Load supporting and handling means

Claim 1

Load-supporting and handling means comprising: (A) a permanent and reusable pallet base which comprises a plurality of laterally spaced, parallel supporting members of equal height adapted to rest on a floor and a plurality of base panels integral with said supporting members, said base panels having a thickness less than that of said supporting members and each extending laterally from an edge face of one of said supporting members intermediate the top and bottom thereof, at least one of said supporting members being spaced inwardly from opposite side edges of said pallet base, thereby providing spaces between said base panels and said floor in which the fork of a fork-lift truck may enter for lifting said pallet base by said panels, said base being symmetrical with respect to a horizontal plane extending through the centers of said supporting members and said panels, and (B) a disposable load board adapted to be carried by and supported on said pallet base, said load board comprising a load-supporting panel and a plurality of laterally spaced, parallel runners, said load-supporting panel having a flat, uninterrupted, upper face and substantially the same horizontal dimensions as said pallet base and said runners extending outwardly from the lower face of said load-supporting panel and being adapted to rest on and parallel to said supporting members when said pallet base and load board are assembled, thereby providing spaces between said base and said load-supporting panel for entry of the fork of a fork-lift truck, said load board having at least one runner for cooperation with each of the supporting members of said base.