Support column and disposable pallet structure

Claim 2

A support column for use with a pallet deck having a predetermined thickness and a load supporting upper surface and a lower surface for making a disposable pallet comprising: a leg, said leg comprising a one piece hollow frustum having an open larger end and an end wall substantially closing a smaller end, said end wall having a central opening and a hollow truncated conical flange surrounding the opening and disposed within said frustum, an arcuate flange extending outwardly of and about said frustum at a position uniformly spaced from said larger end of said frustum by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of a said pallet deck for engaging the lower surface of said pallet deck, and tabs spaced from said flange and extending outwardly from the frustum at said larger end from circumferentially spaced positions, said tabs being insertable together with said larger end of said frustum into an opening in a said pallet deck to place said lower surface of said deck against said flange and to place said tabs against the upper surface of a said pallet deck to retain said leg to said pallet deck; and a one-piece support ring for locking a second deck to said smaller end, said support ring comprising an annulus having an outer wall corresponding in diameter to the outer surface of the frustum at the larger end, a flange extending outwardly of said outer wall of said annulus at a position spaced from one axial end thereof for engaging the upper side of a said second deck, tabs extending outwardly from said outer wall at said one end to engage the lower side of a said second deck, and a boss supported at the center of said annulus and extending axially of said annulus and formed with tabs to cooperate with said opening and conical flange to secure said support ring to said frustum.

Claim 3

A support column according to claim 1 wherein said tabs have circumferentially spaced edges which are beveled to engage the deck.

Claim 4

A support column according to claim 1 wherein said flanges has a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches and wherein said tabs are placed in spaced relationship corresponding to that of said notches and wherein said tabs have less arcuate extent about said frustum than said flanges.

Claim 5

A pallet comprising a combination of a pair of decks and a plurality of spaced support columns, said decks each comprising A generally planar sheet of material having a predetermined thickness between an upper and lower surface thereof, a plurality of openings corresponding to the number of said support columns desired, said openings being generally circular and having circumferentially spaced notches, and said support columns each comprising a leg, each leg comprising, a hollow frustum having an open large end corresponding to the dimension of said openings and an end wall substantially closing a smaller end, said end wall having an opening and a hollow truncated conical flange surrounding said opening and disposed within said frustum, a flange extending outwardly from said frustum and around said large end at a position uniformly spaced from said large end by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said sheet of material for engaging the lower surface of and supporting said sheet of material around a said opening, and tabs extending outwardly from the frustum at said large end from circumferentially spaced positions correspoNding to the spacing of said notches to fit therein, and said large end of each said frustum being inserted into one of said openings in a said sheet to place said sheet against said flange with said tabs positioned to engage the upper surface of said sheet of material and secure said legs to said sheet, and a support ring for locking the second sheet of material to said smaller end of each said leg, said support ring comprising an annulus having an outer wall corresponding in diameter to the outer surface of the frustum at the large end, a flange extending outwardly of and around said outer wall of said annulus at a position spaced from one axial end thereof, tabs extending outwardly from said outer wall at said one end, and a boss supported at the center of said annulus and extending into said conical flange and having tabs cooperating with said opening and conical flange to secure said support ring to said leg.

Claim 6

A pallet comprising a combination of a pair of decks and a plurality of spaced support columns, said decks each comprising A generally planar sheet of material having a predetermined thickness between an upper and lower surface thereof, a plurality of openings corresponding to the number of said support columns desired, said openings being generally circular and having circumferentially spaced notches, and said support columns each comprising a leg, each leg comprising, a hollow frustum having an open large end corresponding to the dimension of said openings and an end wall substantially closing a smaller end, said end wall having an opening and a hollow truncated conical flange surrounding said opening and disposed within said frustum, a flange extending outwardly from said frustum and around said large end at a position uniformly spaced from said large end by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said sheet of material for engaging the lower surface of and supporting said sheet of material around a said opening, and tabs extending outwardly from the frustum at said large end from circumferentially spaced positions correspoNding to the spacing of said notches to fit therein, and said large end of each said frustum being inserted into one of said openings in a said sheet to place said sheet against said flange with said tabs positioned to engage the upper surface of said sheet of material and secure said legs to said sheet, and a support ring for locking the second sheet of material to said smaller end of each said leg, said support ring comprising an annulus having an outer wall corresponding in diameter to the outer surface of the frustum at the large end, a flange extending outwardly of and around said outer wall of said annulus at a position spaced from one axial end thereof, tabs extending outwardly from said outer wall at said one end, and a boss supported at the center of said annulus and extending into said conical flange and having tabs cooperating with said opening and conical flange to secure said support ring to said leg.

Claim 7

A pallet according to claim 4 wherein said openings in said deck include circumferentially spaced notches corresponding generally to the shape of said tabs to permit said larger end of said leg to be placed through said opening.

Claim 8

A pallet according to claim 4 wherein each of said tabs has circumferentially spaced edges which are beveled.

Claim 9

A pallet comprising in combination a first deck, said first deck comprising a generally planar sheet of material having a predetermined thickness between an upper and lower surface thereof, a plurality of openings, said openings being generally circular, and a plurality of support columns each comprising a leg, each leg comprising a hollow frustum having an open large end corresponding to the dimension of said openings and an end wall substantially closing a smaller end, a flange extending outwardly from said frustum and around said large end at a position uniformly spaced from said large end by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said sheet of material for engaging the lower surface of and supporting said sheet of material around a said opening, and tabs extending outwardly from the frustum at said large end from circumferentially spaced positions, and said large end of each said frustum being inserted into one of said openings in said first deck to place said first deck against said flanges with said tabs position to engage the upper surface of said sheet of material and secure said legs to said first deck, said end wall having a central opening and a truncated hollow conical flange surrounding said opening and extending axially into said frustum toward said large end, a second deck similar to the first deck, and a plurality of support rings locked to said second deck and adapted for locking said second deck to said smaller end of said frustums of each leg, each said support ring comprising an annulus having an outer wall similar in diameter to the outer surface of the frustum at said large end, a flange extending outwardly of and around said outer wall of said annulus at a position spaced from one axial end thereof and engaging the upper side of said second deck, tabs extending outwardly from said outer wall at said one end and engaging the underside of said second deck, a web in the center of said annulus at said one end and a boss supported at the center of said web and extending axially toward the other axial end thereof and extending through said opening and said conical flange and secured to said frustum.

Claim 10

A pallet comprising in combination a first deck, said first deck comprising a generally planar sheet of material having a predetermined thickness between an upper and lower surface thereof, a plurality of openings, said openings being generally circular, and a plurality of support columns each comprising a leg, each leg comprising a hollow frustum having an open large end corresponding to the dimension of said openings and an end wall substantially closing a smaller end, a flange extending outwardly from said frustum and around said large end at a position uniformly spaced from said large end by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said sheet of material for engaging the lower surface of and supporting said sheet of material around a said opening, and tabs extending outwardly from the frustum at said large end from circumferentially spaced positions, and said large end of each said frustum being inserted into one of said openings in said first deck to place said first deck against said flanges with said tabs position to engage the upper surface of said sheet of material and secure said legs to said first deck, said end wall having a central opening and a truncated hollow conical flange surrounding said opening and extending axially into said frustum toward said large end, a second deck similar to the first deck, and a plurality of support rings locked to said second deck and adapted for locking said second deck to said smaller end of said frustums of each leg, each said support ring comprising an annulus having an outer wall similar in diameter to the outer surface of the frustum at said large end, a flange extending outwardly of and around said outer wall of said annulus at a position spaced from one axial end thereof and engaging the upper side of said second deck, tabs extending outwardly from said outer wall at said one end and engaging the underside of said second deck, a web in the center of said annulus at said one end and a boss supported at the center of said web and extending axially toward the other axial end thereof and extending through said opening and said conical flange and secured to said frustum.

Claim 11

A pallet according to claim 7 wherein said first deck and said second deck have corresponding die cut openings to receive said leg and support ring.

Claim 12

A support for a sheet of material for a disposable pallet comprising a hollow frustum having a larger end and a smaller end, said smaller end having an end wall and a web joined to said end wall and positioned adjacent said larger end to partially close the same, an arcuate flange extending outwardly of and around said frustum at a position uniformly spaced from sAid larger end of said frustum to engage one surface of a said sheet of material, and tabs extending outwardly from the frustum at said larger end from circumferentially spaced positions, said tabs being insertable together with said larger end of said frustum into an opening in said sheet of material to engage the opposite surface of said sheet of material and place said one surface of said sheet of material against said flange and retain said frustum to said sheet of material.

Claim 13

A support for a sheet of material for a disposable pallet comprising a hollow frustum having a larger end and a smaller end, said smaller end having an end wall and a web joined to said end wall and positioned adjacent said larger end to partially close the same, an arcuate flange extending outwardly of and around said frustum at a position uniformly spaced from sAid larger end of said frustum to engage one surface of a said sheet of material, and tabs extending outwardly from the frustum at said larger end from circumferentially spaced positions, said tabs being insertable together with said larger end of said frustum into an opening in said sheet of material to engage the opposite surface of said sheet of material and place said one surface of said sheet of material against said flange and retain said frustum to said sheet of material.