Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
106568V
The use of palletized trucking systems is not new. Such
a system includes a vehicle having a bed, a number of pallets removably
positioned on the bed, and a forklift truck for placing the pallets on
the bed and taking them off the bed.
Such a system is used by individually loading pallets with
articles such as gas-filled tanks under pxessure. A forklift truck is
then operated to transport each pallet individually to the vehicle and
then load them onto its bed.
It has been found that the employment of such a system has
- 10 resulted in substantial savings in time and reduced personnel to load and
unload. A plurality of tanks can be loaded onto each pallet in the dis-
tributor's plant. The vehicle may then be loaded with the pallets very
quickly. This is in distinction to the older practice of individually
loading tanks onto the truck bed. While the vehicle is then travelling
to a customer, addltional pallets may be loaded at the distributor's
plant for future shipment. A given vehicle can make many more deliveries
per day. At the destination, a forklift truck rapidly unloads the loaded
pallets from the truck and delivers them into the customer's plant. Full
tanks are used by the customer as needed and are replaced on the pallets
by empty tanks. Again, the time for unloading is substantially reduced
over that required individually to roll off tanks from a truck bed. Also,
- employment of such a system reduces handling of the tanks.
` While this development is not new, presently known s~stems
~- have not been entirely satisfactory. First, the operator of the forklift
truck must become rather skilled in loading the pallets onto the truck.
Even with such skill, he must exercise care so as to align the pallet
with a chosen bay, and then lower the pallet into such bay. If he is not
careful, the pallet will strike the dividers provided between ad~acent
bays, and he will then have to shift the truck and try again. Such a
procedure is both time-consuming and because not designed to strike the
`~ dividers, the pallets and the articles carried thereby may become damaged.
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Another shortcoming of presently available systems is the
requirement that the pallet be substantially horizontal as it is being
lowered into a chosen bay. Otherwise, it would be most difficult for
the operator to align the pallet vertically. In other words, the operator
must align all four corners of the pallet respectively with the four cor-
ners of the bay.
Since the pallets are carried by a moving vehicle, they are
subject to being jostled during transportation to the destination. The
pallets of certain systems are not sufficiently secured in place while
the truck is in motion to prevent them from being dislodged as the result
: of a sharp turn. Should a pallet fall off the truck, both the pallet and
the articles carried thereon will be subjected to damage and, of course,
: serious injury to a passer-by or damage to another vehicle could result.
Sometimes a latching means has been provided to protect
against unintentional dislodgement. However, these mechanisms are manually
actuated, so that a forgetful operator or a lazy operator may simply not
latch the latching mechanism.
- The vehicles of presently known systems often have a solid
bed so as to collect snow ~nd, add additional weight to the vehicle. Also,
such beds undesirably furnish but a single level of support for the pal-
lets.
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It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention
to provide a transporting system comprising a vehicle bed and article car-
- riers which may be rapidly loaded thereon with a minimum of care exercised
by the operator.
Damage to either the pallets or the vehicle bed during load-
ing on the bed is minimized.
The transporting system can also include a vehicle bed and ;
a plurality of article carriers removably disposed thereon and latched
- 30 thereto by means of latching mechani~s which are automatically unlatched
~ when carried by the loader-unloader, the operator not having to perform any
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1065680positive step other than simply positioning the article carrier on the
bed.
A strong, light-weight pallet is also produced by following
the teachings of this invention.
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the
invention, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred
embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in con-
nection with the following description, the invention, its mode of con-
struction, assembly and its operation, and many of its advantages should
be readily understood and appreciated.
Pig. 1 illustrates a transporting system incorporating
the features of the present invention, which comprises a vehicle bed,
and a plurality of pallets, the trailer for the bed and the vehicle cab
being shown in fragmentary form;
I Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the transporting system of
Fig. 1 with portions of some of the pallets being cut away to expose the
underlying frame of the bed;
- Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the transporting system
of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale of two later-
ally adjacent pallets on the vehicle, with a portion of each of the pallets'
top plates being cut ~way to expose the struts and slats of the pallets,
and another portion of a pallet being cut away to expose one of the beams
forming the bed;
Fig. 5 is a view in vertical cross section taken along the
line 5 - 5 of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 located on the same sheet as Fig. 2 is a perspective
view of a fragmentary portion of a pallet and a fragmentary portion of the
vehicle bed, with the latching mechanism deleted;
Fig. 7 is an enlarged front elevational view of the lower
portion of the pallet and the manner in which it is seated on the vehicle
:bed, the latching mechanisms being shown in the latching conditions there-
of;
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10~568(~
Flg, 8 is a view similar to Fig, 7 lllustrating the left-hand
side latching mechanism ln the unlatching condition thereof;
Flg, 9 is a view in vertlcal section taken along the line r
9 ~ 9 of Fig, 8;
Fig, 10 i8 a view in vertica:L section taken along the line '~
10.- 10 of Fig, 8;
Fig, 11 located on the same sheet as Fig, 3, is an enlarged
view in horizontal section taken along the line 11 - 11 of Fig, 7; and
Fig, 12 located on the same sheet as Fig, 1, is a partly
10 schematic view o~ a pallet and the manner in which it is positioned on the
vehicle bed,
Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a tran3porting ;' 1-
system comprising a vehicle 20, which vehicle includes a cab 21 and a trailer
22, The trailer 22 is of basically standard construction and has a pair of ,`
longitudinally extending main beams 23, spaced by crossbeams 24, Two spacer
- beams 25 are respectively carried by the main beams 23, Springs 26 carry `:
an axle 27, on which are mounted the wheels 28, The vehicle 20 includes a
load-supporting bed 30 made up of a pair of longitudinally extending side ¦
beams 31 and a longitudinally extending center beam 32 which is substantially ¦
20 cylindrical in lateral cross section, Each side beam 31 has a load-supportingupper surface 31a, The bed 30 also includes five laterally extending cross- ~ ~¦
beams 33 and four laterally extending crossbeams 34, only one of which is
shown in Fig.r2, The crossbeams 33 are equidistantly spaced apart, and one
crossbeam 34 ls arranged centrally between two adjacent crossbeams 33, In
the embodiment shown, each crossbeam 34 is substantially narrower than each
crossbeam 33, The crossbeams 33 respectively have load-supporting upper
surfaces 33a which are ~ubstantially coplanar at a first level. The top of
: the cylindrical surface of the center beam 32 substantially lies in the plane
- defined by the load-supporting surfaces 33a, The upper surfaces 34a of the
30 crossbeams 34 are also coplanar, but are at a second level below the level
of the surfaces 33a, for reasons to be explained hereinafter, The upper
surfaces 3~a of the crossbeams 34 are substantially coplanar with the ~ur-
faces 31a of the side beams 31,
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~06S68
- In one form of the invention whlch was constructed, each of
the side beams 31 had a transverse cross section of 2 inches x 6 inches,
the center beam 32 had a diameter of2~ inches, each of the crossbeams 33
- had transverse dimensions of5 inches x 7 inches, and each of the cross-
beams 34 had transverse dimensions of 2 inches x 3 inches.
On each end of each crossbeam 33 is a divider 40 supported
by a base 41, as is best seen in Fig. 6. Each divider 40 is very short
compared to the width of the bed 30. The divider 40 includes a pair of
spaced-apart, substantially parallel side walls 42, a top wall 43, and a
bottom wall 44. In each side wall 42 there is provided a keeper 45 which,
in the form illustrated, is simply a hole. The keeper 45 is near the outer ~ ~;
end of each of the side walls 42 and closer to the top wall 43 than the
bottom wall 44. At the forward end of the base 41 is a pair of oppositely
- directed abutments 46 extending parallel to the lGngitudinal axis of the
! vehicle 20. The dividers 40 divide the bed 30 into a plurality of eight bays
47 arranged in two columns. Each bay 47 is rectangular in outline and in
the embodiment shown is essentially square in outline. Each bay 47 is~
defined approximately by adjacent dividers 40, associated abutments 46,
- and the center llne of the center beam 32.
The transporting system further comprises a plurality of rec-
tangular pallets 50 corresponding in number to the number of bays 47, in
the example illustrated, eight. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, each pallet
50 includes a platform 51 having an inner end to be disposed toward the `
center beam 32, and an outer end to be disposed toward a side beam 31. The
platform 51 has an upper plate 52 with a lower surface which defines a
bearing surface 52a, and with an upper surface which defines an article-
- supporting surface 52b on which articles such as the tanks 26 are disposed.
Each platform 51 includes an inner slat 53, an outer slat 549 and two slats
55 between the slats 53 and 54. The slats 53, 54 and 55 are equidistantly ;~
spaced and extend longitudinally with respect to the direction nf the platform
51. The slats 55 are slightly narrower than the slats 53 and 54.
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065680
Five equidistantly spaced struts 56 ext~ld laterally with respect
to the direction of the platform 51 and are welded to the slats 53, 54 and
55 and to the plate 52. The outer edge of the slat 54 i5 substantially
coplanar with the outer edge of the plate 52 , the outer ends of the struts
56 being substantially coplanar with the outer side of the slat 54. Also,
there is provided a laterally extending strut 56 adjacent the inner end
of the platform 51 which strut 56 is perpendicular to the plate 52 and
to the inner slat 53. As is best seen in Fig. 12, the inner end of the
plate 52 and the lnner end of the inner slat 53 are substantially coplanar.
The slats 53 and 55 are substantially the same length and are offset in-
... .
wardly with respect to the sides of the plate 52. Two side walls 58 arewelded to the slats 53, 54, and 55 and to the plate 52, and converge down-
wardly, that is, away from the article-supporting surface 52b. The outer
slat 54 is offset outwardly with respect to the sides of the plate 52 as
is seen in Fig. 5. The pallets 50 are light weight, yet strong, by virtue
of the construction described. A rather thin, sheet metal plate of, for
example, three-sixteenths inches can be employed without sacrificlng strength. `~
It should be noted that in the preferred form illustrated, all of the elements
of the pallet 50 are welded together.
~ach pallet 50 also includes a fence 60 mounted at the outer
end of the platform 51. The fence 60 has two posts 61 which are outwardly
facing channels and rest respectively on the end portions of the outer slat
54 to which they are welded. The posts 61 are also welded to the sides of
the top plate 52. Referring to Fig. 11, a guide surface 62 i5 formed on the
inner flange of each post 61. The guide surfaces 62 of the post 61 converge
toward the inner end of the platform 51.
The fence 60 also includes three parallel cross members 63
: and a fourth cross ~ember 64 welded to the posts 61 and substantially equi-
distantly spaced. The cross member 64 is the lowermost, and includes a web
65 and flanges 66. The cross member 64 rests on the outer end of the top
plate 52 and may be welded thereto. A chain may be secured to the fence
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60 near the top thereof, which chain 67 is used to hold the tanks 29 in
place. The chain 67 is provided with the usual tightening mechanism 68
to ensure that the tanks 26 are bound tightly against the fence 60.
- Turning now to Figs. 4 ana 5, the manner in which the pallets
50 seat in the bays 47 will be described. As previously explained, the
underside of the plate 52, around the periphery thereof, defines a bearing
surface 52a. The bearing surface 52a, in the region of the inner end of
the pallet 50, rests on the center beam 32 (see also Fig. 12). The bearing
surface 52a, in the region of the sides of the pallet 50, rests on the
load-supporting surfaces 33a of the crossbeams 33. The undersldes of the
slats 53, 54, and 55 respectively define bearing surfaces (the bearing sur-
faces 54a and 55a are shown in Fig. 5), the center regions of such bearing ;
surfaces resting on the load-supporting surface 34a of the crossbeam 34.
Also, the underside of the slat 54 defines a bearing surface 54a which rests
on the load-supporting surface 31a of the side beam 31. Thus, the pallet 50
is supported by the bed 30 at two levels. The first level is defined by
the load-supporting surfaces 33a and the corresponding portion of the sur-
-face of the center beam 32. The second level is defined by the surfaces
31a and 34a. The distance between these two levels is substantially equal
to the distance between the plane defined by the bearing surface 52a and
the plane defined by the bearing surfaces 53a, 54a and 55a.
Each pallet 50 is arranged in lts associated bay 47 in a
similar fashion and is also supported at dual levels, thereby giving rise
to a highly reliable and structurally sound system.
- As is best seen in Fig. 2, the eight pallets 50 arranged on
the bed 30 define substantially the entire floor for the vehicle upon which
- one may walk and upon which the tanks 29 may be disposed. In the embodiment
illustrated there is only a very slight space, preferably less than an inch
between laterally adjacent pallets 50 and no more than 6 inches between
longitudinally adjacent pallets 50. If desired, a strip may be provided
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1~6~68()
in each such space. In the embodiment illustrated, a distance of 5
inches separate longitudinally adjacent ~allets 50. However, by suitable
cutouts in the top plate 52 and/or other modifications, that distance
could be reduced substantially. The open frame construction of the bed
30 and the use of pallets 50 to define substantially the entire floor of
the bed is desirable, first, because it reduces the weight of the bed 30
and thereby renders it less expensive. Also, less snow can collect on the
bed 30 when it is not loaded with pallets S0. Moreover, the pallets 50
can be larger since no fixed portion of the bed 30 is devoted to aisles.
Further contributing to the reduced weight of the bed 30, yet high strength
thereof, is the hollow, box-like construction of the beams 31, 33 and 34
and the hollow tube construction of the center beam 32. To prevent cor-
rosion, these beams may be coated on their interior by a suitable oil.
Located in the channel defined by the cross member 64, at
each end thereof, is a latching mechanism 70 (see Fig. 7 specifically).
The latching mechanism 70 includes a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart
bushings 71 and 72 welded to the web 65 of the cross member 64. Recipro-
cally carried by the bushings 71 and 72 is a bolt 73 having an outer end
74 which is rounded as shown. The bolt 73 is movable between a latching
condition, illustrated in Fig. 7 , and an unlatching condition when it is
retracted as shown in Fig. 8. A sleeve 75 is fixedly mounted on the bolt
73 near the end 74 of the bolt 73. A spring 76 in compression is carried
by the bolt 73 between the bushing 71 and the sleeve 75, thereby urging
the bolt 73 outwardly to its latching condition.
There is also provided an actuator 80 associated with each
of the latching mechanisms 70, the actuator 80 including a pair of spaced- ~-
apart rails 81 arranged at an incline, so that the gideway defined by the
rails 81 is also inclined. A carriage plate Z2 has a thickness approxi-
mating the thickness of the rails 81. The plate 82 has a width slightly
less than the distance between the rails 81 and is slidably disposed there-
between. A strip 83 is welded to the inner surface of the carriage plate
82 and nas a length so as to protrude outwardly from the sides thereof.
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` ~65~81~
The uppermost corner 84 of the strip 83 defines a shoulder
which is capable of abuting against the upper flange 66 of the cross mem-
ber 64. The lowermost corner 85 of the strip 83 also defines a shoulder
which is adapted to abut against the lower flan~e 66 of the cross member
64. Thus, the corners 84 and 85 limit movement of the carriage plate 8~.
~ Welded to the lower end of the carriage plate 82 is a diverter 86 which is
- an elongated member being V-shaped in transverse cross section. The lower
surface 87 of the diverter 86 constitutes a divertin~ surface to guide the
fork 88 of the lift truck to a position beneath the carriage plate 82. The
outer surface of the carriage plate 82 in the upper region thereof may
have warning indicia 89 which may take the form of a red paint, for example.
Such indicia apprise the operator of the condition of the latching mechanism
70, as will be described.
There is also provided a link 90 which, in the embodiment
being described, takes the form of a substantially rectangular plate having
welded to opposite sides thereof a pair of depending pins 91. One of the
pins 91 is rotatably received in a hole in the inner end of the bolt 73, and
the other of the pins 91 is rotatably received in a hole in the strip 83
- adjacent to the corner 84 thereof. The outer ends of the pins 91 may be
peened to provide a permanent connection.
Turning now specifically to Fig. 7, the manner of operation
of each latching mechanism 70 will be described. The bolt 73 is illustrated
as being in a latching condition, that is, the end 74 protrudes outwardly
and through the keeper 45 in one side wall 42 of the adjacent divider 40.
The action of the spring 76 urges the sleeve 75 outwardly with respect to
the bushing 71, thereby biasing such bolt 73 to such latching condition.
T~e engagement of the shoulder defined by the corner 85 of the strip 83 with
the lower flange 66 limits the outward movement of the bolt 73. The latch-
ing mechanism 70 on the right-hand side of the pallet 50 illustrated in
; 30 Fig. 7 is similarly in its latching condition.
The spacing between adjacent struts 56 of a pallet 50 is sub-
- stantially greater than the width of the fork 88 of a lift truck, and also
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the two diverters 86 of a pallet 50 are respectively spaced apart a
distance corresponding to the usual dis~ance between a pair of forks on
a lift truck~ Accordingly, a lift truck 20 may approach the pallet 50
and insert its forks 88 into the space between adjacent pairs of struts
56 as illustrated. After the operator aligns the forks 88 with the space
between the bottom of the diverter 86 and the slats 53 - 55, he drives
forwardly and then causes the forks 88 to be raised. If he strikes the
diverting surface 87 of the diverter 86, the forks 88 will be guided to
a position beneath the diverter 86, as illustrated in Fig. 9, andlor the
diverter 86 will be raised to accomodate the insertion of the forks 88.
The distance between adjacent struts 56 is selected to insure that as long
- as the operator aligns his forks 88 therebetween, they will be in position
to engage a substantial portion of the diverter 86, and he need not bac~
up to align the forks 88 more nearly in the middle of adjacent struts 56.
Thus, it can be seen that the distance between adjacent struts 56 and the
use of the diverter 86 facilitates placement of the forks 88 in position
with a minimum amount of effort and time expended by the operator. Also
noteworthy is the fact that the forks 88 need not enter straight - they
can enter at an angle with respect to the hori~ontal or the vertical.
Once the forks 88 are in the position illustrated in Fig. 7, the latching
mechanism 70 may be unlatched.
Turning now to Fig. 8, the details as to the manner in which
each latching mechanism 70 is unlatched will be explained. The ~perator
causes the forks 88 to be raised, thereby causing the carriage plate 82
to move upwardly and toward the right (the left-hand mechanism moves to
the left) in accordance with the guide-way of the rails 81. Such upward
motion is limited by virtue of the corner 84 engaging the upper flange 66
- of the cross member 63. The link 90 is thus caused to rotate counterclock-
wise, a~ illustrated in Fig. 8, to retract the bolt 73 along the bushings
71 and 72. This action is performed against the biasing furnished by
the spring 76. The bolt 73 is, therefore, placed in its unlatching con-
dition, that is, it is withdrawn from the keeper 45 in the divider 40.
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106S6~30
The other fork 88 of the lift truck will perform in a substantlally iden-
tical fashion in respect to the latching mechanism on the other side of
the pallet 50. The pallet 50 may then be taken off of the bed 30 and trans- -
ported by the lift truck to its intended destination. It is to be under-
stood, however, that the above-described unlatching procedure can be per-
formed in one fluid motion, that is, the operator is able to insert the
forks 88 of his lift truck readily as previously explained, whereupon he
causes the forks~88 to be raised, causing the latching mechanisms 70 to be-
come unlatched, whereupon the forks 88 are free to raise the pallets 50.
It should be appreciated that the unlatching procedure is completely auto-
matic. The forklift truck operator need only cause insertion of the forks
88 of his lift truck into appropriate spaces in the pallet 50 and then cause
the forks 88 to be raised in the usual way. The latching mechanisms 70 are
automatically unlocked with no further steps required of the operator.
In loading a pallet 50 onto the bed 30 of the vehicle 20, the
lift truck approaches the pallet 50 so that its forks 88 are aligned with
the appropriate spaces between adjacent struts 56. The forks 88 are then
caused to be inserted, which is accomplished readily and rapidly in accord-
ance with the previous description on this point. The operator causes the
forks 88 to raise in preparation for transporting the pallet 50 to the
;- vehicle bed 30. Again, as previously described, the simple elevation of
the forks 88 causes both latching mechanisms 70 automatically to unlock
-- without any further actions required of the operator. The operator then
drives the lift truck to the vehicle 20 to place it on the bed 30 thereof.
- Referring to Fig. 12, a preferred procedure of loading the pallet
50 will now be described. The operator chooses a bay 47 in which to deposit the
pallet 50 and then roughly aligns the pallet 50 horizontally. The operator
then causes the mast of the lift truck to tilt forwardly, thereby placing
the pallet 50 at an acute angle with respect to the vehicle bed 30. The
lift truck then moves forwardly until the inner end of the plate 52 rests
on the center beam 32. Such forward motion is limited by virtue of the
inner ends of the struts 57 and the side walls 58 engaging the side of the
-
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65680
- center beam 32. Then, the forks 88 are caused to be lowered until the pal-
- let 50 rests on the bed 30.
When the pallet S0 is delivered into the selected bay 47 at
such acute angle, the leading element is the inner slat 53. The length of
that slat is substantially less than the distance between the cross beams
33. For example, the length of the slat 53 may be about 41 inches and the
distance between the beams 33, 46 inches, thus allowing a tolerance of about
5 inches. :If the operator is misaligned to the left, for example, by as
much as 5 inches in the example illustrated, the side wall 58 on the left
side of the pallet 50 will engage the beam 33 which because of the inclin-
ation of such side wall, will guide the pallet 50 downwardly and to the
right as the pallet 50 is lowered by the lift truck, until the innermost end
of the plate 52 rests on the center beam 32, whereupon the pallet 50 may be
rotated as previously described in respect to Fig. 12 to seat the pallet 50,
in its bay 47. As the pallet 50 is being lowered the side wall 58 may con-
tinue to engage the left-hand beam 33. The portion of the left side wall
58 near the outer end of the pallet 50 may engage the left hand divider 40,
and thereby guide the pallet 50 more to the right and seat it in the position
illustrated. Of course, if the pallet 50 is misaligned to the right9 a
corresponding series of events will take place to move the pallet 50 to
the left by virtue of the engagement by the right-hand side wall 58 with
the adjacent beam 33 and the adjacent right-hand divider 40.
- It should be noted that the width of the pallet 50 in the
region of the leading end, that is, the slat 53, is substantially narrower
- than the width of the pallet 50 in the region of the trailing end, that is,
the length of the fence 60. As an example, the lending end defined by the
- slat 53 may be 41 inches in length and the width of the trailing end may be
- 50 inches in length or about 4~ inches wider on each side.
Thus, the operator of the lift truck needs to be moderately
careful in a]igning the pallet 50 in the chosen bay, since alignment of the
pallet 50 in the chosen bay 47 is substantially automatic.
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1065680
Because the forks 88 hold the latching mechanism 70 in their
unlatched condition, the pallet may then be finally dropped lnto place.
When the outer slat 54 is resting on the side beam 31, the operator causes
the forks 88 to be withdrawn, whereupon the biasing furnished by the springs
76 urge the bolts 73 outwardly and into the aligned keepers 45, thereby
latching the latching mechanisms 70 and securing the pallet 50 in place.
The motion of the bolt 73 is transmitted by the rsspective links 90 to the
- actuators 80, so that they are returned to the positions illustrated in
Fig. 7. The forks 88 are thereafter withdrawn, after the pallets 50 have
been locked into place until they are later removed as previously described.
It should be appreciated that the latching procedure is completely automatic.
The fork-lift truck operator need only cause withdrawal of the forks 88 of
the lift truck out of the pallet 50. The latching mechanisms 70 are auto-
matically locked with no further steps required of the operator.
As is best seen in Fig. 10, the bottom end of the posts 61 and
the outer slat 54 secured thereto are disposed inwardly of the abutment 46.
Accordingly, the abutment 46 serves as an additional stop to preclude move-
ment of the pallet outwardly even if the latching mechanism 70 should fail
to latch. In this regard, the warning indicia 89 at the top of each carriage
~ .
plate 82 is very apparent if the latching mechanism 70 is not latched. If the
operator, upon making a cursory examination, sees any of the warning indicia
89 protruding, he will realize that the associated latching mechanism 70 is
- unlatched and he can correct the problem.
Referring to Fig. 11, the pallet 50 may be loaded into the
chosen bay 47 by approaching it at a much smaller angle. The lift truck
moves forwardly to carry the pallet 50 toward the center beam 32. If the
pallet 50 were misaligned to the left, the guide surface 62 on the left-
handpost 61 would strike the outer end of a divider 40 which would shift
the pallet 50 to the right and thereby align the pallet 50. Alternatively,
if the pallet 50 were misaligned to the right, the guide surface 62 on the
right-hand post 61 would strike the adjacent divider 40 and shift the pallet
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50 to the left, thereby aligning the same. The pallet can then be pushed
rearwardly by the lift truck until the inner end of the plate 52 rests on
the center beam 32, whereupon the front of the pallet 50 can be lowered and
seated on the bed 30, all as previously described. Although, preferred
methods of loadlng the vehicle 20 have been described it is to be understood
that other methods can be employed.
While the above description xefers to pallets consisting of a
platform and a fence, it is to be understood that various other kinds of
article carriers may be employed. For example, a simple pallet with no
fence may be utilized in a particular environment. Also, the article car-
riers may be containers which have a base incorporating the features of the
present invention. The loader-unloader may be something other than a lift
truck; for example it could be a crane having suitable structure to perform
in accordance with the features of the present invention. Of course, the
! description of tanks with pressurized gas is merely exemplary--articles of
almost any type can be transported. Also, the locking structure is merely
an example of a variety of mechanisms which could be employed and still in-
corporate the feature of automatic operation. The beams 31, 32, 33, and 34
need not have a hollow box-like shape; for example, th2y could be extrusions.
The vehicle 20 may be provided with a deck at its rear end that -
can be raised and lowered. Such a deck would be used to remove fewer tanks
than are carried by a single pallet. For example, one customer may require
one or two or three tanks in which case it is more practical to loosen the
chain 67 and remove the requisite number of tanks, roll them onto the deck,
lower the deck, and roll the tanks to their destination.
The fact that the pallets 50 themselves create the floor for
the vehicle 20 is particularly important in this regard where the tanks
must be rolled on such floor. Because the plates 52 are relatively thin,
for example, three-sixteenths inches, the space between longitudinally ad-
jacent pallets 50 is not critical.
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It is believed that the invention, its mode of constructlon
and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from
the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest
that, while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and
described for illustrative purposes, structural details, are~ nevertheless,
capable of wide variation within the purview of the invention as described
in the appended claims.
This application is a divisional application of Application
Serial No. 247,097, filed March 4, 1976.
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