GB2175878A - Pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

Barrels (31) are stacked using a pallet (30) which is fitted between adjacent layers of barrels (31). The pallet (30) has a plurality of barrel receiving parts, each with a step formed by three faces (35,36,37). One face (35) is generally horizontal and fits between adjacent rim flanges of barrels (31) in adjacent layers, whilst the other two faces (36,37) extend in opposite directions outwardly of the plane of the face of the one face (35). Thus a face (36) fits within the rim flange of the barrels of the lower layer and a face (37) fits around the rim flanges of the barrels of the upper layer, preventing sideways movement of barrels in the stack. Reinforced channels 32 may be provided at the sides of the pallet (30) to enable the pallet (30), and thence the barrels (31) on it, to be lifted using a forklift truck. The pallet may be formed with a double step and be able to receive barrels of different sizes. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pallet The present invention relates to pallets for stacking barrels, such as beer barrels.

The current way of stacking barrels involves the use of wooden saddles which fit over the barrels, and sheets of plywood between layers of barrels. Alternatively, the barrels may be stacked vertically for transportation with sheets of e.g. plywood between the layers.

Stacking using saddles is expensive because of the cost of the saddles, whilst the more simple method merely using sheets of plywood does not hold the barrels firmly in position, and so there is a risk of the barrels falling over, and the stack collapsing.

Therefore, according to the present invention there is provided a pallet which is capable of being positioned between adjacent layers of vertically stacked barrels, having barrel receiving parts which receive the adjacent rim flanges of the barrels in adjacent layers. Each barrel receiving part has a step with a face which fits within the rim flange of a barrel of one layer and another face which fits around the rim flange of another layer. Thus, a first layer of barrels is positioned and the pallet fitted over them, being held in position by one of the faces of a respective step in the pallet.

Then, the second layer is placed on the pallet, being held in place by the other face of the respective step, such that each barrel of the upper layer is stacked directly above a barrel of the lower layer, to ensure that the weight of the upper layer is firmly supported. It may be possible to stack several layers in this way.

Preferably, the pallets are capable of being nested when not in use to conserve space during transportation.

In order to enable the pallets to be lifted using a forklift truck, elongate channels may be provided at or adjacent the opposite sides of the pallet. If the pallet is to be lifted in this way when carrying barrels, it is desirable that the channels are reinforced e.g. with metal for a pallet which is otherwise of plastics material. Additional reinforcements may also be necessary extending perpendicularly to the channels across the pallet.

It is sometimes desirable that a set of pallets be capable of accommodating different sizes of barrels. The faces of the barrel receiving parts are then designed so that one group of faces can accommodate the rim flanges of one size of barrel, whilst another group of faces accommodate the rim flanges of another size. It is convenient if the groups have a common face.

A pallet of slightly different configuration may be provided to go below the bottom layer of barrels, to ensure that they are correctly positioned before the pallet above them is put into place. This bottom pallet needs projections which fit around the rims of the barrels, but here steps are not used because the weight of the barrels should press directly onto the surface on which the bottom pallet rests.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a pallet according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view through that pallet along the line A-A; Fig. 3 shows a bottom pallet for use with barrels stacked using the pallet of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section along the line B-B in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 shows a plan view of part of an array of barrels mounted on a pallet according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 shows a sectional view along the line C-C in Fig. 5, with an additional pallet above; and Fig. 7 shows a sectional view along the line D-D in Fig. 5.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, a pallet 1 has a plurality of barrel receiving parts 2. The configuration of the barrel receiving parts 2 is chosen primarily by space-saving considerations, but of course any configuration is possible. Each barrel receiving part has a first step 3, as shown on the left-hand side of Fig.

2 the vertical face 4 of which fixes within the rim of the flange 5 of a barrel of a first size (e.g. a 22 gallon barrel) when the pallet 1 overlies the barrel. The rim of the flange 6 of a barrel of similar size then may be positioned to rest on the horizontal face 7 of the step 3, so that the weight of the upper barrel is supported via its flange 6 on the top of the flange 5 of the lower barrel. Thus there is no stress on the step 3.

The barrel receiving part 2 also has a second step 8 lying concentrically outside the first step 3. As shown in detail on the righthand side of Fig. 2, the rim of a flange 9 of a barrel of a second size (e.g. a 36 gallon barrel) may be fitted so that the pallet 1 overlies the barrel with vertical face 10 of the step 8 fits within that rim. The flange of another barrel may then be positioned on the horizontal surface 12 of the step 8, so that again the weight of the upper barrel is supported on the lower barrel. Thus the pallet 1 is capable of supporting barrels of two different sizes. The fact that the vertical faces 4 and 10 of the steps 3 and 8 fit within the flanges 5 and 9 of the barrels below the pallet 1 means that the barrels below the pallet cannot slide sideways, and so the stability of the stack is maintained.

There is a further step 13 in each barrel receiving part 2, the vertical face 14 of which lies outside the flange 11 of a barrel of the second size and this, or vertical face 10 of the step 8 in the case of a barrel of the first size, prevents lateral movement of the barrels above the pallet, which could cause the stack to collapse.

Note also that the undersurface of the pallet 1 has a recess 15 at the centre of each barrel receiving part 2; this may receive, for example, a projecting part of the barrel.

It is desirable for there to be a bottom pallet which locates the barrels so that the pallet 1 can be fitted in position easily, but the configuration of this bottom pallet is slightly different because the weight of the barrels must rest directly on the surface below the pallet.

Figs. 3 and 4 show this bottom pallet 20 which is suitable for use with the upper pallet 1. The bottom pallet 20 again has a plurality of barrel receiving parts 21 which correspond in position to the positions of the barrel receiving parts 2 on the pallet 1. However, each barrel receiving part consists of an inner circular projection 22 and an outer circular projection 23 (the breaks in the outer circular projections are merely because otherwise they would intersect with the edge of the pallet 20). A barrel of the smaller size fits so that its bottom flange 24 fits outside the inner projection 22, as shown on the left-hand side of Fig. 2. The projection 22 therefore prevents the barrel sliding sideways, and so maintains the stability of the stack. Similarly, a flange 25 of a barrel of the larger size fits within the outer projection 23, as shown on the right-hand side of Fig. 4.Thus, the two sizes of barrels are firmly positioned and, since the surface 26 below their rims rests directly on the ground, along the load carrying surface of a lorry, and so that the stack is firmly supported at its base.

The above description has described the stacking of two different sizes of barrels.

However, since such barrels are not only of different diameters but of different heights, it is only possible to stack one size of barrel at a time.

The pallets 1 and 20 are preferably formed by vacuum forming using 4 mm high density polyethylene, which provides the necessary rigidity whilst being light enough for easy use.

The bottom pallet 20 is preferably coded so that it can be identified easily amongst a number of other pallets. The pallets can be produced relatively cheaply, so providing a more inexpensive stacking system than the known methods.

The diameters of the steps and projections in the pallets may be selected to conform to any given barrel diameter.

A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 7. One disadvantage of the pallets of Figs. 1 to 4 is that they are difficult to lift. Transport of barrels is usually done by a forklift truck, but with the pallet design of Figs. 1 to 4, it is difficult to get the forks in position below the pallet. Therefore, in the second embodiment, channels are provided at or adjacent the sides of the pallet for receiving the forks. Referring first to Fig. 5, a pallet 30 has four barrel receiving parts for receiving barrels 31 in a regular array. At or adjacent each side of the pallet 30 are channels 32 which extend along the sides to enable the forks of a forklift truck to be inserted within the channels 32 to enable the pallet to be lifted, and hence lift the array of barrels.As will be described later in more detail, the channels 32 are reinforced to strengthen the pallet which may otherwise be of plastics material. Additional reinforcements 33,34 may also be provided extending generally perpendicularly to the channels 32 transversely of the pallet 30.

Fig. 6 shows the shape of the pallet 30 in more detail. Each barrel receiving part has a generally horizontal face 35 which fits between the rim flanges of barrels in adjacent layers. On each side of the face 35 are faces 36 and 37 extending in generally opposite directions from the face 35. When the pallet 30 is lowered onto a layer of barrels, the faces 36 fit within the rim flanges of the layer of barrels on which the pallet rests. Then, another layer of barrels may be stacked on top of the pallet with the rim flanges of those barrels resting on the faces 35 (so that the weight of the barrels is transmitted through that face to the rim flange of the layer of barrels below) with the face 37 extending around the rim flanges of the upper layer. In this way the faces 36 and 37 prevent the barrels moving sideways on the pallet 30, thereby resisting collapse of the stack.

The pallet 30 may also have a recess 38 in its under-surface to receive a projecting part of the barrel. This is similar to the recess 15 in the pallet 1 of the first embodiment.

As can be seen in Fig. 6, the channels 32 of each pallet are generally U-shaped with the mouth of the U being narrower than the base and the sides inclined at e.g. 45" to the plane of the pallet. It has been found that this shape gives improved strength. The pallet is reinforced by metal (preferably steel) reinforcements at the channels 32. It can be seen from Fig. 6 that the pallets of this second embodiment permit the forks of a forklift truck to be inserted in the channels 32 of any pallet in the stack, to lift that pallet from the stack, and hence lift the barrels above it.

It can also be seen in Fig. 6 that the bottom pallet 39 of the stack is of slightly different configuration. Its barrel receiving parts only receive one layer of barrels, above the pallet, and therefore it has projections 40 which fit around the rim flanges of the barrels, to hold them in place. This is generally similar to the projections 22 or 23 of the pallet shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The bottom pallet 39 also has side channels 32 and transverse reinforcements 33,34 as in the pallet 30.

As mentioned above, additional reinforcements 33 and 34 extend across the pallet perpendicularly to the channels. These are shown in more detail in Fig. 7. The central reinforcement 34 may be a metal part forming a channel similar to the channels 32, whilst the reinforcements 33 at the sides of the pallet may simply be V-shaped metal parts.

The pallets 30 and 39 are preferably formed by an extrusion of plastics material, such as high-density polyethylene. The plastics material is extruded around the reinforcements to embed them into the plastics material and so form the completed pallet shape. However, one problem is that the plastics material may tend to contract. It may therefore be necessary for the reinforcements 33,34 initially to be split at an intermediate point in the pallet, so that when the plastics material contracts transversely of the pallet, the split is closed, and the two parts of each reinforcement may then be welded together to complete the pallet.

As with the pallets of the first embodiment, additional steps may be provided in the pallet of the second embodiment to accommodate barrels of a different size. Also, the diameter of the steps and projections in the pallets may be selected to conform to any given barrel diameter.

Claims (11)

1. A pallet for stacking barrels having a pluraliry of barrel receiving parts, each barrel receiving part having a generally circular step including a first face connecting second and third faces, the second and third faces extending in generally opposite directions out from the plane of the first face, the faces being such that when the first face is positioned between the adjacent rim flanges of two barrels of a predetermined size, the second face fits within the rim flange of one barrel and the third face fits outside the rim flange of the other barrel.

2. A pallet according to claim 1, wherein the step is a first step, and each barrel receiving part has a second generally circular step concentric with the first step of that barrel receiving part, each second step including a fourth face extending between either the second or the third face of the first step and a fifth face, the second or third face and the fifth face extending in generally opposite directions out from the plane of the fourth face, the second or third and the fourth and fifth faces being such that when the fourth face is positioned between the adjacent rim flanges of two barrels of a second predetermined size, the fifth face fits within the rim flange of one barrel and the second face fits outside the rim flange of the other barrel, or the third face fits within the rim flange of one barrel and the fifth face fits outside the rim flange of the other barrel.

3. A pallet according to claim 1 or claim 2 of a plastics material.

4. A pallet according to claim 1 or claim 2 having two elongate channels at or adjacent two opposite sides of the pallet.

5. A pallet according to claim 4, wherein the pallet is of plastics material with metal reinforcements extending along the channels.

6. A pallet according to claim 5, wherein each reinforcement is generally U-shaped with the mouth of the U being narrower than its base.

7. A pallet according to claim 5 or claim 6, having at least one additional metal reinforcement extending generally perpendicularly to the reinforcements along the channels.

8. A pallet substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A stack of barrels of a predetermined size, having a first and a second layer with a pallet according to any one of the preceding claims interposed therebetween, the second face of the step of each barrel receiving part fitting within the rim flange of a corresponding barrel of the first layer, and the third face of the step of each barrel receiving part fitting around the rim flange of a corresponding barrel of the second layer, such that each rim flange of a barrel of the second layer rests on a rim flange of a barrel of the first layer, with the first face of the corresponding barrel receiving part interposed therebetween.

10. A stack according to claim 9 wherein the first layer of barrels rests on a base pallet, the base pallet having a plurality of barrel receiving parts each receiving a barrel of the first layer, each barrel receiving part of the base pallet having a projection including a face which fits either around or within the rim flange of the corresponding barrel.

11. A stack according to claim 9 or claim 10 having additional layers of barrels of the predetermined size, there being a pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 8 interposed between adjacent layers, the first, second and third faces of the steps of the barrel receiving parts interacting with the barrels of adjacent additional layers in the same manner as the corresponding faces of the pallet between the first and second layer.