US3153807A

US3153807A - Hinge

Info

Publication number: US3153807A
Application number: US252838A
Authority: US
Inventors: Odd G Nyman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-01-21
Filing date: 1963-01-21
Publication date: 1964-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 1981-10-27

Description

United States Patent O 3,153,807 I-IlltiGE Odd G. Nyman, Siantvagen 4, Savedalen, Vastergotland, Sweden Filed Jan. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 252,838 2 Claims. (Cl. 16-137) The present invention relates to hinges especially hinges intended for collapsible pallet racks of the type used when small parcels or unpacketed articles are to be transported on loading pallets.

The costs for manufacturing packages and the transport or Shipping expenses are of great importance in modern industry where the production is highly rationalized in order to minimize production expenses. In order to reduce the costs for the packages, there are used loading pallets on Which the articles are stacked by using one or more so called pallet racks Which, contrary to cardboard boxes or containers, can be used for repeated shipments. When using such a more or less permanent package there is a disadvantage that it frequently must be returned in empty Condition and during such return shipments the containers cannot be used for any useful purposes. Thus the costs for the return shipment of the containers must be added to the transport costs together With ordinary expenses in order to make the transport economical. It is consequently of great importance that the containers are so formed that the transport costs Will be as low as possible and also that the containers are rather durable so that the Wear costs Will be kept as low ias possible. It has been proved that loading pallets provided with racks are very useful for certain shipments put there are also considerable disadvantages associated With such racks, such as their rather high Weight Which increases the transport costs. Moreover the racks have been subject to damage especially Where the hinges, which connect the walls to a collapsible unit, are secured to the Walls and consequently the Wear costs for hitherto known pallet racks have been too high.

The present invention has as its object to remove the above mentioned disadvantages in order to minimize the transport costs and this has been effected by a new hinge comprising two pivotally connected `U-shaped parts, the bottom portion of each part being mutually connected to one side portion by at least one socket Which is adapted to receive the pivot pin or pintle of the hinge.

According to a convenient example, one of the side walls of each U-shaped part may, at least at one end or the corresponding hinge portion, be rigidly connected to each other by a lateral end Wall.

The hinge according to the invention Will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

According to the shown example the hinge comprises two substantia'lly VU-shaped portions denoted generally la, lb, the side Walls of which are adapted to receive respectively tWo side Walls indicated in dotted lines at 14 of a loading pallet rack. One side Wall 2 of each U- shaped portion is directly connected to corresponding bottom by a longitudinal fold While the other side Wall 3 is connected to the bottom 4 by means of respectively one or tWo socket portions 5. These socket portions are adapted to receive a pivot pin or pintle 6 which constitutes the pivotal connection between the portions Ia, lb.

As appears from the drawing, each of the side Walls 2,

ICC

3 of the U-shaped portions is provided With three holes 7 Which are intended for rivets (not shown) Which serve to connect the side Walls 14 to the hinge elements. When the side Walls 14 Which may be formed by laminated Wood, are secured, they Will be clamped between the side portions of the hinge elements whereby a very stable connection will be elfected. Like other hinges for the same purpose, the present hinge also is provided With means for enabling a plurality of pallet racks to be stacked, Which means consist of a tongue 8 projecting downwardly from each hinge portion. According to the present example, this tongue is formed by two elongations 9, 10 of the

side Walls

2, 3 With one of these elongations 9 being integral With the side Wall 2 by a substantially S-shaped member of flange 11. The other elongation 10 is connected to the other side Wall 3 by means of a member 12 extending at subst-antially right angles to the hinge, thus highly strengthern'ng the stability of the hinge. The elongations 9, lil Which define the tongue 8 are conveniently rigidly joined for instance by point Welding or the like, and in order to increase their resistance to inadvertent bending they are provided With a slot-formed depression 13 extending longitudinally of the hinge.

The hinge according to the invention Will enable the hinge to be formed by a comparatively thin plate without reducing the Strength of the hinges of already known types. Thus, the new hinge Will be of less Weight than common hinges and at the same time the connection between the side Walls and the hinge elements will be considerably strengthened. Consequently, this invention must be regarded as a serious attempt to miuimize the transport costs.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge structure for pivotally connecting the side Walls of collapsible loading pallet racks, comprising two substantially U-shaped components each of which is adapted to have a side Wall secured between the legs thereof, a socket portion on each component between the connecting Web and one leg, a pin positioned in said socket portons for pivotally connecting said U-shaped components, the leg of each component adjacent said socket portion having a member extending perpendicularly from one end of said leg toward the other leg and terminating in a second member extending downwardly from said first member at right angles thereto, and a member at the end of said other leg slightly offset from the plane of said other leg rigidly secured to said second member thus providing a downwardly projeoting tongue for enabling a plurality of pallet racks to be stacked.

2. The hinge structure as claimed in claim 1, in Which said second member and oflset member tare provided with complemental depressions extending longitudinally thereof for preventing accidental bending of said downwardly projecting tongue.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 282,635 Hey Aug. 7, 1883 1,640,525 Belliveau Aug. 30, 1927 2,240,729 Von Palmenberg May 6, 1941 2,268,669 Moore Ian. 6, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 468,974 Italy Feb. 8, 1952

Claims

1. A HINGE STRUCTURE FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE SIDE WALLS OF COLLAPSIBLE LOADING PALLET RACKS, COMPRISING TWO SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED COMPONENTS EACH OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO HAVE A SIDE WALL SECURED BETWEEN THE LEGS THEREOF, A SOCKET PORTION ON EACH COMPONENT BETWEEN THE CONNECTING WEB AND ONE LEG, A PIN POSITIONED IN SAID SOCKET PORTIONS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID U-SHAPED COMPONENTS, THE LEG OF EACH COMPONENT ADJACENT SAID SOCKET PORTION HAVING A MEMBER EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY FROM ONE END OF SAID LEG TOWARD THE OTHER LEG AND TERMINATING IN A SECOND MEMBER EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST MEMBER AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO, AND A MEMBER AT THE END OF SAID OTHER LEG SLIGHTLY OFFSET FROM THE PLANE OF SAID OTHER LEG RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID SECOND MEMBER THUS PROVIDING A DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING TONGUE FOR ENABLING A PLURALITY OF PALLET RACKS TO BE STACKED.