US3375793A - Collapsible shipping pallet - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1968 H. R. WAGNER COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING PALLET Filed 001:. 25, 1966 g Y L E- INVEN OR.

fray/11.506?

United States Patent ()fiice 3,375,793 Patented Apr. 2 1968 3,375,793 COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING PALLET Hampton Rich Wagner, Midland, Mich., assignor to Bay- Wood Industries, Inc., Bay City, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 589,418 Claims. (Cl. 108-56) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shipping pallet which is conveniently made from plywood or the like and is utilized for transporting automotive engines or other heavy objects. The object to be shipped rests on a pair of vertical walls having projections fitted in solts of a deck. Braces support the vertical walls and have projections fitted inopenings of both the vertical walls and the deck. The deck has twice as many slots and openings as are needed for any given usage, but the arrangement of these slots and openings is such that four different spacings between the walls may be achieved for the shipment of four diiferent size objects.

i This invention relates to shipping pallets and particularly to a shipping pallet for relatively heavy'manufactured products such as vehicle engines or the like.

"It is an object of the present invention to provide a shi ping pallet which is of inexpensive yet rugged construc tion, which may be readilydisassembled for storage and shipment, which is somewhat flexible for the absorption of impact and jars without breaking or damaging the pallet itself or the object being supported on the pallet which is of 'relativelylight weight and which may be either disposed of or reused as desired. It is another object of the present invention to provide a shipping pallet of the above character which is operable to receive and support engines or the like of varying size and wherein it is only necessary to assemble the several parts'of the pallet in a slightly modified fashion in order to accommodate different size objects to be shipped.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a'perspective view of a shipping pallet made according to the present invention, with an automobile engine shown supported on' the shipping pallet;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view on a reduced scale of the shipping pallet illustrated in'FIGURES 1 and 2; and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates an automobile engine supported on the shipping pallet of the present invention. The shipping pallet itself comprises a platform or deck 12 which is desirably made from plywood. The deck 12 rests on a plurality of parallel stringers '14 which may, for example, comprise 2 x 4 lengths of lumber set onedge. The stringers 14 extend transversely of the deck 12 and serve to facilitate the handling of the pallet with a fork lift truck. The stringers may be omitted, however, depending on the use of the pallet. Stringers are, of course, positioned on the underside of the deck 12 and'are held in assembly with the deck 12 by nails 16 or the like. The deck 12 serves to support a pair of upright saddles or walls 18. The walls 18 are desirably made from plywood and are positioned parallel to one another and perpendicular to the deck 12 with their lower edges resting on the upper surface of the deck 12. Pivotal movement of the walls 18 away from one another is prevented by a plurality of braces 20. It

will be seen that two braces 20' are associated with each of the walls 18.

The engine 10 has a laterally extending flange 22 which projects from each side thereof at the juncture of the oil pan 24 of the engine 10 with the engine block 26. The flange 22 rests on upper edges 28 of the walls 18, and in this position the oil pan 24 will lie between the walls in closely spaced relatioinship thereto. Accordingly, the oil pan 24 serves to prevent pivotal movement of the walls 18 toward one another. Upward movement of the walls 18 away from the deck is restrained by the weight of the engine 10 itself which is held down on the walls 18 by a pair of banding straps 30 which pass over the top of the engine, around side edges 32 of the deck 12 and beneath the deck 12.

The present invention particularly concerns itself with the provision of various projections and openings on and in the deck 12, the walls 18 and braces 20 which may be selectively interfitted to position and support the walls 18 in locations to accommodate engines 10 of varying width. Each of the walls 18 will be seen to have a depending projection 34 extending from a lower edge 36 thereof. The lower edge 36 is parallel to the upper edge 28 of thewall 18 and rests on the upper surface of the deck 12. The projection 34 is of a vertical dimension approximately equal to the thickness of the material of the deck 12. The projection 34 is located generally at the midlength of the wall 18 and is of substantial length. The projection 34 of each wall 18 is adapted to be received within one of four different slots 38, 40, 42 and 44 formed in the deck 12 and extending entirely therethrough. The slots 38 to 44 are located generally at the midlength of the deck 12 and are disposed above the central one of the stringers 14. Accordingly, the lower edge of the projection 34 will rest on the center stringer 14 at the same time that the lower edges 36 of the walls 18 rest on the upper surface of the deck 12. The slots 38 and 40 lie on one side of a centerline passing down the length of the deck 12, while the slots 42 and 44 lie on the other side of such a center line. Accordingly, the slots 38, 40 may be regarded as being paired while the slots 42 and 44 may be regarded as being paired. It will be noted, however, the spacing between the two slots 38 and 40 is less than the spacing between the slots 42 and 44, although all of said slots are disposed parallel to one another. Furthermore, the width and length of each of the slots 38, 40, 42 and 44 are such as to conformably receive the projections 34 of one of the walls 18. By the selective positioning of the walls 18 "in the slots 38, 40, 42 and 44, the pallet of the present invention may be assembled to accommodate four diflerent size engines.

Assume, for example, that the spacing between the slots 40 and 42 is 8 inches, that the spacing between the centers of the slots 38 and 40 is 1 inch and the distance between the centers of the slots 42 and 44 is 2 inches. Such a pallet can be assembled so that the spacing between the walls 18 is 8, 9, 10 or 11 inches. If the walls 18 are placed in the slots 40 and 42, the spacing therebetween will be 8 inches; if the walls 18- are placed in slots 38 and 42, the spacing therebetween will be 9 inches; if the walls 18 are placed in the slots 40 and 44, the spacing therebetween will be 10 inches; and if the walls 18 are placed in the slots 38 and 44, the spacing therebetween will be 11 inches.

The walls 18 and deck 12 are both provided with a plurality of circular openings therethrough. The various openingsin the walls 18 are for the reception of projections 46 provided on the braces 20, while the circular openings of the deck 12 are for the reception of projections 48 formed on the braces 20. The braces 20 may be made from relatively thick plywood and are of generally triangular configuration. Each brace 20 has a vertical wall or edge 50 adapted to abut one face of the wall 18 which it supports and a lower wall or edge 52 adapted to rest on the upper surface of the deck 12. The projection 46 extends from the middle of the edge 50 while the projection 48 extends from the middle of the edge 52. The edges 50 and 48 are, of course, perpendicular to one another. Each wall 18 has a first pair of openings 54 therein arranged adjacent its opposite sides and a second pair of openings 56 which are located just inwardly of the openings 54. The openings 54 and 56 are adapted to conformably receive the projections 46 of the braces 20.

The deck 12 has a first pair of openings 58 which are spaced apart on opposite sides of the center stringer 14, a distance equal to the spacing between the openings 56 of the wall 18. The Openings 58 are also spaced laterally from the slot 38 a distance equal to the spacing of the projection 48 from the wall 50 of each brace 20. Accordingly, when a wall 18 is positioned with its projections 34 in the slot 38, the openings 56 of such wall will be aligned with the openings 58 for the reception of a pair of braces 20 with the projections 46 thereof positioned in the openings 56 of the wall 18 and with the projections 48 thereof positioned in the openings 58 of the deck 12.

The deck 12 also has a pair of openings 60 which are spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between the openings 54 of the walls 18. The openings 60 are spaced from a plane including the nearest side of the slot 40 at a distance equal to the spacing of the projection 48 from the wall 50 of a brace 20. Accordingly, when a wall 18 is positioned with its projection 34 in the slot 40, the braces 20 may be positioned with their projections 48 in their openings 60 and with projections 46 in the openings 54.

The deck 12 also has a pair of openings 62 which are spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between the openings 60 and which cooperate with the slot 42 for the reception of a wall 18 and a pair of braces 20 in a manner similar to the cooperation between the slot 40 and the opening 60. Further, the deck 12 has a pair of openings 64 spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of the openings 58 and 60 and which cooperate with the slot 44 in a manner similar to the cooperation between the openings 58 and the slot 38 in supporting a wall 18 and a pair of braces 20 therefor.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the openings of the deck 12 and walls 18 in which the brace projections 46 and 48 are inserted will depend upon the slots 38, 40, 42 or 44 in which the projection 34 of each wall 18 is inserted. It is to be pointed out that the deck may be provided with a various number of slots corresponding in function to the slots 38, 40, 42 and 44. Said four slots are merely illustrative of one possible arrangement for accommodating different sized items to be shipped.

It will be apparent that, during shipment or storage of the pallet in which an engine or the like is not positioned thereon, the walls 18 and braces 20 may be laid flatly on the deck 12. This, of course, permits the shipment and storage of the pallet so that it occupies a minimum amount of space. This ability of the pallet to be disassembled for shipment and storage is highly advantageous and can result in substantial cost savings.

It should be pointed out that the projections 46 and 48 of the braces 20 are of circular cross section. The formation of these projections is accomplished by means of a shaper tool. It is possible, of course, that the side edges of the projections 46 and 48 may be somewhat flattened. In other words, the projections may have a diameter slightly greater than the thickness. of the braces 20, in which event the circular shape of the projections would be somewhat modified. This shape permits the various openings of the deck 12 and walls 18 in which they are 4 fitted to be formed by drilling. Of course, if such openings are formed by other means, such as die forming,

different shapes would be practical. In any case the projections 46 and 48 are designed to be tightly fitted within the openings in which they are received, thus minimizing any tendency of such projections to come out of their openings. Furthermore, it will be noted that the projection 46 is located intermediate the length of the edge 50 and that the projection 48 is located intermediate the length of the edge 52. By this means any tendency of the brace 20 to rock within its plane will not have as great a tendency to pull the projections 46 and 48 out of their openings as would be the case if such projections were located at the ends of such walls remote from the intersection of the edges 50 and 52.

For the purpose of distinguishing them from the various openings adapted to receive the projection 48, the openings defining the slots 38, 40, 42 and 44 will be referred to as slots in the claims. Unless otherwise limited, however, the word slot is intended to mean an opening of any shape such as circular, square, rectangular, or elongated. In other words, the word slots is not to be limited to an elongated opening unless a contrary intention is expressed.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated herein is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be apparent that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change Without departing from the fair meaning or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shipping pallet including a deck having at least three slots and two openings formed therein, said deck openings being associated with a pair of said slots, two vertical walls supported on said deck, one of said walls having a projection adapted to be fitted in a selected one of said pair of slots, said one wall having a pair of openings therein, and said wall openings being offset from one another in a direction lengthwise of said wall, said deck openings being spaced apart in a direction parallel to the length of said wall, each of said deck openings being located laterally opposite one of said wall openings and said deck openings being spaced identical distances from different ones of said slots and a brace adapted to support said one wall and having projections adapted to fit in a given laterally opposite pair of said wall and deck openings depending upon which of said pair of slots said one wall has its projection fitted in.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, in which said deck has four slots formed therein and in which said walls may be positioned with their projections fitted in any selected pair of said walls.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, in which said deck has a plurality of openings each of which is associated with one of said slots and laterally spaced from its associated slot a uniform distance.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1, in which said wall projections and slots are elongated in the direction of the length of said wall.

5. The structure set forth in claim 1, in which said brace has a pair of perpendicular edges engaging said deck and said upright wall and in which the projections of said braces are located intermediate the length of said edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 3,128,725 4/1964 Becker, et al 2298 X 3,295,673 1/1967 Bowe 206-52 3,315,800 4/1967 Wagner 206-46 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

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