Load-carrying pallet

Claim 1

A pallet comprising a pair of end sections of similar construction comprising a vertically disposed end plate, a pair of flanges extending inwardly substantially perpendicularly from the upper end portion of the end plate in vertically spaced apart substantially parallel relation and a slideway in the form of a tubular section on the lower end portion of the end plate, a panel portion dimensioned to have a height corresponding to the spaced relationship between the flanges of each pair with the ends of the panels received between the flanges of each end section on opposite ends of the panel, a base plate extending between the lower end of the end plates with an enlarged portion on the ends of the base plate in engagement with the slide-ways, aligned openings through the end plates in the area between the flanges, a tie rod dimensioned to span the end plates with end portions projecting through the openings, abutments on the through-extending portions of the tie rods and means for effecting movement of the abutments in the direction toward and away from each other to increase or decrease respectively the pressure on the end plates, and in which the edge of the panel between the flanges of an end plate outermost of the panel is tapered inwardly from a point below the opening to the upper edge to provide a pivot point about which the end plate rocks in response to increased compression by the tie rod onto the end plates to place the panel under compression and the base plate in tension and which includes an intermediate plate between the end plates with the upper face of the intermediate plate in engagement with the underside of the panel and having a pedestal on the lower end which rests on the base plate.