Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a nestable load
pallet or roller pallet comprising two opposed pallet sides, which
a~e connected to each other at one of their vertical edges, and
at least one pallet deck which is mounted between the said
sides and which can be rotated in a vertical plane substantially
parallel to the two pallet sides, whereby the pallet deck in its
fold down position acts as a load supporting plane bearing on
the pallet sides, whereas the pallet deck in its fold up position
takes a substantially vertical position adjacent the said one
edge ofthe pallet sides;
The present invention provides load pallets or a roller
pallets of the type which when being transported or stored etc.
in emptied state in part can be nested into each other so as to
occupy an optimum little floor area.
The invention also provides a load pallet or roller
pallet which is very flexible and can be used for many different
purposes either completely open between the two pallet sides or
wearing a gate on one or both said sides and formed as a closed
unit having a lid, one or several supporting planes and two,
three or four sides.
For modern material handling great demands are made on
a load pallet or roller pallet. In order to simplify the
handling and facilitate the work for the operating personnel
the pallet should take up little space, should be easy to bring
into its nestable state, should be simple and easy to raise the
deck to its vertical position and to bring the pallet sides to
a position in which they are folded out from each other, and
should be easy to make ready for being loaded and transported.
Load pallets are known in which the pallet deck can
be folded up to a substantially vertical position and in which
two opposed pallet sides can be folded out so that several
pallets can be partly nested into each other. Some of the said
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known load pallets are disadvantageous in that the pallet sides
have to be folded out by hand at the same time as the pallet
deck is folded up, what often requires two men. In order to
solve this problem it has been suggested that the pallet deck
is provided with a cam means which actuates the pallet sides when
folding the pallet deck upwards so that the pallet sides are
folded out at the same time as the pallet deck is folded up. The
pallet sides can be formed with stop means which prevent folding
outwards too far. When making the load pallet ready for loading
and transport the pallet sides in this embodiment however have
to be pulled together by hand at the same time as the pallet deck
is folded down, and this likewise often needs two men. A
further disadvantage in the known pallets is that the pallet
deck has to be secured in its folded up position by means of a
separate locking means in order to preventthe pallet deck from
falling down again especially since a non-intentional folding down
of the pallet deck can hurt the operating personnel. This
locking means involves a further undesirable work. Known load
pallets of thé above mentioned type are further formed so that
the pallet sides are connected to each other at one of their
vertical edges by means of an intermediate rear wall and the said
load pallets having at least three sides are not suited for
handling of goods which are longer than the pallet sides.
The present invention provides a load pallet or
roller pallet of the above mentioned type in which both the foldin~
out of the pallet sides when folding the pallet deck upwards
and the folding in of the pallet sides to their initial position
when folding the pallet deck down is automatic when actuating
the pallet deck, in which the pallet deck by a simple movement
of the hand and without the need of any separate means is locked
in its folded up position, in which the load pallet is formed
so that it can both be used in an open state having only two
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opposed pallet sides and formed with three sides or four sides
and having one or several pallet decks and formed with or
without top side or lid.
According to the present invention there is provided
a nestable load pallet or roller pallet comprising two opposed
pa~let sides which are connected to each other at one of their
vertical edges, and at least one pallet deck which is mounted
between the said pallet sides and which can be rotated in a
vertical plane about an axis extending between the two pallet
sides, whereby the pallet deck in a first fold down position forms
a load supporting plane engaging parts of the pallet sides and
in a second fold up position the pallet deck takes a substantially
vertical position adjacent the said one edge of the pallet sides
the pallet sides being ro atably mountéd in a vertical plane
in relation to the pallet deck and the pallet sides and the pallet
deck being formed with co-operating means for automatically and
positively forcing the pallet sides out a predetermined distance
when folding the pallet deck up and automatically and positively
forcing the pallet sides in to their initial positions when
20 folding the pallet deck down. The present invention will
be further illustrated by way of the accompanying drawings in
which,
Fig. 1 is an embodiment of a roller pallet in
accordance with the invention and
Fig. 2 is a cross-section along the line II-II of
Figure 1.
Fig. 3 shows the pallet according to Figures 1 and 2
seen from above and in position for handling of material and
Fig. 4 shows three roller pallets in collapsed state
and partly nested into each other.
Fig. 5 shows the structural composition of the main
parts of a roller pallet according to the invention.
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Fig. 6 fragmentary shows a part of the invention and
Fig. 7 is a cross-section along line VII-VII of
Figure 6.
- The roller pallet shown in Figures 1 through 7 generally ~-
comprises the following main parts: Two pallet sides 1 and 2,
a connection bar 3 for the two pallet sides and a pallet deck 4.
The pallet sides 1 and 2 are mirror symmetrical and
they both comprise an inverse U-formed frame 5 which at the lower
part thereof is closed by a horizontal bar 6 and which in the
conventional way can be formed as a lattice 7. At one edge
called the inner edge the pallet sides 1 and 2 are rotatably
connected to the connection bar 3 and the inner branch 8 of
the U-formed frame 5 is for this purpose cut some distance from
the lower edge of the side and the said cut part of the frame is
extended by a hinge pin 9 having a diameter which is less than the
diameter of the frame tubes. The hinge pin 9 is at the lower end
mounted in a connection ring 10. At the outer lower edge each
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~` pallet side carries a caster roller lla which is rotatable about
a vertical pin. The caster roller lla is mounted on an inwardly ~ ;
directed support plate 12 which is fixedly mounted on the pallet
side and which forms a supporting plate for the pallet deck 4
in the folded down position thereof. The support plate 12 has a
through bore 13 adapted to co-operate with a downwards directed
pin 14 in the pallet deck 4.
The connection bar 3 consists of a central solid bar
15 carrying at the outer end two vertically mountedhinge tubes 16
the vertical length of which corresponds to the distance between
the connection ring 10 of the pallet side and the cut lower edge
. of the inner branch 8 of the U-frame 5. The bore of the hinge
tube 16 corresponds to the diameter of the hinge pin 9 and in
mounted condition the branch 8, the hinge pin 9, the connection
ring 10 and the hinge tube 16 provides a hinge joint by which the
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pallet side is both supported and rotatable in relation to the
connection bar 3. Adjacent the ends the connection bar 3
carries rollers llb which are preferably fixed mounted. Some
distance from each end the central bar 15 has horizontally
extending eyelets 17 adapted to provide a pivot connection for
the pallet deck in relation to the connection bar 3 together
with eyeIets 18 of the pallet deck 4.
The pallet deck 4 is made of two longitudinal bars 19
to which cross boards 20 or similar are screwed. At the inner
end of the pallet deck the above mentioned eyelets 18 are
mounted and at the outer end each bar 19 carries the above
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mentioned pin 14 for co-operation with the bore 13 in the support
plate 12 of the pallet side.
It is appreciated that the central part of the above
described roller pallet is formed by the connection bar 3 and the
two pallet sides 1 and 2 are rotatably mounted on said bar.
By providing the bar 15 and the hinge tubes 16 i~tegral it is
possible to make the connection bar as a complete relatively low,
and the bar 15 is preferably formed with such dimensions that
the upper side thereof is on the same level as the upper side of
the pallet deck. Since the connection bar 3 in the above mentioned
way carries the two pallet sides 1 and 2 the roller pallet can
preferably be used with two open sides so as to be suited for
handling of pieces of goods which are longer than the pallet side
but it can also if needed be equipped with one or more pallet
gates connecting the free ends of the apllet sides 1 and 2, or it
can be equipped with a lid mounted between the upper edges of the
pallet sides 1 and 2.
In order to facilitate the handling the load pallet
or roller pallet is according to the inyention provided with
means for automatically and positively forcing the pallet sides
- outwardly when the pallet deck is lifted and to automatically and
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positively force the pallet sides back again when the pallet deck
is folded down and to secure the pallet deck in its folded up
position in order to prevent the pallet deck from unintentionally
dropping down. The means comprises a guiding means for each
pallet side mounted on the pallet deck and a guided means mounted
on the pallet sides, and the said guiding means is formed as a
portion of a screw spiral the center of which coincldes with the
pivot axis for the pallet deck. The guiding and the guided means
can be formed in several different ways but in the illustrated
- 10 embodiment the guiding means is formed as a guide hook 21 which
is mountedin the longitudinal bar 19 of the pallet deck and extends
outwardly therefrom. Some distance from the outer edge the said
guide hook is formed with a guide slot 22 opening towards the
connection bar. For co-operation with the guide hook 21 a screw
path in the form of a bevelled or spiral formed plate 23 is mounted
in the corner which is formed between the inner branch 8 of the
pallet side and the horizontal bar 6. As mentioned above the
center of the said spiral or screw path coincides with the pivot
axis for the pallet deck 4 at the connection bar 3. The radius
of the screw path also corresponds with the distance between the
pivot axis of the pallet deck and the inner edge of the guide
slot 22.
The pallet deck 4 is rotatable at the connection bar
3 in that the two eyelets 17 and 18 are formed with bores and the
pivot shaft is formed by a rivet 24, a bolt or similar. To
secure a pallet deck in its folded up position thebore 25 of the
eyelet 18 of thepallet deck is oval in the plane of the pallet
deck so that the edge of the bore 25 facing the connection
bar 3 forms a pivot edge for the pallet deck. At the upper edge
the guide plate 23 is formed with a slot 26 of substantially the
same width as the gauge of the guide hook 21, and when the pallet
deck is in its folded up position it can be lowered so that the
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guide hook 21 with the slot 22 engages the slot 26 of the guide
plate 23. The lowering of the pallet deck ls possible since
the bore 25 of the eyelet 18 is oval, and in the lowered position
the pallet deck is locked against rotating movement in any
direction.
Depending on the inclination of the guide curve
of the guide plate 23 the pallet sides can be folded out
differently far and by changing the form or direction of the guide
curve special movements can be given to the pallet sides for
different purposes.
It is essential for the invention that the pallet
sides are automatically and positively guided in their movements
both in the direction outwardly and inwardly since thereby the
pallet can be handled only by actuation of the pallet deck, that
is, in one direction only by folding the pallet deck up, whereby
thepallet deck at the end of the said movement automatically
sinks down and provides the above described locking action and
in the opposite direction by slightly lifting the pallet deck
up whereupon the pallet deck by the gravity is caused to fall
down thereby taking a transport position and in the first
mentioned case the sides are automatically fold out to nestable
or "compressing" position and in the latter case the pallet
sides are automatically fold in to a load position. Since the
pallet sides thus automatically are foled in to the load position
and since the guide pins 14 o the pallet deck 4 in this position
engage the guide bores 13 in the support plates 12 of the pallet
sides the pallet can be caused to take its load position in the
simpliest possible way, if needed even by having the pallet deck
4 drop down by itself.
In order to provide a safe guide of the guide pins 14
the support plates 12 may be formed with guide tubes at the
underside thereof.
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Preferably the pln 14 is chamfered at the outer edge
and the bore 13 of the support plate 12 is correspondingly
chamfered so that the pin 14 is guided when entering the said
bore 13. Preferably the inner diameter of the guide tube is
slightly larger than that diameter of the pin 14 and the guide
tube can be tilted in one direction, viz. in a direction
perpendicular to the pallet sides 1 and 2, so that the two
guide tubes are directed obliquely down towards each other.
Thereby the guide pins 14 will at least partly slide along the
outer edges of the guide tubes during their movement downwards
whereas they provide a stiff connection in their fully fold
down position between the pallet deck and the pallet side.
The above described two sided roller pallet can in
addition to the pallet deck 4 be provided with two further
supporting planes which are preferably hinge connected to the
; pallet sides 1 and 2, and when transforming the pallet to its
nestable or compressed position a lower one of the support planes
is fold up along the pallet side 1 and an upper support plane
is fold down along the pallet side 2 so as to not to prevent
a second pallet to be introduced between the sides 1 and 2.
A pallet according to the invention may also have
a rear wall 29 and it may upon need also be provided with a
gate whereby the rear wall and the gate are in a way known per
se mounted on the pallet sides 1 and 2. The rear wall 29 when
nesting the pallet, can be left mounted between the pallet sides
whereas the gate is rotated outwards or inwards to contact one of
the pallet sides.
In Figure 4 is illustrated how the roller pallet
according to Figure 2 can be made nestable or compressed. For
this purpose the pallet deck 4 is foled up as previously mentioned,
; whereby the pallet sides 1 and 2 are folded out. Into the
roller pallet thus made nestable a further roller pallet can be
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introduced as illustrated in Figure 4.
In order to make it possible to partly introduce
~oller pallets into each other as illustrated in Figure 4 t,he
horiæontal bars 6 of the sides 1 and 2 has to extend on a higher
level than the support plates 12, and in Figure 5 is illustrated
an embodiment for providing different levels of the horizontal
bar 6 and the guide plate 12. The bar 6 is angularly bent down
adjacent the outer edge of the pallet side. There may alterna-
tively be a spacer between the guide plate 12 and the horizontal
bar 6.
The hinge joint between the connection bar 3 and the
pallet sides 1 and 2 is best illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.
In the Figures the horizontal bar 6 and the guide plate 23 are
welded t,o a connection means in the form of a U-bracket having
two branches lOa and lOb and an intermediate web portion lOc,
whereby the branches lOa and lOb are formed with bores for the ,
hinge pin 9. The connection bar 3 is formed with a hinge tube
16 provided between the branches lOa and lOb and hinge connected
thereto by means of the hinge pin 9.
It is to be understood that the embodiments of the
invention described above and illustrated in the drawings are
only illustrating examples and that all kinds of modifications
may be effecte'd. Especially it is obvious how the above
described guide means for olding the pallet side out and in can
be modified for instance by mounting a screw shaft in the pallet
deck and that the pallet sides are formed with a corresponding
" nut having large inclination, or that the screw curve is provided '
on the pallet deck rather than on the pallet sides whereas the
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; corresponding means of the pallet sides are formed as a guide , ,
~'` 30 extending parallelly with the pallet side. Considering the
.,. successively increased torque when folding the pallet deck
' upwards it is also obvious to the expert that the screw curve
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can be formed with a large inclination in the area opposed the
pivot point and thereafter a successively decreased inclination
or in any other suitable way.
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