Abstract: A twin sheet core structure made up of two sheets of plastic that have been thermoformed to define arrays of cavities having floors opening to surfaces defined by orthogonally intersecting ribs wherein the sheets are fused together to form a single structure with hollow areas between sheets.

Abstract: A molded plastic stacking device is placed between stacked containers of the type having a pallet bottom supporting a container body or sleeve. The device fits onto the top of one container and provides receptacles that receive and stabilize the legs of an upper pallet that is part of another container.

Abstract: A twin sheet core structure made up of two sheets of plastic that have been thermoformed to define arrays of cavities having floors opening to surfaces defined by orthogonally intersecting ribs wherein the sheets are fused together to form a single structure with hollow areas between sheets.

Abstract: A molded plastic core structure acceptable to numerous uses and characterized by high structural strength to weight ratio. The structure typically comprises a two-sided array of cell-like receptacles having inwardly sloping walls that form floors. Receptacles in one side are inverted relative to receptacles in the opposite side and are inter-nested between one another to minimize the volume of plastic used. The walls and floors can be circular, square or triangular in plan view. Where square or triangular, the walls include both major and minor wall sections alternatingly interspersed with one another. Two or more core structures can be joined to one another with the receptacles of one panel being aligned with the receptacles of the joined other panel to form closed, syntactic cells that give the resulting structure high enclosed volume to surface area and weight ratios.

Abstract: A molded plastic stacking device is placed between stacked containers of the type having a pallet bottom supporting a container body or sleeve. The device fits onto the top of one container and provides receptacles that receive and stabilize the legs of an upper pallet that is part of another container.

Abstract: A single sheet unitary molded plastic pallet has nine open top molded plastic leg structures extending to a common floor plane wherein the leg structures are arranged in three columns and three rows and include a center leg structure. The pallet also has connector structures arranged between the leg structures and having corner ribs extending therefrom to the leg structures so as to provide a floor plane which is substantially continuous in all directions, and a load plane which is substantially continuous in all directions. The side surfaces of the connector structures having opening for forklift tangs. The pallet has a continuous peripheral lip which can accept an elasticized load cover.

Abstract: A single sheet unitary molded plastic pallet has nine open top molded plastic leg structures extending to a common floor plane wherein the leg structures are arranged in three columns and three rows and include a center leg structure. The pallet also has connector structures arranged between the leg structures and having corner ribs extending therefrom to the leg structures so as to provide a floor plane which is substantially continuous in all directions, and a load plane which is substantially continuous in all directions. The side surfaces of the connector structures having opening for forklift tangs. The pallet has a continuous peripheral lip which can accept an elasticized load cover.

Abstract: A molded plastic core structure acceptable to numerous uses and characterized by high structural strength to weight ratio. The structure typically comprises a two-sided array of cell-like receptacles having inwardly sloping walls that form floors. Receptacles in one side are inverted relative to receptacles in the opposite side and are inter-nested between one another to minimize the volume of plastic used. The walls and floors can be circular, square or triangular in plan view. Where square or triangular, the walls include both major and minor wall sections alternatingly interspersed with one another. Two or more core structures can be joined to one another with the receptacles of one panel being aligned with the receptacles of the joined other panel to form closed, syntactic cells that give the resulting structure high enclosed volume to surface area and weight ratios.

Abstract: A reinforced plastic pallet comprises a twin sheet deck structure and three twin sheet runner structures which are fused to the underside of the deck to create three parallel spaced-apart footprints, the spacing between them forming one set of forklift openings. The deck is fabricated from two thermoformed plastic sheets which are peripherally joined together. The lower sheet is formed with upwardly extending spacer knobs which are fused to the under surface of the top sheet to further join the two sheets together. A frame of reinforcing beams is encapsulated into the interior space of the upper deck. The runner structures are also of twin sheet construction and some of them contain reinforcing rods. The runner structures, although they have flat footprints, are generally “W” shaped to provide two additional forklift openings at 90° from the primary forklift openings between the runner structures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the volumetric efficiency with which automotive vehicle frames are stacked on a carrier such as a railroad flat car. Frames are alternately reversed end-for-end and/or laterally offset from one another and may be longitudinally angled and internested between adjacent stacks. Twin sheet molded HDPE spacers are used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the volumetric efficiency with which automotive vehicle frames are stacked on a carrier such as a railroad flat car. Frames are alternately reversed end-for-end and/or laterally offset from one another and may be longitudinally angled and internested between adjacent stacks. Twin sheet molded HDPE spacers are used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the volumetric efficiency with which automotive vehicle frames are stacked on a carrier such as a railroad flat car. Frames are alternately reversed end-for-end and/or laterally offset from one another and may be longitudinally angled and internested between adjacent stacks. Twin sheet molded HDPE spacers are used.

Abstract: A plastic pallet comprising an upper plastic sheet and a lower plastic sheet. The lower sheet has a generally rectangular configuration, including sidewalls and end walls, and includes a plurality of separate parallel upwardly opening longitudinally extending U-shaped grooves extending from end to end of the sheet and a plurality of downwardly opening U-shaped grooves interspersed between the upwardly opening grooves and opening in the end walls of the sheet. The upper sheet defines a top wall and a plurality of upwardly opening U-shaped protrusions extending downwardly from the top wall and sized to nest within the upwardly opening grooves of the lower sheet, whereby the sheets may be fused together to form double thickness U-shaped wall structures at the interfaces of the protrusions and the upwardly opening grooves. The pallet further includes a pair of longitudinally extending metallic beams positioned between the upper and lower sheets.

Abstract: A twin sheet plastic pallet comprising an upper plastic sheet and a lower plastic sheet. The upper plastic sheet has a generally planar configuration and includes an upper face defining a platform surface for the pallet and an underface. The lower plastic sheet includes a generally planar main body portion and a plurality of spaced raised portions each including a top wall elevated above the level of the main body portion and fused to the underface of the upper sheet and a plurality of spaced upstanding legs connecting the top wall to the main body portion and defining fork lift passages for the pallet. The lower sheet further includes a plurality of upstanding pillar portions spaced about the periphery of the main body portion and the upper sheet further includes a plurality of downstanding pillar portions spaced about the periphery of the upper sheet main body portion and fused to respective upstanding pillar portions of the lower sheet to form spaced pillar structures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the volumetric efficiency with which automotive vehicle frames are stacked on a carrier such as a railroad flat car. Frames are alternately reversed end-for-end and/or laterally offset from one another and may be longitudinally angled and internested between adjacent stacks. Twin sheet molded HDPE spacers are used.

Abstract: A plastic twin sheet pallet and a method of forming the pallet. The pallet includes an upper plastic sheet and a lower plastic sheet selectively fused together to form a generally rectangular pallet having an upper platform structure. The pallet further includes a metallic support structure positioned beneath the platform structure between the upper and lower sheets and including a plurality of beam members arranged end to end in a rectangular frame configuration with each beam member generally parallel to and spaced inboard from the respective outer edge of the pallet. The pallet further includes a peripheral groove structure opening upwardly in the platform structure between each beam member and the respective outer edge of the pallet. The pallet defines a peripheral groove structure opening upwardly in the platform structure between each beam member and their respective outer edge of the pallet.

Abstract: A twin sheet plastic pallet comprising an upper plastic sheet and a lower plastic sheet. The upper plastic sheet has a generally planar configuration and includes an upper face defining a platform surface for the pallet and an underface. The lower plastic sheet includes a generally planar main body portion and a plurality of spaced raised portions each including a top wall elevated above the level of the main body portion and fused to the underface of the upper sheet and a plurality of spaced upstanding legs connecting the top wall to the main body portion and defining fork lift passages for the pallet. The lower sheet further includes a plurality of upstanding pillar portions spaced about the periphery of the main body portion and the upper sheet further includes a plurality of downstanding pillar portions spaced about the periphery of the upper sheet main body portion and fused to respective upstanding pillar portions of the lower sheet to form spaced pillar structures.

Abstract: A thermoformed twin sheet pallet comprising an upper plastic sheet and a lower plastic sheet, the sheets being fused together to form a platform structure and a plurality of leg structures downstanding from the platform structure in spaced relation and defining a plurality of forklift passages therebetween. The leg structures are formed of spaced downstanding leg portions of the upper sheet fused in vertically overlapping relation to spaced upstanding leg portions of the lower sheet, and main body planar portions of the upper sheet between the spaced downstanding leg portions coact with main body planar portions of the lower sheet between the spaced upstanding leg portions to define the forklift passages. The lower sheet further includes an upstanding flange portion extending around the perimeter of the lower sheet and fused to the perimeter of the upper sheet and openings are provided in the flange portion, in alignment with the forklift passages, to provide forklift access to the forklift passages.

Abstract: A plastic reinforcing clip for use with a container of the type including a corrugated sleeve adapted to be removably attached to a plastic pallet or base member by the use of sliding latch members coacting with circular apertures in the lower peripheral edge portion of the sleeve. The reinforcing clip structure is formed of a single piece of molded plastic material and includes an outer annular planar portion, an inner annular planar portion, an outer cup-shaped liner portion, an inner cup-shaped liner portion, and a central hinge portion. In use, the central hinge portion is positioned under and along the lower edge of the sleeve beneath an aperture in the sleeve and the inner and outer planar portions are swung upwardly about live hinges provided between the hinge portion and the inner and outer planar portions. As the inner and outer planar portions are swung upwardly and inwardly, the cup-shaped liner portions enter the slot from the inner and outer faces of the sleeve.

Abstract: A container including a rigid plastic pallet having a platform portion defining a central discharge port, a tubular cardboard sleeve supported at a lower edge thereof on the pallet, and a flexible plastic liner positioned within the sleeve. The liner includes an upper portion of uniform cross-sectional configuration conforming to the cross-sectional configuration of the sleeve and a lower portion of downwardly and inwardly tapering configuration terminating in a bottom liner opening positioned proximate the pallet discharge port.