GB2052400A - Roll pallets and mobile cages - Google Patents

Abstract

A roll pallet or mobile cage has a rigid chassis 11 of H-section, with side panels 15, 16 mounted on its side members, and has pairs of deck panels 30 and shelf panels 32 hinged about their adjacent edges for pivotal movement between horizontal positions in which each panel provides half the deck or shelf area, and vertical positions in which the panels lie face to face in their pairs. The hinge axes of the deck panels 30 lie along the cross-member 13 of the chassis, and the hinge axes of the shelf panels lie vertical above the cross-member 13. A slotted hinge plate 40 or 40A is provided at each end of the hinge axes of each pair of deck or shelf panels 30 or 32, the panels having pins which cooperate with the slots in the plates. First pins are trapped in slots as the hinge pins, and second pins ride on the circular edges of the plates 40, 40A, and enter into slots to locate the panels in their vertical positions. With the deck and shelf panels in their vertical positions and an end gate 20 swung back, the roll pallet may be nested with similar roll pallets. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roll pallets and mobile cages This invention relates to roll pallets, and to mobile cages based on such roll pallets, and is concerned with providing interstackable roll pallets and cages whose deck panels, and shelves if provided, are hinged attached to the pallet or cage structure in a manner which will not interfere with the interstacking of the pallets or cages.

According to the present invention, an interstackable roll pallet or mobile cage comprises a rigid chassis which is H-shaped in plan and is mounted on wheels or roller castors so that it can be moved about the floor, and a pair of rectangular deck panels dimensioned to lie horizontally side-by-side on the chassis, the two deck panels being hinged to the chassis about hinge axes which extend along their adjacent edges and along the length of the crossmember of the H-shaped chassis, and being pivotable about their hinges between their horizontal positions and upwardly-directed vertical or near-vertical positions.

Each of the deck panels can thus be swung upwardly about its hinge axis into an upright position projecting above the cross-member of the chassis, leaving the opposite ends of the roll pallet or cage open for interstacking with one or more adjacent roll pallet or cages.

The two deck panels may be of equal size, each providing approximately half the deck area of the roll pallet.

In a preferred construction embodying the invention, the roll pallet or cage is provided with opposite vertical side panels mounted at their lower edges on the side members of the chassis and joined by at least one rigid bracing member which interconnects the vertical centre lines of the side panels at an intermediate level between the deck level and the tops of the side panels, and in addition to its hinged deck panels is provided with at least one pair of rectangular shelves dimensioned to lie horizontally side-by-side between the side panels, on supporting surfaces provided by the bracing member and by the side panels, the two shelves being hinged to the roll pallet structure about the hinge axes which extend along their adjacent edges and along the length of the bracing member, and being pivotable between their horizontal positions and upwardly-directed vertical or near-vertical positions Means is preferably provided fqr r holding the deck panels and the shelves individually in predetermined upwardly-directed vertical or near-vertical positions.

For example the deck panel and shelves may be provided with the slotted hinge plate locking means which is the subject of our companion British Patent Application No. 7923021 filed simultaneously herewith.

Our British Patent Specification No. 1510897 describes a roll pallet which comprises a rigid chassis mounted on castors, chassis being of H-shape in plan, with vertical side panels mounted on the two opposite side members of the chassis, and which has a single deck panel hinged at one edge to and along one of the side members of the chassis so as to lie flat on the chassis for load carrying purposes, the deck panel being pivotable upwardly about its hinge to lie flat against one of the side panels leaving the open ends of the H-shaped chassis clear so that two or more of the roll pallets can be interstacked at their adjacent open ends so as to save floor space for storage of the empty pallets.

This known arrangement however does not permit the provision of intermediate-level shelves extending between the opposite side panels, without loss of the interstacking facility, because in atypically- dimensioned roll pallet the radial length of the sidehinged deck panel is too great to allow it to be swung upwardly to a near-vertical position without fouling the intermediate shelf above it. A similar difficulty may arise over the upward pivoting of each intermediate-level shelf. In such cases it has been proposed to provide detachable shelf panels, which simply rest on the chassis and on supports provided by the side panels, and are removed when interstacking is required. However such separate shelf panels are liable to become lost e.g. when the empty roll pallets or cages are being transported.

With the present invention the shelf panels when provided, like the deck panels, are secured by their hinges to the main structure, so that they will not become separated therefrom and risk being lost, and moreover they are capable of being swung up into upright positions to allow the interstacking of the roll pallets or mobile cages.

The roll pallet or cage in the case of the present invention, in addition to having side panels, may be provided with one or two end gates, either detachable or hinged along one vertical edge so as to be capable of being swung back for loading and also for interstacking. For a complete security cage, a lid panel which is either detachable or is hinged along one horizontal edge may also be provided.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a roll pallet which is interstackable with other, similar roll pallets.

Figure 1A is a detail view of one of the hinges for the end gate of the rolled pallet.

Figures 2A and 2B are profile views of the hinge plates associated with deck panels and with the shelves respectively of the roll pallet of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view in perspective of the portion of the roll palletofFigure 1 in the vicinity of the hinged edges of one pair of shelves, showing the hinge plates and showing one shelf panel lowered flat and the other shelf panel raised to its vertical position, and Figure 4 is a diagram showing the chassis of three of the roll pallets of Figures 1 to 3 in their interstacked relationship.

Figure 1 ofthe drawings shows a roll pallet 10 comprising a rigid metal chassis 11 made of three rectangular box-section members, namely two side members 12 and a cross-member 13, welded together into the form of an H in plan. Roller castors 14 are pivotally mounted on the underside of the chassis 11 near its four outer corners. Rectangular side panels 15, 16 are mounted on the two side members 12 of the chassis in vertical planes. Each side panel 15 or 16 comprises a rigid rectangular outerframe 17 made of rectangular-section metal tube, with two rigid horizontal cross-members 18 fixed as by welding in the frame at equal spacings from the top and bottom of the frame and from one another. Each frame 17 is provided with infilling 19 in the form of vertical steel rods welded to the horizontal cross-members 18 and to the top and bottom rails of the frame.A rear gate 20 of similar construction to the side panels 15, 16 is provided at one end ofthe roll pallet, the gate being hinged about one vertical edge 21 to the adjacent vertical edge 22 of one side panel 15, by means of hinges 23 which as shown in Figure 1A permitthe gate to be folded back through 270" to a position flat against the outside of the side panel 15 leaving that end of the roller pallet 10 open for interstacking, as will be described. Suitable fasteners (not shown) are provided for securing the gate 20 in its closed position as illustrated in Figure 1.

The end of the roll pallet opposite to that provided with gate 20 is in this case left open, although it could be provided with a gate 20 if required. A hinged cover panel may also be provided for the open top of the pallet, if a completely-closable sec unity cage is required.

Horizontal bracing members 25, also of rigid rectangular-section metal tubing, extend between the side panels 15 and 16 at the levels of the two pairs of cross-members 18 and at the tops of the side panels 15, 16 and are welded at their opposite ends to the mid-points of the respective cross-member 18 and of the upper rails of the side panel frames 17.

In a typical construction of roll pallet 10 as illustrated, the overall length of the H-shaped chassis 11 measured along the side members 12 is 36 inches (915 mm) and its overall width is 27.5 inches (700 mm). The height of the roll pallet from floor level to the top of the side panels is 66 inches (1676 mm).

The rigid chassis 11 is made up of box-section metal stock 2 < x 1 a inches (60 x 40 mm) in cross-section, and the outer frame 17 of the side panels and the cross-members 18 and bracing members 25 are of 1 inch (25 mm) square tubing. The outer frame of the gate 20 is made of < inch (12 mm) square tubing. The infilling of the side panels and gate is a inch (6 mm) diameter rod. All these parts are of steel, as are the deck and shelf panels to be described.

The chassis 11 is provided with a load-carrying deck comprising two similar deck panels 30, each providing half of the overall deck area, which can lie horizontally side-by-side on the chassis members as shown with their adjacent edges 31 lying along the cross-member 13. The deck panels 30 are hinged to the chassis 11 about horizontal hinge axes extending along their respective edges 31, and along and close to the top of the cross-member 13, so that each deck panel can be swung up through approximately 90 to a substantially vertical position above the crossmember 13.

In addition, the roll pallet is provided with two pairs of shelves 32 which are similar to the deck panels 30 and are similarly hinged. Each pair of shelves 32 can lie horizontally side-by-side on sup porting surfaces provided by the cross-members 18 ofthe side panels 15, 16 and one ofthe bracing members 25, all at the same intermediate level, and can also be swung up about their hinge axes into substantially-vertical positions in which they lie face-to-face above the bracing member 25. Because the width of each deck panel 30 and each shelf 32 is slightly less than halfthe overall length of the chassis 11, i.e. about 430 mm, there is ample height (about 500 mm) between the chassis and the lower most bracing member 25 and between the bracing members themselves to accommodate these panels when vertical.

The deck and shelf panels are of similar grid constructions, each comprising an outer rigid frame of inch (12 mm) diameter steel rod, with infilling of 4 inch (6 mm) diameter steel rod, there being 6 x 4 rods per panel crossing at right angles as shown.

Alternatively wooden deck and shelf panels could be provided.

The hinge arrangements for the deck and shelf panels, which also provided the means for locking the panels in their vertical positions, will now be described with reference to Figure 2A, 2B and 3.

There is provided for the two deck panels 30 a pair of slotted hinge plates 40 whose profile is shown in Figure 2A, one plate 40 being mounted vertically on the bottom rail of each side panel frame 17 and against the outside face of the adjacent side chassis member 12 opposite each end of the cross-member 13 as shown in Figure 1. Similarly, each pair of shelves 32 is provided with a pair of hinge plates 40A of the profile shown in Figures 2B, mounted on the respective cross-members 18 opposite the respective ends of the associated bracing members 25. The plates 40 and 40A are mounted with their straight edges lowermost, and are securely welded in position in vertical planes parallel to the side panels 15 and 16.The plates 40 and 40A have circular profiles 41 of 2l inches (57 mm) radius around their upper portions, and straight lower edges formed by chords 42. In the plate 40 the lower edge 42 is 7/8 inch (22 mm) below the centre 43 of the circular edge 41, whilst in the plate 40Athe corresponding distance is 3/8 inch (9 mm). The difference between these distances corresponds to the difference in level between the top face of the chassis side member 12 and the top face of the bottom rail of the side panel frame 17, onto which the straight edge 42 of the plate 40 abuts. Each of the plates 40 and 40A is provided with a pair of vertical slots 44 cut in its circular profile, the centre lines ofthe slots being 2 inch (12 mm) on either side of the vertical axis 45 through the centre 43, and with a second pair of vertical slots 46 cut in its straight lower edge 42, at similar distances from the axis 45. The width of the slots 44 and 46 is 9/16 inch (14 mm) and they have semicircular inner ends, the centres of each pair of aligned slots 44 and 46 being spaced 1-5/8 inch (41 mm) apart. The plate 40A is similarly provided with slots 44 and 46, the slots 46 being at the same spacing from the slots 44 as in the plate 40 but being shorter.

If desired, the lower end parts of the circular periphery of each plate 40 or 40A below the horizontal diametral plane may be replaced by vertical flats 7/8 inch and 3/8 inch (22 mm and 9 mm) long as indicated at A and B in Figures 2A and 2B. This may be found to facilitate production.

Each of the deck panels 30 and shelf panels 32 has two spaced pins 50 and 51 protruding from each of its shorter edges, the pins 50 being provided by the end portions of the respective frame rods. These pins 50 and 51 are spaced apart 2 3/16 inch (55 mm) centre to centre along the respective edges of the panels, and the pins 50 of each panel are engaged in the lower slots 46 of the respective hinge plates, in which slots they are trapped because the lower ends of the slots 46 are closed by their abutment with the members 12 or 18. The pins 50 thus constitute floating hinge pins for the deck and shelf panels, which can rise and fall in the slots 46.The pins 51 lie outside and follow the circular profiles 41 of the respective plates in cam and cam follower fashion, and when the panels 30 or 32 are vertical the pins 51 enterthe upper slots 44 so as to locate and hold the respective panels in the vertical position.

Thus, referring to Figures 2B and 3, when the lefthand shelf panel 32 is resting flat on the crossmembers 18 each of its pins 50 lies at the bottom of a slot 46, and each of its pins 51 lies just outside the circular edge 41 of the plate 40A. When the panel 32 is raised it will pivot about the hinge axis provided by the pins 50 in the slots 46, and each pin 51 will ride along the cam surface provided by the edge 41 of the plate 40A, lifting the pins 50 in the slots 46 clear of the supporting member 18. An intermediate inclined position of the panel 32 is indicated by the broken-line positions 50' and 51' of the pins in Figure 2B. In due course the panel 32 will approach its vertical position with the pins 51 about to enter the slots 44 and the pins 50 near the tops of the slots 46.As the panel assumes its vertical position each pin 51 enters a slot 44 and descends to rest on the bottom of the slot, whilst each pin 50 also descends its slot 46 and rests suspended near the bottom of the slot just above the surface of the cross-member 18, as is shown with respect to the right-hand shelf panel 32 in Figure 2B. In this position the panel is locked in its vertical position by the engagement of its two pins 51 in the slots 44 with the other two pins 50 trapped in the slots 46. To lower the panel from its vertical to its horizontal position the panel is lifted bodily until its pins 51 clear the tops of the slots 44, and is then swung down, the pins 51 riding on the circular cam surface 41, until the horizontal position is reached.

The deck panels 30 are raised and lowered in exactly the same manner, pivoting about the hinge axes provided by their hinge pins 50 in the slots 46 of the plates 40, and can be locked in their vertical position by engagement of their pins 51 in the slots 44 of plates 40.

It will be appreciated that by virtue of the hinged deck and shelf panels 30 and 32 and the H-shape of the chassis 11, the roll pallets 10 can be interstacked or nested one partially within another for storage, to save floor space, in the manner shown diagrammatically in Figure 4. Thus, with the rear gates 20 folded back outside the respective side panels 15, and with all the deck and shelf panels 30 and 32 locked in their vertical positions, portions of the chassis side members 12 of adjacent roll pallets and the corresponding parts of the side panels can be overlapped with one another via the open ends of the pallets as shown in Figure 4, alternately to right and left as indicated so that the nested row will not progressively diverge from the direction of the centre lines of the chassis 11. When so interstacked the row of empty pallets 10 will occupy considerably less space in that direction than would a similar number of pallets arranged end to end without interstacking.

When the pallets are required for use they are simply withdrawn from the nested row, the shelf and deck panels are swung down to the horizontal position, and the end gates are closed.

If the panels 30 or 32 or any of them are required to be held in an intermediate inclined position, or in a selected one of several intermediate positions between horizontal and vertical, further locating slots 44 may be formed in corresponding positions in the arcuate margins of the respective locating plates 40 or40A.

Claims (16)

1. -An interstackable roll pallet or mobile cage, comprising a rigid chassis which is H-shaped in plan and is mounted on wheels or roller castors, and a pair of rectangular deck panels dimensioned to lie horizontally side-by-side on the chassis, the two deck panels being hinged to the chassis about hinge axes which extend along their adjacent edges and along the length of the cross-member of the H-shaped chassis, and being pivotable about their hinges between their horizontal positions and upwardly-directed vertical or near-vertical positions.

2. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 1, in which the two deck panels are of equal size, each providing half of the deck area of the pallet or cage.

3. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, which is provided with opposite vertical side panels mounted at their lower edges on and extending along the side members of the chassis and joined by at least one bracing member interconnecting the vertical centre lines of the side panels at an intermediate level between the deck level and the tops of the side panels, and which in addition to its hinged deck panels is provided with at least one pair of rectangular shelves dimensioned to lie horizontally side-by-side between the side panels on supporting surfaces provided by the bracing member and the side panels, the two shelves being hinged to the roll pallet structure about hinge axes which extend along their adjacent edges and along the length ofthe bracing member, and being pivotable about their hinges between their horizontal positions and upwardly-directed vertical or near-vertical position.

4. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 3 in which the two shelf panels are of equal size and each pro vides half of the shelf area atthat level.

5. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, having two of the said pairs of shelves at different levels between the chassis and the tops of the side panels.

6. A pallet or cage as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 5, provided with a gate panel hinged along one vertical edge to a vertical edge of one of the side panels, and pivotable about its hinge axis between a position extending between the two side panels to close that end of the pallet or cage, and a position folded back agairistthe outside face of the side panel to which it is hinged.

7. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which each deck panel is provided with means for holding it in a predetermined upwardly-directed vertical or near-vertical position.

8. A pallet or cage as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 6, in which each deck panel and each shelf panel is provided with means for holding it in a predetermined upwardly-directed vertical or nearvertical position.

9. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, in which the said means comprises, at each end of the panel, an open-ended upwardly-facing slot in a fixed member, and a protruding locating pin carried by the panel in a position radially-spaced from the hinge of the panel, the pin being adapted to enter into engagement in the slotto hold the panel in its predetermined position, and the hinge forthe panel providing lost motion in a direction which allows the travel of the pin along the slot.

10 A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 9, in which each fixed member comprises a plate having a convexly-curved edge which forms a cam surface along which the locating pin rides, the profile of the cam surface being such as to lift the panel upwardly as it is turned towards its predetermined upwardlydirected position, the lost motion hinge arrangement permitting such lifting.

11. A pallet orcage as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10, in which the panel hinge comprises, at each end of the panel, the combination of a hinge pin protruding from the edge of the panel and a slot in the fixed member, in which slot the hinge pin is engaged with lost motion along the length of the slot.

12. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 11, in which both slots in each fixed member are vertical, and are aligned with one another.

13. A pallet orcage as claimed in Claim 10, or in Claim 11 or Claim 12 when dependent on Claim 10, in which the convexly-curved edge is an arc of a circle whose centre is offset from the path of move mentofthe hinge axis permitted by the lost motion connection.

14. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 13, in which for one or each pair of deck or shelf panels there is provided, at each end of the pair of panels, a single fixed plate whose periphery is an arc of a circle and provides a cam surface along different parts of which the locating pins at that end of both panels ride.

15. A pallet or cage as claimed in Claim 11 and Claim 14, in which each part-circular common plate has two open-ended vertical slots in its upper peripherai portion, equally-spaced one on either side of a vertical radius, to receive the locating pins, and two vertical slots below and respectively aligned with the open-ended slots, in which the hinge pins of the panels are respectively trapped.

16. A roll pallet substantially as specifically described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.