Pallet return assembly
AssigneeWalmart Apollo, LLC
InventorsJames P. Thomas, Jacob A. Vesterfelt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pallet return assembly includes at least one support member, a bracket member, a base member including a stopper member, and a lever that, when actuated, moves the base member and its stopper member from a pallet catch position to a pallet release position. In the pallet catch position, the stopper member catches a bottom of a pallet positioned on the roller tracks of the pallet bay and restricts the pallet from moving along the roller tracks. In the pallet release position, the stopper member no longer catches the bottom of the pallet positioned on the roller tracks and no longer restricts the pallet from moving along the roller tracks.
Claims16
A pallet return assembly comprising:
- a first support member configured to be attached to a first load beam of a pallet bay;
- a bracket member configured to be attached to the first support member and to at least one of a plurality of roller tracks of the pallet bay;
- a base member including a stopper member extending generally upwardly therefrom;
- and
- a lever coupled to a portion of the base member and configured to move between a pallet catch position and a pallet release position;
- wherein, when the lever is in the pallet catch position, the base member is positioned such that a portion of the stopper member extending from the base member protrudes above a pallet-supporting surface of the roller tracks of the pallet bay and catches a bottom of a pallet positioned on the roller tracks and restricts the pallet from moving along the roller tracks;
- and
- wherein, when the lever is in the pallet release position, the base member is positioned such that the portion of the stopper member extending from the base member is positioned below the pallet-supporting surface of the roller tracks of the pallet bay and no longer catches the bottom of the pallet positioned on the roller tracks and no longer restricts the pallet from moving along the roller tracks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.