US2764377A - Extensible pallet - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 25, 1956 J. L. SCHOENECKER 2,764,377

EXTENSIBLE PALLET Filed April 23, 1954 INVENTORS /060 L'fc/me/wecA er k BY ATTORNEY United States Patent EXTENSIBLE PALLET John L. Schoenecker, Albany, N. Y.

Application April 23, 1954, Serial No. 425,335

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-120) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to pallets of the type commonly used with fork-lift trucks in the moving and storage of goods and merchandise, usually in the form of a plurality of boxes, crates or the like stacked on each pallet. It is frequently necessary therefore to maintain a supply of pallets of different sizes for advantageously handling boxes or the like of varying sizes. Also, it is highly desirable that the deck of the pallet be completely covered, that is, be devoid of cracks or openings through which any of the stack of articles mounted on the pallet, might fall.

It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide a pallet which is extensible to at least two difierent sizes so as to reduce the number of different sizes of pallets to be kept in storage.

Another object of the invention resides in embodying in an adjustable or extensible pallet a detachable deck board which may be inserted in the deck when adjusted to the large size to therefore avoid any openings through which the goods might fall, and which may be removed from the deck surface and retained on the underside of the pallet when the pallet is to be adjusted to a smaller size.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the novel pallet inverted and adjusted to its smaller size, with the loose deck board about to be inserted on the pallet base;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the pallet in upright position and adjusted to its largest size with the loose deck board about to be inserted in the space provided for it;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the pallet in upright position, adjusted to smaller size, and showing in dotted outline the adjustment to full size;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing the pallet adjusted to its largest dimension;

Figure 6 is a transverse view taken on line 66 of Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the joints between the loose and fixed boards.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, the pallet which, as heretofore indicated, is of extensible or adjustable construction, includes two series of stringers 1 and 2, one series of which namely, those indicated by the reference numeral 2 are provided with two sets of slots 3. The stringers of the other series, that is, those indicated by the reference numeral 1 are provided with a pair of bolts 4 which extend through the pair of slots 3 in the other series of stringers and receive washers 5 and nuts 6 by which they are secured in position. Additionally, spacing washers 7 may be mounted on the bolts 4 intermediate their ends and located between the stringers of the two series. From the construction thus far described, it will be apparent that the two series of stringers may be adjusted lengthwise at least a distance corresponding to the length of the slots 3 and may be held in either of the two positions by tightening up on the nuts 6 if desired, or a certain amount of friction may be provided in the sliding movement by only slightly tightening up on the nuts.

The deck or upper portion of the pallet is formed of a plurality of boards here indicated as 6 in number. A set of three of these boards are designated by the numeral 10 and are in substantially abutting relationship on the upper edges of the stringers 1. A set of two other deck boards 11 are fixed to the opposite ends of the stringers 2 and are also arranged in substantially abutting relationship. The innermost deck boards 10 and 11 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of a loose' deck board 12 when the stringers are adjusted to their outermost positions which is to be inserted in the space 13 between the innermost deck boards. The loose deck board 12 is provided with rabbeted portions 14 on its longitudinal edges for cooperation with similar rabbeted portions 15 on the adjacent edges of the innermost deck boards 10 and 11. When the pallet is to be adjusted to its largest dimension as indicated in Figure 2 the loose deck board 12 is placed in the space 13 so that the rabbeted portions 14 and 15 are brought into inter-engagement by slightly moving the two sections of the pallet towards each other. For the purpose of locking the loose board 12 against longitudinal movement dowel pins 16 are provided for engaging corresponding openings 17 formed in the innermost deck boards 10 and 11. It will be understood however that the dowel pin 16 may be fixed in the boards 10 and 11 if desired rather than in the loose board 12. The base of the pallet is composed of two sets of base boards 18 and 19, the boards 18 being secured to the stringers 1 while the boards 19 are secured to the stringers 2. In this face of the pallet, it is not necessary that the boards be placed in abutting relationship inasmuch as it is not ordinarily employed for directly supporting the goods. However, the innermost boards 18 and 19 are, when the pallet is adjusted to its smaller position, spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of the loose board 12, as indicated by numeral 20, so that the rabbeted portions 14 of the board will interlock with the rabbeted portions 21 formed on the adjacent edges of the boards 18 and 19. Here again the loose board 12 may be interlocked against longitudinal movement by engaging the dowel pins 16 in apertures 22 formed in the rabbeted edges of the boards 18 and 19. To adjust the pallet from its largest size as shown in Figure 5 to its smallest size as shown in Figure 4 it is only necessary to move the sections slightly apart so as to release the loose board 12 and thereafter place it in the opening 20 in the underface of the pallet and move the sections towards each other until the rabbeted edges cooperate with the similarly formed edges of the board 12 to interlock therewith, it being understood that the dowel pin 16 will engage in the openings 22 in the boards bordering the opening 20.

From the foregoing description taken in connection I with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have devised an exceedingly simple construction of adjustable pallet which may be formed of either wood or light metal; that the construction is such that the upper or deck portion of the pallet is formed of one continuous imperforate surface regardless of whether the pallet is adjusted to its smallest or largest size and that provision is made for conveniently supporting or storing the loose board 12 in an out-of-the-way position when the pallet is adjusted to its smallest size.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what I now consider to be a preferred form of construction but since various minor changes may be made in Patented Sept. 25, 1956 structural details, without departing from the-spirit of the invention, it is intended that all such changes be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An. adjustable palletcomprising two series of slidablfy connected stringers, means for limiting the sliding movement thereof, a set of deck boardsfixed tothe outer ends of each series of stringers, the total width of the two sets of deck boards being such as to provide a space between the innermost boards of the two sets when the stringers are adjusted to their outermost positions, a loose deck board seated in the space between said two sets of deck boards, and means for securing said loose deck board against longitudinal movement.

2. An adjustable pallet comprising two series of. slidably connected stringers, means for limiting the sliding movement thereof, a set of deck boards fixed to the outer ends. of each series of stringers, the-total width of the two sets .of deck boards being such as to provide a space between the innermost boards of the two sets when the stringers are adjusted to their outermost positions, said innermost deck boards being rabbeted at their adjacent edges, a loose deck boardhaving its opposite edges rabbeted and seated in the space between said two sets of deck boards, a set of base boards secured to each of the two series of stringers on the opposite side of the pallet, said sets of base boards being spaced apart a distance approximating the width of the loose deck board when the pallet is adjusted to its smaller size, the adjacent References. Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Erickson Dec. 24, 1940 Warren June 12, 1945 Weiss Aug. 6, 1946',

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