IE41842B1 - Improvements in or relating to storage and transport pallet assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

1493714 Pallets FERRERO GmbH 29 Aug 1975 [2 Sept 1974] 35792/75 Headings B8H and B8C A storage display and transport pallet assembly for firmly holding together individual cargo pieces 8 during transport comprises a base 2 supported on a pallet 1, a displaceable cuff 3 extending up from the side faces of the base 2 and supported on removable pins 5 projecting from said faces and an insert 7 receivable in a recess in the upper surface 6 of the base 2. The cargo pieces are stacked on the base 6 between the cuff 3 and the insert 7 and U-shaped protective walls 9 are inserted between the pieces 8 and the cuffs 3 and extend up to the top of the insert 7, a protective cap 10 then being placed over the cargo and walls 9 in readiness for transportation. For display, the cap 10 and walls 9 are removed and the pins 5 are displaced into the base allowing the cuff to drop down on to the pallet 1, whereby the cargo pieces 8 are open to inspection without being removed from the pallet assembly. The base 2 would normally be secured to the pallet by connecting pieces or adhesive, and in an alternative embodiment the cuff 3 can be selectively positioned at various heights on the base 2.

Description

The present invention relates to an improved storage and transport pallet assembly for firmly holding together individual pieces or packages in cargo units suitable for rail, road haulage, air or marine freight.

Storage and transport pallets serve to accelerate goods handling., to reduce damage to freight and to improve working conditions. Such a pallet has a loading surface disposed at a distance above the ground by reason of feet or foot strips, to allow conveyor means such ae for example the lifting forks of fork-lift trucks, to pass there-beiieatTi.

The dimensions of such storage and transport pallets are standardised so that, for example in the case of the socalled European pool pallet, international exchange is possible.

The advantages of pallets, particularly for transport, have resulted in their finding application not only in industrial freight traffic but also with modern marketing outlets such as for example consumer markets, discount stores and cash-and-carry wholesalers. For reasons of costs the trend in such market outlets is increasingly to refrain from transferring individual pieces or packages from the pallets to suiable fixtures.

The result is that the goods are offered to the wholesaler or retailer as well as to the end user in the came condition, ?5 ' being still stacked on the original pallets. Howe.ver, from the manufacturer's point of view, pallets of the conventional type are not suitable foi· this, since they do not permit individual pieces or packages to be attractively displayed for advertising purposes. Also, the market outlets have the problem of showing the prices of the individual pieces or packages Particularly in the case of individual pieces or packages of relatively small dimensions, it is only on the outside of the unit that these are accessible to be marked with the marking equipment normally used, whereas reloading is unavoidable if the items on the inside are to be marked.

The object of the present invention is, with the simplest possible means to provide a pallet assembly of the type described which can be used for display as well as storage and transport. Xn particular, it is intended to allow pricing of the individual pieces or packages by means of the marking equipment normally used, with no need to unload the individual items from the pallet proper, and also to allow, from the point of view of advertising, an effective and attractive display of the individual pieces or packages on tne pallet.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing a storage and transport pallet assembly for holding together individual pieces or packages in cargo units suitable for shipment by rail, road haulage, air or marine freight, wherein a pallet on its upper load bearing surface supports a base which, in the region of its side faces which extend at right-angles to the load bearing surface, is surrounded by a cuff which is displaceable on these side faces, and which base has in its upper face, carrying the individual pieces or packages^a cut-out into which is adapted to fit a removable insert which projects beyond the upper face of the base.

The invention provides a pallet assembly on which the individual pieces or packages are offered to customers at a convenient height by reason of the disposition of the base. In addition, the displaceably disposed cuff which surrounds the base, when - 3 41842 in the lowered condition, fully displays all tho stacked packages and on its outer facer, may carry imprints or display advertising material. In the raised condition, the cuff, in conjunction with the insert which projects beyond tho upper face of the base, prevents the individual items shifting during transport.

Furthermore, the insert provides an abutment which simplifies loading of the pallet asseufely and, in addition, allows the individual items to he priced without being unloaded, since all the individual items are accessible from the outside.

Ih order to avoid the individual items being damaged in transport, it is expedient to make the length and breadth of the base to be somewhat smaller than the length and breadth of the pallet. > As a material for the base and the insert, according to the weight and nature of the individual pieces or packages, it is possible to use, metal, wood, plastics or cardboard or foamed plastics substances. In order to prevent the load unit formed by the 20 stacked individual pieces or packages from slipping, it is expedient to secure the base to the load surface of the pallet proper by connecting elements or adhesive.

In the case of a preferred example of embodiment, the height of the base corresponds to about half the width of the pallet. In the case of this example of embodiment, the cut-out in the Upper face of the base is rectangular and is so dimensioned and disposed that the width of the web remaining between the cut-out and the outer edge of tho base is substantially similar at all places and corresponds to the width and/or length of the individual items. By reason of this construction, the individual items can be stacked in an exactly predetermined manner on the upper face of -/(41842 the base, no ensuring that even when unskilled labour is used for the stacking work, a definite and predetermined arrangement of tho individual items on the upper face of the base is ensured.

Also, in this way, at least one outer face of each individual item comes to be positioned on the outside of the load unit formed by the stacked individual pieces or packages, so that an identification, for example for the purpose of indicating a pi'icc, can be applied, without exception and without the individual items having to be unloaded from the pallet.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the height of the cuff corresponds more or less to the height of the base. This has the advantage that, in its lowered condition, the cuff completely encloses the hase so that its entire outer surface can be used for carrying advertising matter. Means for detachably holding the cuff in its raised position may be provided on the side walls of the base. They consist of pins, bolts^abutments or the like which are mounted in the side walls of the base and which make it possible to maintain the cuff at a definite height on the base. In its raised condition, the upper edge of the cuff extends beyond the upper face of the hase and prevents the individual pieces or packages from slipping sideways during transport.

The pins, bolts or the like are suitably made from wood, ?5 and are slidably mounted in bores in the side walls of the base. During transport the bottom edge of the cuff rests on these pins or boltE. After transport» the bolts need only be pushed inwards into the base for the cuff to he lowered and in this way provide access to the individualpieces or packages which are stacked on the upper face of the base. In keepingwith the -541842 nature of the individual il.cms, the cuTf may be made from metd, pressed paper or plnntiCB. Furthermore, it may be constructed in the form of a cloned, lattice or grid-like element.

When sensitive pieces or packages are being despatched, it may be necessary to reinforce the outside of the load unit with protective walls. These protective walls can likewise be made from metal, pressed paper or plastics and each extend over one long side as well as over at least a half of each .•short side of the base. Two such more or less U-shaped protective walls can be pushed in between the raised cuff and the individual items stacked on the top of the base. The cuff thereby maintains the protective walls in their positions against the stacked pieces or packages.

In addition, it may bo convenient to provide a protective cover whioh can be slipped over those ends of the protective walls which are facing away from the base.

By way of further explanation and for a better understanding, a constructional embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail hereinafter and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows in a partly broken-away exploded perspective view ,the pallet assembly in condition ready for shipment; and Fig. 2 shows the storage and transport pallet assembly according to Fig. T, in the display condition.

As Fig. 1 shows, disposed on a pallet 1 of conventional type (hereinafter referred to as the pallet proper) is a rectangular base 2, the length and width of which are somewhat shorter than the length and width of the pallet 1.

This base 2 is encircled by a cuff 3, the bottom edge 4 of which •641842 rectt! on pine, bolts, abutments or the like 5 whioh are preferably rdj.dably mounted in boro:.·, in the sides of the base 2. The pins, bolts or the like may be made from wood.

In its upper face 6, the base 2 has a cut-out into which a rectangular tube-like insert 7 is fitted, the bottom end of which rests on the load surface of the pallet proper 1, the insert 7 projecting far beyond the upper face 6 of the base. Individual pieces -or packages are stacked on that portion of the upper face 6 of the base 2 which is left between the insert 7 and the cuff 3, up to the level of the top edge of the insert 7· She width of the upper face 6 of the base 2 ie preferably so dimensioned that only one row of individual pieces or packages · can be inserted without much clearance between the cuff 2 and the insert 7.

Between the cuff 3 and the stacked-up individual items 8 are pushed protective walls 9 which are U-shaped in the case of the preferred embodiment, each extending over a ?0 long side as well as over two half short sides of the base 2. Fig. 1 shows on'J.y the rear protective wall 9, while for sake of clarity, the front protective wall is indicated by dash-detted lines. Also for the sake of clarity, the encircling cuff 3 is broken open in the region of its ?3 corner which is nearest the viewer, and some of the individual pieces or packages 8 are shown to be removed from the upper face 6 of the base 2.

The upper face of the load unit can be reinforced by a protective cover 10 which, in the present example, is of hat-shaped construction, sb that it can be fitted czer the protective walls 9 and hold those walls firmly in place. -741842 At the· point of display, the protective cover 10 and the protective walls 9 are removed. Subsequently, the pins or holts 5 are pushed into the base 2 and the bottom edge 4 of the cuff 3 is lowered onto the load surface of the pallet proper 1.

The result is the picture shown for the overall pallet assembly as illustrated in Fig. 2. The individual pieces or packages 8 are thereby presented in a raised position, by reason of the base 2, so that they can be readily removed. The total outside surface of the base is encircled by the cuff 3 which may carry advertising matter.

It goes without saying that the base 2, the cuff 3 and the insert 7 can be constructed in particular ways according to the nature and shape of the objects which are to he transported and then displayed. Also the protective walls 9 and the cover 10 can be of any suitable effective form or construction.

Furthermore within the framework of the invention, it is possible for the holts or pins 5 to' be so linked to one another within the base 2 that they can he jointly pushed in or withdrawn, for example by a lever. Also, several sets of retaining elements may be provided so that the cuff 3 can be fixed at various heights on the base 2.

Claims (17)

1. CLAIMS:1, A storage and transport pallet assembly for holding together individual pieces or packages in cargo units suitable Cor shipment by rail, road haulage, air or marine freight, wherein a pallet on its upper load bearing surface supports a base which, in the region of its side faces, which extend at right angles to the load bearing surface, is surrounded by a cuff which is displaceable on these side faces, and which base has in its upper face, carrying the individual pieces or packages, a cut-out into which is adapted to fit a removable insert which projects beyond the upper face of the base.

2. A pallet assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the base is rectangular in shape, its length and width being shorter than the length and width of the pallet.

3. · A pallet assembly according to Claims 1 or 2, wherein the height of the base corresponds substantially to half the width of the pallet.

4. A pallet assembly according to Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the cut-out in the upper face of the base is rectangular and is so dimensioned and disposed that the width of free surface remaining between the cut-out and the outer edges of the upper face of the base is similar all around and corresponds to the width or length of the individual pieces or packages to be stacked

5. A pallet assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the insert projects beyond the upper face of the base by a multiple of the height of the individual pieces or packages - 9 41843

6. A pallet assembly according to Claims 4 and 5, wherein the cut-out is an aperture in the wall of the upper face of the base and. one end face of the insert rests on the upper load bearing surface of the pallet.

7. A pallet assembly according to Claim 6, wherein the insert is tubular.

8. A pallet assembly according to one or more of the preceding Claims, wherein the cuff rests closely against the side faces of the base and is of a height corresponding substantially to the height of the base.

9. A pallet assembly according to Claim 8, wherein the cuff bears on its outside advertising matter or markings.

10. A pallet assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein means are provided on the side walls of the base for the detachable securing of the cuff in a raised position.

11. A pallet assembly according to Claim 10 wherein the said means are in the form of pins, bolts, abutments or the like which are mounted in and can be extended from the side walls of the base and on withdrawal of these pins, bolts or the like the bottom edge of the cuff can be set down on the upper ' surf ace of the pallet,

12. A pallet assembly according to Claim 11, wherein the pins, bolts, abutments jr the like are made from wood and are slidably mounted in bores in the side walls of the base.

13. · A pallet assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the base is fixed on the pallet.

14. · A pallet assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein protective walls are adapted to be inserted between the cuff and. the individual pieces or packages which ore stacked on the upper face of the hase, the heifit of the protective walls corresponding to the height of the insert above the upper face of the base.

15. · A pallet assembly according to claim 14, wherein the protective walls are U-shaped and each extend over one long side as well as over at least a half of eigen snort.side of. the base 16. A pallet assembly according to Claims 14 or 15, wherein a protective cover is provided which can he slipped over those ends of the protective walls and of the insert which are directed away from the base. 1?. A pallet assembly according to claim 16 wherein the cuff, the protective walls and the protective cover are made from a metal, pressed paper or synthetic plastics «

16. 18. A pallet assembly according to any one of tbe preceding Claims, wherein the base and/or the insert are made from foamed plastics material or are built up from metal, wood, synthetic plastics or pressed paper

17. 19. A storage and transport pallet assemblyconstructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.