Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Industrial platform – Adjustable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-07
2001-01-16
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3624)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Industrial platform
Adjustable
C108S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173659
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is conveying platforms, more particularly, molded plastic conveying platforms having telescoping stringers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Load conveying platforms, such as pallets or bulk containers are in common use in many industries. They are used as load platforms for storing loads in a rack structure, transporting loads using material handling equipment, such as fork lift trucks, pallet jacks and the like, or conveying loads on a conveyor. A typical platform has a deck with an upper surface for supporting a load, a lower surface which is engaged by the material handling equipment when in transit, and an edge which is engaged by rack support arms when in storage. Feet depending downwardly from the deck lower surface support the deck on a supporting surface, such as the ground, raising it a distance above the ground to provide access for a fork truck to slip its forks under the deck to engage the lower surface.
The feet, however, decrease the conveyorability of the load platform, by decreasing the surface area in contact with conveyor rollers. Special conveyors having closely spaced rollers are often required to efficiently convey the platform. One method of improving the conveyorability of the platform is to mount stringers to the feet bottoms which span the space between adjacent feet. The stringers increase the surface area in contact with the conveyor rollers, increasing the platform conveyorability. Advantageously, the stringers also increase the pallet structural integrity, thus reducing deck deflection in an edge supported platform.
The stringers, feet and deck lower surface define an opening in which material handling equipment forks are inserted to engage the deck lower surface and lift the platform. Vertically adjustable forks on a pallet jack are often inserted into the opening and then raised to lift the pallet. If the pallet jack is resting on the stringer, the stringer may be damaged when the forks are raised. The damaged stringer may degrade conveyorability and reduce the load platform structural integrity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a load platform having a deck and telescoping feet connected by stringers. The telescoping feet provide a variable height opening for insertion of material handling equipment forks between the load platform deck and stringer. The pallet deck has a top and a bottom, and a number of formed legs extending downwardly from the deck. Feet connected by stringers are slidably connected to the legs providing a variable height opening defined by the deck bottom, stringer, and adjacent legs and feet, thus accomplishing a general objective of providing a load platform having vertically adjustable openings for lifting forks. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration a preferred embodiment of the invention.
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Andreae Ryan J.
Danks Christopher A.
Hafemeister Randy H.
Hammond James W.
Chen José V.
Menasha Corporation
Quarles & Brady LLP
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