Steel pallet construction

A pallet construction, comprising:

• three substantially equally spaced-apart parallel longitudinally-extending members each comprised of a continuous elongate planar portion extending the length thereof and three hollow portions of generally rectangular cross-section with the longer dimension thereof located upright, said hollow portions being located one at each end of the planar portion and the other approximately midway in the length thereof,
• a plurality of deck-forming members contacting and extending at least between the three longitudinally-extending members generally transverse thereto in spaced-apart relation, each member of said plurality of deck-forming members includes first and second coplanar portions spaced from the continuous planar portion of said longitudinally-extending member at each intersection thereof, a third planar portion engaging said continuous planar portion of said longitudinally-extending member at each intersection and extending in parallel relation to said first and second coplanar portions, first and second wall portions integrally joining the sides of the third planar portion to the respective inner sides of the coplanar portions, first and second skirt portions integrally joined to the outer sides of the coplanar portions and extending a distance substantially equal to the height of the wall portions, first and second flanges integrally joined to the respective lower end of said first and second skirt portions and extending inwardly therefrom towards said third planar portion in parallel relation therewith and in engagement with said continuous planar portion of said longitudinally-extending member,
• each of said coplanar portions of said plurality of deck-forming members cooperating with others of said coplanar portion to provide a planar pallet deck surface which extends substantially the length of said longitudinally-extending members,
• each of said flange portions adjacent each said intersection of a deck-forming member and a longitudinally-extending member having a first slot formed therein having a first edge parallel to and spaced from an edge of said flange portion to define an elongated strip of substantially constant width between said first edge and said second-mentioned edge,
• said continuous elongate planar portion at each intersection thereof with one of said plurality of deck-forming members having a first pair of elongate slots formed therethrough in respective alignment with and having the same elongate dimension as the elongate strip of one of said flanges,
• each said hollow portion having a second pair of slots formed therethrough in alignment with and dimensioned the same as said first pair of slots, and
• a plurality of one piece stamped spring steel clip members assembling the deck-forming members to the longitudinally-extending members at each said intersection thereof, each clip member comprising a generally U-shaped body portion taken in cross-section at either end thereof, said body being of a length generally equal to the length of said pairs of slots, said body being defined by a pair of side walls joined by a bight portion at one end thereof and each having an outwardly-extending flange which is turned inwardly at the free end thereof to define a pair of inwardly facing jaw members extending from the other ends thereof, said jaws being separated by a distance less than the width of said strip in the non-resiliently-deformed position of said clip, said clip member being mounted to said flange members with said strip resiliently retained between said jaws,
• said clip member includes a cantilevered ramp member formed from each of said side walls and spaced inwardly from the ends of said side walls, said ramp members each including a first portion extending outwardly from said bight portion to a shoulder and a second portion extending inwardly towards said flanges,
• said body extending through said first pair of slots and through any aligned second pair of slots with the longitudinally-extending members being retained between said jaw members and said second portions of said ramp members, the distance between said side walls being less than the minimum width of said first and second pairs of slots and the distance between said shoulders being greater than the maximum width of said first and second pairs of slots in said assembled position.

An assembly comprising two panels joined in overlying relation by a one-piece stamped spring steel clip, the first panel having a first elongated slot of constant width and length, a first width adjacent the ends thereof and a second width at least equal to said first width between said ends, the second panel having at least one second slot having a first edge parallel to and spaced from an edge of said flange portion to define an elongated strip of substantially constant width between said first edge and said second-mentioned edge, said first and second slots being of substantially equal length, said panels being relatively immovable in the direction of the length of the first slot and relatively immovable with a predetermined degree of resilient freedom in the transverse direction, said clip comprising:

• a generally U-shaped body taken in cross-section at either end thereof, said body being of a length generally equal to the length of said slots, said body being defined by a pair of side walls joined by a bight portion at one end thereof and each having an outwardly extending flange which is turned inwardly at the free end thereof to define a pair of inwardly facing jaw members extending from the other ends thereof, said jaw members being separated by a distance less than the width of said strip in the non-resiliently-deformed position of said clip, said clip being mounted to said second panel with said strip resiliently retained between said jaws, said body having a cantilevered ramp member formed from each of said side walls and spaced inwardly from the ends of said side walls, said ramp members each including a first portion extending outwardly from said bight portion to a shoulder and a second portion extending inwardly from said shoulder towards said flanges, said first panel being retained between said second portions and said flanges, the distance between said side walls being less than the widths of said first slot and the distance between said shoulders being greater than the widths of said first slot when said strip is resiliently retained between said jaws.

A one-piece sheet metal clip for attaching two panels in overlying relation, the first panel having a first elongated slot, the second panel having at least one second slot having a first edge parallel to and spaced from an edge of said second panel to define an elongated strip of substantially constant width between said first edge and said second-mentioned edge, said first and second slots being of substantially equal length, said clip comprising:

• a generaly U-shaped body taken in cross-section at either end thereof, said body having a length substantially equal to the length of the slots,
• said body being defined by a pair of side walls joined by a bight portion at one end thereof and each having an outwardly extending flange which is turned inwardly at the outer end thereof to define a pair of inwardly-facing jaw members extending from the other ends thereof, said outwardly-extending flanges being coplanar,
• said jaw members being separated by a distance less than the width of said strip in the non-resiliently-deformed position of said clip and having outwardly-diverging wing members extending from the free end of the inwardly-turned flange portion in the opposite direction to said body,
• said body having a cantilevered ramp member formed from each of said side walls and spaced inwardly from the ends of said side walls, said ramp members each including a first portion extending outwardly from said bight portion to a shoulder and a second portion extending inwardly from said shoulder towards said flanges terminating in substantially the plane of said outwardly-extending flanges, the distance between said shoulders and said flanges being greater than the thickness of said first panel,
• when said jaws are separated by a distance equal to the width of said strip, the distance between said side walls being less than the width of said first slot and the distance between said shoulders being greater than the width of said first slot.