AU620166B2 - Pallet cage securing means - Google Patents

Description

To: The CommiscIoner of Patents, Commonwealth of Australia.

R. K. MADDERN and ASSOCIATES, Citicorp 1house 345 King Wihlim Street, Adelaide, South Ausiralia 5000 14 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952-02 COMPLETE SPECIFICATIC

(ORIGINAL)

U W PATENT, TRADE MARKS 4 DESIGNS SUB.OPFFIE1o 1 NOV 1989 FOR OFFICE USE: Application Number: Lodged: class Int. Class Cqmploto Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Pr~ity ,y;t 'rt Name of Applicant Addroca, of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT REES OPERATIONS PTY. LTD.

24 Starr Avenue, Plympton North, State of South Australia, Commonwealth of Australia James Deane Coogan Care of R.K. Maddern Associates, 345 King Willim Street, Adelaide, South Australia Complete Specification for the Invention entitled: "PALLET CAGE SECURING MEANS" The following statement Is a full description of this Invention, Including the best method of performing It known toMt -1tu 29.j W 1,1101) This invention relates to improvements in and to pallet cages, and more particularly to improved securing means for releasably securing a pallet cage panel (or gate) to a pallet base.

A number of different pallet cage constructions is known to the applicant, one such arrangement being described and claimed in Australian Patent Specification No. 503317 in the name of Technosearch Pty. Limited. In instances where pallets are stacked in close side by side relationship, pallet cages of the type disclosed in the aforesaid Patent are not completely sati:factory in that the cages, being "side opening" after they have been stacked in position by a forklift truck, are required to be manoeuvred through 90' in order for an operator to gain .4 t t 9: access to the goods or contents within the cage. Such a drawback stems from having the gate panel of the cage panel assembly being located on the sides of the pallet base (that is, extending in a direction parallel to the direction of the load bearing joists or bearers of the pallet), it being appreciated that the side where the forks of a forklift truck enter the pallet base is generally referred to in the trade as i*«o the "front" of the pallet. Thus, whenever pallets are stacked in a tight stacking formation, the "gate" panels of the cage panel assemblies normally lie in face to face relationship and 2 hence cannot be opened or closed.

4 It is also well known for pallet cage assemblies to have the cage panels hingedly connected to the pallet base by hinge mechanisms part of which are fixedly secured to the pallet base. These mechanisms generally do not allow the pallet cage assemblies to be neatly and conveniently stacked on top of one another when the pallets are not in use or being transported in their collapsed condition.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide improved securing means for releasably securing a panel (or gate) of a pallet cage to a pallet base which is of extremely simple design, can be readily and easily fitted to and removed -2from existing pallet bases, and which is designed to operate without the need to have any permanent fixing on the pallet base.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved means for securing a pallet cage panel to a pallet base which will allow the "front" of the pallet cage to be readily accessed for loading or unloading of the pallet.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide improved means for hingedly securing a pallet cage panel to a pallet base or for securing together two pallet cage panels (one on top of the other to form a wall sub-assembly) which allows the sub-assembly to be readily collapsed with the 15," panels or gates laid in a generally flat condition one on top of the other on the pallet base and without any of its component parts protruding therefrom.

According to one aspect of this invention therefore, there is provided an improved collapsible container of the type comprising a pallet base having longitudinally extending load bearing joists or bearers joined together by decking slats extending transversely of the joists, and respective pairs of side and end panels or gates hingedly supported with respect to the pallet base for swinging movement between an upstanding inuse position on the base and an out-of-use folded down position wherein the panels lay flat on top of the base, each said panel or gate having a substantially rectangular peripheral frame comprising a pair of side rails joined at their ends by upper and lower rails, improved panel connection means comprising one or more clamping connectors for hingedly releasably securing at least one of said panels or gates to said base, said connector comprising a generally shaped member, the horizontal limb of which is engageable with a bearing surface of a respective said joist, the vertical leg of which terminates in an upper end formation shaped to at least partly surround the lower rail of said at least one of the panels, and respective camming 4 means between the or each said connector and said lower rail comprising a cam surface on said lower rail and a cam follower surface on said formation, and adapted-to co-operate so that when said at least one panel is swung upwardly to its upstanding in-use position, the lower rail is clampingly fastened to the pallet base with the horizontal limb of the or each said connector clampingly engaging said joist bearing surface.

Preferably, the lower rail of the panel or gate is a resilient tubular rail member having a concavely curved intermediate portion extending between docking slat engaging end portions whereby said intermediate portion when the panel or gate is in its normal upright condition, is vertically spaced from the decking slats, and said upper end formation on the connector comprises a loop encircling said intermediate rail portion and slidably located therealong, arranged so that when the gate or panel is swung or hinged upwardly to its upright in-use position, the cam action between the intermediate rail portion and the loop portion of the bracket results in the vertical limb of the connector being bodily displaced upwardly to in turn clampingly engage the horizontal limb against the underside of the joist or bearer, and simultaneously, due to the resilience of the bottomt rail, the decking slat engaging end portions are urged in a downwards direction and make pressure contact against respective decking slats with said bottom rail being securely held in a tensioned condition against the decking slats, Preferably, the connector is formed from a single length of plate steel with said loop portion being approximately circularly or oval shaped.

Preferably, the removable clamping connectors are located with their depending arms located on the inner side of the( joist or bearer so that there are no "exposed" or projecting parts which might be a nuisance in the handling of the pallets.

V4 In a preferred arrangement, each pallet cage panel or gate is provided with a pair of connectors positionable between respective pairs of adjacent decking slats, near the ends of its bottom rail member.

The invention is also directed to an improved pallet cage assembly comprising a pallet base of the type including spaced apart longitudinally extending load bearing joists joined together by decking slats extending tranisversely of the joists, said cage assembly comprisingj two sub-assemblies each having a side panel, an end panel (the "gatell panel) and hinge means joining the side and end panels of each said sub-assembly to allow pivotal movement of the end panel about a vertical axis with respect to the side panel, each said side panel being 415 releasably and hingedly secured1 to the pallet base by ono or more said connectors, whereby the end panel of each subassembly can be initially folded to lie flat against its 4444 associated side panel and the two panels then laid flat on top of the pallet base.

251Q 4 1441 in order to more fully explain the present invention, a preferred embodiment is described hereunder in some further detail with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

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4.44 4 pig. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet cage assembly (with the '-front" gate open), Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cage assembly of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view looking in the direction of arrow A of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the connector shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 wherein a spacer member is positioned between the bottom rail and the inner surface of the loop of the connector.

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L _ii" In this embodiment, a pallet cage assembly 10 comprises a wooden pallet base 11 to which is removably secured a pair of opposed pallet cage side panels 12 and a pair of opposed end "gate" panels 13, each of the end panels 13 being hinged to a 5 respective side panel 12 by "floating" hinge means 15 for permitting the gate panel 13 to swing or swivel about a vertical axis to a position where it lies flat against its adjacent side panel 12. The wooden pallet base 11 is of conventional design and comprises three parallel spaced longitudinally extending load bearing joists 16 to which are secured upper and lower decking slats 19 extending transversely of the joists, the decking slats 19 providing a load support 0 platform 20 on which are loaded goods. For the purpose of this 0* description, the sides of the pallet are defined by the pair of outer load bearing joists 16, whilst the front of the pallet corresponds to that side where the pallet is engaged by the forks of a forklift truck.

*00a 0e -0 0*a a: 44a 0 00 04 04 0i *rr a 0* *a a 0 The pallet cage assembly 10 comprises two cage sections or sub-assemblies each comprising a side panel 12 connected to the base 11 and a "gate" end panel 13 hinged to the panel 12, the arrangement being such that the pallet can be opened from the front (or rear) to thereby give access to the goods stored therein.

0I 4r~ Each of the panels 12, 13 of eac sub-assembly comprises a peripheral frame formed of resilient tubular steel frame members, there being top and bottom frame members or rails 21, 22 interconnected by side frame members 24, the length of the top and bottom members 21, 22 being slightly less than the length of the pallet base joists or bearers 16. In this embodiment, the bottom tubular frame member 22 of each panel is non-linear and is formed to have an inwardly bent or concave intermediate portion 25 which merges at each of its ends with a decking slat engaging end portion 26 offset longitudinally with respect to the intermediate portion 25. When the side panel 12 is in an upright condition, the end portions 26 of the bottom frame member 22 bear against respective decking slats 19 of the -6ii i; ':f Li load support platform 20, with the intermediate portion being spaced a short distance above the platform Each side panel 12 is releasably hingedly secured with respect to the pallet base 11 by means of a plurality of generally L-shaped clamping connectors 29 each of which comprises a planar vertically extending limb 30, which terminates at its upper end in an offset closed loop portion 31 and at its lower end in an approximately horizontal limb 32 directed to the same side of the limb 30 as the loop portion 31. In this embodiment each connector 29 is formed from a single length of plate steel and each side panel 12 is hingelly secured to a respective joist 16 by two such connectors 29.

The upper closed loop portion 31 has, preferably, an So o approximately oval shaped profile, the horizontal width O a M dimension of which is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the bottom tubular frame member 22. The oval-shape is designed to accommodate small variations in thickness of the joists (or slats) which might be encountered with pallet bases of different manufacturers.

The removable connectors 29 have their closed loop j portions 31 loosely, swingingly supported on the intermediate portion 25 of the bottom frame member 22 whereby the side panel 12 is able to be freely rotated relative to the connectors 29 about a substantially horizontal axis.

The connectors 29 along with the side panel 12 are then fitted to the pallet base 11 with the connectors 29 located on the inner side of a respective joist 16 between pairs of adjacent slats 19 with the vertical arm 30 in contiguous relationship with the inner side surface of the joist 16, and the bottom limb 32 engaging beneath the underside surface of the joist 16.

-7- 1 -111 14 6 1" '1;6 '6 As the cage side panel 12 is swung upwardly into its normally upright position, the camming engagement between the intermediate portion 25 and the loop portion 31 of the connectors 29 with the upper curved surface of the intermediate portion 25 constituting a camming surface and the inner peripheral surface 34 of the loop portion 31 constituting a cam follower surface, causing the connector 29 to be bodily lifted in an upwards direction so that the bottom limb 32 clampingly engages against the underside surface 35 of the joist 16.

Simultaneously, the end portions 26 of the bottom frame member 22, due to the resilience of the tubular steel, make pressure contact against respective decking slats 19. With the side O panel 12 in its vertical or approximately vertical position, 4 0* the gripping engagement between the connectors 29, the bottom of rail 22 and the pallet base 11 firmly retains the panel 12 in position.

O4"" By swinging the cage side panel 12 in a downwards direction about its horizontal hinge axis, the camming surface of the rail portion 25 moves out of camming engagement with the la., cam follower surface of the loop portion 31 and the connectors 29 are released from clamping engagement with the joist 16, S this in turn permitting the panel 12 to be freely swung to an approximately horizontal position where it may lay in a flat condition on the pallet base 11.

With the pallet cage assembly 10 in its fully erect condition, each of the cage sections or sub-assemblies are interconnected by coupling rods and/or links (not shown) to ensure that the assembly is retained in a secure manner.

It will of course be appreciated that the cam action between the bottom tubular frame member and the clamping brackets can be achieved in a number of different ways and for example the bottom rail may be formed with one or more kinked portions spaced along its length or may have cam members secured thereto.r ff it will also be appreciated that the upper and of the Lshaped connector need not fully encircle the bottom rail and may for example, comprise a hook portion which simply hooks over the rail. With this arrangement, however the connectors are "loose" and may be lost during stowage. With a loop portion, the connectors are permanently connected to their panels and cannot be lost.

As shown in Figs. I and 2, the clamping connectors of this invention maybe used to releasably secure together a pair of panels one on top of the other whereby the height of the cage a: can be readily varied. The connectors 29 are similarly awingingly supported by the lower tubular frame member 22' of an upper panel 12' with the horizontal limb 32 of the connector being arranged to clampingly engage against an abutment member 0 or bearing block 36 fixedly carried by the upper tubular frame member 21 of the lower panel 12.

q4 4 4 p a w4 4 *4 a p V V 4 As shown in Fig. 5, in order to accommodate any substantial variations in the overall thickness of the Joist and the decking slats which might be found in different pallet bases, there is provided an adjustable spacer member 39 mounted between the upper end of the loop 31 and the rail 22, the spacer 39 being adjustable in height by means of a screw threaded member 40 which threadably engages a threaded hole 41 formed in the upper wall of the loop 31. The underside surface of the spacer 39 forms a cam follower surface. This allows a single size connector to be used with most makes of pallet bases.

A brief consideration of the above described embodiment will indicate that the invention provides a very simple and inexpensive means of securing the panels of a pallet cage panel.

assembly to the pallet base, and which allows the pallet cage assembly to be very easily and quickly folded to its collapsed condition with the panels lying flat and stacked on top of one another on the pallet base.

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Claims (7)

1. In a collapsible container of the type comprising a pallet tase having longitudinally extending load bearing joists or bearers joined together by decking slats extending transversely of the joists, and pairs of side and end panels or gates hingedly supported with respect to the pallet base for swinging movement between an upstanding in-use position on the base and an out-of-use folded down position wherein the panels lay flat on top of the base, each said panel or gate having a substantially rectangular peripheral frame comprising a pair of MKMJ side rails joined at their ends by upper and lower rails,

4.u' 1 improved panel connection means comprising: one or more clamping connectors for hingedly releasably securing at least one of said panels to said base, said connector comprising a generally shaped member, the horizontal limb of which is engageable with a bearing surface of a respective said joist, the vertical limb of which terminates at its upper end in a formation shaped to at least partly surround the lower rail of said ct least one of the r* S«O panels, and .respective camming means between the or each said connector and said lower rail comprising a cam surface on said *t lower rail and a cam follower surface on said formation, and 6",o2 adapted to co-operate so that when said at least one panel is swung upwardly to its upstanding in-use position, the lower 1 I; rail is clampingly fastened to the pallet base with the *y horizontal limb of the or each said connector clampingly engaging said joist bearing surface. 2. Improved panel connection means according to claim 1 wherein said formation comprises a loop offset from the vertical limb of the connector and arranged to encircle said lower rail. 3. Improved panel connection means according to either claim I or claim 2 wherein an inner wall surface of said formation constitutes said cam follower surface. 4. improved panel connection means according to any preceding claim wherein said lower rail is a resilient tubular member having an inwardly bent intermediate section extending U between decking slat engaging end portions, arranged so that when said at least one panel is in its upright positiono the it intermediate portion is vertically spaced from the dec)~ing slats, and said lower rail is held in a tensioned condition with its decking slat engaging end portions making pressure contact against respective decking slats of the pallet base, I 10 the outer curved surface of said intermediate section S constituting said cam surface. improved panel connection means according to any preceding claim wherein the underside surface of said Joist constitutes said bearing surface and said vertical limb of the connector lies contiguous with a vertical side face of said Joist.

6. Improved panel connection means according to any 02Qe preceding claim wherein said connector is formed from a single 0 0 6 4 1 length of plate steel.

7. Improved panel connection means according to claim 2 wherein said loop is oval shaped. 004 4 o4 S. Improved panel connection means according to any preceding claim wherein said connectors are positionable on the lower rail of the panel near each end thereof with their vertical limbs being arranged to pass through respective gaps between pairs of adjacent decking slats.

9. improved panel connection means according to any preceding claim further comprising a height adjustable spacer member movably supported by the connector between said formation and the outer surface of said lower rail, the underside surface of said spacer member comprising said cam follower surface,. IT I; I In combination, a pallet cage panel and a clamping attachment for releasably hingedly securing said panel to a pallet base of the kind comprising longitudinally extending load bearing joists joined together by decking slats extending transversely of the joists, wherein said panel comprises a substantially rectangular perimeter frame formed by a pair of upright side rails inter-connected at their ends by upper and lower rails, said lower rail being provided with approximately concavely curved intermediate portion extending between decking slat engaging end portions whereby said intermediate portion when the panel is in its upright in-use position, is vertically spaced from the decking slats, and wherein said clamping attachment comprises a generally L-shaped member, the horizontal limb of which is engageable with the underside bi surface of a respective said joist, the vertical limb of which has an upper end portion shaped to at least partly surround the lower rail of said panel, constructed and arranged so that when the panel is swung or hinged upwardly to an upright in-use position, the engagement between said intermediate rail portion and the upper 'L sAged MeAA er- end portion of the vertical limb of the-e produces a cam effect whereby the lower rail is clampingly secured in a 'LU sA2,ed eeAtbar" tensioned condition to said pallet base by the A...teo.e ir-with the decking slat end portions making pressure contact against respective decking slats of the pallet base. r 11. In a collapsible container comprising a load supporting base and a cage assembly supported on the base so as to define a substantially rectangular enclosure, said cage assembly comprising a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls, each said side wall comprising a sub- assembly of at least two identical panels of approximately rectangular shape each having a pair of upright side rails joined at their upper and lower ends by upper and lower rails, the improvements comprising a plurality of connectors for releasably hingedly securing said panels of a said sub-assembly to one another in vertical alignment, each said connector comprising a generally L-shaped -12- ^M .I- member, the horizontal limb of which is engageable with a fixed bearing surface on the lower one of said pair of panels, the vertical limb of which terminates in a loop encircling the lower rail Of eupper one of said pair of panels, and camming means betweenAsaid connector anid said lower rail comprising a cam surface on the lower rail of the upper panel and a cam follower surface on said loop, and adapted to co-operate so that when the upper panel is swlung to an upright position wherein it is vertically aligned with the lower panel, the lower rail of the upper panel is clampingly secured to the upper rail of the lower panel with the horizontal limb of the connector clanipingly engaging against said bearing surface.

12. A collapsible container according to claim 11 wherein the lowor rail of each said panel is a, resilient tubular member having an approximately concavely curved intermediate section API extending between end portions, the outer curved surface of the a11 intermediate section constituting said cam surface. 9 13. An improved collapsible pallet cage assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. ~Ii ~,Dated this 1st day of November, 1989. I 4 REES OPERATIONS PTY. LTD. By its Patent Attorneys R.X. MADDERN ASSOCIATES

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