Pallet for moving and securing cargo

Claim 2

A pallet in the form of a rectangular panel for anchorage of cargo thereon in the cargo space of an aircraft by overhanging lock means and to carry cargo to and from the cargo space by gliding over rotary support elements, said panel having a rectangular marginal frame portion encompassing all of its four sides, said frame portion being thicker than a major central portion of the panel with the four sides of the frame portion interconnected to cause a transverse force applied to any one side of the panel toward the central portion thereof to be transmitted to adjoining parallel sides of the frame portion for transmission to the fourth side of the frame portion, said frame portion being equipped with means for engagement with cargo securing means, the major central portion of the panel being formed by a single sheet, the frame portion being attached to the single sheet, a part of the frame portion being of reduced thickness and overlapping the edge of the sheet and being attached thereto in face to face relationship, the edge of the sheet being tapered, the frame portion having a groove of cross section complementary to the cross section of the tapered edge of the sheet, the groove being interlocked with the edge of the sheet to oppose separation of the edge laterally away from the frame portion.

Claim 3

A pallet in the form of a rectangular panel for anchorage of cargo thereon in the cargo space of an aircraft by overhanging lock means and to carry cargo to and from the cargo space by gliding over rotary support elements, said pallet having a major central portion formed by a single sheet; a rectangular marginal frame portion encompassing all four sides of said pallet; said frame poRtion attached to the said single sheet forming the central portion of the panel; said frame portion being substantially thicker than the major central portion of the panel with the four sides of the frame portion interconnected to cause a transverse force applied to any one side of the panel towards the central portion thereof to be transmitted to adjoining parallel sides of the frame portion for transmission to the fourth side of the frame portion, said frame portion being recessed to receive in overlapping engagement the edge of said sheet and attached to said sheet; the four sides of said rectangular frame portion being formed by separate members leading into four corners of the frame structure and attached to the single sheet; said four members being interlocked at the corners of said frame portion; and means carried by said frame portion for engagement with conventional cargo-securing means.

Claim 4

A pallet in the form of a rectangular panel for anchorage of cargo thereon in the cargo space of an aircraft by overhanging lock means and to carry cargo to and from the cargo space by gliding over rotary support elements, said pallet having a major central portion formed by a single sheet; a rectangular marginal frame portion encompassing all four sides of said pallet; said frame poRtion attached to the said single sheet forming the central portion of the panel; said frame portion being substantially thicker than the major central portion of the panel with the four sides of the frame portion interconnected to cause a transverse force applied to any one side of the panel towards the central portion thereof to be transmitted to adjoining parallel sides of the frame portion for transmission to the fourth side of the frame portion, said frame portion being recessed to receive in overlapping engagement the edge of said sheet and attached to said sheet; the four sides of said rectangular frame portion being formed by separate members leading into four corners of the frame structure and attached to the single sheet; said four members being interlocked at the corners of said frame portion; and means carried by said frame portion for engagement with conventional cargo-securing means.

Claim 5

A pallet for the placing of cargo thereon and the securing of the cargo thereto for movement of the cargo over rotary elements to and from the cargo space of a cargo carrier and to permit the cargo to be releasably secured in the cargo space by overhanging lock means, comprising: a rectangular panel having a central load carrying portion and a rectangular frame surrounding the central portion and united therewith, said central load carrying portion formed of a substantially incompressible material of such thickness and mass to resiliently flex locally in response to impact loads produced by cargo dropped thereon and to resiliently flex locally in response to engagement with a rotary support element spaced above the supporting plane of adjacent rotary elements supporting the pallet as the same moves into and over the elevated support element to distribute a substantial portion of the cargo load carried by said central portion to supporting rotary elements adjacent the rotary element producing the flexure whereby high unit load stresses in the central portion and the elevated rotary element are reduced; said frame member comprising a plurality of elements each having a greater rigidity than said central portion and each formed with a recess receiving one marginal edge of said central portion to support and reinforce the edge received therein; means for permanently anchoring a marginal edge of the central portion in a recess of an element of the frame member; and means carried by said frame member for engagement with cargo-securing means for holding said pallet in a selected position within the cargo space of the cargo carrier.

Claim 6

A pallet for the placing of cargo thereon and the securing of the cargo thereto for movement of the cargo over rotary elements to and from the cargo space of a cargo carrier and to permit the cargo to be releasably secured in the cargo space by overhanging lock means, comprising: a rectangular panel having a central load carrying portion and a rectangular frame surrounding the central portion and united therewith, said central load carrying portion formed of a substantially incompressible material of such thickness and mass to resiliently flex locally in response to impact loads produced by cargo dropped thereon and to resiliently flex locally in response to engagement with a rotary support element spaced above the supporting plane of adjacent rotary elements supporting the pallet as the same moves into and over the elevated support element to distribute a substantial portion of the cargo load carried by said central portion to supporting rotary elements adjacent the rotary element producing the flexure whereby high unit load stresses in the central portion and the elevated rotary element are reduced; said frame member comprising a plurality of elements each having a greater rigidity than said central portion and each formed with a recess receiving one marginal edge of said central portion to support and reinforce the edge received therein; means for permanently anchoring a marginal edge of the central portion in a recess of an element of the frame member; and means carried by said frame member for engagement with cargo-securing means for holding said pallet in a selected position within the cargo space of the cargo carrier.

Claim 7

A pallet as defined in claim 3 in which a face of said frame member is substantially coplanar with a corresponding face of said load carrying central portion.

Claim 8

A pallet as defined in claim 3 in which said central portion is formed of an aluminum sheet.

Claim 9

A pallet for the placing of cargo thereon and the securing of the cargo thereto for movement of the cargo over rotary elements to and from the cargo space of a cargo carrier and to permit the cargo to be releasably secured in the cargo space by overhanging lock means, comprising: a rectangular panel having a metallic sheet-like central portion and a rectangular frame surrounding the central portion and united therewith, said central portion having high resistance to permanent deformation, being substantially incompressible and of an area and thickness to resiliently absorb impact loads and to resiliently flex in response to local forces produced by a rotary support element spaced above the supporting plane of adjacent rotary elements supporting the pallet as the pallet moves over the elevated support element to distribute a substantial portion of the cargo load to supporting rotary elements adjacent the rotary element producing the flexure of said central portion, whereby high unit load stresses produced in the central portion by the elevated rotary element are reduced; said frame member being more rigid than said central portion and comprising a plurality of elements, each formed with a recess receiving one marginal edge of said central portion, said recess defining at least one sidewall which overlies and face wisely engages a surface of a marginal edge of said central portion; means for permanently anchoring a marginal edge of the central portion in a recess of an element of the frame member; and means carried by said frame member for engagement with cargo-securing means for holding said pallet in a selected position within the cargo space of the cargo carrier.

Claim 10

A pallet for the placing of cargo thereon and the securing of the cargo thereto for movement of the cargo over rotary elements to and from the cargo space of a cargo carrier and to permit the cargo to be releasably secured in the cargo space by overhanging lock means, comprising: a rectangular panel having a metallic sheet-like central portion and a rectangular frame surrounding the central portion and united therewith, said central portion having high resistance to permanent deformation, being substantially incompressible and of an area and thickness to resiliently absorb impact loads and to resiliently flex in response to local forces produced by a rotary support element spaced above the supporting plane of adjacent rotary elements supporting the pallet as the pallet moves over the elevated support element to distribute a substantial portion of the cargo load to supporting rotary elements adjacent the rotary element producing the flexure of said central portion, whereby high unit load stresses produced in the central portion by the elevated rotary element are reduced; said frame member being more rigid than said central portion and comprising a plurality of elements, each formed with a recess receiving one marginal edge of said central portion, said recess defining at least one sidewall which overlies and face wisely engages a surface of a marginal edge of said central portion; means for permanently anchoring a marginal edge of the central portion in a recess of an element of the frame member; and means carried by said frame member for engagement with cargo-securing means for holding said pallet in a selected position within the cargo space of the cargo carrier.

Claim 11

A pallet as defined in claim 6 in which said recess defines a pair of sidewalls which engage opposite surfaces of a marginal edge of said central portion.

Claim 12

A pallet as defined in claim 6 in which a face of said frame member is substantially coplanar with a corresponding face of said central portion.

Claim 13

A pallet as defined in claim 6 in which said central portion is formed of a single sheet of aluminum.

Claim 14

A pallet for the placing of cargo thereon and the securing of the cargo thereto for movement of the cargo over rotary elements to and from the cargo space of a cargo carrier and to permit the cargo to be releasably secured in the cargo space by overhanging lock means, comprising: a rectangular sheet forming a central load carrying element of said pallet, said sheet formed of a metal highly resistant to permanent deformation under impact loads and of such thickness and mass to resiliently flex locally in response to forces produced by cargo dropped thereon and to resiliently flex in response to engagement with a support element spaced above the supporting plane of adjacent elements supporting the pallet as the same moves into and over the elevated support element to distribute a substantial portion of the cargo load carried by said pallet to supporting elements adjacent the element producing the flexure whereby high unit load stresses in the sheet and the elevated rotary element are reduced; a frame member comprising a plurality of elongate members, each element being thicker than and having a greater rigidity than said sheet; each of said elements being formed with a cavity receiving one marginal edge of said sheet, the cavity having a length equal to the marginal edge received therein; means for permanently securing a marginal edge of the sheet received within a cavity of the element of the frame member whereby the frame member encompasses all four sides of the sheet to reinforce the same; and means carried by said frame member for engagement with cargo-securing means for holding said pallet in a selected position within the cargo space of the cargo carrier.

Claim 15

A pallet for the placing of cargo thereon and the securing of the cargo thereto for movement of the cargo over rotary elements to and from the cargo space of a cargo carrier and to permit the cargo to be releasably secured in the cargo space by overhanging lock means, comprising: a rectangular sheet forming a central load carrying element of said pallet, said sheet formed of a metal highly resistant to permanent deformation under impact loads and of such thickness and mass to resiliently flex locally in response to forces produced by cargo dropped thereon and to resiliently flex in response to engagement with a support element spaced above the supporting plane of adjacent elements supporting the pallet as the same moves into and over the elevated support element to distribute a substantial portion of the cargo load carried by said pallet to supporting elements adjacent the element producing the flexure whereby high unit load stresses in the sheet and the elevated rotary element are reduced; a frame member comprising a plurality of elongate members, each element being thicker than and having a greater rigidity than said sheet; each of said elements being formed with a cavity receiving one marginal edge of said sheet, the cavity having a length equal to the marginal edge received therein; means for permanently securing a marginal edge of the sheet received within a cavity of the element of the frame member whereby the frame member encompasses all four sides of the sheet to reinforce the same; and means carried by said frame member for engagement with cargo-securing means for holding said pallet in a selected position within the cargo space of the cargo carrier.

Claim 16

A pallet as set forth in claim 10 in which the edge of the sheet is tapered and in which each elongate element has a groove of a cross section complementary of the cross section of the tapered edge of the sheet that interlocks with the edge of the sheet and thereby opposing separation of the edge of the sheet laterally away from the elongate element.

Claim 17

A pallet for the placing of cargo thereon and the securing of the cargo thereto for movement of the cargo over rotary elements to and from the cargo space of a cargo carrier and to permit the cargo to be releasably secured in the cargo space by overhanging lock means, comprising: a rectangular sheet of metal forming a central load carrying element of said pallet, said sheet being of such thickness as to resiliently flex locally in response to impact forces produced by cargo dropped thereon and to resiliently flex in response to engagement with a support element of the cargo carrier spaced above the supporting plane of adjacent elements supporting the pallet as the same moves into and over the support element to distribute a substantial portion of the cargo load carried by said pallet to supporting elements adjacent the element producing the flexure whereby high unit load stresses in the sheet and the elevated rotary element are reduced; a frame member of a thickness greater than said sheet extending about the four marginal edges of the same to reinforce and stiffen the edges of the sheet, said frame being substantially rigid and resistant to flexing stresses produced by bending loads induced in said frame; and means carried at spaced locations about said frame for holding said pallet in a preselected position within the cargo space of the cargo carrier and receiving and cooperating with means carried by a load confining element adapted to hold cargo to said pallet.

Claim 18

A pallet for the placing of cargo thereon and the securing of the cargo thereto for movement of the cargo over rotary elements to and from the cargo space of a cargo carrier and to permit the cargo to be releasably secured in the cargo space by overhanging lock means, comprising: a rectangular sheet of metal forming a central load carrying element of said pallet, said sheet being of such thickness as to resiliently flex locally in response to impact forces produced by cargo dropped thereon and to resiliently flex in response to engagement with a support element of the cargo carrier spaced above the supporting plane of adjacent elements supporting the pallet as the same moves into and over the support element to distribute a substantial portion of the cargo load carried by said pallet to supporting elements adjacent the element producing the flexure whereby high unit load stresses in the sheet and the elevated rotary element are reduced; a frame member of a thickness greater than said sheet extending about the four marginal edges of the same to reinforce and stiffen the edges of the sheet, said frame being substantially rigid and resistant to flexing stresses produced by bending loads induced in said frame; and means carried at spaced locations about said frame for holding said pallet in a preselected position within the cargo space of the cargo carrier and receiving and cooperating with means carried by a load confining element adapted to hold cargo to said pallet.

Claim 19

A pallet as defined in claim 12 in which said frame is integral with said sheet of metal.