NZ210894A - Pallet with movable shelves - Google Patents

Description

21089' Patents Form No. 5 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No. 210 894 dated ' 22 January 19 85 "A TRANSPORTATION PALLET" I, ROBIN RICHARD ANDERSEN of 16 Parklands Drive, Huntsbury/ Christchurch. New Zealand, being a British subject and New Zealand citizen, hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement The invention relates to transportation equipment and more particularly to the transportation of products in shipping and the like containers.

A problem encountered by persons shipping some products, for example, perishables in cardboard cartons is that when the cartons are stacked or packed into containers the lower tiers of cartons can be compressed with consequential damage to the products therein. This problem is particularly prevalent in containers shipped by sea.

In the case of transporting fruit the present system is normally to stack wooden or cardboard fruit trays on a wooden pallet up to twenty-eight trays high then to strap the trays down with steel bands. If these trays are shipped in refrigerated containers there is not a flow of chilled air around each container and this can cause unsatisfactory storage conditions and shortened life for the fruit.

An object of the invention is to overcome at least in part the abovementioned disadvantages and to provide a pallet means for use in shipping containers to facilitate stacking of packages or cartons.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only.

According to the present invention there is provided a pallet means for use in shipping, storage in cool stores, road transport or the like containers for packing/stacking of cartons or packages, the pallet including a base frame, a top frame, a set of corner legs and a series of movable shelves, the arrangement being such that in use in its erected 210894 condition the base frame has one of the corner legs positioned at or near each of the corners thereof, has the top frame on top of the corner legs to maintain the legs upright and has one or more shelves supported by the legs at intervals between the base and the top frame, and in its demounted condition the legs, shelves and top frame are laid on the base frame to form a substantially flat package.

Each corner leg can be formed from a length of lipped channel which has at intervals along the length thereof a series of engaging slots in or to which lugs or pegs on the periphery of the shelves are engaged. Each leg can include male engaging means at one end thereof and socket means at the other end which are engageable with complementary socket means and male engaging means in or on the top frame and base frame respectively. Alternatively each corner leg can be formed in two parts namely a bottom and top post respectively.

The bottom and top post are of similar cross section and the bottom post has at the top and bottom thereof a pair of post pins engageable respectively with a pair of socket means in the bottom of the top post and base posts situated at or near the corners of the base frame.

The base frame, top frame, shelves and corner legs are preferably manufactured from metal materials.

Further aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following example given by way of example only.

Examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings accompanying the provisional 3 © XfSi'r*.-., - 1 ■ ; .. .. ;21QS04 ;specification and the accompanying drawings in which: ;Figure 1: shows an exploded view of a joint between a corner post or leg, top frame and base frame of a container pallet incorporating the invention; ;^ Figure 2; shows a side view partly sectioned of part of the container pallet shown in Figure 1 in its demounted and transportable condition; ;Figure 3: shows a plan view of a base frame for a container pallet according to a second example of the 10 invention; ;Figure 4; shows a side view of the base frame shown in Figure 3; ;o ;Figure 5: shows a front view of the base frame shown in Figures 3 and 4; ;Figure 6: shows a view of an example of base post incorporated in the base frame shown in Figures 3 to 5; ;Figure 7: shows a plan view of a shelf for a container pallet according to the second example of the invention; ;Figure 8: shows a side view of the shelf shown in 20 Figure 7; ;Figure 9: shows a front view of the shelf shown in Figures 7 and 8; ;Figure 10; shows a plan view of a top frame for a container pallet according to the second example of the 25 invention; ;Figure 11: shows a side view of the top frame shown in Figure 10; ;Figure 12: shows a front view of the top frame shown in Figures 10 and 11; ;" 4 " ' 19 MAR 1987 ;NEV.' ZEALAND ;PATciiT Grt ;»■' J ;I? ;v~ ;V ;•x ;94 ;Figure 13: shows views of a pair of top posts and posts which together form a pair of the corner legs usable with the container pallet parts shown in Figures 3 to 12; ;Figure 14: shows a section on an enlarged scale through 5 part of the top post shown in Figure 13; and ;Figure 15: shows a side view on an enlarged scale of a slot in the side of the top and bottom posts. ;The invention is designed primarily for use in the transportation of chilled packaged or cartoned products, for 10 example, cartoned meat, fish, fruit or other agricultural or horticultural products in refrigerated containers or trucks. This includes storage of the packaged products on the pallets in coolstores. ;The first example of the pallet according to the 15 invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 accompanying the provisional specification has a base frame 1, top frame 2 and a set of corner legs 3 (only one of which is shown in Figure 1). The pallet when erected forms a cuboidal spatial frame. ;The base frame 1 includes a shelf 4 and has means 5 at 20 each corner for engaging with a connection 6 formed in or on the leg 3. The frame 1 has a peripheral upstand 7 in the corners of which the means 5 are positioned . The means 5 are a pair of sockets 8 welded on either side of an abutment 9 formed from a piece of channel section tube of similar 25 dimensions and shape as the leg 3. The base frame 1 can include beneath its shelf a space or spaces which are between strengthening webs or ribs into which space or spaces the forks of a forklift can be engaged to shift the pallet. ;- 5 - ;210834 ;The top frame 2 is of similar construction to the frame 1 and can have incorporated therein a shelf 10. The corners of the frame 2 have male engaging connection means 11 of complementary shape to the sockets 8 on the legs 3 so that in its demounted condition shown in Figure 2 the means 11 are engageable with the sockets 8. ;Each of the legs 3 is the same and can be constructed from channel section with a slot 12 in a side edge thereof. The leg 3 has at one end a set of engaging means 11 and at the other end a set of sockets 8 so that when erected a cuboidal spatial frame is formed thereby. ;A series of shelves 13 can be used on the pallet and these are positionable at desired spacings by providing lugs 14 on the periphery of the shelves. ;The lugs 14 are engaged in respective engaging slots 26 formed in association with the slot 12 of each leg 3. The shelves 13 can have transverse braces (not shown) of box section tube thereon so that air can circulate under any packages thereon. The peripheral edges of the shelves 13 can be strengthened by providing therein ridges or steps (not shown) on which the corners of the outer packages are positioned. ;The parts of the invention are preferably manufactured from metal materials which can be treated with a anti-corrosive treatment after manufacture thereof. ;In use in its carrying or erected condition (Figure 1) a number of the shelves 13 are fixed at desired spacings so that a layer or in some instances two layers of cartons can be ;6 ;19 MAR 1987 ;PATE?JT ;placed on each shelf 13. The pallet can then be transported in known manner. When the pallet is to be returned and when no other load is available for the return journey or possibly if an empty pallet is to be stored it can be demounted. Initially the shelves 13 are moved so that the lugs 14 run down the slot 12 until the shelves lie on each other within the confines of the upstand 7 of the frame 1 (as shown in Figure 2). The legs 3 are removed after the top frame 2 has been removed. The legs 3 are laid as shown in Figure 2 on the shelves 13. The top frame 2 is then placed on the base frame 1 to thereby produce a substantially flat package. ;An advantage of the invention is that as many shelves can be placed on the pallet as a customer requires. If the customers desire they can be so spaced so that air circulates under each shelf. The provision of the shelves which spread the load onto the legs overcomes the crushing problem of the cargo which for fruit is often more important than having an air flow. ;With chilled beef the pallet can be used with six shelves which when loaded will have two tiers of meat on each shelf. When in position on the pallet there is an air flow past every carton either under or over it. ;The pallet has been designed to specifications primarily to fill a refrigerated container and the space tolerance is very critical. The four corner legs or uprights 3 can be positioned so that they are not on the side of the pallet but only at the front and back. This has the effect that the pallet takes up the full width of the container and the only ;21QS94 ;lost space is that taken up by the width of the steel shelves i.e. 3mm each side = 2 pallets making 12mm. ;To save space length wise the front two corner posts are on the corner edge but the back two are 150mm in from the corner thus allowing the next pallet to be hard up alongside the first so that each pallet takes up the space of one upright. ;The corner posts are designed so that they can be dismantled and collapsed down to a solid frame of ,270mm thus allowing for transportation back of eight full container sets of pallets in one container. ;In the second example shown in Figures 3 to 15 a container pallet according to the invention is shown in more detail. The parts of the pallet are referenced by the same numerals as the parts of the first example shown in Figures 1 and 2. ;In Figures 3 to 5 is shown the base frame 1 near or at the corners of which are corner means 5. The frame 1 has a peripheral upstand 7 along the sides 15 and along part of the other two sides 16 namely the front and back of the base. The frame 1 has between its sides 15 a series of slats 17 which form a floor on which packages are situated. The front and back 16 have extending therebetween sets of frame members 18 (dotted in Figure 3) which with a bottom plate 19 (Figure 5) and the bottoms of the slats 17 form a set of recesses into which the forks of a forklift can be engaged. The corner means 5 include base posts 20 of the type shown in Figure 6. The base posts are preferably formed from lipped channel with a slot 21 in one face thereof. The posts 20 when fixed to the ;'Nc=^' ;210894 ;peripheral upstand 7 have the slot facing toward the interior of the container pallet. On either side of each base post may be a socket 8 into which pins on a top frame can be engaged as described hereinafter. ;In Figures 13 to 15 of the drawings is shown two of a set of corner legs 3. Each of the legs 3 is formed in two parts being a top post 22 and bottom post 23 respectively which in Figure 13 are shown spaced apart for clarity. The legs 3 have a channel section 24 (Figure 14) on either side of 10 which are welded the top post sockets 8 and to the bottom post a pair of post pins 6. The internal diameter of the sockets 8 and similar sockets 8 on the means 5 of the base 1 have an internal diameter selected so that the pins 6 can be readily engaged therein. The channel section 24 has a shaped elongate 15 face 25 with a slot 12 therein. The slots 12 having at intervals along the length thereof engaging slots 26 the spacings of which may be 356nun to allow for two layers of standard height meat cartons to be placed therebetween. The legs 3 shown in Figure 13 have the engaging slots extending on 20 opposite sides of the longitudinal axes thereof. The legs being designed for use on opposite sides of the pallet and in practice two of each type of leg 3 form a full set of legs for ^ each pallet. ;The legs 3 when erected on the base frame 1 can support 25 up to five shelves an example of one of which is shown in ^ Figures 7 to 9. Each shelf 13 has a box section peripheral frame 27 formed in two parts 28 and 29 one inside the other and at different heights from the top face 30 of the shelf. Jhft|part 28 has fixed thereon a series of slats 31 which form ;- 9 - ;O ;o ;10 ;1a s ;OS*: a floor on which packages are stacked on the shelf 13. At or near to the corners of the shelf on the front and back sides are fixed engaging pins 14 positioned relative to the corners so that they slide in the slots 12 of the legs 3 and by moving the shelf sideways they can be engaged in the engaging slots 26.

The pallet is completed by a top frame 2 (Figures 10 to 12). The corners of the frame 2 have post pins 11 engageable in the sockets 8 on the top of the legs 3. The top frame 2 holds the legs 3 upright and the pallet complete when in its erected condition.

In use with a full set of five shelves and with 2 layers per shelf a total of 66 cartons can be carried or stored on the pallet with one layer on the base frame 1. A total of six 15 cartons are on each layer and the spacing of the shelves is that in a refrigerated container a flow of cool air is over either the top or bottom of each carton.

The pallet can be used in the same manner as the first example and can be collapsed for storage or back 20 transportation in the same manner.

Thus by the invention there is provided a transportation pallet for use in shipping and the like containers to faciliate stacking of a large number of cartons in a way which reduces the risk of damage thereto to a minimum. 25 Particular examples of the invention have been described and it is envisaged that improvements and modifications can take place without departing from the scope of the appended claims. r> 21089 / w WHAT I CLAIM ISs- 1. A pallet means for use in shipping, storage in cool stores, road transport or the like containers for packing/stacking of cartons or packages, the pallet including a base frame, a top frame, a set of corner legs and a series of movable shelves, the arrangement being such that in use in its erected condition the base frame has one of the corner legs positioned at or near each of the corners thereof, has the top frame on top of the corner legs to maintain the legs 10 upright and has one or more shelves supported by the legs at intervals between the base and the top frame, and in its demounted condition the legs, shelves and top frame are laid on the base frame to form a substantially flat package. 2. A pallet means as claimed in claim 1 wherein each corner 15 leg is formed from a length of lipped channel which has at intervals along the length thereof a series of engaging slots in or to which lugs or pegs on the periphery of the shelves are engaged. 3. A pallet means as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein 20 each leg includes male engaging means at one end thereof and socket means at the other end which are engageable with complementary socket means and male engaging means in or on the top frame and base frame respectively. 4. A pallet means as claimed in any one of the preceding

Claims (1)

1. 25 claims wherein each corner leg is formed in two parts namely a bottom and top post respectively. 5. A pallet means as claimed in claim 4 wherein the bottom and top post are of similar cross section and the bottom post - 11 - 5 10 15 20 ■vs has at the top and bottom thereof a pair of post pins engageable respectively within a pair of socket means in the bottom of the top post and in a pair of base posts situated at or near the corners of the base frame. 6. A pallet means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the base frame, top frame, shelves and corner legs are manufactured from metal materials. 7. A pallet means for use in shipping, storage in cool stores, road transport or the like containers for packing/stacking of cartons or packages substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying the provisional specification or Figures 3 to 15 of the accompanying drawings. ROBIN RICHARD ANDERSEN By His Attorneys BALDWIN, SON & CAREY 12 -