Drum Pallet

Abstract

Handling of drums, barrels and similar contains is facilitated by the provision of pallet means thereon comprising at least a pair of runners temporarily or permanently attached to a portion of a drum, usually one of the circular ends, cleats attached to the runners and means securing the runners to the drum or container. The cleats may be straight or bevelled and are positioned on the runners to serve the dual purpose of providing a ground engaging means when the ground is the support and by providing a centering action when another drum is the support. External fasteners or weld means serve to secure the pallet means to the lower rim or chime of the drum.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a means for expediting the handling of material containers. In particular my invention contemplates a pallet means for standard drums and other containers which allow the drums and containers to be easily, quickly and conveniently handled by standard equipment such as a fork-lift truck. Also the pallet means allows flexibility in the positioning and stacking of the containers whereby they may be stacked higher and closer together.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Although flat wooden pallets built to carry a plurality of drums have long been in use, it is only recently that pallets for individual drums have been considered. In one prior art device the individual pallets are of a "lazy susan" type which have one portion press fitted into the recessed bottom of a drum or barrel. Because these pallets depend upon close tolerances to effect an adequate joining to the container they are expensive and have limited initial applicability, which will be compounded by later usage and wear. Being separate, they pose a risk of detachment from the drum during use and handling, which detracts considerably from their convenience and adaptability. In another prior art attempt to meet the pressing and increasing demand of the material handling field for an inexpensive and convenient individual pallet a detachable ring having two chord-like cross-members has been used, but this also has been found to have many disadvantages. Thus, for example, the ring is larger than the bottom of the drum and consequently is heavy, increasing shipping weight; cumbersome, increasing handling problems on separate shipment of the pallet; and limited in its applicability in the size of the drums or barrels to which it may be attached. It has greater range than the lazy susan type, but still is very limited. Moreover, attachment of the pallet is by wedges driven between the drum or barrel chime and the ring member. Not only is this crude method subject to unwanted and unsafe detachability during use, but the pressure of repeated wedging may distort either the drum or barrel chime, the surrounding pallet ring, or both, thereby increasing the unsafe conditions. There has thus developed a need in the material handling field of a readily adaptable, light weight, safe and inexpensive pallet for a drum or a container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above noted disadvantages of the prior attempts to provide a completely adequate pallet means are overcome by my pallet means which comprises a pair of individual runners that are each securely and individually attached to the chime of a drum or barrel at at least two points. Each of these runners is exactly alike and each is adaptable to fit a very wide range of sizes so that manufacture is simple, inventory of the one standard elongated part is minimal in size, and space required and costs are reduced as far as is possible. Moreover, shipment in a detached condition along with the drums or barrels requires no more room because they fit neatly in the spaces between abutting barrels, so that not only is their weight at a minimum, but their convenience of handling is at a maximum. Attachment of the pallet means to the drum or barrel offers many alternatives depending on allowable design conditions and, therefore, the advantages of each are set out in their individual discussions.

More specifically, my invention is a pallet means comprising a pair of spaced runners each having upper and lower sides and first and second ends. A cleat means is provided on the lower side of each of said runners generally in the area of the first and second ends of each runner. A drum securing means on the upper side of the runners allows attachment of the runners and pallet means to the drum or other container.

It is contemplated that the runners of the pallet means may be attached directly to the drum or container, either temporarily with a releasable fastening means, or permanently with a securing means such as a weld. The length, width and thickness of the runners will vary with the particular container to which they are attached and the means envisioned for their handling. As a design parameter they should be spaced sufficiently far apart to allow maximum stability on the handling apparatus and they should be approximately equal in length to the drum or container diameter and/or outside diameter of the rolling hoops so that extra space will not be required. Since the runners will effectively dictate the spacing between the ends of the stacked containers, their thickness should be such as to accommodate the standard barrel handling equipment between the barrels.

Each runner has on its top side a drum or container securing means through which the runner is fastened to the drum or container. Again, this will vary with the particular container to which the pallet is adapted and the particular permanency of attachment that is desired. In the case of a permanent welded connection of the runner to the container, a simple weld between the container rim or chime and the runner may be adequate. It may be desired, however, to provide the runner with configured portions adapted to mate with a portion of the container, such as will be set out in a description of the preferred embodiment so that a more substantial joint may be effected.

Any manner of releasable fastening devices may be used for the temporarily attached runner depending again on the container and the method of handling. Thus, this attachment means may vary from a spring clip gripping the chime to a securely bolted connection through the chime.

In one embodiment the drum securing means comprises a pair of triangularly shaped blocks positioned along the runner, with one side of the blocks generally configured to mate with the inner circumferential surface of a drum or container false bottom so that a fastener may project through the rim or chime false bottom side wall and into the block. In another embodiment the drum securing means may comprise a raised portion of the runner which, again, projects into the recessed bottom area of the drum and is there secured by suitable means to the drum. In either case an added advantage may be the reinforcement of the drum endwall.

The advantage of ready adaptability to various sized drums is provided by the fact that the runners, being separate, bear against the inside walls of the drum false bottom so that, regardless of the drum diameter, the runners are adaptable to the container.

Having only two runners, of course, means a minimum amount of weight. The runners may be of any configuration and any shape and of any material in accordance with the objects of this invention. However, when considering weight as a factor, a hollow tube-like structure provides the advantages of high strength and low weight.

Expense is reduced because of the interchangeability of the runners to accommodate the various sized drums or containers and because of the direct attachment of the runners to the drums.

Other advantages of the pallet means are that it allows air circulation between the stacked drums, thereby preventing the accumulation of moisture which will lead to rust and the accumulation of fumes which for certain commodities might present the danger of fire or explosion. In addition, the runners allow more stable stacks than would be accomplished with a conventional drum-on-drum placement. Also, they allow more latitude in stacking in that the drums need not be stacked directly on top of one another so the chimes abut, nor need the drums be exactly the same size.

The positioning of the runners in a generally parallel spaced relationship serves as a guide for the conventional lift forks or prongs of drum handling apparatus. Thus, laterally movable prongs may be inserted under the drums in contracted-together position, and then moved apart to abut the inner sides of the spaced pallet means, thereby establishing enhanced carrying stability.

It is then an object of this invention to provide runner pallets for drums, barrels and the like containers for permanent or temporary attachment to the chime ring of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide pallets for stacked drums and the like which have means on one face engaging the inner face of the drum chime of one drum and means on an opposed face engaging the outer face of the chime ring of the adjacent drum in the stack.

A still further object of this invention is to provide drum pallets attached to the drums and effective to hold the drums in spaced vertical stacked position and spaced horizontal row position.

Another object of the invention is to provide inexpensive reusable runners for palletizing drums.

Many other objects and features of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical stack of drums with pallets of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of an embodiment of my invention shown in place on a drum chime ring with parts removed and parts in section;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one runner of another embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one runner of still another embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one runner of a further embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one runner of yet another embodiment of my invention in cooperation with a drum;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one runner of still another embodiment of my invention as shown attached to a bottom of a drum;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a row of drums with pallets of this invention showing how the pallets space the drums horizontally.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vertical stack of barrels equipped with the pallet means of my invention is shown in FIG. 1 wherein a drum 10 has a pair of pallet runners 20, 21 secured to the bottom thereof and is stacked on the upper rim of a lower drum 12. A space is thus provided between the drums 10 and 12. A pair of conventional material handling prongs is shown in part at A in position to enter the space between the barrels 10 and 12 bounded by the pallet means 20 and 21. The material handling prongs A are advantageously of a thickness less than the vertical distance between the barrels and of a length greater than the diameter of the barrel. Conventionally the material handling prongs A are laterally movable, and thus the prongs may be moved towards each other to allow easy access to the space between the barrels and may then be spread within the limits of the pallet means 20 and 21 to assure maximum stability during the handling of the barrel. A barrel 14 equipped with pallet runners 22, 23 of this invention is shown in place on top of the barrel 10 to dramatize the ease with which the barrels of my invention may be uniformly stacked in a single vertical column and to dramatize the convenience of handling.

The pallet means 20, 21, 22, and 23 may take the form of any one or more of the embodiments of my invention to be hereinafter described.

A pair of identical pallet means 30 and 31 are shown in FIG. 2 as they would appear on a typical drum 40. The pallet means 30 advantageously takes the form of hollow tubular structure having a square or rectangular cross-sectional configuration. Thus the pallet means 30 has a planar upper surface 30a, a planar lower surface 30b, a planar inner surface 30c, and an outer surface 30d. To assure that the sides of the drums will not interfere with each other when they are stacked adjacent each other with their pallet means in abutment, the pallet means 30 and 31 are of a length substantially equal to or slightly greater than the largest outer diameter of the drum. Stability of handling and storage results when the placement of the pallet means 30 and 31 near the outer edges of the barrel and spaced apart a distance greater than half the diameter of the barrel. The pallet means is preferably centered so that a first end 30e and a second end 30f project substantially equally from opposite sides of the barrel.

A cleat 32 is secured to the bottom surface 30b of the pallet means 30 in the area of the end portion 30e that projects beyond the drum 40. Similarly a cleat 34 is attached to the lower surface 30b of the pallet means 30 in the area of the end portion 30f that extends beyond the drum 40. Each of the cleats 32 and 34 has a bevelled edge 32a, 34a respectively facing towards the center of the pallet means and disposed diagonally across the lower surface 30b at an angle which would be substantially tangential to the barrel outer diameter. When the barrels are stacked one upon another the cleats will lie outside of the upper diameter of a lower barrel so that relative lateral movement between the upper and lower barrels is prevented. It may be seen here that the beveled inner edges 32b, 34b of the cleats will serve to provide a self-centering action as the upper barrel with its attached pallet means is placed atop the lower barrel. Although the cleat need not be beveled in all instances, it has been found that the bevel provides a self-centering function when the barrels are stacked one on top of another and, therefore, it is desirable.

The pallet means 31 being identical in construction to the pallet means 30 except for the fact that is is rotated 180.degree. , also has a top surface 31a, a bottom surface 31b, an inner surface 31c and an outer surface 31d. Only the first end 31e is shown, since the construction is a mirror image of the fully described pallet means 30. The first end 31e may also have a cleat 33 with a tangentially disposed inner beveled edge 33a. It is within the contemplation of this invention that the cleats may be initially separate and added as desired, or they may be formed integrally from the pallet runners.

Mounted on the upper surfaces 30a, 31a of the runners 30 and 31 respectively are drum securing means 36, 37, and 38. As will be set out hereinafter, the securing means may take various forms. Thus, the securing means shown in FIG. 2 take the form of a pair of triangularly shaped blocks positioned along the runner with one side of said blocks generally configured to mate with an inner circumferential surface 41 of a drum chime or flange means generally indicated at 42 which is part of a drum 40. The chime 42 raises the drum bottom 44 to create what may be termed a "false bottom" or recess.

Since the runners 30 and 31 are of identical construction and positioned in substantial mirror image in relation to each other, the detailed description of the invention will be confined to the runner 30 but similar comments apply to corresponding parts of the runner 31.

The drum securing blocks 36 and 37 advantageously are fixedly secured to the runner 30 so that no movement is possible therebetween even under the most severe handling conditions. Thus, the blocks may be welded to the runner or may be integral therewith. It is important that the drum end or chime 42 rests firmly on the runner 30; therefore, the blocks 36, 37 will be of a height slightly less than the depth of the false bottom or the inner circumferential surface 41. Attachment of the runner 30 to the chime 42 may be advantageously accomplished by the use of fastening means 39 having a head, for example, on the outside of the chime 42 and extending through the chime and into engagement with the blocks 36 and 37. It is to be understood that any conventional fastening means might be substituted for the fastening means 39. Thus, for example, a stud could be welded to the blocks 36, 37 and have a head formed therefrom in rivet-like fashion.

The reinforcement value of this fastening means to the drum, and particularly the drum chime 42, is emphasized. With the runner 30 extending across the drum end in chord-like fashion, tremendous collapse resistance to the drum is provided. In fact, the usual multi-folded chime construction may well be reduced or eliminated with my invention because of the increased strength that it provides to the drum. In some cases the fastener 39 will be a detachable fastening means so that the runner 30 may be removed. Even in this case, however, the strength advantage may be preserved if the runners are used only during the time when the drum or barrel container is fully loaded, and thus during the time when the extra strength is necessary. In addition to the advantages of stackability, self-centering and the accommodation of various sized drums in one end-to-end stack, an additional advantage is provided by the fact that the drums may be laid on their side without any danger of their rolling, since the runners located on at least one end will serve to prevent this. This further facilitates the use of the drum in that if the runners are positioned such that the bottom hole of the drum is at its upper-most portion, access may be easily gained thereto without danger of the drum rolling.

It is recognized that under the widely varying conditions presenting themselves in the material handling field that it may be advantageous to only provide the runners for the containers during intermittent periods of their use. In such cases it is, of course, desirable to have the runner readily detachable. With this situation in mind I have developed the runner 50 incorporating a resilient steel spring drum securing means 56 and 57 which are positioned on the runner 50 with respect to a barrel as the blocks 36 and 37 were on the runner 30. Cleats 52 and 54 may be provided similarly to cleats 32 and 34 on the runner 30.

Although through industry usage and government standards the drums or barrels employed generally will be the standard sizes in accordance with the Interstate Commerce Commission' s Uniform Freight Classification specifications, there may occasionally be included in the drums or barrels to be handled light gauge or grease drums, for example, having dimensions which vary from the above noted standards. In such cases the standard sized runner may also usually be used. However, for special situations I have provided a runner 60, as shown in FIG. 4, having a pair of triangularly spaced drum-securing blocks 66 and 67 slidably connected to the runner 60 as by a bolt 65 passing through the block and being engaged in a slot 69 whereby the blocks 66 and 67 may be moved in relation to each other to accommodate various sized containers. In this particular case, the runner 60 will extend beyond the greatest diameter of the drum, but this has the advantage that the odd sized drum may be stacked in and among the conventional or standard sized containers. The cleats 62 and 64 may also be movable. However, in most cases I have found this not to be necessary.

While in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 my invention has been directed to the embodiment where the runners are attached to only one end of a drum, it is within the contemplation of my invention to provide a pair of runners on both ends of the drum. Referring to FIG. 5, this embodiment is shown in part. There is thus shown a runner 70 whose upper side 70a is attached to the bottom of the upper of a pair of drums stacked end-on-end and a runner 80 having its lower side 80b attached to the upper end of a lower drum. Inasmuch as it may be desirous to maintain the same distance between the drums as was obtained by a single runner, the runners, as shown in FIG. 5, may be of a depth half as great as the single runners, thereby maintaining the same spacing between the ends of the drums. The runners 70 and 80 are made from one integral piece with the central portion, corresponding to the distance from block 36 to 37 inclusive, being raised to provide the drum securing and reinforcing function. Similar conventional attachment means may be used to attach the runner 70 to the bottom of a drum. Slightly modified attachment means will be necessary to attach the runner 80 to the top of a drum, inasmuch as there will be no portion extending into the false end of the drum. Such alternate attachment means may be welding to the chime or welding to a removable bolted ring cover. Such ring cover, not shown but well known in the industry, comprises a hoop-like structure having a gap at one point along its circumference about which gap there is a closing means. The bolted ring cover fits over the chime and when the closing means is actuated, effectively secures the cover to the drum end. This embodiment has the advantage that it allows horizontal stacking of the drums. The horizontal stacking is not shown, but may be visualized by rotating FIG. 8 90.degree. . With only the ends of the runners being stacked on top of one another it would be advantageous in this horizontal disposed stacked relationship to employ stacking pins such as shown above the pin 90 in FIG. 2. Also it may be advantageous in the use of runners 70 and 80 to eliminate the cleats, since their centering function would be provided by the mating relationship between the runners 70 and 80.

Another embodiment of my invention is shown in FIG. 6, wherein I have depicted a runner 100 having slots 106 and 107 for receiving the chime 108 of a drum. This construction is simple and presents the advantage that the chime is reinforced both inside and outside. Construction of the runner 100 is simple and quick in that only two slots 106 and 107 need be formed therein. With this embodiment it is possible to employ materials such as wood, since the chime 108 could easily wedge itself into the slots 106 and 107. Where the drums are not stacked a material such as polystyrene may be used, in which case the chime 108 penetrates the polystyrene until the upper surface of the central portion 100a comes into abutment with the drum bottom over its entire surface.

Finally, in FIG. 7 there is shown a runner 110 secured directly to a drum chime 112 by direct weld. In certain types of material handling situations it may not be necessary to provide as strong a drum securing means as is shown in FIG. 2, for example, and the blocks 36 and 37 could be eliminated with a direct weld being made between the chime and the runner.

In FIG. 8 a plan view of three stacks of drums 120, 130, and 140 illustrate the relationship between stacks of the drums incorporating my invention. With standard sized drums, the runners, being hollow, may include a stacking pin such as illustrated at 90 in FIG. 2. With these pins incorporated in at least one or two of the runners in each stack, neat, true and very stable stacks are provided.

It may thus be seen from the foregoing disclosure that I have provided a standardized, inexpensive pallet means for a drum or container which greatly facilitates the handling by allowing individual intermixed stacking and by providing a spacing between the drums which may be stacked either end-to-end or horizontally so that standard material handling equipment, such as a fork lift truck, may be used. Not only is expense of handling reduced, but the reinforcement effect of the runners may also allow economies in drum construction. Safety is provided in that the drums individually horizontally disposed will not roll, nor will a number of drums stacked in accordance with this invention fall or tip.

The term "drum" is used herein and in the claims in its generic sense to include barrels and the like containers.

While I have illustrated and described various forms of the invention, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other changes, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the exemplary forms shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

I claim as my invention:

1. A detachable drum pallet means for a drum end means having a depending flange means comprising a pair of spaced runners, said runners having upper and lower sides and first and second ends; and a drum securing means on said upper side of each of said runners, said securing means including a portion projecting above said runner and adapted to contact said drum end means, and a fastening member adapted to pass through said flange means to provide a detachable connection of said pallet means to said drum.

2. A drum pallet means according to claim 1 wherein said drum pallet means is arranged to be used with a drum that has a false bottom adjacent said flange means, said flange means having an inner circumferential surface, and wherein said drum securing means comprises block-like means positioned along the runner with one side of said blocks generally configured to mate with said inner circumferential surface of said side wall so that a fastener may project through the drum flange means and into said block-like means.

3. A drum pallet means according to claim 1 wherein said runners are square tubes having a slot in the upper surface thereof, and said drum securing means comprises blocks slidably mounted on said runners, said blocks being attached to said runners through said slots, whereby the spacing of said blocks may be varied to accommodate various sized drums and lift means.

4. A drum pallet means according to claim 1 wherein said drum securing means comprises a raised portion on said runner, said drum end means including a chime ring, and wherein said raised portion is adapted to be seated within said chime ring with said runners projecting beyond said ring a distance sufficient to prevent contact of said drums when said first and second ends of said adjacent runners contact each other.

5. A drum pallet means according to claim 4 wherein said first and second ends of said runners have recesses therein, a stacking pin adapted to be received in part in one of said recesses on one of said pallet means with the remaining portion of the pin to be received in another of said recesses in an adjacent, generally axially aligned runner.

6. A drum having an upper and lower end; said lower end having a chime means extending beyond an end wall, a pallet detachably connected to said chime means, said pallet comprising a pair of runners each having upper and lower sides and first and second ends, said runner having a cleat means on said lower sides extending therebelow; a drum securing means on the upper side of said runner projecting above said runner, said drum securing means including a readily releasable fastening member extending from the upper side of said runner through said chime means to detachably secure said runner to the lower end of said drum, said pallet supporting said drum on said cleats when said drum is on a generally level supporting surface and on the lower side of said runner when said drum is stacked on a lower drum.

7. A drum according to claim 6 wherein said cleats have an inner end and an outer end, said inner end of said cleats lying exterior of and adjacent to the outer diameter of a lower drum when said drum is stacked on said lower drum.

8. A drum according to claim 7 wherein said inner end of said cleats is beveled to center said drum on said lower drum.