US2926793A

US2926793A - Stacking superstructure for pallets

Info

Publication number: US2926793A
Application number: US824757A
Authority: US
Inventors: Verner W Sparks; Duane A Jensen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-07-02
Filing date: 1959-07-02
Publication date: 1960-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1977-03-01

Description

v pallet below the deck boards.

2,926,793 STACKING surnnsrnucruan FOR PALLETS Verner W. Sparks and Duane A. Jensen, .OgdembUtah, assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army i Application July2, 1959, Serial No. 824,757

9 Claims. or. 248-420) (Granted under Title 35, Us. Code 1952 see. 266) The invention described herein,-if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

Thepresent invention relates to pallets and more particularly to Stacking superstructure for use on such pallets. i

In the use of superstructures to permit stacking or tiering of loaded pallets, it is essential that the superstructure be applicable to any pallet of ,a particular size and type without the necessity of modifying the construction of the pallet or superstructure. It is also essential that x the superstructure be sulficiently stable when installed on the pallet that it willsupport a tier of loaded pallets with complete safety. An important object of-the present. a

invention is to provide a superstructure having these characteristics. i i i Another. object of the invention is the provision. of a superstructure of this type which is easily installed or removed, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is strong and durable in use.

Other objects and advantagesiof the invention will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description. In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and wherein like numerals denote like parts throughout,

Figure l is a perspective view of a pallet on which is mounted a superstructure embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the tie-bar portion of the superstructure and pallet, parts being broken away,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional vie-w on the line 33 of Figure 2, parts being broken away, and,

, Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, parts being broken away.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates the usual twoway wooden pallet having spaced deck boards 11 mounted a on the usual stringers 12. The superstructure comprises a pair of end frames each of which has a base runner in the form of A pair of spaced tubular uprights 14 are rigidly mounted on the base runner 13 and are connected adjacent their upper ends by a suitable cross bar 15. Top rails 16 may also be in the form of angle irons and connect the upper ends of the corresponding uprights 14 of opposite end frames by means of depending sleeves 17 which telescopically, and rotatably receive the upper ends of the uprights. The construction of the superstructure thus far described is usual, and may. vary considerably. The present invention is concerned with securing this type of superstructure to the pallet.

A central tie-bar 18 has been provided to connect 7 2,926,793 Patented Mar. 1, 196-!) 2 the central portions of the base runners frames and to secure 13 of the end them to the pallet. The tie-bar 18 may be of. any suitable cross section, but is shown as rectangular in sectionboards iron base runners 13 and snugly and the stringers 12, as seen in Figure 3 to hold the runners 13 firmly in place on top of the deck board ends Each ofthe clips 19 is provided on the underside of its central horizontal portion with a depending pin or lug 23, the lower end of which is preferably tapered to facilitate entry into one of the pin or lug 23 may be swaged; welded or otherwise secured to the clip 19.

' In mounting the superstructure on a pallet, the'top rails 16 and the two end. frames placed in before placement of the tiebar 18, or the end frames may be placed separately in position, the tie-bar'positioned, and then the top rails engaged with the uprights 14. The end clips 19 may be lowered into operative position simultaneously, at'a time, .therebeing sufficient tolerance in thel'fit of the clips over the runners 13 and stringers 12 to'permitisucl'i 23 engaged in the nearest open- 13 projecting The tie-bar 18 will be positioned within the deck-board slot so it is restrained against movement laterally of the pallet by adjacent deck boards. When the pins 23, which are of sturdy construction, are engaged in selected openings 22 in the base runners 13, the end frames are also restrained against any movement laterally of the pallet;

The end clips are preferably of sturdy construction, and may be formed integrally with tie-bar 18 or secured thereto by any suitable means such as welding or riveting. arms 21 of the end clips must necessarily be of a size to pass freely through the deck slots. The clips 19 snugly embrace the base runners and pallet end stringers and firmly hold the superstructure to which the tiebar is attached. This stability is very important when and of a width such as to be freely received within the gap or slot between adjacent deck 11. The ends of the tie-bar carry substantially inverted U-shaped clips 19 adapted to fit over the angle embrace the runners 13* 19 are of a length sub-.

eachbase runner is proopenings 22. The depending position on the pallet or they may be positioned one i As will be seen left or right in the figure will be resisted i the pallets are stacked and loaded. In addition, the tiebar and end clip construction enables easy erection of the superstructure on a pallet by one man, due to the fact that one of the end clips 19 will hold an end frame in position while the other end frame is being positioned, and the tie-bar and its end clips will hold the two end frames in position while the top rails are being placed in operative position. Due to the series of openings 22, the superstructure can be applied to any pallet of the proper size without modification of the pallet.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. The combination with a pallet having end stringers and spaced deck boards supported on the end stringers, of a stacking superstructure comprising end frames each of which includes a base runner resting upon the ends of the deck boards, means connecting the tops of opposite end frames, a tie-bar disposed in a space between two adjacent deck boards, and end clips carried by the tie-bar and provided with spaced depending arms closely embracing the base runner and end stringer at each end of the pallet.

2. The device of claim 1 in which there is an interlocking connection between each tie-bar end clip and the embraced base runner to hold such base runner against movement laterally with respect to the deck boards.

3. The combination with a pallet having end stringers and spaced deck boards supported on the end stringers, of a stacking superstructure comprising a pair of end frames each of which includes a baserunner resting upon the ends of the deck boards, means connecting the tops of the end frames, a substantially inverted U-shaped clip embracing each base runner and the adjacent end stringer, said end clips passing over the tops of the runners and down the sides of the runners and stringers in alignment with one of the spaces between two adjacent deck boards.

4. The superstructure of claim 3 in which a tie-bar connects the two end clips across the top of the pallet.

5. The superstructure of claim 3 in which a tie-bar connects the two end clips and is arranged in the deckboard space with which the end clips are aligned.

6. The superstructure of claim 3 in which the end clips and base runners are held against relative movement longitudinally of the base runner by means of a pin and a pin-receiving opening connection between the clips and runners.

7. The superstructure of claim 3 in which a tie-bar connects the two end clips and is arranged in the deckboard space with which the end clips are aligned, and in which a pin and pin-receiving opening connection between the base runners and end clips combines with engagement between the deck boards and tie-bar and end clips to prevent relative movement between the superstructure and pallet.

8. The combination with a pallet having end stringers and spaced apart deck boards supported on the stringers, of a stacking superstructure comprising a pair of end frames each of which includes a base runner resting upon the ends of the deck boards, means connecting the tops of the end frames, a substantially inverted U-shaped removable clip closely embracing each base runner and the adjacent end stringer, said clips passing over the tops of the runners and down the sides of the runners and stringers in alignment with one of the spaces between two adjacent deck boards, a portion of each clip extending down through such aligned deck space, each base runner being provided with a longitudinal series of spaced openings, and each clip being provided with an inwardly extending pin engaging a selected one of the openings in the adjacent runner to lock the clips and runners against relative movement.

9. The superstructure of claim 8 in which a tie-bar connects the two removable clips and is arranged within the deck-board space with which the clips are aligned.

' No references cited.