LOAD BEARING PALLET AND INTERLOCK

• US 3,824,933 A
• Filed: 09/14/1972
• Issued: 07/23/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Willard E. Lind
• Original Assignee: Willard E. Lind
• Inventors: Lind, Willard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilliam, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US05/288,913
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 108/51-58
• US Class Current: 108/56.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/58 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1312 Single flange to flange joints, the parts to be joined being rigid the parts to be joined being flexible B29C66/133
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7178 Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0012 forming a continuous plane contact surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0038 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00278 the load supporting surface and the base surface being identical
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00343 contact surface being substantially in the form of a panel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00407 on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00412 on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00567 mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/902 Made with deformable integral fastening elements

Abstract

A load bearing pallet including two identical mold formed halves each having a load bearing surface and a plurality of relatively spaced supporting pads with an interlocking feature provided thereon and comprising a projection on the supporting pad extending thereacross and with an overhanging lip formed on one side thereof immediately over a draft opening, and with an opening immediately behind the projection formed for interference snap-lock and press fitted engagement therethrough of a like projection on a pallet half disposed in complimentary relation thereover.

Claims

1. A load bearing pallet including two identical halves each having a load bearing surface and a plurality of relatively spaced members formed therewith inerlocking said halves together and relatively spacing said load bearing surfaces apart, said interlocking members comprising;

a depending form under said load bearing surface and including a bottom wall providing a supporting pad, a projection on said supporting pad extending relatively thereacross near one side thereof and having an overhanging lip provided on the outermost end of the outermost side thereof, an opening provided in said supporting pad next adjacent and relatively behind said projection near the other side thereof, and of a relatively like breadth and width thereto exclusive of said overhanging lip, and a rib rail formed on said bottom wall on the side edge of said opening opposite and in parallel spaced relation to said projection extending within said depending form, said lip and rib rail being formed for a yIelding interference fit with a corresponding rib rail and lip, respectively, on a like depending form received in complimentary relation and into pressed engagement therewith, said pallet halves being of molded plastic material and said supporting pads having a second opening formed therein immediately under said over hanging lip for mold form manufacturing ease and providing added elasticity in the interlocking use thereof, said first mentioned opening having the side edges therearound chamfered on the outer disposed side thereof and said projection being chamfered on the end thereof for complimentary alignment therebetween preceeding the pressed engagement of said projection therethrough, said lip and rib rail having a complimentary chamfer provided on the underside of said lip and on the extreme end wall of said rib rail for closer fitting interengagement therebetween.

2. The load bearing pallet of claim 1, said plastic material of said pallet halves and inclusive of said overhanging lip and rib rail being retained at a temperature of 80* to 110* for added pliability and lubricity condusive to the press fitted interengagement required therebetween.

3. A snap lock interference fitted connection for interlocking different plastic molded parts together, and comprising:

two identical halves each having a load bearing surface and a plurality of relatively spaced members formed therewith interlocking said halves together and relatively spacing said load bearing surfaces apart, said interlocking members comprising a depending form under each of said plastic molded parts and including a bottom wall providing a supporting pad, a projection on said supporting pad extending relatively thereacross near one side thereof and having an overhanging lip provided on the outermost end of the outermost side thereof, an opening provided in said supporting pad next adjacent and relatively behind said projection near the other side thereof, and of a relatively like breadth and width thereto exclusive of said overhanging lip, and a rib rail formed on said bottom wall on the side edge of said opening opposite and in parallel spaced relation to said projection extending within said depending form, said lip and rib rail being formed for a yielding interference fit with a corresponding rib rail and lip, respectively on a like depending form received in complimentary relation and into pressed engagement therewith, said supporting pads having a second opening formed therein immediately under said overhanging lip for mold form manufacturing ease and providing added elasticity in the interlocking use thereof, said first mentioned opening having the side edges therearound chamfered on the outer disposed side thereof and said projection being chamfered on the end thereof for complimentary alignment therebetween preceeding the pressed engagement of said projection therethrough, said lip and rib rail having a complimentary chamfer provided on the underside of said lip and on the extreme end wall of said rib rail for closer fitting interengagement therebetween.

4. The snap lock interference fitted connection of claim 3, said plastic material of said molded parts and inclusive of said overhanging lip and rib rail being retained at a temperature of 80* to 110* for added pliability and lubricity condusive to the press fitted interengagement required therebetween.