GB2271552A

GB2271552A - Stackable pallet locating member

Info

Publication number: GB2271552A
Application number: GB9323590A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Leonard Mead
Original assignee: Lin Pac Mouldings Ltd
Current assignee: Linpac Mouldings Ltd
Priority date: 1991-01-30
Filing date: 1993-11-15
Publication date: 1994-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2011-01-30
Also published as: GB2252294B; GB2271552B; DE4137941C2; GB9101990D0; DE4137941A1; GB9323590D0; GB2252294A

Description

TITLE "A platform assembly" TECHNICAL FIELD & BACKGROUND ART The present invention relates to a platform assembly which comprises a platform (usually of a generally flat, sheet-like structure) and a locating member accommodated in an aperture of the platform and which presents a spigot part on which a support member can be positioned in socket and spigot engagement. Typically, the platform has a spaced array of locating members and support members may be positioned one on each of the locating members. The support members may be intended to present downwardly extending legs or feet on which the platform may stand in the nature of a pallet structure suitable for handling by forklift. The support members can also serve as legs or spacers whereby several similar platforms can be stacked vertically in overlying relationship with the support members maintaining vertical spacing between adjacent platforms in the stack so that goods accommodated on the platforms are not subjected to loading from overlying platforms.

For convenience it is preferred that the platforms, and locating members are separate for storage and transport when not in use but can be readily assembled as required by fitting the locating members into respective apertures of the platform (so that socketed ends of the support members can then be fitted to the spigot parts presented by the respective locating members). However, it has been found that the space occupied by large numbers of the separate platforms and locating members for their bulk storage or transport can be considerable with consequential inconvenience and expense and it is an object of the present invention to provide a platform assembly and a locating member for such an assembly by which the space requirement for their storage or transport when not in use

can be alleviated..

STATEMENT OF INVENTION & ADVANTAGES According to the present invention there is provided a platform assembly comprising a platform, a locating member accommodated in an aperture of the platform and presenting an axially extending spigot part which projects substantially perpendicularly from a face of the platform for engagement axially in a socketed end of a support member which is to extend from said face to provide a leg, foot or spacer on the platform, and wherein said spigot part has a hollow, tapered configuration to converge from an open end thereof to a free end thereof whereby the spigot part of the locating member can be received axially and nested in the hollow spigot part of a second similar locating member.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a locating member for a platform assembly as specified in the immediately preceding paragraph in which the axially extending spigot part comprises an array of at least two axially extending hollow bosses spaced about the periphery of said axis, the hollow bosses being similarly formed and each having an open end and tapering to converge towards a free end which is to be first received in the socket, each boss having a side face for engagement with the socket and wherein two similar locating members can be stacked one with another by the hollow bosses of a first said locating member being received axially through the open ends of, and nested within, the respectively corresponding hollow bosses of the second locating member.

The platform will usually have a sheet-like structure (possibly an open framework) with opposed parallel faces from a first of which the spigot part of the locating member is intended to project axially. The locating member may have an abutment such as a flange or shoulder which abuts a face of the platform when it is fitted into

the aperture to restrain displacement of the locating member through the aperture in one sense of direction while catch means on the locating member may engage with the platform to restrain displacement of the locating member (particularly its spigot part) through the aperture in the opposite sense of direction.

The spigot part of the locating member has a generally hollow structure arranged so that several similar locating members are nestable with each other in the sense that they can be nest stacked with the spigot parts being successively received axially one within another in the stack. Such an arrangement reduces the space required for transport and storage with consequential cost savings. To achieve such nesting the spigot part is preferably formed by an array of two or more axially extending hollow bosses peripherally (usually circumferentially) spaced about the axis of the locating member and having free ends which are intended to lead into the socket of the support member to provide the socket and spigot engagement; the bosses have open ends axially remote from their free ends from which open ends they taper to converge as they approach their free ends so that the spigot parts of two similar and similarly orientated locating members can be nested as aforementioned with the bosses of one locating member being axially received through the open ends of, and one within each, of the corresponding hollow bosses of the second locating member in which it is nested. At or towards the free ends of the tubular bosses are preferably located side faces which are of complementary profile to the socket at the end of the support member to slidably engage therewith.

Usually the socket will be cylindrical (being formed at the end of a cylindrical tube) and in this case the aforementioned side faces of the bosses may be of part cylindrical profile to co-incide with a notional cylinder which is complementary to that of the socket. Apertures

may be provided in the hollow bosses axially remote from their free ends (conveniently adjacent to their aforementioned side faces and on the side thereof remote from the free ends of the bosses) so that these apertures in the hollow bosses of the spigot part of one locating member can accommodate the side faces of the hollow bosses on a similar locating member nested therewith. The locating member may have a second spigot part which, with that member fitted to a platform, extends perpendicularly from the platform in the axially opposite direction to the first spigot part. Two support members can thus be fitted in socket and spigot engagement one to each spigot part to extend from opposite sides of the platform, conveniently to provide spacers between overlying platforms in a stack.

The second spigot part is preferably co-axial with the first spigot part and comprises a peripherally spaced array of hollow bosses which are similar to those of the first spigot part to have open ends from which they taper to converge. towards their free ends which are to be first received in a socket of a support member. The hollow bosses of the second spigot part are peripherally spaced to be off-set from (and preferably alternately disposed peripherally with) the hollow bosses of the first spigot part so that the open ends of the hollow bosses of the second spigot part are presented to receive axially bosses of a second locating member nested therewith peripherally between the open ends of the hollow bosses in the first spigot part.

Prior to erecting the platform assembly several platforms will usually be transported or stored as a flat stack one on another. However, by use of the aforementioned nestable locating members it can be possible to have several similar platforms with the locating members fitted thereto stacked vertically one on another with the corresponding spigot parts of the locating members on one

platform being nested within the corresponding hollow spigot parts of the locating members on the platform which immediately underlies or overlies it in the stack. Such close stacking of several platforms with the locating members fitted thereto is particularly convenient following normal usage of the platform assemblies when the support members have been removed from those assemblies, usually by merely pulling the support members to slide off their respective spigot parts.

DRAWINGS Embodiments of a platform assembly and a locating member constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which :- Figure 1 is a section through the platform assembly in which a support member is shown fitted to the assembly by means of a locating member in the assembly having a single spigot part (but in which, for convenience, a second spigot part for a modification is shown in ghost form); Figure 2 is a perspective view of the locating member incorporated in the assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of locating member similar to that shown in Figure 2 but incorporating two spigot parts; Figure 4 illustrates, in section, a stacking arrangement for two pallet assemblies incorporating the locating members of Figures 2 and 3 fitted with support members; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a typical stack structure formed by a plurality of the pallet assemblies and support members similar to those shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 5 ; Figure 7 is a perspective view of part of the

structure shown in Figure 5 and illustrates reinforcing posts provided between overlying platforms in the structure; Figure 8 is a section through two locating members similar to those shown in Figures 2 and 3 nested together for convenience of storage or transport, and Figure 9 is a perspective view of a stack of platform assemblies nested together for convenience of transport and storage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The platform assembly 100 shown in Figure 1 has a flat platform 1, typically a rectangular sheet of rigid plastics or board material, with opposed faces 2 and 3. The platform 1 has a circular aperture 4 within which is accommodated a locator 5 formed as a one piece plastics moulding. The locator 5 has a base or end 6 projecting outwardly from which is an annular flange 7. Projecting from the end 6 is an axially extending spigot part 8 which, for convenience of description in appreciating the general structure of the assembly, may be regarded as having at its free end a co-axial cylindrical external profile (12) concentric with the flange 7. The cylindrical profile of the spigot part 8 has a diameter substantially less than that of the aperture 4. Projecting from the flange 7 or end 6 in the same direction as the spigot part 8 are catch members 9 which are spaced radially outwardly from the spigot part 8 to be located generally on a notional circle which is concentric with the spigot part and corresponds to that of the aperture 4. The catch members 9 are circumferentially spaced and are biased by the resilient nature of the plastics material through which they are connected to the flange 7 to be urged radially outwardly of the spigot part 8. Located on the end base 6 of the locator at a position radially between the catch members 9 and spigot part 8 are end stops 11.

The locator 5 is fitted to the platform 1 by inserting it, with the spigot part 8 leading, axially through the aperture 4 and applying pressure to the locator so that chamfered lead-in faces 10 on outer sides of the catch members 9 move into the aperture to slide over the edge of the platform 1 (and are thereby displaced radially inwardly against their biasing) until shoulders 9a of the catch members 9 move into snap engagement over the platform face 2 and with the edge of the platform 1 (as shown in Figure 1). In this latter condition the flange 7 is held in firm abutment with the platform face 3 so that the flange restrains displacement of the locator 5 through the aperture in one axial direction and the catch members restrain such movement in the opposite axial direction.

To the locator 5 of the platform assembly 100 is fitted a support member 13 in the form of a cylindrical tube, typically of plastics or cardboard. The end of the tube 13 provides a cylindrical socket 14, the diameter of which is-complementary to that of the cylindrical surface 12 of the spigot part 8. The tube 13 is pressed for its socket 14 to be received axially as a sliding fit on the spigot part 8 until the tube end abuts and is seated on the stop 11 of the locator. In this latter condition the wall of the tube is located adjacent to, and preferably abuts, the catch members 9 as shown in Figure 1 to prevent those catch members from being displaced radially inwardly sufficiently for them to dis-engage from the platform 1.

Preferably the support tube 13 will move into abutment with the catch members 9 as the tube is being pushed onto the spigot part 8 to cause those catch members to be urged radially outwardly and maintained in firm engagement over the platform face 2. The fitting of the tubular support 13 thereby ensures that the locator 5 will be maintained in firm, stable, engagement with the platform.

The support member 13 may be of any desired length and

can serve as a foot, leg or spacer on which the platform 1 may itself stand when the support member 13 is directed downwardly or on which another platform may stand or be stacked in spaced array when the support member 13 is directed upwardly.

The locator shown in Figure 2 has a single spigot part 8 which can be directed either upwardly or downwardly on a horizontal platform for the purpose of fitting a support member to extend either upwardly or downwardly as required from that platform. However, for convenience of erecting a stack in which several platforms are in overlying relationship and spaced vertically by support members, an intermediate locator 20 can be provided as shown in Figure 3. This intermediate locator incorporates the whole of the structure for the locator 5 and additionally has a second spigot part 8'which extends axially from the opposite side of the flange 7 to that of the spigot part 8.

The spigot part 8'is formed similarly to the spigot part 8 so that it presents at its free end a side end face 12'.

The face 12'may conveniently be regarded as cylindrical and is co-axial with, and of the same diameter as, the cylindrical surface 12. For convenience of illustration the spigot part 8'is shown in ghost form on the locator 5 of Figure 1. The intermediate locator 20 is formed as a one piece plastics moulding and is fitted to the platform 1 in a similar manner to that previously described for the fitting of the locator 5 so that the catch members 9 snap engage over the edge of the platform. By use of the intermediate locator 20 a platform stack can be erected as shown in Figure 4 comprising tubular supports and platform assemblies 100 and 200, the platform of the former having a locator 5 fitted thereto and the platform of the latter having the intermediate locator 20 fitted thereto. During erection of the stack the upper end of the tubular support 13 from the assembly 100 presents a cylindrical socket 14'

within which is received the spigot part 8'of the intermediate locator 20 of the platform assembly 200. A further tubular support 13 is fitted to the upwardly projecting spigot part 8 of the intermediate locator 20 in the assembly 200 to extend the height of the stack. The base of the stack shown in Figure 4 is conveniently provided by a foot 21 formed by a cylindrical tube attached to the platform 1 of the lowermost platform assembly 100 to be co-axial with the tubular supports 13. The foot 21 may be attached by barb-like projections 22 which snap engage within apertures 23 in the platform. Alternatively the locator 5 in the assembly 100 of Figure 4 can be replaced by an intermediate locator 20 so that a downwardly directed spigot part 8'is presented to mate with a socket provided in the upper end of the tubular foot 21. Typically, the foot 21 will form part of a pallet structure for handling by forklift and conveniently connects with a pallet base board 26 between which and the platform 1 the forklift is received It is preferred that the foot 21 is fixedly secured (as by the barbs 23) to the platform 1 to ensure that it does not drop off during lifting of the stack. It will be noted that the tubular supports 13, (and the foot 21) effectively form a substantially continuous vertical column through the stack and this column may have considerable load bearing capabilities to alleviate undesirable loads being applied to goods 24 which may be accommodated on the platform 1. For the purpose of transmitting vertical loads through the tubular supports 13, a continuous load path is provided between the end of the support which is seated on the stop 11 and the end of the adjacent support which can abut a shoulder 25 in vertical alignment with the stop 11 and provided adjacent the intermediate locator 20 in the platform assembly 200 of Figure 4.

Usually, the platform assemblies will have several

locators 5 and/or 8. disposed in a spaced array over their areas so that a stable stack of platforms can be erected with several support members 13 extending between adjacent platforms in the stack. A typical stack of platform assemblies with similar platforms 1 and locators 5,20 as appropriate for the location of the platform in the stack is shown in Figures 5 and 6. In Figure 5 the uppermost and lowermost platforms 1 of the assemblies 100 have the single spigot locators 5 and the platforms 1 of the intermediate pallet assemblies 200 in the stack have the intermediate locators 20. In the example stack of Figures 5 and 6 the goods 24 to be packaged for transport and storage are in the form of annular drums, reels or creels.

Five similar annular reels are carried on each platform 1 symmetrically disposed as shown in Figure 6 and conveniently five tubular supports 13 extend between each adjacent pair of platforms 1, one support through the centre of each annular reel to alleviate displacement of the reels over the platforms. If required reinforcing struts such as corner posts 30 can be provided to extend between adjacent pairs of platforms 1. These reinforcing struts conveniently engage with complementary seats 31 in the faces 2 and 3 of the platforms 1 (see Figure 7), in effect, to form a substantially continuous column over the height of the stack-again alleviating vertical loads from being applied through the platforms to the underlying goods 24. The corner posts 30 may have notches 32 for engagement by straps or ties 33 which secure the stack structure.

Generally the platforms 1, supports 13 and locators 5, 20 will be supplied to a user as separate components for erection of the platform assemblies and stacks as required.

Such supply is both convenient and cost effective for storage and transport. For the purpose of further reducing the space required for the components during

storage and transport the locators 5 and 20 have their spigot parts constructed as generally hollow mouldings so that they can be nested one within another as a stack. In Figure 2 it will be seen that the locator 5 has its spigot part 8 formed by an array of axially extending bosses 40 (in the present example four such bosses are provided) which are equally spaced circumferentially about the spigot axis. Each boss 40 has associated therewith a stop 11 adjacent to the flange 7 and a catch member 9. The bosses 40 with their associated stops 11 and catch members 9 are identical to each other. Each boss 40 is of a hollow structure with a closed free end 41 which is chamfered to provide a lead in surface for the spigot part on entering the socket of a support member and an open end 42 in the end base 6 of the locator. Each boss 40 is tapered externally to converge as it axially approaches the free end 41 from the open end 42 and is provided with a corresponding internal taper. Also each boss 40 is provided, with a side end face 12 which is of part cylindrical profile and forms part of a notional cylinder that is co-axial with the spigot axis and is substantially complementary to the cylindrical bore of the socket 14 with which the spigot part is to be mated. Provided in the wall of each boss 40 adjacent to its side end face 12 and on the side of that end face 12 axially remote from its free end 41 is an aperture 43. Two similarly orientated locators 5 (as shown in Figure 2) are nest stacked by locating the free ends 41 of the bosses on a first locator within the open ends 42 of the corresponding bosses on the second locator. The two locators are then moved axially together so that the four bosses 40 of the first locator enter the corresponding hollow bosses 40 of the second locator until the part cylindrical side end faces 12 of the first locator are accommodated within the apertures 43 of the second locator and the flanges 7 of the two locators

are disposed adjacent to each other in generally parallel and concentric relationship. Further locators 5 can be added successively in a similar manner as aforementioned to build up the stack. The nest stacked arrangement for the locators may be appreciated from Figure 8 which clearly illustrates the tapered configuration of the hollow bosses and the manner in which those bosses are nested, one within another, for the part cylindrical side end faces 12 to be accommodated within the apertures 43.

The intermediate locator 20 shown in Figure 3 incorporates the same bossed structure for its spigot part 8 as that previously described for the locator 5. However, the second spigot part 8'is also formed by a circumferentially spaced array of four axially extending hollow bosses 40'which are substantially an identical but inverted form of the bosses 40 and are shown with similar references having a dashed suffix. The bosses 40'do not have associated therewith the catch members 10 and the stops 11 effectively present the shoulders 25. The bosses 40'are axially off-set from the bosses 40 to be disposed alternately circumferentially with respect to the bosses 40. Consequently the open ends 42'of the bosses 40'are positioned circumferentially one between each adjacent pair of bosses 40 and those open ends 42'open between the bosses 40 generally in the plane of the flange 7. By this arrangement, an intermediate locator 20 can be nest stacked with a single spigot locator 8 as shown in Figure 8 and as previously discussed. Furthermore, it is possible for two intermediate locators 20 to be nest stacked with each other by orientating the locators so that as the bosses 40 of a first locator 20 are received axially within the open ends 42 of the second locator 20, the

bosses 40'of the second locator 20 are simultaneously received axially within the open ends 42'of the first locator to permit the two locators to be moved axially into

a fully nested position in which the part cylindrical side faces 12 on the bosses 40 of the first locator 20 are accommodated within the apertures 43 in the bosses 40 of the second locator 20 while the part cylindrical side faces 12'of the hollow bosses 40'on the second locator 20 are accommodated within the apertures 43'in the bosses 40'of the first locator 20. It will be appreciated that to the stack thus formed successive locators 20 can be added.

Furthermore the locators 5 and 20 can be mixed axially for nest stacking.

To persons experienced in plastics injection moulding techniques it will be appreciated from the aforegoing description and particularly the structure of the locators shown in Figures 2 and 3, that the hollow configuration and openings presented by the bosses 40, 40'and from the generally hollow structure of the spigot parts, that the locators can be formed by relatively simple through moulding techniques.

It will also be appreciated from the stacked arrangement of the locators as shown in Figure 8 that this arrangement can be achieved irrespective of whether or not the locators are fitted to platforms (such platforms 1 being indicated by broken lines in Figure 8).

Consequently, if after use of the platform assemblies, the tubular supports 13 are removed (conveniently by simply pulling them off the spigot parts), the platform assemblies 100,200 can be vertically stacked one above another as a close array with the hollow spigot parts of the locators nesting together in a similar manner to that shown in Figure 8. Such a stacked array of several platform assemblies is shown in Figure 9 to form a relatively flat pack on the pallet base 26 which is convenient for storage and transport. To faciliate the formation of such a flat pack, the locators 5,20 and the platforms 1 can be provided with suitable markings (conveniently embossed

lines on the flange 7 and lines on the platform faces) which are intended to coincide or otherwise relate between the platforms and the loctors fitted thereto to ensure that all of the locators have their bosses 40, 40' appropriately orientated for the locators to nest stack with the platforms in overlying relationship.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A platform assembly comprising a platform, a locating member accommodated in an aperture of the platform and presenting an axially extending spigot part which projects substantially perpendicularly from a face of the platform for engagement axially in a socketed end of a support member which is to extend from said face to provide a leg, foot or spacer on the platform, and wherein said spigot part has a hollow, tapered configuration to converge from an open end thereof to a free end thereof whereby the spigot part of the locating member can be received axially and nested in the hollow spigot part of a second similar locating member.
2. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the spigot part has a side face towards its free end, which side face is located in a notional cylinder co-axial with the axis of the spigot part and is to be received in a substantially complementary cylindrical socket of a support member.
3. A platform assembly as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 in which the spigot part comprises an array of at least two axially extending hollow bosses spaced peripherally about its axis, said hollow bosses having free ends which are to be first received in the socketed end of a support member and each boss tapering from an open end thereof remote from its free end to converge towards its said free end and being arranged so that two similar locating members can be nested one within the other with the hollow bosses of the spigot part of a first locating member being received axially through the open ends of, and nested within, the respectively corresponding hollow bosses of the spigot part of the second locating member.
4. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 3 in which the hollow bosses are provided with side faces for reception in a socket of a support member and which are located remote

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from their open ends, and wherein said hollow bosses are provided with apertures remote from their free ends within which apertures are accommodated the side faces of the bosses of a similar locating member nested axially therewith.
5. A platform assembly as claimed in either claim 3 or claim 4 in which the locating member has a first said spigot part extending axially from the face of the platform and a second said spigot part extending axially and substantially perpendicularly from an opposite face of the platform and which said second spigot part is to be received in a socketed end of a second support member for providing a further leg, foot or spacer whereby the platform can be fitted with support members extending substantially perpendicularly thereon from opposite sides of the locating member, and wherein the second spigot part comprises an array of at least two axially extending hollow bosses spaced peripherally about its axis and having free ends which are to be first received in the socketed end of the second support member, each hollow boss of the second spigot part tapering from an open end thereof to converge towards its free end and being arranged so that two such similar locating members can be nested one within the other with the hollow bosses of the second spigot part of a first locating member being received axially through the open ends of, and nested within, the respectively corresponding hollow bosses of the second spigot part on the second locating member.
6. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 5 when appendant to claim 4 in which the hollow bosses of the second spigot part have side faces for reception in a socket of the second support member and which are remote from their open ends, and wherein said hollow bosses of the second spigot part are provided with apertures remote from their free ends within which apertures are accommodated the

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side faces of the bosses of a spigot part of a similar locating member nested therewith.
7. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 6 in which the said side faces of the second spigot part are located in a notional cylinder which is substantially co-axial with the axis of the second spigot part.
8. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 7 in which each boss of the first spigot part is of substantially the same form as each boss of the second spigot part and the notional cylinder of the side faces of the second spigot part is substantially co-axial with and of the same diameter as the notional cylinder of the side faces of the first spigot part.
9. A platform assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8 in which the hollow bosses of the first spigot part correspond in number with the hollow bosses of the second spigot part and the open ends of the bosses of the first spigot part are disposed about the periphery of the locating, member alternately with the open ends of the bosses of the second spigot part so that said open ends are presented to receive axially bosses of a spigot part on a second similar locating member peripherally between adjacent bosses of either the first or the second spigot part as the case may be.
10. A platform assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the locating member has an external flange or shoulder which abuts the platform in fitting the locating member for its spigot part to pass axially through the aperture in a first direction and said abutment restricts the extent to which said spigot part can pass through the aperture.
11. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 10 in which the locating member comprises catch means which engages with the platform during the fitting of the locating member thereto to restrain displacement of the locating member

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through the aperture in the opposite direction.
12. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 11 in which the catch means resiliently snap engages with the platform during fitting of the locating member within said aperture.
13. A platform assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the locating member is formed as a one piece plastics moulding.
14. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.
15. A locating member for a platform assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the axially extending spigot part comprises an array of at least two axially extending hollow bosses spaced about the periphery of said axis, the hollow bosses being similarly formed and each having an open end and tapering to converge towards a free end which is to be first received in the socket, each boss having a side face for engagement with the socket and wherein two similar locating, members can be stacked one with another by the hollow bosses of a first said locating member being received axially through the open ends of, and nested within, the respectively corresponding hollow bosses of the second locating member.
16. A locating member as claimed in claim 15 in which the hollow bosses are provided with apertures remote from their free ends within which apertures are accommodated the side faces of bosses of a similar locating member nested therewith.
17. A locating member as claimed in either claim 15 or claim 16 in which the side faces of the bosses are part cylindrical and located in a notional cylinder co-axial with the spigot part for reception in a substantially complementary cylindrical socket of a support member.
18. A locating member as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17 and having a second spigot part co-axial with the

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first spigot part and extending in an axially opposite direction from the first spigot part, said second spigot part comprising a peripherally spaced array of hollow bosses each of which has an open end and tapers to converge towards a free end which is to be first received in a socket and which bosses are substantially similar to the hollow bosses of the first spigot part; the hollow bosses of the second spigot part being peripherally spaced to be off-set from the hollow bosses of the first spigot part so that the open ends of the hollow bosses of the second spigot part are presented to receive axially bosses of a second locating member nested therewith peripherally between the open ends of the hollow bosses in the first spigot part.
19. A locating member as claimed in any one of claims 15

to 18 and comprising catch means by which the member is to L engage with a platform in an aperture of which the locating member is to be accommodated.
20. A locating member as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 19 and formed as a one piece plastics moulding.
21. A locating member as claimed in claim 15 and substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying illustrative drawings.
22. A locating member as claimed in claim 15 and substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying illustrative drawings.