Rampable Crate For Riding Lawn Mower And Method
AssigneeNorth American Container Corporation
InventorsCharles F. Grigsby, Jeffrey C. Banks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rampable crate for riding lawn mowers in which a pallet connects to a top frame with a plurality of posts, and the pallet includes a pair of spaced-apart rails disposed at an oblique angle as an upward ramp to an edge of the pallet for travel of the rear wheels of the riding lawn mower with the posts selectively extending from the edge of the pallet to define a downward ramp from the pallet in order for the lawn mower to be driven off the pallet. A method of removing a riding lawn mower from a crate is disclosed.
Claims17
A rampable crate for riding lawn mowers, comprising:
- a pallet configured for supporting a riding lawn mower;
- a top frame;
- a plurality of posts extending between the pallet and the top frame so that the assembled structure defines a cavity therebetween for holding the riding lawn mower;
- the pallet including a pair of spaced-apart rails each oriented at an oblique angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the pallet, with a first end of each rail attached to a first transverse member of the pallet and an opposing second end thereof attached to a transverse end member of the pallet, the first end vertically spaced below the vertical spacing of the second end relative to the pallet,
- whereby the rails define an angled ramp upwardly towards the transverse end member and the posts being selectively disposed proximate the transverse end member and extending laterally from the pallet define a downward ramp from the pallet in order for the lawn mower to be driven from the pallet.
A method of containerizing a riding lawn mower in a rampable crate for storage and for removal therefrom, comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing a riding lawn mower on a pallet, the pallet including a pair of spaced-apart rails each oriented at an oblique angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the pallet, with a first end of the rail attached to a first transverse member of the pallet and an opposing second end of the rail attached to a transverse end member of the pallet, the first end vertically spaced below the vertical spacing of the second end relative to the pallet, with the rails aligned with a respective one of the wheels of the riding lawn mower;
- (b) positioning a top frame on a plurality of posts extending from the pallet to containerize the riding lawn mower therein;
- (c) shipping the containerized riding lawn mower to a sales location;
- (d) removing the posts and positioning the posts at an oblique angle extending outwardly and downwardly from the pallet;
- and
- (e) driving the riding lawn mower from the pallet, the rails define an angled ramp upwardly towards the end transverse member and the posts define a downward ramp from the pallet in order for the lawn mower to be driven off of the pallet.
A rampable crate for riding lawn mowers, comprising:
- a pallet having a pair of opposing outside members connected at respective distal ends to opposing transverse end members and a pair of spaced-apart rails each oriented at an oblique angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the pallet, with a first end of each rail attached to a first transverse member of the pallet and an opposing second end thereof attached to one of the transverse end members of the pallet, the first end vertically spaced below the vertical spacing of the second end relative to the pallet, for supporting a riding lawn mower;
- a top frame;
- and
- a plurality of posts selectively disposed in a first position extending between the pallet and the top frame so that the assembled structure defines a cavity therebetween for holding the riding lawn mower and selectively disposed in second position proximate the one transverse end member and extending laterally from the pallet,
- whereby the rails define an angled ramp upwardly towards the transverse end member and the posts disposed in the second position define a downward ramp from the pallet in order for the lawn mower to be driven from the pallet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.