ES349752A1 - Improved pallet construction - Google Patents

Abstract

A pallet formed from a laminated panel comprises a core, e.g. of balsa or plywood, and two facing layers, e.g. of aluminium or phenolic resin, a marginal portion of the panel having been compressed so that the core is thinner and denser in this portion than elsewhere. An edge member extends along the marginal portion. Both faces of the panel may be indented when compressing the marginal portion, Fig. 2, and the edge member may be U-sectioned and metallic and may embrace this portion and be adhered thereto. A tapering transition zone 31 connects the thinner and thicker portions of the panel. Only one surface of the panel may be indented during compression, Fig. 3. This Figure shows an edging strip riveted at 43 to the panel. Two panels of the form shown in Fig. 2, may be joined in edge-to-edge co-planar relation by an H-sectioned member, Fig. 4 (not shown). Alternatively, two such panels may be joined in edge-to-edge relation by a suitably formed member, Fig. 14 (not shown), so that the panels are perpendicular or at any other angle to each other. The panel is compressed, to form the marginal portion of reduced thickness, between two suitably shaped dies Figs. 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11 (not shown). The part of the operative surface of each die which will form the tapered transistion zone may be tapered or rounded so as not to puncture the facing sheets. A block positioned between the dies limits the compressing movement thereof. One of the dies has a planar operative surface if only one face of the laminate is to be indented. The dies may be formed with passages for steam, hot water or electric heating coils in order that local heating of the panel may be effected prior to compression. When an indented portion is required to have a surface parallel to that of the rest of the panel, the corresponding die is shaped so as to effect more compression adjacent the tapering transition zone than at the edge of the panel on moving the dies apart, the compressed portion expands differentially to give the required parallel surfaces. Alternatively, the dies may be shaped so that the thickness of the compressed portion decreases towards the edge of the panel.