US3095837A - Pallet tiering frame - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1963 1.. F. SKUBIC PALLET TIERING FRAME Filed April 4, 19 1 m RB 0 T U 4 T wk A N w J, 9

E a. L a H u 3,095,837 Patented July 2, 1963 3,095,837 PALLET THERHNG FRAME Leroy F. Slnubic, Beverly Shores, Ind, assignor to The Poitier Corporation, Illiichigan City, Ind, a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 160,718 6 Claims. (Cl. l0853) The present invention relates to pallet tiering frames and more specifically to pallet tiering frames including an improved base structure for mounting the frame on a pallet.

It is the principal object of the provide an improved pallet tiering frame which is constructed and arranged to facilitate mounting on or removal from a pallet which is strong and durable in construction, andwhich when mounted on a pallet affords a rugged and reliable tiering frame which is not susceptible of being accidentally removed or knocked off of the pallet while other pallets are being tiered thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pallet frame having an improved base structure for securing and supporting the frame on a pallet, which structure prevents accidental disengagement of the frame from the pallet, is simple in operation when the tiering frame is being mounted on or removed from the pallet, and which is sufficiently rugged so that it is not easily damaged under severe usage conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pallet tiering frame having an improved pallet engaging base structure for securing and supporting the frame on a pallet in a manner which enables the frame to be slipped on the pallet but which prevents the frame from being inadvertently or accidentally removed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a pallet having a pallet tiering frame embodying the present invention mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the pallet tiering frame and pallet shown in FIG. 1 and showing in phantom a pallet tiering frame removed from and being mounted on the pallet.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a pallet tiering frame base structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section illustrating the pallet and tiering frame supported on a lower tiering frame.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified form of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. '3 showing a modified form of base structure.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and illustrating the modified supporting means shown in FIG. 6.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain preferred embodiments have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, equivalents and uses falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

The invention may be employed with'most commercial pallets inclunding single face and double face pallets. The construction of a typical wooden double face pallet in general commercial use is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Such a pallet, designated generally by the numeral 10, comprises spaced parallel wooden stringers present invention to 12 having a plurality of deck boards .14 and bottom slats 15 disposed in spaced apart crosswise relation and secured on the stringer 12 by means of nails, screws or the like. For convenience in describing the invention, the two slatted sides of the pallet are hereafter referred to as the top and bottom respectively. The extremities of the pallet between which the stringers 12 extend are referred to as the pallet ends, and the extremities between which the deckboards l4 and slats 15 extend are referred to as the sides. Single face pallets include the stringers and upper deck boards but not the bottom slats.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a new and improved removable pallet tiering frame, an illustrative embodiment of which is shown in the drawing and comprises, a pair of H-shaped frames, indicated generally at 20 each formed of a pair of posts 2-1 permanently joined together such as by a crossbar 22 fixed at a point adjacent their upper ends or generally intermediate their ends. The frames thus formed are shown in FIG. 1 as being generally H-shaped in character and are mounted on the sides of the pallet, a suitable base structure or clip being provided on the lower end of each of the posts for engaging the pallet and supporting the frame thereon. The upper ends of corresponding ones of posts 21 of each frame 26 are joined by horizontal bars or cross rails 24 having means such as a socket 25 at each end for engaging the upper end of a post 21. For securely engaging the pallet, the posts are pitched at a slight angle with respect to each other so that the clips are urged into secure engagement with the pallet so as to prevent accidental release.

Means are provided on the frame 20 for securely engaging the frame with the pallet. For this purpose one such means is a new and improved pallet engaging base or clip 28 mounted on the lower end of each post. The clip 23 depends between spaced deck boards and grips a pallet stringer when a tiering frame is mounted on the pallet deck. An illustrative clip 28 is shown in the drawing and comprises a generally U-shaped or hairpin shaped member having a pair of relatively Wide fingers 29, 30 depending from a web 31 which is securely fastened to the lower end of a post 21. The clip 28 slips down between a pair of spaced deck boards 14 into gripping. engagement with a pallet stringer 12. To this end, the fingers are spaced apart an amount slightly less than the nominal width of a conventional pallet stringer so that when the clip 28 is pressed downwardly onto a stringer the pallet thereby is tightly gripped. Also, the fingers are of a width slightly less than the spacing between the deck boards so that the clip can slip between the boards to engage and rest on a stringer.

For purposes of securely engaging the pallet to prevent the frame from being accidentally lifted or knocked off of the pallet deck, the clips 28 are provided with suitable means for engaging an adjacent deck board 14 in addition to gripping the stringer 12. To this end, each finger of the clip is provided with a projecting portion 32 defining an upwardly extending shoulder or lip 34 which is adapted to slip beneath an adjacent deck board 14 when the clip 28 has been inserted over a stringer 12 as shown in H6. 2. This projection 32 is preferably formed as an integral part of each finger as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the width of the finger is somewhat greater at the top portion adjacent the web than at the bottom so as to define thereon an upwardly extending shoulder 34. Alternatively, there is shown in FIG. 6 a modified form of the invention wherein the projection is formed by a strip or lug herein identified as 32a, welded onto each finger adjacent the web of the clip. This lug 32a also defines an upwardly facing shoulder 34a adapted to engage beneath an adjacent deck board 14 as shown in FIG. 7.

In order to urge the clip projection 32 and shoulder 34 beneath an adjacent deck board 14 when the clip has been inserted over a pallet stringer, the vertical posts 21 of the frame are formed so as to have a slight bias at their loweredends. This bias may either be inwardly at the bottom ends of the posts, as shown in phantom in FIG. 2, or outwardly at the bottom ends of the posts, as shown in phantom in FIG. 5. Refer-ring to FEG. 2 for example, with the posts biased inwardly at their bottom ends, the clips 23 are mounted on the bottom of the posts 21 with the projection 32 or 320 on each clip facing inwardly of the frame. In other words, the clips 28 on the lower ends of a given pair of frame posts are mounted so that the projections 3e are opposed to or facing each other. By slipping the H-frame downwardly onto the pallet and simultaneously pulling the lower ends of the posts apart a slight amount as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, the clips 28 are able to slip between the adjacent deck boards 14 and onto a stringer 12. When the clips have been received on the pallet stringers, the natural inward bias of the post ur es shoulder 34 or 34a on the clip projections 32 or 32a under the adjacent deck boards thereby to mount the frame securely on the pallet in a manner such as to prevent accidental disengagement of the frame when additional pallets are tiered thereon.

The efiect can also be achieved by biasing the lower ends of the post outwardly in the H-frame construction as shown in FIG. 5. When the posts are biased outwardly, the clips 28 will be mounted on the posts 21 with the projections 32 facing apart or outwardly of the frame. The posts and frame are then mounted on the pallet deck by first pressing the lower ends of the posts inwardly towards each other, then slipping the clips over the pallet stringer between the deck boards and allowing the natural resilency of the posts to urge the clips outwardly and position the projections underneath the adjacent deck board.

It will be noted that when the posts of the H-frame are pitched inwardly, the projection on each clip finger is directed inwardly, whereas when the posts are pitched outwardly the projections are likewise directed outwardly. Thus in the first instance with the posts pitched inwardly and the hooks directed inwardly, when the frame is to be mounted on a pallet the posts must be pulled apart slightly to enable the clips to pass between spaced deck boards to engage the stringer following which the projection thereon slips beneath an adjacent deck board as shown in FIG. 2. Similarly, when the posts are pitched outwardly and the hooks or projections are directed outwardly, the posts.

are compressed inwardly a slight amount when placed on a pallet so that they tend to spring outwardly again, thereby urging the projection beneath an adjacent deck board as shown in FIG. 5. The natural resiliency of the vertical posts has been found to be sufiicient to afford this gripping and locking action as described above.

To facilitate engagement of the frames and clips with the pallet in the modification shown in FIG. 3, the portion of the clip 28 forming the projection 32 is desirably tapered from a relatively wide dimension at the top of the clip adjacent the web 31 and defining the shoulder 3410 a'sm'aller dimension at the bottom extremities of the fingers 2.9, 30. This taper defines a cam surface 35 on each finger which can ride along the edge of a deck board 14 and cam the posts and clips outwardly and enable the clips to drop over the stringer l2 and into engagement with the pallet.

When the clip modification shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is employed, the posts of the H-frame must be forcibly pulled apart or pushed together to enable the clip and projection 32a to slip between the spaced deck boards 14.

It should be understood that by reference to H-frame type structures it is meant that the vertical posts are connected at a point adjacent to the upper ends in order to provide the necessary resiliency by which the lower ends of the posts may be separated. Moreover, the frame construction is of a substantially improved character in order to increase rigidity and ruggedness of the structure i when used for supporting multiple tiered pallets. To this end the H-frames are formed of vertical tubular posts having a tubular cross bar securely attached, e.g., welded intermediate the ends of the post. To the lower end of the posts are welded the webs of the clips 28.

For forming a rigid tiering frame, means are provided on the upper ends of the posts for engaging cross rails 24. For this purpose the upper ends of the posts are swaged to a reduced diameter such that the outer dimension is substantially the same as the inner dimension of the remainder of the posts. The cross rails extend between the upper ends of corresponding posts of each pair when the H- frames are mounted on opposite sides of the pallet, and

include at each end a tubular socket.

To facilitate the tiering of pallets on the frames the cross bars 24 are formed of pipe or like tubular member preferably of a generally circular cross section. Such a circular cross section assures the alinement of vertically tiered pallets inasmuch as the rounded upper surfaces of the cross bar as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 serves as a guiding surface when engaged with the bottom slats on a pallet.

I claim as my invention:

l. A load carrying pallet frame for use on a supporting pallet for vertically carrying a plurality of similar pallets thereon, each pallet having longitudinal stringers and spaced deck boards secured transversely on said stringers, said frame comprising a pair of opposed frames mountable on the pallet each above a stringer thereof,

said frames each including a pair of substantially vertical support posts and means permanently connecting said posts together with said posts pitched with respect to each other and stifily resilient so that the lower ends thereof may be moved in opposition to said pitch, means on the lower end of each post for gripping a pallet stringer and for engaging a deck board including a pair of depending parallel spaced finger plates joined at their upper ends by a web, said web being of substantially the same width as the diameter of said posts and said finger plates being spaced apart a suificient amount to snugly engage the pallet stringer, said fingers including a projection extending beneath a pallet deck board when the frame is mounted on the pallet and said fingers engage a stringer thereof.

2. In a load carrying pallet frame a pair of substantially vertical support posts, means permanently and rigidly connecting said posts together to define a structural frame with each of said posts being pitched at a slight angle with respect to each other and stiffiy resilient so that the lower ends thereof may be urged relative to each other, a hairpin type clamp having a pair of depending finger plates joined at their upper ends by a web, said clip being secured to the lower end of a post by Welding the web to the lower end thereof, said web being of substantially the same width as the diameter of the posts and said finger plates being spaced apart a sufiicient amount to snugly engage the pallet stringer, said fingers including projections extending in the direction of pitch of the posts and engageable beneath a pallet deck board when the frame is mounted upon a pallet.

3. A load carrying pallet frame for use on a supporting pallet for vertically carrying a plurality of similar pallets thereon, each pallet having longitudinal stringers and spaced deck boards secured transversely on said stringers, said frame comprising a pair of opposed H- frames mounta le on the pallet each above a stringer thereof, said frames each including a pair of substantially vertical support posts and means connecting said posts together intermediate their ends and with said posts pitched with respect to each other and stifiiy resilient so that the lower ends thereof may be moved in opposition to said pitch, means on the lower end of each post for gripping a pallet stringer and for engaging a deck board and including a pair of depending parallel spaced finger plates joined at their upper ends by a web, said web being of substantially the same width as the diameter of said posts, said finger plates being spaced apart a suflicient amount to snugly engage the pallet stringer, said fingers including an integral projection extending beyond said web in the direction of pitch of the posts and having an outer edge tapering upwardly and outwardly to form a cam surface and defining on its upper edge an outwardly extending shoulder, said cam surface engaging the edge of a pallet deck board when the frame is inserted onto a pallet and thereby urging the posts apart, and said shoulder engaging under said deck board when the frame is mounted on a pallet With said fingers engaging a stringer to prevent accidental removal of the frame from the pallet.

4. A load carrying pallet frame for use on a supporting pallet for vertically carrying a plurality of similar pallets thereon, each pallet having longitudinal stringers and spaced deck boards secured transversely on said stringers, said frame comprising a pair of opposed H- frames mountable on the pallet each above a stringer thereof, said frames each including a pair of substantially vertical support posts and means connecting said posts together intermediate their ends and with said posts pitched with respect to each other and stifily resilient so that the lower ends thereof may be moved in opposition to said pitch, means on the lower end of each post for gripping a pallet stringer and for engaging a deck board and including a pair of depending parallel spaced finger plates joined at their upper ends by a web, said web being of substantially the same width as the diameter of said posts, said finger plates being spaced apart a suflicient amount to snugly engage the pallet stringer, said fingers including an integral projection extending beyond said web in the direction of pitch of the posts and having an outer edge tapering upwardly and outwardly to form a cam surface and defining on its upper edge an outwardly extending shoulder, said cam surface engaging the edge of a pallet deck board when the frame is inserted onto a pallet and thereby urging the posts apart, said shoulder engaging under said deck board when the frame is mounted on a pallet with said fingers engaging a stringer to prevent accidental removal of the frame from the pallet, the upper end of each post being of reduced diameter, a pair of cross rails joining the posts of said H- frames with each cross rail extending between corresponding posts of said frames, and each cross rail having a depending socket at each end thereof for telescopingly receiving an upper end of a post.

5. In a load carrying pallet frame a pair of substantially vertical support posts, means permanently and rigidly connecting said posts together to define a structural frame with each of said posts being pitched at a slight angle with respect to each other and stifily resilient so that the lower ends thereof may be urged relative to each other, a hairpin type clip having a pair of depending finger plates joined at their upper ends by a web secured to the lower end of a post, said web being of substantially the same width as the diameter of the posts and said finger plates being spaced apart a sufficient amount to snugly engage the pallet stringer, at least one of said fingers having a projection thereon extending beyond said web in the direction of pitch of the posts and defining an upwardly directed shoulder engageable beneath a pallet deck board when the frame is mounted upon a pallet for preventing accidental removal [of the frame from the pallet.

6. In a load carrying pallet frame, a pair of substantially vertical support posts, means permanently and rigidly connecting said posts together to define a structural frame with each of said posts being pitched at a slight angle with respect to each other and stifliy resilient so that the lower ends thereof may be urged relative to each other, a hairpin type clip having a pair of depending finger plates joined at their upper ends by a web secured to the lower end of a post, said web being of substantially the same width as the diameter of the posts and said finger plates being spaced apart a sufiicient amount to snugly engage the pallet stringer, at least one of said fingers including an integral projection thereon extending beyond said web in the direction of pitch of the posts and having an upwardly and outwardly sloping edge defining a cam surface thereon for facilitating mounting of the frame on the pallet, and said projection defining an upwardly directed shoulder engageable beneath a pallet deck board when the frame is mounted upon a pallet for preventing accidental removal of the frame from the pallet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,299,868 Steinheiser Apr. 8, 1919 1,551,243 Dick Aug. 25, 1925 2,678,798 Churchill May 18, 1954 2,924,339 Skubic Feb. 9, 1960 2,942,826 De Pew June 28, 1960

Claims (1)

1. A LOAD CARRYING PALLET FRAME FOR USE ON A SUPPORTING PALLET FOR VERTICALLY CARRYING A PLURALITY OF SIMILAR PALLETS THEREON, EACH PALLET HAVING LONGITUDINAL STRINGERS AND SPACED DECK BOARDS SECURED TRANSVERSELY ON SAID STRINGERS, SAID FRAME COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED FRAMES MOUNTABLE ON THE PALLET EACH ABOVE A STRINGER THEREOF, SAID FRAMES EACH INCLUDING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SUPPORT POSTS AND MEANS PERMANENTLY CONNECTING SAID POSTS TOGETHER WITH SAID POSTS PITCHED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND STIFFLY RESILIENT SO THAT THE LOWER ENDS THEREOF MAY BE MOVED IN OPPOSITION TO SAID PITCH, MEANS ON THE LOWER END OF EACH POST FOR GRIPPING A PALLET STRINGER AND FOR ENGAGING A DECK BOARD INCLUDING A PAIR OF DEPENDING PARALLEL SPACED FINGER PLATES JOINED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS BY A WEB, SAID WEB BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME WIDTH AS THE DIAMETER OF SAID POSTS AND SAID FINGER PLATES BEING SPACED APART A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT TO SNUGLY ENGAGE THE PALLET STRINGER, SAID FINGERS INCLUDING A PROJECTION EXTENDING BENEATH A PALLET DECK BOARD WHEN THE FRAME IS MOUNTED ON THE PALLET AND SAID FINGERS ENGAGE A STRINGER THEREOF.

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