Shipping cage and vertical cargo

Abstract

The present invention is a combination metal cage supporting a cargo to be shipped within the metal cage. The metal cage provides a pallet platform and integral thereto, plural walls extending upwardly from the pallet platform. These walls define an open top of the metal cage. One of the plural walls is hingably mounted as a door. The cargo is comprised of a plurality of individual cartons, each of which has a length to width ratio of at least 10, i.e., the length of the carton is at least ten times the magnitude of the width of the carton. Preferably, the cartons are identical and are positioned in a vertical attitude within the metal cage in an adjacent, side-by-side manner. Preferably, one end of each of the cartons rests on the pallet platform while the opposing end of each of the cartons extends above the open top of the metal cage. The cage employs a loading rod for packing the cargo as it is loaded and a tilt mechanism to position the cage for gravity assist in loading.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising in combination: a metal cage and a cargo to be shipped within the metal cage; the metal cage providing a pallet platform and integral thereto, plural walls extending upwardly from the pallet platform defining an open top of the metal cage; one of the plural walls being hingably mounted as a door for moving between a closed position integral with two side walls of the plural walls, and an open position forming a loading portal; the cargo comprising a plurality of individual cartons, each of the cartons having a length to width ratio of at least 10, the cartons positioned in a vertical attitude within the metal cage in an adjacent, side-by-side manner, with one end of each of the cartons resting on the pallet platform and an opposing end of each of the cartons extending above the open top of the metal cage.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plural walls provides a generally horizontal side-stop bar positioned adjacent the pallet platform and spaced apart therefrom by not more than 15 percent of the length of any one of the individual cartons.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a stacking rod of a rigid material, the stacking rod providing spaced apart primary pins extending laterally from opposing ends thereof, each of the two side walls providing plural, spaced apart, pin engagement means adapted for receiving the spaced apart pins for mounting the stacking rod across the open top of the metal cage at any one of plural positions parallel to a back wall of the cage.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the stacking rod provides spaced apart secondary pins extending laterally from the opposing ends thereof and at right angles to the primary pins, the secondary pins of a greater length than the primary pins.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising leg extension means adapted for adjusting the pallet platform between a level attitude and a slanted-back attitude.