Pallet with a base plate and legs of metal

Abstract

A pallet includes a base plate of cantilever construction and legs of metal, particularly as an underframe for pallet containers for transporting and for storing liquids in an inner container of synthetic material standing on the base plate of the pallet, and an outer casing composed of a grid structure or sheet metal material attached to the base plate. The base plate and the legs of the pallet are manufactured as a single piece from a sheet metal plate as the initial material by deformation, particularly by deep-drawing and/or pressing or by hydroforming.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A pallet comprising a base plate of cantilever construction and legs of metal as an underframe for pallet containers for transporting and storing liquids with an inner container of synthetic material placed on the base plate of the pallet and an outer casing of a grid structure or sheet metal material attached to the base plate, wherein the base plate and the legs of the pallet are composed of a single piece of a sheet metal plate shaped by a shaping process selected from deep-drawing and/or pressing and hydroforming.  
     
     
         2 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the base plate has stiffening ribs formed in the base plate.  
     
     
         3 . The pallet according to  claim 2 , wherein the base plate has a bridge-like stiffening portion formed by additional parallel stiffening ribs formed from the base plate, wherein the stiffening ribs extend from a middle section of a side of the base plate through a central plate portion and to a middle section of an oppositely located side of the base plate.  
     
     
         4 . The pallet according to  claim 3 , wherein the legs include middle legs at the sides of the base plate integrated in the bridge-like stiffening portion of the base plate.  
     
     
         5 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the legs include legs at the corners and middle legs at the sides of the base plate, wherein the legs are open, partially closed or entirely closed.  
     
     
         6 . The pallet according to  claim 5 , wherein the open and partially closed legs are covered with cover plates.  
     
     
         7 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal plate has sections with different thicknesses for obtaining different strength values adapted to different load zones of the base plate.  
     
     
         8 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal plate has sections with different material compositions for obtaining different strength values adapted to different load zones of the base plate.  
     
     
         9 . The pallet according to  claim 7 , wherein the plate sections are welded together.  
     
     
         10 . The pallet according to  claim 8 , wherein the plate sections are welded together.  
     
     
         11 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the base plate and legs are composed of a sheet metal plate having preshaped stiffening ribs.  
     
     
         12 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal plate is composed of a plate section with preshaped stiffening ribs and at least two additional flat plates welded to the plate section.  
     
     
         13 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the base plate is arched upwardly.  
     
     
         14 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the pallet is configured to be stackable on other pallets.  
     
     
         15 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , further comprising a base frame of metal or synthetic material attached to the legs of the base plate.  
     
     
         16 . The pallet according to  claim 1 , further comprising skid rails of metal, synthetic material or wood attached to the legs of the base plate.