US3168060A

US3168060A - Pallet stacking device

Info

Publication number: US3168060A
Application number: US240621A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur C Farley
Original assignee: ARTCO CORP
Current assignee: ARTCO CORP
Priority date: 1962-11-28
Filing date: 1962-11-28
Publication date: 1965-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1982-02-02

Description

Feb. 2, 1965 A. c. FARLEY 3,168,060

PALLET STACKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1962 s Shee ts-Sheet 1 Feb. 2, 1965 A FA LEY 3,168,060

PALLET STACKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NV N Arfw ri 43/61 BY Us TTORNEYS Feb. 2, 1965 A. c. FARLEY 3,168,060

PALLET STACKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 28, 1962 United States Patent 3,168,060 PALLET STAiZKlNG DEVECE Arthur C. Farley, Philadelphia, Pa, assignor to Artco Uorporation, Lansdale, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 28, 1%2, Ser. No. 244L621 1 Claim. (Cl. 108-63) The present invention relates to pallet stacking devices of the character which permit a fork lift truck to mount pallets successively on top of one another for storage of material in a depot or in a warehouse.

A purpose of the invention is to provide a device which can be assembled on a pallet and will enable the pallet to be loaded or unloaded by an operator without the hazard of bumping his head, and thus to load and un load with increased speed and efliciency.

A further purpose is to eliminate any obstruction across the front of the top of the pallet stacking device.

A further purpose is to improve the rigidity of a pallet stacking device by means of lateral bracing between uprights which will not impede loading and unloading.

A further purpose is to provide a pallet stacking device which can readily be disassembled for knock down purposes but will not obstruct entrance to the space above the lower pallet when the pallet stacking device is erected.

A further purpose is to permit the load which is placed upon the stacking device to be substantially misaligned laterally and still adequately supported by the pallet stacking device.

A further purpose is to permit some lack of misalignment in positioning the upper pallet while providing for adequate support of the upper pallet and permitting the operator to walk into the space above the lower pallet.

A further purpose is to detachably connect a frame supporting the upper pallet to uprights at the corners by pin and socket interconnections.

A further purpose is to brace the uprights between one front upright and the corresponding rear upright and between one rear upright and the opposite rear upright.

Further purposes appear in claim.

A great deal of warehouse and depot business is conducted by mounting items to be stored on pallets and positioning the pallets by a fork lift truck. In recent operations, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to position one pallet on top of another and for this purpose a wide variety of pallet stacking devices have been developed.

It is important to permit such pallet stacking devices to be knocked down and stored in a minimum of space, and this objective is met by the present invention.

In order to obtain adequate stability, many of the prior art pallet stacking devices have extended a bar across the front and this has constituted a hazard to the operator. In the first place, the operator has to duck to an uncomfortable position and may unintentionally bump his head. In the second place, an operator cannot walk into the space above the lower pallet prior to stacking while he stands upright, for example, when he is depositing or removing items stored in the lower pallet while the pallet stacking device is in place.

The present invention contemplates the production of a pallet stacking device which is sturdy and stable in use, but which is free from hazard to the operator and permits the operator to walk into the space above the lower pallet prior to stacking.

At the same time, in the device of the invention it is possible for the operator to stack an upper pallet without the specification and in the 3,168,060 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 "ice great care and without danger that he may fail to adequately support the upper pallet.

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective of the device of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the device of the invention, showing the pallet in phantom.

FIGURE 3 is a section on FIGURE 2 showing the pallet in phantom.

FIGURE 4 is a detail of the foot construction, somewhat enlarged.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the pallet stacking device of the invention showing a modified form of a retainer for imparting rigidity for the pallet stacking device.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective of a modified form of a pallet stacking device which has the uprights connected by a pallet supporting bearing device running the full length of the side of the pallet between the two uprights, and which has top bracing provided between the uprights.

FIGURE 7 is a View similar to FEGURE 6 showing a device which also has additional vertical supporting members between the pallet bearing foot member and the cross brace to act as a retainer.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a diagonal brace between uprights, which can be utilized as a modification of the form of FIGURE 1 or the form of FIGURES 2 to 4.

In the device of the invention a lower wooden pallet comprises a center rail 20 and side rails 21 parallel to one another, lower deck boards 22 and upper deck boards 23 suitably spaced and assembled as well known in the art.

The pallet stacking device essentially comprises a left front upright 24, a right front upright 25, a left rear up right 26 and a right rear upright 27 and a top frame 28, all of metal, suitably steel.

Each of the uprights at the bottom has suitably united thereto as by welding a metallic foot 30 consisting of an angle having a horizontal bearing portion 31 which engages the top and a vertical flange 32 which engages the outside of the pallet at the end of the top deck board and along the side of the side rail 21. Suitably lanced and bent from the bearing portion 31 is a finger 33 which has a narrow edge wedge portion 34 which is relatively far from the flange 32 at the bottom and relatively closer at the top so that it can extend along the inside of the side rails 21 at a space 35 between deck boards and tightly jam against the side rail by biting into the wood and thus anchor the foot 39.

Each upright 24, 25, 26 and 2'7 is preferably a rod or pipe of round cross section, and is preferably surrounded by a metal strap 36 at the top and bottom which extends on both sides or" and is united as by a bolt 37 to a panel race 33 suitably of plywood which extends at each side of the pallet stacking device substantially above the side rail 2.1.

In addition, each of the back uprights carries a strap 49 at the top and bottom which is suitably united as by a bolt 41 to a cross brace 42 suitably of plywood at the rear which extends at the back of the space defined by the lower pallet. These braces perform a dual function of bracing the uprights with respect to one another and also :of retaining any loose items of the load on the bottom pallet which might tend to become displaced either during storage or during transport on the fork lift truck.

Each upright at the top receives a metal socket 43 which depends vertically and surrounds and tightly interconnects with the upper end of the upright against lateral deflection.

he upper frame 28 consists of a metal back bar 44 which extends across substantially above the back brace 42 and is united as by welding at 45 to the rear sockets at opposite ends.

. At a position displaced from the side, the back bar 44 interconnects as by welding at 46 with metal side bars 47 which extend suitably straight for-ward parallel to the side rail 21 of the bottom pallet, and adjacent to the front upright on the corresponding side the side bars. are bent sharply at 48 to form outward side bar extensions 49 which engage and support the front sockets 43 as by welding at 50. The bend at 48 is desirably at an angle of between 45 and 90 so that the side bar 47 is as long as possible so that the upper palletcan be somewhat to the side of center and still be adequately supported.

Also the point 46 of welding the side bar to the back bar is located at a distance toward the opposite upright from the rear upright which is between about and A of the center-to-center distance between one rear upright and the other and preferably about /6 of this distance. Thus there will be adequate room at the top for a man to walk in between two adjoining parallel side bars 47 without danger of bumping his head or hitting himself, since there is no obstruction between one front upright and the other at the top.

It will be evident that the device can be assembled by lifting off the top frame 28 and then folding the uprights since the

panel braces

38 and 42 can turn about the rear uprights, since the straps act like hinges.

Therefore, the device can be stacked in a'very com pact manner.

When the device is desired to be erected, the feet of the uprights in the position shown in FIGURE v1 are first mounted on the pallet with the fingers 33 intruding between deck boards and jamming and locking against the side rails to hold the feet.

With the uprights thus positioned then the top frame 28 is put in position bringing thesockets 43 firmly down over the uprights. Since the sockets relatively tightly laterally engage the uprights, the supportof the top frame is adequate without any wobble.

The fork lift truck operator can pick up a loaded pallet provided with the pallet stacking device and position it as desired in the warehouse or he can first position the pallet and then the pallet stacking device can be in-.

stalled, bringing the fork into the space51 between the deck boards on either side of the center rail.

Next the operator can deposit another pallet and .pallet stacking device on the top frame 28 and if be slightly misses his center alignment, he does not have to back off and readjust since the side bars 47 allow for slight misalignment by engagement with the rear bar 44 and the side bars 47.

The form of FIGURE provides a substitute for the cross brace 38 as shown in the earlier forms, and is designated 38'. It conveniently consists of top and bottom

horizontal members

52 and 53 which run between any two uprights at each side and at the back, suitably consisting of tubular members flattened at the ends and receiving pipe straps 36 united by bolts 37. The horiright and left, front and rear corners of zontal members-are vertically supported by vertical braces 54 united to the horizontalmembers at the end as by Welding at 55.

In FIGURE 8 a single diagonal brace 38 is shown which is suitably a tube flattened at the end and joined to the uprights by pipe straps 36'connected by bolts 37.

In some cases, it is preferable to interconnect the uprights on one side by a continuous foot member running along the side of the pallet and resting on the pallet and also by suitable upper bracing.

In FIGURE 6 I'illustrate a continuous foot 30 which is similar to that shown in FIGURES l-to 4, and fully connects from the front to the back and is united to uprights as by welding as already described. The uprights in this case are desirably connected near their upper ends by a horizontal-connection 56 suitably a tube flattened at the ends and welded to the uprights at 57.

In theaforrn shown .in FIGURE 7, vertical supports between the uprights are illustrated at 58 extending from the foot to the upper horizontal support 56, and suitably welded at the top and bottom at 60.

In view of my invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention Without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claim. 7

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is':

In a pallet stacking device, four uprights positioned at a lower pallet, feet at the bottom of the uprights engaging the lower pallet, an upper frame secured to the four uprights comprising a back bar connecting the right and left rear uprights at the top, and a horizontal side bar at each side extending from the back bar at a position displaced toward the opposite side of the pallet stacking device from the adjoining rear upright, extending forward to a position adjacent the front upright on the same side and then bent toward the front upright and secured thereto, whereby the upper frame including the back bar and theside bars at each side can support an upper pallet, and an operator can walk in without any obstruction at the front.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,579,685 Loose Dec. 25, 1951 2,598,800 Kopper June 3, 1952 2,657,965 Bargen Nov. 3, 1953 2,926,792 Seiz Mar. 1, 1960 r 2,942,826 De Pew et a1 June 28, 1960 2,953,340 Skubic Sept. 20, 1960 2,969,948 Higgins Jan.'31, 1961 2,994,500' Fraser et al. Aug. 1, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 211,736 Austria Oct. 25, 1960