Automatically interlocking pallets, and shipping and storage systems employing the same

An automatic locking pallet, comprising:

• a pallet frame comprising a forklift tine opening;
• a pallet platform being supported by the pallet frame;
• first and second locking components each being integrated into the pallet frame for being movable into and out of a locking arrangement for engaging and disengaging, respectively, first and second interface fittings of a storage assembly when said automatic locking pallet and the storage assembly are stacked,
• wherein said first and second locking components each comprises a respective locking bolt;
• and
• an actuator comprising a paddle being connected to a first pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft so that the first pivot joint being operatively connecting to said respective locking bolt of the first and second locking components, and said actuator being accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the forklift tine opening for contacting the paddle causing subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft,
• wherein the operation of the actuator concomitantly moves the first and second locking components out of the locking arrangement with the first and second interface fittings, and
• wherein the locking arrangement is a separate locking arrangement,
• wherein the forklift tine opening is a first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the pallet frame further comprises a second forklift tine opening arranged perpendicular to the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the pallet further comprises a second actuator facing the second forklift tine opening where the second actuator is substantially perpendicular to the first actuator,
• wherein the second actuator comprises a paddle, which is connected to a first pivot joint and a second pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft, so that the first pivot joint and the second pivot joint are operatively connected to the respective locking bolts of the first and second locking components and the second actuator is accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the second forklift tine opening, which contacts the paddle and causes subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft, and
• wherein the operation of the second actuator concomitantly moves the first and second locking components out of the locking arrangement with the first and second interface fittings.

A plurality of stackable, automatic lockable pallets, comprising:

• a first pallet comprising:
• a first pallet frame,
• a first pallet platform being supported by the first pallet frame, and an interface fitting;
• and
• a second pallet comprising:
• a second pallet frame comprising a forklift tine opening,
• a second pallet platform being supported by the second pallet frame;
• a locking component comprising a locking bolt being integrated into the first pallet frame for being movable into and out of engagement with the interface fitting of the first pallet when the first pallet and the second pallet are stacked on one another, and
• an actuator comprising a paddle being connected to a first pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft so that the first pivot joint being operatively connecting to said locking bolt of the locking component, and said actuator being accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the forklift tine opening for contacting the paddle causing subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft,
• wherein the operation of the actuator moves the locking component out of engagement with the interface fitting,
• wherein the second pallet is stackable with the first pallet,
• wherein the forklift tine opening is a first forklift tine opening, which contacts the paddle and causes subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft,
• wherein the second pallet frame further comprises a second forklift tine opening oriented perpendicular to the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the actuator is a first actuator facing the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the second pallet further comprises a second actuator facing the second forklift tine opening where the second pallet is substantially perpendicular to the first actuator,
• wherein the second actuator is operatively connected to the locking component for activation by a forklift tine entering the second forklift tine opening, and
• wherein the activation of the second actuator moves the locking component out of engagement with the interface fitting.

A plurality of stackable, automatically lockable pallets, comprising:

• a first pallet comprising:
• a first pallet frame,
• a first pallet platform being supported by the first pallet frame, and first and second interface fittings;
• and
• a second pallet, comprising:
• a second pallet frame comprising a forklift tine opening,
• a second pallet platform being supported by the second pallet frame,
• first and second locking components being integrated into the first pallet frame and the second pallet frame for being movable into and out of engagement with the first and second interface fittings, respectively, when the first and second pallets are stacked,
• wherein said first and second locking components each comprises a respective locking bolt;
• and
• an actuator comprising a paddle being connected to a first pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft so that the first pivot joint being operatively connecting to said respective locking bolt of the first and second locking components, and said actuator being accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the forklift tine opening for contacting the paddle causing subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft,
• wherein said operation of the actuator concomitantly moves the first and second locking components out of engagement with the first and second interface fittings, respectively, when the first and second pallets are stacked,
• wherein the second pallet is stackable with the first pallet,
• wherein the forklift tine opening is a first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the second pallet frame further comprises a second forklift tine opening arranged perpendicular to the first forklift tine opening
• wherein the actuator is a first actuator facing the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the second pallet further comprises a second actuator facing the second forklift tine opening where the second pallet is substantially perpendicular to the first actuator,
• wherein the second actuator comprises a paddle connected to a first pivot joint and a second pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft, so that the first pivot joint and the second pivot joint are operatively connected to said respective locking bolt of the first and second locking components where the second actuator is accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the second forklift tine opening, which contacts the paddle and causes subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft, and
• wherein the operation of the second actuator moves the first and second locking components out of engagement with the first and second interface fittings, respectively, when the first and second pallets are stacked.

A plurality of stackable, automatically lockable pallets, comprising:

• a first pallet, comprising:
• a first pallet frame comprising first, second, third, and fourth openings,
• a first pallet platform being supported by the first pallet frame,
• first, second, third, and fourth interface fittings, and
• first, second, third, and fourth locking components comprising, respectively, a first locking bolt, a second locking bolt, a third locking bolt, and a fourth locking bolt, being integrated into the first pallet frame and being connected to a first actuator for permitting concomitant movement of the first, second, third, and fourth locking components into and out of the first, second, third, and fourth openings, respectively,
• wherein said first actuator comprises a paddle connected to a first pivot joint, a second pivot joint, a third pivot joint and a fourth pivot joint by a first actuator shaft and first coupling shafts so that the first pivot joint, the second pivot joint, the third pivot joint, and the fourth pivot joint are operatively connected to the respective said first locking bolt, said second locking bolt, said third locking bolt, and said fourth locking bolt of the first, second, third, and fourth locking components;
• and
• a second pallet, comprising:
• a second pallet frame comprising fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth openings sized for receiving the first, second, third, and fourth interface fittings, respectively,
• a second pallet platform being supported by the second pallet frame,
• fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth interface fittings being sized and configured for being received in the first, second, third, and fourth openings, respectively,
• fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth locking components comprising, respectively, a fifth locking bolt, a sixth locking bolt, a seventh locking bolt, and an eighth locking bolt, being integrated into the second pallet frame and being connected to a second actuator for permitting concomitant movement of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth locking components into and out of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth openings, respectively,
• wherein said second actuator comprises a paddle connected to a fifth pivot joint, a sixth pivot joint, a seventh pivot joint and an eighth pivot joint by a second actuator shaft and second coupling shafts so that the fifth pivot joint, the sixth pivot joint, the seventh pivot joint, and the eighth pivot joint are operatively connected to respectively said fifth locking bolt, said sixth locking bolt, said seventh locking bolt, and said eighth locking bolt of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth locking components, where the actuator is accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the forklift tine opening, which contacts the paddle and causes subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the second coupling shafts,
• wherein the operation of the second actuator concomitantly moves the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth locking components out of engagement with the first, second, third, and fourth interface fittings, respectively, when the first and second pallets are stacked, and
• wherein the second pallet is stackable with the first pallet,
• wherein the forklift tine opening is a first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the second pallet frame further comprises a second forklift tine opening arranged perpendicular to the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the actuator is a first actuator facing the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the second pallet further comprises a second actuator facing the second forklift tine opening,
• wherein the second actuator is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first actuator, and
• wherein the second actuator comprises a paddle connected to a fifth pivot joint, a sixth pivot joint, a seventh pivot joint and an eighth pivot joint by an actuator shaft and coupling shafts, so that the fifth pivot joint, the sixth pivot joint, the seventh pivot joint and the eighth pivot joint are operatively connected to respective locking bolts of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth locking components, so that the second actuator is accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the second forklift tine opening, which contacts the paddle and causes subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shafts, where operation of the second actuator moves the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth locking components out of engagement with the first, second, third, and fourth interface fittings, respectively, when the first and second pallets are stacked.

A storage assembly, comprising:

• a pallet comprising a pallet frame including a forklift tine opening, and a pallet platform being supported by the pallet frame;
• a structural support member extending above the pallet;
• a locking component comprising a locking bolt being integrated into the pallet frame for moving into and out of a locking arrangement;
• and
• an actuator comprising a paddle being connected to a first pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft so that the first pivot joint being operatively connecting to said locking bolt of the locking component where the actuator being accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the forklift tine opening for contacting the paddle causing subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft,
• wherein the operation of the actuator moves the locking component out of locking arrangement,
• wherein the pallet is an automatic locking pallet,
• wherein the forklift tine opening is a first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the pallet frame further comprises a second forklift tine opening oriented perpendicular to the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the actuator is a first actuator facing the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the pallet further comprises a second actuator facing the second forklift tine opening and the second actuator is substantially perpendicular to the first actuator,
• wherein the second actuator comprises a paddle connected to a first pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft so that the first pivot joint is operatively connected to the locking bolt of the locking component, and the second actuator is accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the second forklift tine opening, which contacts the paddle and causes subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft, and
• wherein the operation of the second actuator moves the locking component out of the locking arrangement.

A plurality of stackable, automatically inter-lockable storage assemblies, comprising:

• a first storage assembly comprising a first pallet, a structural support member extending above the first pallet, and an interface fitting on the structural support member;
• and
• a second storage assembly comprising a second pallet including a forklift tine opening, a locking component comprising a locking bolt being integrated into the first pallet frame for being movable into and out of engagement with the interface filling when the first storage assembly and the second storage assembly are stacked on one another, and an actuator comprising a paddle being connected to a first pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft so that the first pivot joint being operatively connecting to the locking bolt of the locking component where the actuator being accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the forklift tine opening for contacting the paddle causing subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft,
• wherein the operation of the actuator moves the locking component out of engagement with the interface fitting,
• wherein the forklift tine opening is a first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the second pallet further comprises a second forklift tine opening oriented perpendicular to the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the actuator is a first actuator facing the first forklift tine opening,
• wherein the second pallet further comprises a second actuator facing the second forklift tine opening where the second actuator is arranged substantially perpendicular to the first actuator, and
• wherein the second actuator comprises a paddle connected to a second pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft so that the second pivot joint is operatively connected to a respective locking bolt of the locking component, and the second actuator is accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the second forklift tine opening, which contacts the paddle and causes subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft so that the operation of the second actuator moves the operatively connected locking component out of engagement with the interface fitting.