Pallet construction

A pallet construction comprising:

• at least two spaced-apart substantially parallel longitudinally-extending aluminum members,
• a plurality of deck-forming aluminum members contacting and extending at least between the at least two longitudinally-extending members generally transverse thereto in space-apart relation,
• each of said plurality of deck-forming members having at least one planar portion cooperating with the at least one planar portion of the others of said plurality of deck-forming members to provide a planar pallet deck surface which extends substantially the length of said longitudinally-extending members,
• snap fit means releasably interconnecting said at least two longitudinally-extending members with each of said plurality of deck-forming members at the intersections thereof,
• at each said intersection, said snap-fit means includes a first part integral with said longitudinally-extending member and a second cooperating part integral with said deck-forming member, and
• stop means located at each said intersection and preventing movement of each of said plurality of deck-forming members longitudinally thereof and transverse to said at least two longitudinally-extending members while normally permitting movement of said plurality of deck-forming members out of contact with said longitudinally-extending members upon release of said snap-fit means to allow disassembly of said pallet,
• said stop means at each said intersection including cooperating elements integral with said longitudinally-extending member and integral with said deck-forming member,
• each of said plurality of deck-forming membersincluding a continuous planar portion spaced from said longitudinally-extending members at said intersections, first and second skirt members depending one from each lateral extremity of said planar portion and bearing said second cooperating part of said snap fit means integral with said deck-forming member and spacer means depending from said planar portion between said skirt members and into engagement with said longitudinally-extending members at said intersections.

A pallet construction comprising:

• at least two space-apart substantially parallel longitudinally-extending aluminum members,
• a plurality of deck-forming aluminum member contacting and extending at least between the at least two longitudinally-extending members generally transverse thereto in spaced-apart relation,
• each of said plurality of deck-forming members having at least one planar portion cooperating with the at least one planar portion of the others of said plurality of deck-forming members to provide a planar pallet deck surface which extends substantially the length of said longitudinally-extending members,
• snap fit means releasably interconnecting said at least two longitudinally-extending members with each of said plurality of deck-forming members at the intersections thereof,
• at each said intersection, said snap-fit means includes a first part integral with said longitudinally-extending member and a second cooperating part integral with said deck-forming member, and
• stop means located at each said intersection and preventing movement of each of said plurality of deck-forming members longitudinally thereof and transverse to said at least two longitudinally-extending members while normally permitting movement of said plurality of deck-forming members out of contact with said longitudinally-extending members upon release of said snap-fit means to allow disassembly of said pallet,
• said stop means at each said intersection including cooperating elements integral with said longitudinally-extending member and integral with said deck-forming member,
• each of said longitudinally-extending members including a continuous generally rectangularly cross-sectioned portion, and a plurality of short continuous portions received in sliding fit relationship with said continuous portion longitudinally spaced-apart from each other to provide openings for receiving fork-lift tines through the longitudinally-extending members transverse thereof,
• said continuous portion and said short portions having identical cross-sectional shapes.

A pallet construction comprising:

• at least two spaced-apart substantially parallel longitudinally-extending aluminum members,
• a plurality of deck-forming aluminum members contacting and extending at least between the at least two longitudinally-extending members generally transverse thereto in spaced-apart relation,
• each of said plurality of deck-forming members having at least one planar portion cooperating with the at least one planar portion of the other of said plurality of deck-forming members to provide a planar pallet deck surface which extends substantially the length of said longitudinally-extending members,
• snap fit means releasably interconnecting said at least two longitudinally-extending members with each of said plurality of deck-forming members at the intersections thereof, at each said intersecion, said snap-fit means includes a first part integral with said longitudinally-extending member and a second cooperating part integral with said deck-forming member, and
• stop means located at each said intersection and preventing movement of each of said plurality of deck-forming members longitudinally thereof and transverse to said at least two longitudinally-extending members while normally permitting movement of said plurality of deck-forming members out of contact with said longitudinally-extending members upon release of said snap-fit means to allow disassembly of said pallet,
• said stop means at each said intersection including cooperatng elements integral with said longitudinally-extending member and integral with said deck-forming member,
• each of said longitudinally-extending members having a planar supporting surface supporting said deck-forming members,
• at least one continuous elongate projection upstanding from said planar surface at each said intersection and having a pair of channels located one at each end thereof opening in opposite directions,
• said pair of channels constituting said first part integral with said longitudinally-extending members and said projection constituting said cooperating element of said stop means integral with said longitudinally-extending member,
• said deck-forming members having openings therein receiving said projection therein at each said intersection and constituting said cooperating element of said stop means integral with said deck-forming member.

In combination,

• a first substantially rigid elongate member having a flat surface,
• a second elongate member having a planar portion spaced from said flat surface and at least one web depending from said planar portion into engagement with said flat surface,
• first and second projections upstanding from said flat surface of said first member, each of said projections having a shoulder projecting therefrom in opposite directions to each other generally parallel to said flat surface and defining and undercut with said flat surface,
• first and second shoulder engaging members integrally joined to said planar portion of said second elongate member and projecting towards said at least one web, said shoulder-engaging members being positioned one in each of said undercuts in engagement with the respective shoulder,
• said second elongate member being capable of limited flexure about its centre line for release of at least one of said shoulder-engaging members from its respective undercut to allow separation of the second elongate member from the first elongate member,
• a third projection upstanding from said flat surface of said first elongate member, and
• a vertically-extending slot formed in said at least one web receiving said third projection therethrough preventing movement of said second elongate member transverse of said first elongate member and normally permitting said separation of the second elongate member from the first elongate member upon said limited flexure.