Tiering Patents (Class 108/53.5)
  • Patent number: 6659019
    Abstract: A foldable device for facilitating the stacking of adjacent pairs of pallets loaded with container arrays includes a pair of pivotally-interconnected sections. Each section includes a generally flat bottom surface adapted to rest on a respective top layer of exposed container tops, and a top surface that include surface features whose uppermost portions cooperate to define a first reference plane. Each section includes a plurality of complementary hinge components defining a pivot axis that lies in a second reference plane located between the section's bottom surface and first reference plane, and further includes detents by which to maintain the bottom surfaces of each section pair in a substantially coplanar relationship when the hinged sections are spread open. Preferably, the surface features of each section pair are complementary such that, the assembly is folded about the resulting shared pivot axis, the bottom surfaces become generally parallel-spaced to facilitate device storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventors: Robert V. Gruber, Trenton M. Overholt
  • Patent number: 6655300
    Abstract: A container (41) has adjustable-span support posts (52)—to accommodate load height diversity and to meet external tunnel gauge through passage constraints—upstanding from a deck (46), with extendible post elements (53)—by multiple indexed, connector bar latching—carrying capture and handling fittings (54), accessed by localised extension above a load. Optional transverse post bracing is through a header beam (55), with optional arched profile, and/or coupled gate pairs upon opposed posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventors: Martin Clive-Smith, Christopher John Jones
  • Patent number: 6343555
    Abstract: In an article carrying/keeping device having a pallet for placing an article and four props provided on the pallet in a standing manner, in order to transport any size of article while placing the article on a pallet whose size is suited for the size of the article, coupling members are provided between two props so that the intervals between the props detachably attached to the four corners of the pallet on which the article is placed can be changed freely, and the respective coupling members are coupled with the props 6 via the couplers so that the first and second couplers are fixed/coupled via the coupling members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Arai, Sakae Ishiwaka
  • Patent number: 6302034
    Abstract: A portable rack for assembling packages of building materials. The rack comprises a base having a proximal side, a distal side, a top, a bottom, and a pair of channels extending between the proximal side and the distal side, the channels being designed to receive the forks of a forklift, and a plurality of elongated members attached to the proximal side and projecting upwardly from the base. The process for using the rack comprises placing the building materials onto the base of the rack using the forklift, moving the building materials toward the elongated members until the building materials abut at least one of the elongated members, and pulling the forks out from under the building materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Inventor: Donald F. Swanson
  • Patent number: 6220183
    Abstract: A stackable pallet includes a support plate and a plurality of legs. The legs are structured so as to be inserted into each other to form a storage stack of pallets. The legs can be placed on top of each other to form a self-standing work stack of pallets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Volkmar Rolf Schwitzky
  • Patent number: 6202569
    Abstract: A stackable pallet system comprises a plurality of pallets used for holding and transporting various items, including potted plants such as potted trees, flowers, bushes, etc. When the pallets are to be stacked, two pairs of spacer pipes can be used on a first pallet extending upwardly therefrom. Two elongated saddles are then coupled, one to each pair of spacer pipes, such that the saddles extend between and unite the upper ends of the pairs of spacer pipes. The saddles comprise an upwardly facing, shallow channel which is sized to be slightly larger than at least a portion of the fork pockets contained on the pallet. A second pallet can be lowered down onto a first pallet with the fork pockets, or at least a portion of the fork pockets, being received in the saddle channels. Various containment rings can be coupled to the pipes, in place of or in addition to the saddles, to allow longer trees to be carried on the pallets or to allow double stacking of potted plants on a single pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Bailey Nurseries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Bailey, Kenneth Holz, Keith G. Thompson