Abstract: A set of three tubular drainage units, each comprised of expanded recycled polystyrene aggregate which is gray in color, is wrapped in film which optionally compresses the drainage units radially and which impedes transmission of infra-red radiation to the aggregate when the drainage units are exposed to sunlight during shipping or storage.

Abstract: Arch shape cross-section leaching and stormwater chambers are connected together so that swiveled angling is obtained at the joint. Angling is accomplished by means of an integral or detachable dome end comprising a conical section. A like chamber with an ordinary end mates by overlapping the dome. Or a like chamber may have an opposing and overlapping end, which also comprises a dome. A coupling for connecting two ordinary end chambers is comprised of two spaced apart conical domes spaced apart by a connector. The connector between the domes is optionally straight or angled. The couplings enable chambers to be connected at diverse angles to each other, as well as to be connected parallel with offset, i.e., with zigzag path.

Abstract: Arch shape cross-section leaching and stormwater chambers are connected together so that swiveled angling is obtained at the joint. Angling is accomplished by means of an integral or detachable dome end comprising a conical section. A like chamber with an ordinary end mates by overlapping the dome. Or a like chamber may have an opposing and overlapping end, which also comprises a dome. A coupling for connecting two ordinary end chambers is comprised of two spaced apart conical domes spaced apart by a connector. The connector between the domes is optionally straight or angled. The couplings enable chambers to be connected at diverse angles to each other, as well as to be connected parallel with offset, i.e., with zigzag path.

Abstract: Arch shape cross-section leaching and stormwater chambers are connected together so that swiveled angling is obtained at the joint. Angling is accomplished by means of an integral or detachable dome end comprising a conical section. A like chamber with an ordinary end mates by overlapping the dome. Or a like chamber may have an opposing and overlapping end, which also comprises a dome. A coupling for connecting two ordinary end chambers is comprised of two spaced apart conical domes spaced apart by a connector. The connector between the domes is optionally straight or angled. The couplings enable chambers to be connected at diverse angles to each other, as well as to be connected parallel with offset, i.e., with zigzag path.

Abstract: A continuous curve arch shape cross section leaching chamber made of molded thermoplastic has closely spaced corrugations and sidewalls, portions of which are perforated with horizontal slots. Either or both of the slot height and the local wall thickness of the sidewall portion which defines the slots may vary with slot elevation from the base. The chambers are free of interior and exterior strengthening ribs. They provide high interior storage volume and high leaching area in combination with low mass or weight of plastic material. An exemplary 34 inch wide chamber has more than 1.5 cubic feet of water storage volume per foot, less than 4 pounds weight of thermoplastic material per foot, and at least 30 square inches of slot-provided leaching area per foot.

Abstract: A continuous curve arch shape cross section leaching chamber made of molded thermoplastic has closely spaced corrugations and sidewalls, portions of which are perforated with horizontal slots. Either or both of the slot height and the local wall thickness which defines the slots may vary with slot elevation from the base, so that a perforated sidewall configuration is achieved which resists entry of surrounding soil. In one embodiment, the slotted sidewall has slots with all the same slot openings and the wall thickness decreases with elevation.

Abstract: A continuous curve arch shape cross section leaching chamber made of molded thermoplastic has closely spaced corrugations and sidewalls, portions of which are perforated with horizontal slots. Either or both of the slot height and the local wall thickness which defines the slots may vary with slot elevation from the base, so that a perforated sidewall configuration is achieved which resists entry of surrounding soil.

Abstract: A predominately thermoplastic pallet, for use with a fork lift device, is provided and includes a rectangular base including rails having metal reinforcing beams, eight spaced apart outer columns extending upwardly from the outer rails and one center column extending upwardly from the center of the base. The pallet also includes a top including a rectangular thermoplastic frame and a corrugated sheet metal deck, wherein the frame is attached, to the tops of the outer columns and wherein the deck is inset from the outer edge of the frame and wherein the pallet has dimensions and properties which include outside dimensions of about 40 inches by about 48 inches, two forklift device openings on each side of the pallet, each of which are at least 3.1 inches high and 12 inches wide and a pallet height or 5.56 inches or less.

Abstract: A pallet has a plastic pallet deck or other pallet plastic surface component including an anti-skid surface, which may be, for example, embossed, applied as a sheet during an extrusion process, applied by calendaring or applied with adhesive.

Abstract: A plastic pallet has reinforcing beams which fail during a fire due to the effects of heat, so the pallet prematurely collapses and thus the rate of heat evolution is diminished, sufficient to meet fire standards. In one embodiment metal beams embedded in the plastic of the pallet have lengths which are shorter than the span between the rails of a pallet rack. They drop down and cause pallet collapse, when the surrounding plastic softens or melts. In another embodiment, the beam is a metal, fiberglass or graphite reinforced composite thermoplastic, which loses strength when the matrix softens or otherwise fails. In another embodiment, a metal beam has two parts which are connected by a thermoplastic fitting which softens and the fails during a fire.

Abstract: The presently disclosed thermoplastic pallet advantageously incorporates fire resistance by virtue of one or more of the following aspects: a sprinkler friendly deck or frame; variable fire retardant or coating distributions; fire collapsible cross beams; foam filled or foam coated parts; and pallet design, including proportioning amounts of plastic and metal utilized in construction. Exemplary combinations of features enables the pallet to meet all the dimensional, mechanical behavior and burn test requirements. The use of metal components including a corrugated aluminum deck having specially position through holes for sprinkler water, and the engineered placement of hollows in the structural plastic parts enables a reduction in the amount of plastic, and the amount of fire retardant in what plastic there is and in the pallet as a whole.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a corrugated pallet deck has holes selectively located along valleys of the corrugations, so sprinkler water which falls onto racked or stacked pallets drops onto the rails of the base of the pallet, and onto things below, to inhibit their tendency to combust in a fire. In variations, the valleys of the corrugations are sloped toward the holes, and the valleys are cross connected. In other embodiments, the frame that supports the deck has holes for water and a gutter shape top, so water runs along the frame to the holes and then onto the the base. In other embodiments, the base rails have and specially shaped tops and or through holes, for better water flow onto the pallets below.

Abstract: The top of a thermoplastic pallet for transporting goods is comprised of a frame which is mounted on columns extending upwardly from a base. A subframe is attached to brackets within the interior opening of the frame. The edges of corrugated metal deck is attached to the subframe and spaced apart inwardly from the inner edge of the frame. There are lengthwise spaces between the subframe and the bridge parts of the frame, which bridges span the fork opening spaces between the columns. When the bridges are horizontally impacted, they can deform elastically into the spaces without causing any damage to the deck. Preferably the bridges comprise lengthwise impact absorber zones for good compliance to horizontal impacts.

Abstract: A molded plastic rectangular pallet has a deck made of corrugated thin sheet material. A multiplicity of corrugations, and preferably all of them, run continuously across the deck and parallel to a line connecting the diagonally opposite corners of the deck. The pallet, when predominately plastic, preferably has a metal deck and a base comprised of rails having steel reinforcing beams. Eight columns extend upwardly from the rails for supporting a frame which forms the periphery of the top. The deck edge is preferably inset from the outer edge of the top of the pallet, and the deck has a flat flange which is attached to the frame or to a subframe mounted within the frame.

Abstract: The top of a thermoplastic pallet has a rectangular frame to which the pallet deck is directly or indirectly attached. The edge of the deck is spaced apart from the outer edge of the frame. The frame comprises bridge parts which span the openings between columns into which forks may be inserted for lifting of the pallet. The plastic bridges are designed for absorbing horizontal impact loads. Each bridge has several lengthwise impact absorber zones of differing cell configuration and thus differing compliance to horizontal impact loads. A metal stay runs along the outer edge of each bridge, for distributing impact forces, and for improving the resistance of the pallet top to impact loads. A stay may be anchored by its ends at the opposing ends of a bridge, and or along its length by engagement of perforations in the stay with plastic features distributed along the length of the edge of the bridge.

Abstract: A plastic pallet, for use with fork lift devices and which meets requirements associated with food handling, has a thermoplastic deck made of two sheets which are spaced part by rigid plastic foam. There are steel beams running in an x-pattern within the foam of the deck. The deck sheets each have a multiplicity of relatively large truncated conical depressions. Holes in the centers of the depressions provide water and air passageways through the deck. The deck sheets are welded together at the locations of the depressions and at their outer edges. The base rails are reinforced by steel beams which are sealed within.

Abstract: A thermoplastic pallet has a top frame which comprises bridge parts that span the openings between columns into which forks may be inserted for lifting. The plastic bridges are designed for absorbing horizontal impact loads. Each bridge has several lengthwise impact absorber zones of differing compliance to horizontal loads. The zones are comprised of vertical ribs which define open or closed cells. The edge of the pallet deck, which is preferably corrugated metal, is spaced apart from the outer edge of the bridge. It is alternatively fastened to the inner edge of the bridge or to a subframe which spaced apart from the inner edge of the frame.

Abstract: A molded plastic pallet has a base comprised of steel beam-reinforced thermoplastic rails reinforced with steel beams, vertical columns, a frame on top of the columns, and a textured metal deck. The metal deck preferably comprises a flange which is attached to the frame or to a subframe which is within the opening of the frame. The edge of the deck is inset from the outer edge of the frame, and the periphery of the top of the frame is exposed. The frame preferably has one or more impact absorbing zones at the bridge portions of the frame, which span the fork openings between adjacent columns.

Abstract: To make a thin-wall bottom groove in an injection molded plastic article, such as the type of V-shape grooves which define tear-out portions of an article, the space between the groove-defining land of the mold and the opposing part of the mold is changeable. During injection and filling of the mold, the space is large, to enable filling of the mold. As the mold fills, the space is made small, so the desired finished dimension in the part is obtained.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the pallet can comprise an upper deck and a lower deck. The upper deck can comprise ribs spaced parallel to each other, a cross beam positioned transverse to the rib, and a film disposed over the ribs and the cross beam. The lower deck can be disposed on a side of the upper deck opposite the film.