INTERMODAL WAREHOUSING SYSTEM

Abstract

The intermodal warehousing system includes a platform, a plurality of legs, four corner castings, and additional castings located on the long sides of the platform. Each of the legs may be extendable with an anchor located at one end and a casting located at the other, the leg and the casting being comprised of aluminum. The anchor is carried by a steel plate that is bolted to the leg. To avoid a galvanic reaction, aluminum bushings with steel inserts are welded to the interior of the leg and steel bolts secure the steel plate to the steel inserts. An external handle includes a bolt extending into said leg and cooperating with a wedge located therein that moves the anchor up or down. The handle bolt, wedge and anchor are so constructed and arranged so that rotation of the handle moves the anchor up or down to lock the leg to a casting.

Claims

1. An intermodal warehousing system comprising: a platform comprising a casting located between the ends of a side of the platform; and a leg adapted to be connected to the casting of the platform, wherein the leg comprises (i) an elongated square portion, (ii) an anchor located at one end of the elongated square portion that is adapted to be secured to the casting of the platform, and (iii) a casting located at the other end of the elongated square portion that is adapted to connect to another anchor.

2. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 1, wherein the casting of the platform is located substantially equidistant between the ends of the platform.

3. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 1, wherein the casting of the platform is configured to allow for use of the leg to carry another platform mounted above the platform.

4. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 3, wherein the leg is configured to provide support to the another platform.

5. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 1, wherein the elongated square portion and the casting of the leg comprise aluminum.

6. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 1, wherein the anchor is carried by a plate that is attached to the square portion.

7. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 6, wherein the square portion of the leg comprises aluminum bushings attached thereto adjacent the plate.

8. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 7, wherein the square portion of the leg further comprises steel bushings within the aluminum bushings, the steel bushings having internal threads and bolts being threaded into the steel bushings.

9. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 8, wherein the steel bushings are zinc plated.

10. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 9, wherein the steel bushings have knurled outer surfaces and are swaged into the aluminum bushings.

11. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 1, wherein the elongated square portion of the leg comprises a plurality of telescoping parts and is configured so that the length of the elongated square portion is adjustable.

12. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 11, further comprising a handle located on the exterior of the square portion, wherein the handle comprises a handle bolt extending into the interior of the leg and threaded into a wedge located with the leg for moving the wedge laterally when the handle is rotated, wherein the anchor comprises an upper portion within the leg cooperating with the wedge and configured so that rotation of the handle moves the anchor up or down.

13. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of lock washers on the handle bolt, wherein one of the washers is located in the interior of the leg and another of the washers being located on the exterior of the leg, wherein the lock washers are configured to prevent lateral movement of the handle bolt.

14. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 13, wherein the handle bolt, the wedge, and the anchor are configured so that a rotation of 180 degrees of the handle moves the anchor up or down approximately one quarter of an inch.

15. The intermodal warehousing system of claim 1, wherein the casting on the leg includes four sides and an opening on each side, each of the openings being center on its respective side.

16. A leg for an intermodal warehousing system, the leg comprising: an elongated square portion; an anchor located at one end of the elongated square portion that is adapted to be secured a casting of the platform; and a casting located at the other end of the elongated square portion that is adapted to connect to another anchor.

17. The leg of claim 16, wherein the casting of the platform is located between the ends of the platform.

18. The leg of claim 16, wherein the casting of the platform is configured to allow for use of the leg to carry another platform mounted above the platform, wherein the leg is configured to provide support to the another platform.

19. The leg of claim 16, wherein the elongated square portion and the casting comprise aluminum, and wherein the anchor is carried by a plate that is attached to the square portion.

20. The leg of claim 19, wherein the square portion comprises aluminum bushings attached thereto adjacent the plate, wherein the square portion further comprises steel bushings within the aluminum bushings, the steel bushings having internal threads and bolts being threaded into the steel bushings, wherein the steel bushings are zinc plated, wherein the steel bushings have knurled outer surfaces and are swaged into the aluminum bushings.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a front top perspective view of a warehousing system of my invention including an International Standardization Organization (ISO) shipping pallet or platform and a corner post or leg;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a front and bottom perspective view of an improved leg;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a front and top perspective view similar to FIG. 2 showing an improved leg;

[0020] FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c show a telescoping form of the leg;

[0021] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a zinc plated steel bushing used with the invention;

[0022] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the steel bushing swaged into an aluminum bushing;

[0023] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the combined bushings welded into a leg;

[0024] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of FIG. 7;

[0025] FIGS. 9a and 9b illustrate the locking tongue of the invention in its disengaged state and the mechanism for moving the same, and

[0026] FIGS. 10a and 10b are similar to FIGS. 9a and 9b but illustrating the locking tongue in its engaged state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 an intermodal warehousing system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as 10. The system 10 includes International Standardization Organization (ISO) rectangularly shaped shipping pallet or platform 12 of and corner posts or legs 14, only one of which is shown for clarity.

[0028] The platform 12 is of relatively conventional construction and does not require substantial discussion. However, it does differ from conventional platforms in that it includes two additional castings 16 and 18 on either long side of the platform 12 in addition to the castings 20, 22, 24 and 26 that are located at the corners thereof. The additional castings 16 and 18 are located substantially equidistant between the ends of the platform 12. These additional castings 16 and 18 allow for the use of intermediate posts or legs in addition to the normal corner posts 14. Substantial weight can, therefore, be carried by another platform (not shown) mounted above the shown platform 12 without it sagging as the intermediate posts provide additional center support.

[0029] The posts or legs, such as leg 14 also differ from conventional legs described above. Conventional legs are made of steel which makes them extremely heavy to the point that they cannot be easily handled by a workman. The legs of the present invention are comprised of aluminum which makes them substantially lighter than conventional legs. This includes both the elongated square tube portion 28 and the corner casting 30. All of the legs are identical to each other. Accordingly, while only one leg is being show described in detail, it will be understood that the description applies to all of the legs which are constructed in the identical manner.

[0030] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tube portion 28 of the leg 14 can be constructed in two or more telescoping parts so that the length thereof can be adjusted as needed. As best shown in FIGS. 4a-4c, the lower part 32 of the leg slides into the upper part 34. Lower part 32 includes a plurality of apertures 36 while the upper part includes an aperture 38. When the selected apertures are aligned, the lower and upper leg parts 32 and 34 are locked in place utilizing the locking pin 40.

[0031] The corner casting 30 is similar to conventional castings but differs in several significant ways. First, as pointed out above, the casting is made of aluminum rather than steel which greatly reduces the weight thereof. Like conventional corner castings, corner casting 30 includes oblong openings such as shown at 42, 42b, 42c and 42d in the vertical walls 44a, 44b, 44c, and 44d thereof. Unlike conventional castings, however, the openings 42a, etc. are centered in their respective vertical walls 44a, etc. As a result, there are no left or right handed posts or legs. All of the legs are interchangeable and can be used in any location on the pallet 12. This reduces the cost of producing the legs and also reduces the number of legs that must be maintained in inventory. It also reduces the time that it takes to install the legs as the installer does not have to take the time to select a right or left handed leg. As with conventional corner castings, each corner casting 30 also includes a conventional opening 48 at the top thereof.

[0032] Each leg, such as leg 14, also includes an anchor 46 at the bottom end thereof. As is well known in the art, the anchor 46 is used to attach the leg 14 to the top of a casting 16 or 20 in a pallet or to substantially any other casting. The anchor 46 is constructed and operates generally in a conventional manner. That is, the leg 14 is placed over the top opening in the casting 16, for example, and the entire leg 14 is then rotated 90. The anchor 46 is then moved upwardly to grip the interior surface of the casting 16 to secure the leg 14 to the casting 16. The general manner in which this is accomplished is conventional and can be seen in FIG. 3b of U.S. Pat. No. 9,663,268. As shown therein, a wedge is moved laterally by turning a threaded bolt. As the wedge moves, it enters a wedge shaped opening in the stem of the anchor and cams it upwardly into its locking position. Reversing the rotation of the bolt releases the anchor. Again, this general operation is conventional and well known in the art.

[0033] The present invention differs from the conventional wedge 49 and screw arrangement 50 in structurally minor but significant ways. In accordance with the present invention, there are fewer threads on the threaded bolt 50 and they are spaced further apart from each other. And, obviously, the internal thread in the wedge 49 is complementary to the thread on the bolt 50. As a result of this arrangement, only a half rotational turn of the bolt 50, using the handle 52, is needed to move the wedge 49 up or down approximately one quarter of an inch which is sufficient to lock the anchor 46 and, thereby the leg 14 into place. Even further, lock washers 54 and 56 are located on the bolt 50 on the inside and outside of the leg 14. This prevents the bolt from any axial movement and allows for rotational movement only.

[0034] The present invention also includes a novel way of connecting the anchor 46 to the leg 14. As with conventional anchors, the anchor 46 and the wedge 49 and the other operative component parts are carried by a plate 58. In conventional systems, the plate is connected to the leg through the use of bolts passing through openings in the plate that cooperate with threaded tabs located on the inside of the leg. Because the leg 14 of the present invention is made of aluminum, conventional securing systems cannot be used. Aluminum bolts are not strong enough and steel bolts cannot be used as this may cause a galvanic reaction between the steel bolts and the aluminum leg 14.

[0035] To resolve this issue, aluminum bushings 60 are welded to the inside corners of the bottom of the leg 14. A zinc plated steel bushing 62 having a knurled outer surface 64 is swaged into each aluminum bushing, preferably before welding. The interior of the steel bushing 62 is threaded to receive a threaded steel bolt 66 passing through the plate 58 in order to hold the anchor mechanism in place.

[0036] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and accordingly reference should be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.