Metal pallet

Abstract

A pallet includes a metal base connected to a metal platform. The base includes a plurality of upwardly extending integral base legs formed from a metal material of the base. The platform is vertically spaced from the metal base and includes a plurality of downwardly extending integral platform legs, formed from a metal material of the platform. The platform legs align with and connect to corresponding base legs.

1 . A pallet comprising: 
 a metal base defining a base surface including a plurality of upwardly extending integral base legs formed from a metal material of the base; and    a metal platform defining a support surface vertically spaced from the base surface, the metal platform including a plurality of downwardly extending integral platform legs formed from a metal material of the platform and aligned with and connected to corresponding base legs.    
   
   
       2 . The pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising a weld joint between each base leg and a-corresponding platform leg.  
   
   
       3 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein each base leg includes an end surface that abuts a corresponding end surface of a platform leg.  
   
   
       4 . The pallet of  claim 3 , wherein the end surface of each base leg is welded to the end surface of each platform leg.  
   
   
       5 . The pallet of  claim 3 , wherein the end surface of each platform leg includes a weep hole formed therein.  
   
   
       6 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein a height of each base leg is approximately equal to a height of each platform leg.  
   
   
       7 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein a height of at least one of the base legs added to a height of a corresponding platform leg is equal to about  5 . 6  inches.  
   
   
       8 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein the metal platform includes a plurality of depressions formed by and corresponding to the platform legs, the pallet further comprising a plate connected to the platform for covering at least one of the depressions.  
   
   
       9 . The pallet of  claim 8 , wherein the plate covers more than one depression.  
   
   
       10 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein the connected base legs and the platform legs are laterally spaced from one another such that a conventional forklift can enter a space defined between the connected base legs and platform legs from at least two adjacent sides of the pallet.  
   
   
       11 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein the platform includes a plurality of openings dimensioned to receive a person's hand.  
   
   
       12 . The pallet of  claim 11 , wherein the platform includes a rolled edge adjacent each opening.  
   
   
       13 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a plurality of corrugations formed in the base.  
   
   
       14 . A method of manufacturing a metal pallet comprising: 
 forming a metal base having a first surface;    forming a plurality of base legs out of material of the base, wherein the base legs extend upwardly from the first surface;    forming a metal platform having a second surface;    forming a plurality of platform legs out of material of the platform, wherein the platform legs extend downwardly from the second surface; and    connecting the base to the platform by attaching a base leg to a corresponding platform leg.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the base legs further comprises forming a plurality of depressions in the base.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the platform legs further comprises forming a plurality of depressions in the platform.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of attaching at least one plate to the platform to cover at least one of the plurality of depressions in the platform.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of forming a shallow recess in the platform dimensioned to receive the plate.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming a plurality of base legs comprises deep draw stamping depressions to form the base legs.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of forming rolled edges on exposed edges of the base and the platform.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of providing hand openings in the platform.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of forming a corrugation pattern in the base.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming platform legs further comprises forming the platform legs having a depth d 1 , where d 1  is less than a distance that the base is spaced from the platform when a base leg is attached to a corresponding platform leg.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of forming base legs further comprises forming the base legs having a depth d 2 , wherein d 2 +d 1  equals about 5.6 inches.  
   
   
       25 . A metal pallet, for use with a fork lift, comprising: 
 a metal lower deck comprising a plurality of spaced first supports integrally formed with and extending upwardly out of a plane of said lower deck;    a metal upper deck comprising a plurality of spaced second supports integrally formed with and extending downwardly out of a plane of said upper deck, defining depressions in said upper deck at each second support;    wherein said first supports are connected to said second supports to define therebetween fork receiving regions beneath said upper deck.    
   
   
       26 . The pallet of  claim 25  wherein each of said first and second supports is hollow and includes a side wall and an end wall.  
   
   
       27 . The pallet of  claim 25  wherein each first support is connected to a respective second support by a weld joint.  
   
   
       28 . The pallet of  claim 25  wherein the pallet is generally rectangular with nine supports between said upper and lower decks, one support being located at each corner of the pallet, a central support and one support being located medially of each side of the pallet, the supports defining two fork receiving regions for forks entering from each side of the pallet.  
   
   
       29 . The pallet of  claim 25  wherein said lower deck comprises: 
 a perimeter;    a cruciform central region; and    four apertures defined between said central region and said perimeter.    
   
   
       30 . The pallet of  claim 25  wherein said upper deck comprises a set of first corrugations for stiffening said upper deck.  
   
   
       31 . The pallet of  claim 30  wherein said lower deck comprises a set of second corrugations for stiffening said lower deck.  
   
   
       32 . The pallet of  claim 31  wherein said first corrugations are different from said second corrugations.  
   
   
       33 . The pallet of  claim 25  wherein each of said first and second supports has a height of about 2.4 inches.  
   
   
       34 . The pallet of  claim 33  wherein a spacing between adjacent first and second supports that are connected to one another is approximately 12 inches.  
   
   
       35 . The pallet of  claim 25  further comprising a hand hold opening located in said upper deck.  
   
   
       36 . The pallet of  claim 25  further comprising dimples formed in said upper deck.