# US 5,704,300 A · Load-handling pallet and method of assembly

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- Number: US 5,704,300 A
- Document ID: US5704300A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/532,623
- Filed: 1995-12-08
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1993-04-01
- Inventors: William Joseph Rushton, deceased; by Edna Winifred Rushton, heiress
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704300A

## CPC

- B65D 19/0091: {forming a continuous plane contact surface}
- B65D 2519/00034: Plastic
- B65D 2519/00069: Plastic
- B65D 2519/00104: Plastic
- B65D 2519/00293: made of more than one piece
- B65D 2519/00298: skeleton type
- B65D 2519/00323: made of more than one piece
- B65D 2519/00333: contact surface having a stringer-like shape
- B65D 2519/00373: whereby at least one spacer is made of one piece
- B65D 2519/00378: whereby at least one spacer is made of two or more pieces
- B65D 2519/00407: on the load supporting surface
- B65D 2519/00562: chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed
- B65D 2519/00567: mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
- B65D 2519/00572: with separate auxiliary element, e.g. screws, nails, bayonets
- Y10S 108/901: Synthetic plastic industrial platform, e.g. pallet
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A load-handling pallet ((10) comprises a plurality of separate plastics elements which are connected together to define an upper-load beating platform (20) with spaced support members (40) therebeneath between which the forks of a forklift truck can be located. The boards (20) forming the platform are mounted on transverse stringers (30) which are in turn secured to the top of blocks (40) by respective locator arrangements (32,41). Base boards (50) are secured to the bottom of the blocks (40) by further respective locator arrangements (52, 57, 152).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A load-handling pallet comprising a plurality of separate plastics elements defining at least an upper load-bearing platform with at least two parallel cross members therebeneath and at least four blocks for location at the corners of the platforms, which together with the cross members define spaces between which the forks of a fork-lift truck can be located, said plastics elements being releasably connected together by means of connection elements which, starting from the lower surface of the pallet, extend through said blocks and into said cross members, or location elements integral therewith, but terminate before they reach the upper surface of the pallet and said cross members having integral locator elements which slidingly engage with corresponding means at the top of the blocks.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A pallet as claimed in claim 1, further comprising five additional blocks, four of which are located centrally of each of the sides of the pallet respectively between the corner blocks, and the fifth one of which is located at the centre of the pallet, and a third cross member which is parallel to the other two cross members and connected to the fifth additional block and two of the other four additional blocks to support the central regions of top boards forming the load bearing platform.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein base boards are provided beneath the blocks around the lower edge of the pallet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A pallet as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base boards, have integral locator elements which are attached to the bottom of the blocks by means of attaching means.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A pallet according to claim 4, wherein at least some of the locator elements integral with the base boards comprise two parts each integral with a respective base board.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A pallet as claimed in claim 1, in which at least some of the plastics elements are secured together by separate connection elements.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A pallet as claimed in claim 1, in which the connection elements extend from the lower surface of the pallet through the said blocks in respective bores, and in which the said bores do not penetrate the upper surface of the pallet.