

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