GB1575525A

GB1575525A - Pallet converter assemblies and connector bars therefor

Info

Publication number: GB1575525A
Application number: GB4836376A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: TILGATE METAL PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: TILGATE METAL PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 1977-11-21
Filing date: 1977-11-21
Publication date: 1980-09-24

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PALLET CONVERTER ASSEMBLIES AND CONNECTOR BARS THEREFOR (71) We, TILGATE METAL PRODUCTS LIMITED, a Company registered under the laws of England, of Brighton Road, Crawley, Sussex, RH11 9BH, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to converter assemblies for load pallets, of the kind comprising a set of four corner posts for fitting vertically at the corners of a pallet, and connectors for tying adjacent posts together at a required spacing, whereby pallets can be converted into a form of stillage for stacking.

The invention provides a new form of connector bar for use in such an assembly.

According to the present invention, a connector bar adapted to be secured between two corner posts of a converter assembly for a load pallet to tie the posts at either of two alternative spacings has at one end a single tooth or prong (referred to as the first tooth) projecting transversely to the length of the bar, and has at the other end two adjacent teeth or prongs (referred to as the second and third teeth) projecting from the bar transversely to its length in the same direction as the first tooth, which teeth can be fitted into sockets on the corner posts, the second and third teeth being at different positions along the length of the bar whereby the bar can be fitted to the posts to tie them at alternative spacings for use with pallets of two different side lengths, for example pallets respectively of imperial and metric dimensions.For use with a metric pallet, for example, the first and third teeth would be fitted into the corner post sockets, but for use with a pallet with imperial dimensions the first and second teeth would be used.

Conveniently, the bar may comprise a flat main strip, having a short flat piece of strip material welded to the main strip at one end thereof and projecting transversely to the length of the main strip to provide the first tooth and having at the other end of the main strip two short flat pieces of strip material which are welded to opposite faces of the main strip on opposite sides thereof, these latter two pieces of strip overlapping one another and being spaced apart and projecting transversely to the main strip at locations spaced along its length so as to provide the second and third teeth of the connector bar.

The short piece of strip material which provides the first tooth is preferably welded edgewise to and along the extreme edge of the respective end of the main strip, in a position in which its plane of symmetry which lies centrally between its opposite faces is coplanar with that of the main strip.

In a preferred construction, all three short pieces of strip material which provide the teeth are of generally Shape in profile, the single piece which provides the first tooth having one arm welded along the edge of its extremity to the one end of the main strip, and the other two pieces having corresponding arms which are welded to and overlap opposite faces of the other end of the main strip, the welded arms of all three L-shaped pieces being directed inwardly towards the centre of the length of the main strip, and their other arms constituting the three teeth.

All three Lrshaped pieces are preferably of identical profile, for economy and convenience in manufacture.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example only amd with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are side and edge elevations of a three-tooth connector bar, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bar, Figure 4 is a perspective view of a converter assembly mounted on a pallet, with its four corner posts tied together by connector bars as shown in Figures 1 to 3; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the corner posts of the converter assembly of Figure 4, shown separately.

The connector bar 10A illustrated is one bar of two pairs of bars 1 0A and 10B designed to be used in conjunction with the set of four metal corner posts 30 of a pallet converter assembly shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 shows a wooden pallet 31 fitted with a set of four metal corner posts 30 of angle section, as shown in detail in Figure 5, each post having bearing plate 32 at top and bottom and being designed so that its lower end will locate around one corner of the pallet 31 as shown in Figure 4.Each post 30 is provided on each of its two outer faces with a set of three vertically-spaced staple 33 which provide sockets to receive the teeth or prongs (referred to for convenience as teeth) of the connector bars 10A, 10B. Each of the staples 33 comprises a short length of metal channel section which is welded at its tips to the outer face of a flange of the post 30, to form a socket of flat rectangular crosssection in which any one of the teeth 16,17, 18 is an easy fit. The staples 33 on all the posts are at corresponding distances from the bottom of the posts.

In use, the lower ends of the set of four posts 30 are located around the four corners of the pallet 31, with the posts standing vertically upwards and the two sets of connector bars 10A, 10B are secured around the posts at three levels as shown by insertion of the teeth 18, and either 16 or 17, into the respective staples of the posts. The choice of the teeth 16 or 17 for this purpose depends upon the dimensions of the pallet with which the converter equipment is to be used, as will be described.

The connector bars 10A and lOB will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, which show a typical bar lOAThe two bars 1 0A are identical, and the two bars 1 0B are also identical and are similar to the bars 10A but are slightly shorter in length. The bars 10A are intended to extend along the opposite longer sides of a pallet 31 when fitted to the corner posts 30, and the two bars 10B are intended to extend along the shorter sides.

The bar 1 0A shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a length of flat steel strip 15A, having at one end two transverse teeth 16,17, and at the other end a single tranverse tooth 18. All three teeth 16, 17,18 are made of flat strip material and project from one longitudinal edge of the bar transversely to the length of the strip 15 and in the same direction, parallel to the general plane of the strip 15.

The three teeth or prongs are afforded by three identical pieces of strip steel 19, 20, 21 of L-shaped profile and are secured by their shorter arms to the strip. The shorter arm of the piece 21 is welded at its outer edge to and along the outer edge of one end of the main strip 15A so as to lie in the general plane of the strip 15A, with the single tooth 18 projecting transversely. The other two L-shaped pieces 19 and 20 have their shorter arms welded to opposite side faces of the main strip 15A at its other end, with their shorter arms overlapping the end portion of the strip 15A.The portions 19 and 20 are positioned with their teeth 16 and 17 slightly staggered in the direction of the length of the main strip as shown, the teeth 16 being spaced apart in the direction of their thicknesses by a distance equal to the thickness of the main strip (which equals the thickness of each of the three L-shaped pieces). Thus the centre-to-centre distance between the single tooth 18 at one end and the tooth 16 at the other end of the strip 1 5A is slightly greater than the centre-to-centre distance between the tooth 18 and the other tooth 17 at the latter end of the strip.This difference enables the bar to be fixed between a pair of corner posts 30 at two correspondingly-different spacings, the tooth 18 being inserted into a socket 33 on one post 30, and the outer tooth 16 being inserted into a socket 33 at the same level on the other post 30 for one required spacing of the posts, for example for use with an imperialdimen- sioned pallet, or alternatively the bar being reversed end-to-end and the inner tooth 17 being inserted into the socket of the first post and the single tooth 18 into the socket of the other post to produce the alternative spacing of the corner posts, for example to suit a metric pallet.For alternative use with either 48 x 40 inch standard imperial pallets, or 1200 mm x 1000 mm metric pallets, the centre-to-centre staggering of the teeth 16 and 17 on the bars 10A for use along the longer sides of the pallet should be approximately Y4 inch, whilst in the case of the shorter bars 10B it should be approximately 5/8 inch.

To facilitate the insertion of the teeth 16, 17 and 18 into the sockets afforded by staples 33 on the vertical corner posts 30, the two corners of the outer end of each of these teeth are cut off at 450 as shown at 22. For improved appearance, the shorter arm of each of the Shaped pieces 19,20 and 21 is sloped obliquely down into the outer corner or apex as shown at 23, so that the outer corner or apex of the L encloses an obtuse angle.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A connector bar adapted to be secured between two corner posts of a converter assembly for a load pallet to tie the posts at either of two alternative spacings, the bar having at one end a single tooth or prong (referred to as the first tooth) projecting transversely to the length of the bar, and having at the other end two adjacent teeth or prongs (referred to as the second and third teeth) projecting from the bar transversely to its length in the same direction as the first tooth, which teeth can be fitted into sockets on the corner posts, the second and

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. assembly mounted on a pallet, with its four corner posts tied together by connector bars as shown in Figures 1 to 3; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the corner posts of the converter assembly of Figure 4, shown separately. The connector bar 10A illustrated is one bar of two pairs of bars 1 0A and 10B designed to be used in conjunction with the set of four metal corner posts 30 of a pallet converter assembly shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 shows a wooden pallet 31 fitted with a set of four metal corner posts 30 of angle section, as shown in detail in Figure 5, each post having bearing plate 32 at top and bottom and being designed so that its lower end will locate around one corner of the pallet 31 as shown in Figure 4.Each post 30 is provided on each of its two outer faces with a set of three vertically-spaced staple 33 which provide sockets to receive the teeth or prongs (referred to for convenience as teeth) of the connector bars 10A, 10B. Each of the staples 33 comprises a short length of metal channel section which is welded at its tips to the outer face of a flange of the post 30, to form a socket of flat rectangular crosssection in which any one of the teeth 16,17, 18 is an easy fit. The staples 33 on all the posts are at corresponding distances from the bottom of the posts. In use, the lower ends of the set of four posts 30 are located around the four corners of the pallet 31, with the posts standing vertically upwards and the two sets of connector bars 10A, 10B are secured around the posts at three levels as shown by insertion of the teeth 18, and either 16 or 17, into the respective staples of the posts. The choice of the teeth 16 or 17 for this purpose depends upon the dimensions of the pallet with which the converter equipment is to be used, as will be described. The connector bars 10A and lOB will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, which show a typical bar lOAThe two bars 1 0A are identical, and the two bars 1 0B are also identical and are similar to the bars 10A but are slightly shorter in length. The bars 10A are intended to extend along the opposite longer sides of a pallet 31 when fitted to the corner posts 30, and the two bars 10B are intended to extend along the shorter sides. The bar 1 0A shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a length of flat steel strip 15A, having at one end two transverse teeth 16,17, and at the other end a single tranverse tooth 18. All three teeth 16, 17,18 are made of flat strip material and project from one longitudinal edge of the bar transversely to the length of the strip 15 and in the same direction, parallel to the general plane of the strip 15. The three teeth or prongs are afforded by three identical pieces of strip steel 19, 20, 21 of L-shaped profile and are secured by their shorter arms to the strip. The shorter arm of the piece 21 is welded at its outer edge to and along the outer edge of one end of the main strip 15A so as to lie in the general plane of the strip 15A, with the single tooth 18 projecting transversely. The other two L-shaped pieces 19 and 20 have their shorter arms welded to opposite side faces of the main strip 15A at its other end, with their shorter arms overlapping the end portion of the strip 15A.The portions 19 and 20 are positioned with their teeth 16 and 17 slightly staggered in the direction of the length of the main strip as shown, the teeth 16 being spaced apart in the direction of their thicknesses by a distance equal to the thickness of the main strip (which equals the thickness of each of the three L-shaped pieces). Thus the centre-to-centre distance between the single tooth 18 at one end and the tooth 16 at the other end of the strip 1 5A is slightly greater than the centre-to-centre distance between the tooth 18 and the other tooth 17 at the latter end of the strip.This difference enables the bar to be fixed between a pair of corner posts 30 at two correspondingly-different spacings, the tooth 18 being inserted into a socket 33 on one post 30, and the outer tooth 16 being inserted into a socket 33 at the same level on the other post 30 for one required spacing of the posts, for example for use with an imperialdimen- sioned pallet, or alternatively the bar being reversed end-to-end and the inner tooth 17 being inserted into the socket of the first post and the single tooth 18 into the socket of the other post to produce the alternative spacing of the corner posts, for example to suit a metric pallet.For alternative use with either 48 x 40 inch standard imperial pallets, or 1200 mm x 1000 mm metric pallets, the centre-to-centre staggering of the teeth 16 and 17 on the bars 10A for use along the longer sides of the pallet should be approximately Y4 inch, whilst in the case of the shorter bars 10B it should be approximately 5/8 inch. To facilitate the insertion of the teeth 16, 17 and 18 into the sockets afforded by staples 33 on the vertical corner posts 30, the two corners of the outer end of each of these teeth are cut off at 450 as shown at 22. For improved appearance, the shorter arm of each of the Shaped pieces 19,20 and 21 is sloped obliquely down into the outer corner or apex as shown at 23, so that the outer corner or apex of the L encloses an obtuse angle. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A connector bar adapted to be secured between two corner posts of a converter assembly for a load pallet to tie the posts at either of two alternative spacings, the bar having at one end a single tooth or prong (referred to as the first tooth) projecting transversely to the length of the bar, and having at the other end two adjacent teeth or prongs (referred to as the second and third teeth) projecting from the bar transversely to its length in the same direction as the first tooth, which teeth can be fitted into sockets on the corner posts, the second and

third teeth being at different positions along the length of the bar whereby the bar can be fitted to the posts to tie them at alternative spacings for use with pallets of two different side lengths, for example pallets respectively of imperial and metric dimensions.

2. A connector bar as claimed in Claim 1, which comprises a flat main strip having a short flat piece of strip material welded to the main strip at one end thereof and projecting transversely to the length of the main strip to provide the first tooth, and having at the other end of the main strip two short flat pieces of strip material which are welded to opposite faces of the main strip on opposite sides thereof, these latter two pieces of strip overlapping one another and being spaced apart and projecting transversely to the main strip at locations spaced along its length so as to provide the second and third teeth of the connector bar.

3. A connector bar as claimed in Claim 2, in which the short piece of strip which provides the first tooth is welded edgewise to and along the extreme edge of the respective end of the main strip in a position in which its plane of symmetry which lies centrally between its opposite faces is coplanar with that of the main strip.

4. A connector bar as claimed in Claim 3, in which all three short pieces of strip material which provide the teeth are of generally L-shape in profile, the single piece which provides the first tooth having one arm welded along the edge of its extremity to the one end of the main strip, and the other two pieces having corresponding arms which are welded to and overlap opposite faces of the other end of the main strip, the welded arms of all three L-shaped pieces being directed inwardly towards the centre of the length of the main strip, and their other arms constituting the three teeth.

5. A connector bar as claimed in Claim 4 in which all three L-shaped pieces are of identical profile.

6. A connector bar as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, in which the parts of the outer longitudinal edges of the two arms of each L-shaped piece which extend from its apex are inclined at an obtuse angle to one another.

7. A connector bar as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 6, in which the two corners of the outer end of each of the three teeth are cut off obliquely to the length of the tooth.

8. A pallet converter assembly comprising a set of four corner posts for fitting vertically at the corners of a pallet, and cooperating sets of connector bars for tying adjacent corner posts together at a required spacing, the connector bars being as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims.

9. A connector bar for a pallet converter assembly, substantially as specifically described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A pallet converter assembly sub stan- tially as specifically described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.