Shipping pallet and container

Claim 2

A shipping pallet of unitary construction for use with another substantially identical pallet so as to serve as a bottom or top wall of a shipping container for transporting and storing a load, said shipping pallet comprising a base and a plurality of spaced-apart foot means projecting from a common side of said base, a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arragned as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, wherein said first and second sleeve receiving grooves have coinciding linear portions and are concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet and each encompasses at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 3

A shipping pallet according to claim 1 wherein said base includes grippable means disposed within the confines of said first and second grooves and adapted for engagement by a cooperating gripping device for facilitating the handling and assembling of the pallets into shipping containers.

Claim 4

A shipping pallet according to claim 2 wherein said grippable means comprises a plurality of discrete flat areas disposed symmetrically about the center of the pallet, with the flat areas being present on each side of said pallet.

Claim 5

A shipping pallet according to claim 1 wherein at least some of said spaced-apart foot means comprises a pair of spaced-apart projecting members and a pair of spaced-apart platform members, and a bridging member interconnecting each of the pairs of projecting members for strengthening the same, each bridging member projecting from the base a lesser distance than each pair of projecting members of said foot means.

Claim 6

A shipping pallet according to claim 1 wherein said spaced-apart foot means projecting from a common side of said base comprise corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, and wherein all of said intermediate and central foot means each comprise at least a pair of spaced-apart projecting members, and wherein a bridging member interconnects each of said pairs of projecting members for strengthening the same, each bridging member projecting from the base a lesser distance than said projecting member of said foot means.

Claim 7

A shipping pallet according to claim 1 wherein said projecting members of all of said spaced-apart foot means are arranged in such spaced relationship as to provide a pair of spaced parallel passages extending along opposite sides of a centerline passing through the shipping pallet and another pair of spaced parallel passages extending transversely of the first named passages, with the passages of each pair being arranged to accommodate the arms of a forklift type transporting vehicle, and wherein said base includes a plurality of substantially flat areas positioned in said passages and adapted for engagement by suction devices or the like for facilitating the handling and assembling of the pallets into shipping containers.

Claim 8

A shipping pallet according to claim 1 wherein each of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves have a polygonal outline, with the second groove having more sides than the first groove.

Claim 9

A shipping pallet according to claim 7 wherein said first sleeve receiving groove has a square outline, and said second sleeve receiving groove has an octagonal outline, and with four of the sides of said second groove coinciding with portions of each side of said first groove.

Claim 10

A shipping container for containing and transporting a load therein and so constructed as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation with other shipping containers of substantially the same construction, said shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially identical construction, said upper and lower pallets being inverted relative to each other so as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation to pallets of adjacent containers, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, each of said pallets having a base and a plurality of spaced-apart foot means projecting from a common side of the base, each foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each foot means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the projecting members of each pallet are adapted to abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container for providing a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, a first sleeve receiving groove extending adjacent the periphery of each pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, a second sleeve receiving groove extending on the same side of each pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet and being of different overall size and geometric shape from each other, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, and opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, and means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container.

Claim 11

A shipping container for containing and transporting a load therein and so constructed as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation with other shipping containers of substantially the same construction, said shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially identical construction, said upper and lower pallets being inverted relative to each other so as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation to pallets of adjacent containers, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, each of said pallets having a base and a plurality of spaced-apart foot means projecting from a common side of the base, each foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each foot means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the projecting members of each pallet are adapted to abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container for providing a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, a first sleeve receiving groove extending adjacent the periphery of each pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, a second sleeve receiving groove extending on the same side of each pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet and being of different overall size and geometric shape from each other, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, and opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, and means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container.

Claim 12

A shipping container according to claim 9 wherein said first sleeve receiving groove has a square outline, and said second sleeve receiving groove has an octagonal outline.

Claim 13

A shipping container according to claim 9 wherein said base includes a plurality of substantially flat areas adapted for engagement by suction devices or the like for facilitating the handling and assembling of the pallets into shipping containers.

Claim 14

A shipping container according to claim 9 wherein at least some of said spaced-apart foot means comprises a pair of spaced-apart projecting members and a pair of spaced-apart platform members, and a bridging member interconnecting each of the pairs of projecting members for strengthening the same, each bridging member projecting from the base a lesser distance than each pair of projecting members of said foot means.

Claim 15

A shipping container according to claim 9 wherein said spaced-apart foot means projecting from a common side of said base comprise corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, and wherein all of said intermediate and central foot means each comprise at least a pair of spaced-apart projecting members, and wherein a bridging member interconnects each of said pairs of projecting members for strengthening the same, each bridging member projecting from the base a lesser distance than said projecting member of said foot means.

Claim 16

A shipping container according to claim 9 wherein said projecting members of all of said spaced-apart foot means are arranged in such spaced relationship as to provide a pair of spaced parallel passages extending along opposite sides of a centerline passing through the shipping pallet and another pair of spaced parallel passages extending transversely of the first named passages, with the passages of each pair being arranged to accommodate the arms of a forklift type transporting vehicle, and wherein said base includes a plurality of substantially flat areas positioned in said passages and adapted for engagement by suction devices or the like for facilitating the handling and assembling of the pallets into shipping containers.

Claim 17

A shipping container according to claim 9 wherein said projecting members and said platform members are so constructed and arranged relative to each other that each pallet thereof, when in use in a predetermined position of orientation, and at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase therefrom, may be stacked in mating relation to a substantially identical inverted pallet of an adjacent container.

Claim 18

A shipping container according to claim 15 wherein each pallet has substantially the same length as the width thereof, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members are so constructed and arranged relative to each other that each pallet thereof, when in use, may be reoriented at any other position of orientation of an integral multiple of 90° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to the adjacent containers.

Claim 19

A stack of shipping containers containing articles therein, each shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially the same construction, said upper and lower pallets of each shipping container being inverted relative to each other and being in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers of the stack, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets of each respective shipping container, each of said pallets having a base and a plurality of spaced-apart foot means projecting from a common side of the base, each foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each foot means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the projecting members of each pallet abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container and provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, a first sleeve receiving groove extending adjacent the periphery of each pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means and a second sleeve receiving goove extending on the same side of each pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet and being of different overall size and geometric shape from each other, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, and opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, and means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of the shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container.

Claim 20

A stack of shipping containers containing articles therein, each shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially the same construction, said upper and lower pallets of each shipping container being inverted relative to each other and being in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers of the stack, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets of each respective shipping container, each of said pallets having a base and a plurality of spaced-apart foot means projecting from a common side of the base, each foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each foot means being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the projecting members of each pallet abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container and provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, a first sleeve receiving groove extending adjacent the periphery of each pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means and a second sleeve receiving goove extending on the same side of each pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet and being of different overall size and geometric shape from each other, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, and opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, and means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of the shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container.

Claim 21

A shipping pallet of unitary construction for use with another substantially identical pallet so as to serve as a bottom or top wall of a shipping container for transporting and storing a load, said shipping pallet having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, and wherein each of the foot means comprises at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, and said projecting members and said platform members being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the pallet when in use in a predetermined position of orientation, and at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase therefrom, may be stacked in mating relation to a substantially identical inverted pallet and with the projecting members abutting the platform members of the inverted pallet and serving to provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between the adjacent pallets in a plurality of directions, a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, wherein said first and second sleeve receiving grooves have coinciding linear portions and are concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet and each encompasses at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 22

A shipping pallet of unitary construction for use with another substantially identical pallet so as to serve as a bottom or top wall of a shipping container for transporting and storing a load, said shipping pallet having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, and wherein each of the foot means comprises at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, and said projecting members and said platform members being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the pallet when in use in a predetermined position of orientation, and at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase therefrom, may be stacked in mating relation to a substantially identical inverted pallet and with the projecting members abutting the platform members of the inverted pallet and serving to provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between the adjacent pallets in a plurality of directions, a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, wherein said first and second sleeve receiving grooves have coinciding linear portions and are concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet and each encompasses at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 23

A shipping pallet of the type which when unloaded may be nestably stacked with other like pallets, said pallet being of unitary construction for use with another substantially identical pallet so as to serve as a bottom or top wall of a shipping container for transporting and storing a load, said shipping pallet having a generally plannar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, and wherein each of the foot means comprises at least one projecting member and platform member adjacent each projecting member, and said projecting members and said platform members being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the pallet when in use in a predetermined position or orientation, and at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase therefrom, may be stacked in mating relation to a substantially identical inverted pallet and with the projecting members abutting the platform members of the inverted pallet and serving to provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between the adjacent pallets in a plurality of directions, wherein the respective projecting members of each diagonally opposed pair of said corner foot means have side engagement surfaces facing in opposite directions from each other for providing the lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent pallets when in stacked relationship, and further wherein said projecting members are hollow and constucted so as to be nestably engaged with projecting members of another substantially identical unloaded pallet facing the same direction and in any of said positions of orientation, whereby a relatively large number of unloaded pallets may be nestably stacked so as to occupy considerably less space when being stored or shipped, a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, wherein said first and second sleeve receiving grooves have coinciding linear portions and are concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet and each encompasses at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 24

A shipping pallet of the type which when unloaded may be nestably stacked with other like pallets, said pallet being of unitary construction for use with another substantially identical pallet so as to serve as a bottom or top wall of a shipping container for transporting and storing a load, said shipping pallet having a generally plannar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, and wherein each of the foot means comprises at least one projecting member and platform member adjacent each projecting member, and said projecting members and said platform members being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the pallet when in use in a predetermined position or orientation, and at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase therefrom, may be stacked in mating relation to a substantially identical inverted pallet and with the projecting members abutting the platform members of the inverted pallet and serving to provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between the adjacent pallets in a plurality of directions, wherein the respective projecting members of each diagonally opposed pair of said corner foot means have side engagement surfaces facing in opposite directions from each other for providing the lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent pallets when in stacked relationship, and further wherein said projecting members are hollow and constucted so as to be nestably engaged with projecting members of another substantially identical unloaded pallet facing the same direction and in any of said positions of orientation, whereby a relatively large number of unloaded pallets may be nestably stacked so as to occupy considerably less space when being stored or shipped, a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, wherein said first and second sleeve receiving grooves have coinciding linear portions and are concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet and each encompasses at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 25

A shipping container for containing and transporting a load therein and so constructed as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation with other shipping containers of substantially the same construction, said shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially identical construction, said upper and lower pallets being inverted relative to each other so as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of the shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container, each of said pallets having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, each of the foot means comprising at least one projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the projecting members of each pallet are adapted to abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container for providing a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet are also so constructed and arranged that the shipping container, when in the stack, is adapted to be reoriented in at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to other shipping containers in the stack, with the pallets of the reoriented shipping container still adapted to be in mating relation to the adjacent pallets of adjacent shipping containers in the stack and with the projecting members of each pallet of the reoriented shipping container adapted to be abutting the platform members of adjacent pallets, each pallet having a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves in each pallet having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 26

A shipping container for containing and transporting a load therein and so constructed as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation with other shipping containers of substantially the same construction, said shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially identical construction, said upper and lower pallets being inverted relative to each other so as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of the shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container, each of said pallets having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, each of the foot means comprising at least one projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the projecting members of each pallet are adapted to abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container for providing a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet are also so constructed and arranged that the shipping container, when in the stack, is adapted to be reoriented in at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to other shipping containers in the stack, with the pallets of the reoriented shipping container still adapted to be in mating relation to the adjacent pallets of adjacent shipping containers in the stack and with the projecting members of each pallet of the reoriented shipping container adapted to be abutting the platform members of adjacent pallets, each pallet having a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves in each pallet having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 27

A shipping container for containing and transporting a load therein and so constructed as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation with other shipping containers of substantially the same construction, said shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially identical construction and which when unloaded may be nestably stacked with other like pallets, said upper and lower pallets being inverted relative to each other so as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of the shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container, each of said pallets having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, each of the foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the projecting members of each pallet are adapted to abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container for providing a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet are also so constructed and arranged that the shipping container, when in the stack, is adapted to be reoriented in at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to other shipping containers in the stack, with the pallets of the reoriented shipping container still adapted to be in mating relation to the adjacent pallets of adjacent shipping containers in the stack and with the projecting members of each pallet of the reoriented shipping container adapted to be abutting the platform members of adjacent pallets, the respective projecting members of each diagonally opposed pair of said corner foot means of each pallet having side engagement surfaces facing in opposite directions from each other for providing the lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent pallets when in stacked relationship, and further wherein said projecting members of each pallet are hollow and constucted as to be nestably engaged with projecting members of another substantially identical unloaded pallet facing in the same direction and in any of said positions of orientation, whereby a relatively large number of unloaded pallets may be nestably stacked so as to occupy considerably less space when being stored or shipped, each pallet having a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves in each pallet having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 28

A shipping container for containing and transporting a load therein and so constructed as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation with other shipping containers of substantially the same construction, said shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially identical construction and which when unloaded may be nestably stacked with other like pallets, said upper and lower pallets being inverted relative to each other so as to be adapted to be stacked in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of the shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container, each of said pallets having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, each of the foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet being so constructed and arranged relative to each other that the projecting members of each pallet are adapted to abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container for providing a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet are also so constructed and arranged that the shipping container, when in the stack, is adapted to be reoriented in at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to other shipping containers in the stack, with the pallets of the reoriented shipping container still adapted to be in mating relation to the adjacent pallets of adjacent shipping containers in the stack and with the projecting members of each pallet of the reoriented shipping container adapted to be abutting the platform members of adjacent pallets, the respective projecting members of each diagonally opposed pair of said corner foot means of each pallet having side engagement surfaces facing in opposite directions from each other for providing the lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent pallets when in stacked relationship, and further wherein said projecting members of each pallet are hollow and constucted as to be nestably engaged with projecting members of another substantially identical unloaded pallet facing in the same direction and in any of said positions of orientation, whereby a relatively large number of unloaded pallets may be nestably stacked so as to occupy considerably less space when being stored or shipped, each pallet having a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves in each pallet having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 29

A stack of shipping containers containing articles therein, each shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially the same construction, said upper and lower pallets of each shipping container being inverted relative to each other and being in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers of the stack, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of each shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container, each of said pallets having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, each of the foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet being so constructed and arranged that the projecting members of each pallet abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container and provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet are also so constructed and arranged that each shipping container of the stack may be reoriented at at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to the other shipping containers, with the pallets of the reoriented shipping container still being in mating relation to the adjacent pallets and with the projecting members of each pallet of the reoriented shipping container abutting the platform members of the adjacent pallets, each pallet having a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves in each pallet having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 30

A stack of shipping containers containing articles therein, each shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially the same construction, said upper and lower pallets of each shipping container being inverted relative to each other and being in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers of the stack, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of each shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container, each of said pallets having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, each of the foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet being so constructed and arranged that the projecting members of each pallet abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container and provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet are also so constructed and arranged that each shipping container of the stack may be reoriented at at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to the other shipping containers, with the pallets of the reoriented shipping container still being in mating relation to the adjacent pallets and with the projecting members of each pallet of the reoriented shipping container abutting the platform members of the adjacent pallets, each pallet having a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves in each pallet having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 31

A stack of shipping containers containing articles therein, each shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially the same construction and which when unloaded may be stacked with other like pallets, said upper and lower pallets of each shipping container being inverted relative to each other and being in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers of the stack, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of each shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container, each of said pallets having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, each of the foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet being so constructed and arranged that the projecting members of each pallet abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container and provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet are also so constructed and arranged that each shipping container of the stack may be reoriented in at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to the other shipping containers, with the pallets of the reoriented shipping container still being in mating relation to the adjacent pallets and with the projecting members of each pallet of the reoriented shipping container abutting the platform members of the adjacent pallets, the respective projecting members of each diagonally opposed pair of said corner foot means of each pallet having side engagement surfaces facing in opposite directions from each other for providing the lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent pallets when in stacked relationship, and further wherein said projecting members of each pallet are hollow and constructed so as to be nestably engaged with projecting members of another substantially identical unloaded Pallet facing in the same direction and in any of said positions of orientation, whereby a relatively large number of unloaded pallets may be nestably stacked so as to occupy considerably less space when being stored or shipped, each pallet having a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves in each pallet having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.

Claim 32

A stack of shipping containers containing articles therein, each shipping container comprising upper and lower pallets of substantially the same construction and which when unloaded may be stacked with other like pallets, said upper and lower pallets of each shipping container being inverted relative to each other and being in mating relation to the pallets of adjacent containers of the stack, a sleeve extending between and positioned in engagement with said upper and lower pallets, means interconnecting the upper and lower pallets of each shipping container for maintaining the integrity of the shipping container, each of said pallets having a generally planar base and a plurality of foot means projecting from the base, said foot means including corner foot means positioned in respective corner areas of the pallet, central foot means positioned centrally of the pallet, and intermediate foot means positioned between adjacent corner foot means, each of the foot means comprising at least one projecting member and a platform member adjacent each projecting member, the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet being so constructed and arranged that the projecting members of each pallet abut the platform members of a pallet of an adjacent shipping container and provide a lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent shipping containers, and wherein the projecting members and the platform members of each pallet are also so constructed and arranged that each shipping container of the stack may be reoriented in at least another position of orientation 180° out-of-phase from its previous stacked position relative to the other shipping containers, with the pallets of the reoriented shipping container still being in mating relation to the adjacent pallets and with the projecting members of each pallet of the reoriented shipping container abutting the platform members of the adjacent pallets, the respective projecting members of each diagonally opposed pair of said corner foot means of each pallet having side engagement surfaces facing in opposite directions from each other for providing the lateral anti-shift interengagement between adjacent pallets when in stacked relationship, and further wherein said projecting members of each pallet are hollow and constructed so as to be nestably engaged with projecting members of another substantially identical unloaded Pallet facing in the same direction and in any of said positions of orientation, whereby a relatively large number of unloaded pallets may be nestably stacked so as to occupy considerably less space when being stored or shipped, each pallet having a first sleeve receiving groove provided adjacent the periphery of the pallet and on the side thereof opposite from said foot means, and a second sleeve receiving groove provided on the same side of the pallet as said first sleeve receiving groove and positioned so as not to extend outwardly beyond the confines of said first sleeve receiving groove and being so constructed and arranged as to be of different configuration than said first sleeve receiving groove so as to receive a sleeve therein of different cross-sectional configuration than that sleeve adapted to be received in said first sleeve receiving groove, said sleeve having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding to one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet, opposite ends of said sleeve being positioned in said corresponding one of said first and second sleeve receiving grooves of each pallet so as to prevent the sleeve from shifting laterally with respect to the upper and lower pallets, said first and second sleeve receiving grooves in each pallet having coinciding linear portions and also being concentrically arranged relative to each other and relative to the pallet, each groove encompassing at least a major portion of the pallet, and further wherein the grooves are of different overall size and geometric shape from each other.