GB2081669A - Means for locating and restraining an array of articles - Google Patents

Abstract

Means such as a keg pallet or spacer for locating and horizontally restraining an array of articles on an upper deck thereof is formed as an assembly of at least two identical plastics moulded components each having an upper deck part 1 within which is located part circular recessed seats 4 for locating and restraining the kegs. Located along a straight side edge 11 of each component are complimentary dovetailed spigots 13 and dovetailed sockets 12 which mate and interconnect the two components together to restrain them from horizontal displacement relative to each other. The dovetailed portions 12, 13 can be apertured so that when interconnected a bar or rod can be inserted through those apertures to lock the components together. The lower deck part 2 of each component includes a second array of part circular recessed seats 5 by which the assembly can be placed on an underlying array of kegs for building up a stack with alternate layers of kegs and spacers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Means for locating and restraining an array of articles This invention relates to a means for locating and restraining an array of articles.

More particularly the invention concerns means having an upper deck for locating and horizontally restraining an array of articles thereon in a common horizontal plane and which means is formed by injection moulding in plastics material.

Such means as may be in the form of a spacer or pallet-like structure is well-known for use in the handling, storage and transportation of circular section containers such as casks, kegs or gas cylinders as may be employed in the brewing industry where, for example a keg pallet having an upper deck in which part circular recesses or seats are formed serves to accommodate cylindrical kegs with their axes horizontal and to restrain them against horizontal displacement. When kegs are seated on a keg pallet as aforementioned a spacer may then be located firmly on those kegs; this spacer also has an upper deck with part circular seats which serve to locate and horizontally restrain a further array of kegs. By the use of several spacers it is possible to erect a vertical stack of cylindrical kegs on a base keg pallet in a stable manner.It is known for location and restraining means of the type mentioned above to be formed by injection moulding in plastics material. When such means are heavy and bulky items, such as keg pallets or spacers they have the disadvantages that they are generally difficult to manoeuvre and store, are of fixed dimensions and, more importantly, their large size incurs extremely high moulding tool costs. It is the object of the present invention to provide means, such as a keg pallet or spacer, for locating and restraining an array of articles in a common horizontal plane which means is formed as a plastics moulding but alleviates the aforementioned disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided means having an upper deck for locating and horizontally restraining any array of articles thereon in a common horizontal plane and comprising an assembly of at least two identical plastics moulded components each having integrally formed therewith seating means for said location and restraint and male and female portions located on at least one edge thereof, said male and female portions being substantially complimentary to each other, and wherein said components are located in a common horizontal plane with edges thereof adjacent to each other and with male and female portions on those edges cooperating to interconnect and restrain relative horizontal displacement between those components.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a plastics moulded component for use in assembly of the means specified in the immediately preceding paragraph.

By the present invention the means, which will conveniently be referred to as a spacer or pallet, is constructed from an assembly owt two or more identical plastics mouldings which provide a structure the parts of which are secured together against relative horizontal displacement. In this way all of the components can be made with the same moulding tools which latter will be far less expensive than tools which would be required for the moulding of a one piece pallet or spacer having a size which is compatible with that assembled from two or more of the components.

Furthermore each component may be of a size and weight which is easy to manoeuvre and store and be of a design which permits assembly of several such components in modular fashion into a pallet or spacer (particularly the latter) of irregular shape and dimensions in plan.

Usually each component will be substantially rectangular in plan and when two or more of such components are interconnected the resulting assembly will usually be substantially rectangular in plan (in the manner of a conventional pallet).

When the assembly is intended to provide a spacer the underside thereof preferably provides a lower deck which comprises second seating means integrally formed with the components of the assembly: These second seating means are intended to cooperate with an underlying array of articles which -are located and restrained in a common horizontal plane on the upper deck of a similar second assembly (be it either a pallet structure or a further spacer) located vertically below the first mentioned assembly. Usually the upper and lower decks will be substantially identical.

The male and female portions preferably comprise one or more of a headed spigot and a narrow mouthed recess respectively which extend generally horizontally of the component in one or more edges thereof so that the headed spigot or spigots of one component cooperates in substantially complimentary manner with a narrow mouthed recess or recesses of an adjacent second component and vice-a-versa. Conveniently the cooperating headed spigot and narrow mouthed recess provide dovetailed engagement between the respective components.

To interconnect the male and female portions between two adjacent components those components will likely be displaced vertically relative to each other and the extent of such vertical displacement may be determined by the surface on which the assembly stands as, for example, a flat floor, the flat deck of a pallet, or an array of underlying articles (in the case of a spacer). If required however stop means can be provided which is associated with the cooperating male and female portions to restrain relative vertical displacement between two interconnecting components in one sense of direction beyond a predetermined extent (which latter will likely be when the constituent parts of the upper deck on the respective components are located substantially in a common horizontal plane).Locking means can be provided for retaining the cooperating male and female portions in engagement: for example the male and female portions may be apertured so that, when the portions cooperate correctly, the apertures are in alignment and a bolt, bar, rod or similar member can be passed through the apertures to lock the portions together. The aforementioned restraint against relative vertical displacement of two adjacent components and also the possible locking together of those components is desirable where the assembly is intended to provide a base which is lifted as a whole, for example in the nature of a keg pallet which is likely to be transported on a fork lift.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawing which is a perspective view of a component two of which are to be interconnected to provide a spacer for an array of beer kegs or other circular sectioned articles.

The component illustrated is manufactured as a one piece injection moulding in plastics material such as polypropylene or high density polyethylene and is generally oblong rectangular in plan having substantially horizontal and overlying upper and lower deck parts 1 and 2 respectively. The shape and configuraticn of the deck parts 1 and 2 are identical.

The component is of open framework structure in plan and has webs 3 the edges of which are located generally in the upper and lower deck parts 1 and 2. The edges of the webs 3 are shaped as part circular recesses which serve as seats 4 in the upper deck part 1 and seat 5 in the lower deck part. As will be seen from the drawing, the respective seats 4 and 5 are arranged in five rows 6 to 10 which are spaced longitudinally over the component and extend parallel with the narrower side edges of the component.Each of the rows 6 to 10 is intended to accommodate a generally cylindrical beer keg which is received on the seats 4 in the perspective row with its axis horizontal so that the cylindrical profile of the keg is accommodated within the curvature of the seats 4; in this way an array of kegs is located on the upperdeck 1 and restrained by the seats 4 against horizontal displacement over the component.

Formed integral with a longer side edge 11 of the component are female portions in the form of two dovetail shaped recesses 12 and male portions in the form of two dovetail shaped spigots 13. These portions extend generally horizontally of the component and the size and configuration of the male and female dovetails are substantially complimentary.

To form an assembly in accordance with the invention two of the components illustrated are located in side-by-side relationship with one of the components rotated through 1 800 in plan relative to the other component so that their respective side edges 11 are generally adjacent and parallel to each other. The two components are now manoeuvred with respect to one another, both horizontally and vertically, so that the spigots 1 3 on each component cooperate with the respective recesses 12 of the other component. The dovetailed male and female portions cooperate in complimentary fashion and these portions are longitudinally spaced and sited on their respective edges 11 so that the overall structure of the assembly is rectangular in plan with the opposed side edges 11 in face-to-face abutment.In this assembled condition and with the components resting on a flat horizontal base, the two deck parts 1 are in the same horizontal plane and present an upper deck to the assembly on which ten beer kegs can be located and horizontally restrained in five rows of two kegs per row.

Conveniently the side dimensions (in plan) of the assembly conform with those of a standard palled and indeed the assembly can be constructed on the flat deck of such a standard pallet.

With ten beer kegs located on the assembly as aforementioned, two further components (each identified to that illustrated) can be placed on the beer kegs and interconnected to form an overlying or upper spacer assembly and so that the kegs are respectively received one in each of the ten rows of seats 5 in the lower deck of the overlying assembly. The upper spacer assembly therefore serves to additionaily restrain the kegs from horizontal displacement and also to provide a firm basis on which a second layer of ten kegs can be located and horizontally restrained in the seats 4 in the upper deck of the upper spacer assembly.

By such an arrangement a vertical column can be built of alternate layers of beer kegs and spacer assemblies.

The component illustrated can be modified to include a first set of apertures which extend through the plastics walls thereof to elm merge in the recesses 12 and a second set of apertures in the plastics material of the dovetailed spigots 13.

Conveniently these sets of apertures extend parallel to the side edge 11. The sets of apertures are arranged so that when two of the components are interconnected by engagement of the dovetailed portions, apertures in the respective sets align with each other and bars or rods can be inserted through such apertures to lock the two components together.

Claims (17)

1. Means having an upper deck for locating and horizontally restraining an array of articles thereon in a common horizontal plane and comprising an assembly of at least two identical plastics moulded components each having integrally formed therewith seating means for said location and restraint and male and female portions located on at least one edge thereof, said female and male portions being substantially complimentary to each other, and wherein said components are located in a common horizontal plane with edges thereof adjacent to each other and with male and female portions on those edges cooperating to interconneci and restrain relative horizontal displacement between those components.

2. Means as claimed in Claim 1 in which male and female portions comprise a headed spigot engaging with a narrow mouthed recess.

3. Means as claimed in Claim 2 in which the male and female portions provide dovetailed engagement.

4. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the adjacent edges are substantially in abutment with each other.

5. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each component is substantially rectangular in plan.

6. Means as claimed in Claim 5 in which the assembly is substantially rectangular in plan.

7. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the male and female portions are located in one and the same substantially straight edge of their respective components and the assembly consists of two interconnecting components.

8. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the underside of the assembly provides a lower deck which comprises second seating means integrally formed with said components; said second seating means being intended to cooperate with an underlying array of articles located and restrained in a common horizontal plane of the upper deck of a similar second assembly located beneath the first mentioned assembly.

9. Means as claimed in Claim 8 in which the upper and lower decks are substantially identical.

10. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the seating means comprises part circular recesses for cooperating with circular section articles having their axes substantially horizontal.

11. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each component comprises an open framework structure in plan.

12. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the cooperating male and female portions which interconnect two components have stop means associated therewith to restrain relative vertical displacement between those components beyond a predetermined extent in one sense of direction.

13. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including locking means for retaining the cooperating male and female portions in engagement.

14. Means as claimed in Claim 13 in which the male and female portions are apertured and said locking means comprises a bar or similar member which extends through those apertures.

1 5. Means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the assembly is in the form of a spacer.

1 6. A spacer formed as an assembly of two components substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawing.

17. A plastics moulding component for use in assembly of the means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.