FR2633588A1 - - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an adapter for a pallet. It relates to an adapter comprising two U-shaped end frames 5, 6 connected by upper struts 12, the uprights being fixed to each corner of the pallet. End bars 14, 16 allow the attachment of adjacent adapters. An upwardly protruding guide plate 18 requires vertical displacement of an adapter placed above so that the hooks separate from neighboring devices before the upper pallet can be moved in the horizontal direction. Application to the stabilization of stacks of pallets in storage warehouses.

Description

The present invention relates to a pallet adapter, ensuring the

  storage of pallets loaded with

stably.

  When storing palletized goods, it is desirable to be able to stack several loaded pallets on top of each other so that they form a column, so that the use of the floor space is maximum. The

  stability of these columns posed a problem up to

  feels. It has been sought to solve it by arranging the columns in abutment against each other in the form of lines, a certain stability being obtained by mutual support of the columns. The problem of instability has been reduced in this way to a certain extent, but columns and column lines do not have a

satisfactory effective stability.

  The invention relates to a construction of the latter

  type, implementing devices allowing the fitting of

  loaded pallets adjacent to each other and giving them

thus the necessary stability.

  The invention also relates generally to a pallet adapter comprising four studs having

  each an upper end and a lower end

  the upper extremities at least being connected to

  so that they form a superior device for

  carrying a load that can be superimposed, the lower ends of the uprights being intended to be coupled respectively to the zones of the four corners of a pallet,

  first and second complementary devices of accou-

  placed on the adapter being placed on the

  adapter and able to cooperate with

  additional coupling devices from other adapters

  pallet-like and separable, by displacement.

  vertical relative position of the adapters when coupled.

  Other features and advantages of the invention

  tion will become more apparent from the following description,

  with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

  Figure 1 is a side elevation of an adapter

  pallet feeder according to the invention, mounted on a pallet; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the pallet and adapter shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the assembly shown in Figure 1; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing

  two pallets each provided with an adapter as shown

  shown in Figure 1, in the coupling position.

  FIG. 1 represents a pallet 1 of the type

  both a loading by the four sides, having supports

  2, upper battens 3 and lower battens 4.

  U-shaped end frames are provided at both ends.

  from the palette. The end frames each comprise two uprights 5 and 6 rigidly connected by an upper rail 7, better represented in FIG. 3. The lower end of each upright 5, 6 has a "pad" 8 having an upper plate intended to be placed on the upper part of one end of an end lath 3, and a tab 9 bent downwards and intended to lock on the inner end edges of the lath, a branch bent downwards so that it is in abutment against the support of the pallet, and a wing 11 carried by the branch and intended to be placed near the inner face of the support. In this way, each bottom end of uprights 5 and 6 is attached to a corner of the pallet after mounting on the pallet and moving in an arc.

  as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1.

  The uprights 5 and 6 are tubular or they may comprise bushings at their upper ends, and the upper ends of the corresponding uprights of the two end frames are connected by bars 12 forming tie rods and each having an end plate 13 ( see Figure 2). A spigot (not shown) protrudes below the underside of each plate 13 and enters the open upper end of a post. In this way, the end frames are locked and the assembly forms a rigid adapter frame having

  four uprights and four upper bars. The merchants

  These can be loaded onto the pallet inside the frame of the adapter, and the chassis forms a rigid support for a load placed above it, for example a pallet with or without a mounted analog adapter frame.

on her.

  The term "adapter chassis" is used because a pallet (having a load or not) when provided with an adapter frame forms a support structure of a load that can be placed on top of it. All

  the pallet and adapter forms a rack module.

  As can be noted, a loaded pallet is almost never suitable for supporting a stacked load, such as another loaded pallet, given the nature of the

  load carried by the lower pallet.

  A bar 14 is placed on an end frame and is held in supports 15 fixed to the uprights 5 and 6 of the frame and is kept at a distance from these uprights 5 and 6. A similar arrangement comprising a bar 16 having bent ends 17 directly attached to the uprights 5 and 6 is placed transversely to the other end of the frame. It should be noted that the ends 17 can also be folded down so that the bar 16 is below the bar 14 and it is noted in Figure 3 that the distance between the ends 17 is less than the distance between the 15. In this way, as shown in Figure 4, the bar 16

  can be hung on the bar 14 during an operation

  nesting in which the pallet la (Figure 4) is handled so that it is placed near the pallet 1, by a forklift, while it is lifted, and is then lowered. As can be noted, other hooking devices, involving relative vertical displacement of the coupled and uncoupled members, may be used, but the preferred arrangement is that which has just been described with reference to the drawings. A plate 18 is attached to each bar 7 of each end frame provided with the bar 14. This plate may be disposed at other locations where appropriate. The role of plate 18 is to force the uprising of each

  range of a certain height, during an operation of

  before it can be moved transversely

  at the top of the adapter frame placed below so that the bar 16 of the stacked adapter is above the bar 14 of the adapter

  pallet already stacked or placed below. The "accro-

  The adapters (by the movements indicated by the arrows A and B of FIG. 4) can be easily made by using the plate 18 as a front and rear guide for positioning the stacked adapter relative to the fixed adapter. Similarly, in a separation operation, the driver of the forklift must control vertical lifting of the pallet so

  it emerges from the plate 18 of the adapter placed du-

  below and that separation is ensured before any

relative horizontal cement.

  It is possible that in a training operation

  of a stack, the bar 16 of the first adapter (adaptable

  end end) cooperates with a fixed bar, equivalent to the bar 14, attached to a wall of a building or a pole in a building or the like. In this way, not only the adapters are hooked to each other but still the line of adapter columns is locked on a rigid member so that the line of

  stacked columns is better stabilized.

  Although a particular form of

  coupling device of the adapters in the description

  above, it should be noted that other

  may be used in the context of the in-

  vention. For example, the members 16 and 17 may protrude upward rather than downward. However, according to a feature of the invention, the coupling members hold the adapters side by side and close together, and the cooperation and separation are

  achieved by relative vertical displacement of the adapters.

  Of course, various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art to the adapters which have just been described solely as non-limiting examples.

  without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

  Pallet adapter, characterized in that it comprises four uprights (5, 6) each having an upper end and a lower end, the at least upper ends being connected to form an upper device (12) for support a superimposed load, the lower ends of the uprights being intended to be coupled to the zones of the four corners   a pallet, and first and second   coupling (14, 17) arranged on the adapter, on the   on the other hand, and intended to cooperate with a   corresponding complementary coupling device (14-17) of other adapters by relative vertical displacement of adapters during mating.   2. An adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that the uprights are permanently connected in pairs so that they form two inverted U-shaped frames (5, 6) which are connected by two members forming tie rods (12). 3. Adapter according to claim 2, characterized in that the connections formed between the uprights (5, 6) and the members constituting rods (12) are of the type in   which a male end enters a corresponding housing.   4. Adapter according to any one of the claims   1 to 3, characterized in that the lower end of each upright has a housing device (8) for cooperating with the end of a pallet support and a   top pallet latte, at one corner of the pallet, the   housing housing comprising a first member (9) which is supported on the pallet batten, an inner flange and an outer flange (10) carried by the first member so that they at least partially surround the opposite edges of the batten near the end thereof, an extension (11) of the outer flange protruding below the slat so that it abuts against the end of the associated support of the pallet, and a flange mounted on the extension and protruding perpendicular to it   so that it is adjacent to an inner face of the support under the lath.   Adapter according to any one of the claims   1 to 5, characterized in that the first coupling device comprises supports (15) arranged on two adjacent uprights and a bar (14) attached to the brackets-so that it is kept at a distance,   two adjacent posts and be substantially horizontal   zontale when the adapter is mounted on a pallet, and the second coupling device comprises a hooking device (16, 17) supported by the two other uprights and placed at a distance from the lower ends of the uprights so that the coupling and the uncoupling of the attachment device by cooperation with the attachment bar requires a relative vertical displacement of the bar and the hanging device.   6. An adapter according to claim 5, characterized in that the attachment device is a bar (16) supported by bent arms (17) arranged so that the attachment bar is at a height relative to the lower ends amounts, which is between the height of the tie bar and the coupling   arms bent to the associated uprights.   Adapter according to any one of the claims   1 to 6, comprising a plate (18) for guiding   attached to the adapter and protruding above it for a distance at least equal to the relative vertical displacement amount necessary for coupling or uncoupling the first and second devices   coupling (14-17) of two adapters.