US3225919A

US3225919A - Palletized load

Info

Publication number: US3225919A
Application number: US245587A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy E Swingle
Original assignee: Interlake Steel Corp
Current assignee: Interlake Steel Corp
Priority date: 1962-12-18
Filing date: 1962-12-18
Publication date: 1965-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 1982-12-28

Description

Dec. 28, 1965 R. E. swlNGLE PALLETIZED LOAD Filed Dec. 18, 1962 United States Patent O 3,225,919 PALLETIZED LOAD v Roy E. Swingle, Park Forest, Ill., assignor to Interlake Steel Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 245,587 4 Claims. (Cl. 20G-60) This invention relates to the art of packaging and particularly to improvements in packaging of skid loads of stacked sheets, or `the like.

Presently, it is common to palletize loads of many items by stacking them on skids or pallets and securing them -in place by means of binder straps encircled and secured about the loads and at least portions of the skids or pallets so that each skid or pallet becomes an integral part of its load 4to facilitate subsequent handling of it by means yof a fork lift truck. Such palletizing has been and is performed with great success in many, many cases.

A substantial degree of success has been achieved with this manner of palletizing stacks of paper sheets and other sheet material. But, a certain problem exists when palletizing sheet material, especially when it is substan* tially nonporous to the extent that paper is. Experience has shown that freshly stacked sheets of paper entrap pockets of air between them which, when removed, cause the paper stack to compress. The air can be removed to a certain extent by extreme compression applied to it and will also compress and cause removal of a certain amount of the air solely by its own weight as the stack stands and settles for a period of time. This compression by settling is increased due to a jogging effect when the stacks are shipped, caused by the vibration and shifting of the transporting vehicle, such as a ltruck Ior freight car. The result is that the stacks compress enough to substantially loosen the binder straps encircling the stack to either minimize or even eliminate their binding ability, and it is not uncommon to require re-tensioning of the binder straps or else suffer damage to the stacks due to shifting of the `sheets relative to each other. This problem has been so serious that certain concerns have provided very expensive and powerful presses to compress the stacks prior to strapping to force out as much air as possible from between the sheets.

It is the principal object of this invention to overcome the problem mentioned associated with the palletizing of stacks of sheets by providing an improved -palletized load embodying means to compensate for load size shrinkage from compression due to removal of air from between the sheets so that the binder straps encircling the loads remain taut, even after compression.

In order to accomplish thi-s object, a stack of sheets is provided with an inflatable pillow or bag which is inflated sufficiently -to constantly provide a force to the encircling straps for the purpose of maintaining them taut.

It is another object of this invention to provide such an inflatable bag or pillow which can be conveniently inflated to a desired pressure after the binder straps are applied to the load and which has an externally accessible air inlet to permit regulation of pressure any time thereafter in case of air loss from the 'bag or excessive compression of the stack of sheets comprising the load.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a strapped load embodying an inflatable -bag or pillow also incorporating a spacer means to provide a supported pocket for the 'bag prior to its inflation to enable the load to be strapped tightly before inflating the' bag. This provides a fixed size opening for the bag to insure that it ICC will be inflated to a proper thickness. As the load compresses, the bag expands due to it-s internal `air pressure. If the bag is not inflated to a suicient thickness, as the load compresses, the bag may not have sufficient air volume within it 4to cause it to maintain pressure and expand sufficiently to maintain tension on the 4binder straps.

It is Istill another object of this invention -to provide a strapped load around which the binder straps can be applied without requiring tensioning tools. It is only necessary to manually shrink the strap loops on the load until all slack is removed. Then the overlapping ends of the strap loops can be joined together by a conventional sealing or joint forming tool. Upon inflation of the pillow or bag, the straps then become tensioned.

It should be emphasized that the invention has utility on other than paper loads. For example, the invention can be used advantageously on yother type loads which shrink after standing. Specifically, a load of wet lumber or fresh `tobacco leaves will lose moisture upon standing which results in shrinkage of the load. If bound with binder straps, they become loose as this occurs. By employing the features of this invention, this loosening of the straps is minimized or eliminated.

The invention should be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 shows a prefer-red embodiment of the invention comprising a palletized load of a stack of sheet material; and

FIG. 2 shows a sectional-view of the upper portion of the palletized load shown in FIG. l as viewed along' the line 2 2.

The preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings consists of a stack 1 of rectangular sheets 1a which may be paper, -or the like. This stack 1 is supported on a platform 2 which can be a rectangular piece of wood of the same rectangular ydimensions as the sheets 1a of the stack 1 `or may consist of -a plurality of planks or boards positioned adjacent to each other to form the Same rectangular dimensions. The platform 2 is supported on two runners 3 and 4 which support the platform 2 a distance above the supporting surface 5 and to allow the forks of a fork lift truck to be inserted into the space 6 between the runners 3 and 4 for thepurpose of elevating the entire load. Y

Immediately on the top surface of lthe stack 1 of sheets 1a is a platen 7 of the same dimensions as the platform 2. Surrounding the upper margin of this platen 7 are four

boards

8,9, 10 and 11 whichprovide a rectangular frame projecting upwardly from the platen 7. Within this frame -is an air space or pocket 12 in which is positioned `an inflatable pillow or bag 13 which is approximately the same rectangular dimensions as the pocket 12. On the upper edges of the

frame boards

8, 9, 10 and 11 is .another platen 14 which is made up' of individual boards positioned side by side and joined together by means of three

transverse boards

15, 16'

and 17.

The inflatable bag 13 is provided with a flexible tubular vent 19 which projects through a round opening 20 provided in the platen 14. The vent 19 is preferably provided with a valve similar to a tire inner tube valve which permits the entry of air under pressure, but automatically prevents its exhaust.

The two support runners 3 and 4 are each provided with three slots 21 at their upper edges for the accommodation of three binder straps 22 which encircle the entire load as shown to secure the pallet to the load. In a transverse direction, three encircling binder straps 23 are provided which further assist in maintaining the pallet secured to the load. All of the strap loops are applied as single lengths of strap and positioned with their ends overlapping so that they can be secured by means of conventional sealed joints 24. Such a joint 24 commonly consists of the strap ends provided with an encircled tubular metal seal which is deformed into interlocking engagement with the strap ends to complete the joint.

When assembling the palletized load, the pillow or bag is positioned within the pocket 12 with none or substantially no air within it. The straps are then applied with only moderate tension which can be obtained by manually drawing the slack out of the straps. Tensioning tools are not required, although they can be used if available for purposes of providing the same tension in all of the straps. The frame boards 8, 9, Iand 11 can be secured to the platen 14 or merely rested in place. Then, air under pressure is introduced through the vent 19 to inflate the bag 13 to the proper pressure. Because of the large area of the bag, only a small unit pressure of perhaps ve pounds per square inch may be enough to accomplish the intended purpose. As the bag is inated, the

straps

22 and 23 become more taut. This is the same result which is otherwise achieved by tensioning tools when no infiatable bag is present. After ination of the bag, the

boards

8, 9, 10 and 11 can be removed under certain conditions, or left in if so desired. If they are intended to be left in, it is probably preferable to secure them to either the platen 14 or the platen 7 so that they will not become excessively displaced from the subsequent handling of the load. At this point, it should be made evident that the

boards

8, 9, 10 and 11 are initially required as spacers to insure that a pocket 12 is provided of sufficient size that the bag is inflated to a sufficient thickness. As the load compresses due to removal of the air from between the sheets or from drying out olf the load, depending upon the nature of the materi-al, the bag must have sufiicient volume of air under pressure to cause it to expand and still substantially maintain its full pressure. If the bag does not expand sufficiently due to its internal pressure, it may not maintain the

encircling binder straps

22 and 23 taut.

It is desirable that the bag 13 be of elastic material, such as rubber, but can also be of a relatively infiexble material, such as cloth backed or impregnated rubber provided the bag is oversize for the size of the pocket 12 provided. This would provide a degree of ripple in the walls of the bag which would serve the same function as walls that stretch.

Although the load is shown with platen 7 it is possible to eliminate even this member if the top of the load is such that it can withstand the pressure distribution of the bag. A skid of paper would not necessarily seem to require the platen 7 but a load of uneven thickness sheets would seem to require it. The platen 7, in effect, distributes the pressure [from the bag uniformly to the load. For a skid of paper, the elimination of t-he platen 7 provides the advantage of h-aving the compressive force of the bag applied centrally of the load. This tends to press the sheets of paper more tightly together centrally than at their edges. When unstacking the paper sheets subsequently during use, this leaves their edges separated more to facilitate removal of one sheet at a time from the stack. Obviously, without the platen 7 present, the

spacer members

8, 9, 10 and 11 will rest directly upon the edges of the top sheet of the sheets 1a.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it should be clearly understood that the invention can be made in many different ways without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A package comprising, two platens spaced froml each other with a load therebetween, spacer means between the first of said platens and the load spacing thel rst platen from the load, said spacer means being positioned around the periphery of the first platen and dimenf sioned to such a size that an air pocket is provided be-A tween said first of said platens and the load, at least a single tension binder surrounding the package, said binder urging the platens toward eaJh other and the load, an inflatable container positioned within the air pocket, and means on the container accessible externally of the package for enabling the container to be inflated to sufficient volume and pressure therein to apply a compressive force against the load to maintain compression in the load and tension in the binder while the load shrinks.

2. A package comprising, a irst platen and a second platen, a load in the form of stacked sheets which shrink in volume after being formed into a package resting on said second platen, longitudinal spacer members resting on the upper marginal edges of the top sheet of the stacked sheets, and the first `platen resting upon the spacer members which thereby space the rst platen above the load to form an air pocket between the first platen; and the top sheet of the load, at least one tensionedl binder encircled in a closed loop around the packager and extending along the upper surface of the first platen,. down one side of the load, along the lower surface off the second platen and upward along the opposite sidef of the load, the tension in the binder urging the platens and the spacer members toward each other and the load applying a compressive force to the load, and positioned within the air pocket Ian infiated air tight container applying a reaction force between the first platen and the top sheet of the load urging the stacked sheets more tightly together, the volume of said container and the inflated pressure therein being sufficient to maintain compression in the sheets and tension in the binder while the sheets shrink.

3. A unitized package of material which shrinks in Volume after being formed into a package comprising, two platens spaced from each other with a load of material therebetween, and an inflatable pillow between at least one of said platens and the load, at least a single tension binder surrounding the package, said binder urging the platens toward each other and the load, and means on the pillow accessible externally of the package to allow the pillow to be inflated to suiicient volume and pressure therein to apply a compressive force against the load to maintain compression in the load and tension in the binder while the material of the load shrinks in volume.

4. A package comprising, two platens spaced from each other with a load therebetween, spacer means between the rst of said platens and the load spacing the first platen from the load, said spacer means being positioned around the periphery of the first platen and dimensioned to such a size that an air pocket is provided'. between said rst of said platens and the load, at least' a single tension binder surrounding the package, said'. binder urging the platens toward each other and theload, an infiatable container positioned within the air pocket, and means on the container accessible externallyv of the package for enabling the container to be inflated to sufficient volume and pressure therein to apply a compressive force against. the load to maintain compression in the load and tension in the binder while the load shrinks, said spacer means being detachable from contact with the first platen to permit removal of the spacer means after inflation of the pillow.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner 3,072,270 1/ 1963 Tolby.

7/1898 Burger. FOREIGN PATENTS 8/ 1900 Middleby. 5 115,535 7/ 1942 Australia. 6/ 1923 Butler 206-46 23,965 1897 Great Britain. 10/ 1931 Lindermann 206-46 26,505 1905 Great Britain. 2/ 1943 Siegel 206-56 262,275 12/ 1926 Great Britain. 10/1951 AudinO 206--50 848,248 9/1960 Great Britain. 11/ 1958 Stratton 206-78 12/1960 Johnson 206- 60 10 THERON E. CoNDoN, Primm Examiner.

Claims

2. A PACKAGE COMPRISING, A FIRST PLATEN AND A SECOND PLATEN, A LOAD IN THE FORM OF STACKED SHEETS WHICH SHRINK IN VOLUME AFTER BEING FORMED INTO A PACKAGE RESTING ON SAID SECOND PLATEN, LONGITUDINAL SPACER MEMBERS RESTING ON THE UPPER MARGINAL EDGES OF THE TOP SHEET OF THE STACKED SHEETS, AND THE FIRST PLATEN RESTING UPON THE SPACER MEMBERS WHICH THEREBY SPACE THE FIRST PLATEN ABOVE THE LOAD TO FORM AN AIR POCKET BETWEEN THE FIRST PLATEN AND THE TOP SHEET OF THE LOAD, AT LEAST ONE TENSIONED BINDER ENCIRCLED IN A CLOSED LOOP AROUND THE PACKAGE AND EXTENDING ALONG THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE FIRST PACKAGE DOWN ONE SIDE OF THE LOAD, ALONG THE LOWER SURFACE OF THE SECOND PLATEN AND UPWARD ALONG THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE LOAD, THE TENSION IN THE BINDER URGING THE PLATENS AND THE SPACER MEMBERS TOWARD EACH OTHER AND THE LOAD APPLYING A COMPRESSIVE FORCE TO THE LOAD, AND POSITIONED WITHIN THE AIR POCKET AN INFLATED AIR TIGHT CONTAINER APPLYING A REACTION FORCE BETWEEN THE FIRST PLATEN AND THE TOP SHEET OF THE LOAD URGING THE STACKED SHEETS MORE TIGHTLY TOGETHER, THE VOLUME OF SAID CONTAINER AND THE INFLATED PRESSURE THEREIN BEING SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN COMPRESSION IN THE SHEETS AND TENSION IN THE BINDER WHILE THE SHEETS SHRINK.