Abstract: A pallet can be detachably carried on a sled for shipping heavier objects on the pallet as carried by the sled, or lighter object on the pallet alone, the sled spreading the weight over a greater area than the pallet alone. The dimensions of both the pallet and sled are related to contribute different integer fractions of a given dimension such as the length of a standard intermodal container. This arrangement is apt for shipping smaller steel coils on pallets and larger steel coils on pallets carried by sleds. Thus, for example, quarter-container-length pallets, normally appropriate for a pallet to carry lighter coils, can carry heavier loads on a sled occupying a larger proportion of the container length, such as a half-container-length sled. An attachment mechanism affixes the sled to the pallet and the assembly is configured for manipulation with a fork lift.

Abstract: A pallet can be detachably carried on a sled for shipping heavier objects on the pallet as carried by the sled, or lighter object on the pallet alone, the sled spreading the weight over a greater area than the pallet alone. The dimensions of both the pallet and sled are related to contribute different integer fractions of a given dimension such as the length of a standard intermodal container. This arrangement is apt for shipping smaller steel coils on pallets and larger steel coils on pallets carried by sleds. Thus, for example, quarter-container-length pallets, normally appropriate for a pallet to carry lighter coils, can carry heavier loads on a sled occupying a larger proportion of the container length, such as a half-container-length sled. An attachment mechanism affixes the sled to the pallet and the assembly is configured for manipulation with a fork lift.