Crating kit for a two-wheeled vehicle

Abstract

A kit-crate made for a two-wheeled vehicle includes a pallet providing a wheel well and a plurality of well blocks adapted for insertion into the wheel well for wedging a wheel of the two-wheeled vehicle in the wheel well. A pair of end panels; a set of four side panels comprising two lower side panels and two upper side panels; and a cover panel are provided to assembly a crate around the vehicle. The end panels and the two lower side panels are adapted for engagement with the pallet to form a rigid open box structure. The two upper side panels are adapted for engagement with the end panels and respective lower side panels for further completing the open box structure and the cover panel is adapted for engagement with the end panels and the two upper side panels for completing the crate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A kit-crate apparatus for a two-wheeled vehicle comprising: a pallet providing a wheel well and a plurality of well blocks adapted for insertion into the wheel well for wedging a wheel of the two-wheeled vehicle in the wheel well to achieve stability of the vehicle on the pallet; and stacked and tied down to the pallet for shipping as an integral bundle: a pair of end panels; a set of side panels; and a cover panel; the pallet and the panels providing engagement means for mutual engagement therebetween thereby forming a rigid open box structure, the cover closing the box structure for enclosing the vehicle for shipping.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pallet provides a peripheral groove and the end panels and the side panels each provide a lower tongue for interlocking engagement with the peripheral groove so that the end panels and side panels are placed correctly on the pallet without tools.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a plurality of spring clips adapted for engaging corners of the panels for rigidizing the apparatus.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a means for strap tie-down of the two-wheeled vehicle.  
     
     
         5 . A kit-crate apparatus comprising in combination: a pallet providing a wheel well; a two-wheeled vehicle mounted on the pallet with one wheel inserted into the wheel well; a plurality of well blocks forced into the wheel well thereby wedging the one wheel of the two-wheeled vehicle in the wheel well; a pair of end panels of a height superior to that of the vehicle; a set of four side panels comprising two lower side panels and two upper side panels; and a cover panel; the end panels and the two lower side panels adapted for engagement with the pallet to form a rigid open box structure around the vehicle, the two upper side panels adapted for engagement with the end panels and respective lower side panels for further completing the open box structure whereby the lower and upper side panels reach a common height superior to that of the vehicle; and the cover panel adapted for engagement with the end panels and the two upper side panels for closing the apparatus; a set of straps encircling the apparatus for rigidizing thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the pallet provides a peripheral groove and the end panels and the lower side panels each provide a lower tongue in interlocking engagement with the peripheral groove so that the end panels and lower side panels are assembled to the pallet without tools, the cover panel providing a further peripheral groove and the end panels and the upper side panels providing an upper tongue in interlocking engagement with the further peripheral groove thereby setting the cover in place and engaged with the end panels and the upper side panels.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a plurality of spring clips adapted for engaging corners of the panels for interengaging the several panels of the apparatus, and a plurality of encircling straps positioned around the apparatus for further rigidizing the apparatus.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising a means for strap tie-down of the two-wheeled vehicle to the pallet.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for shipping a vehicle comprising: a pallet providing a wheel well and a plurality of well blocks, the well blocks adapted for insertion into the wheel well for wedging a wheel of the vehicle in the wheel well; the wheel well, blocks and the wheel of the vehicle related and positioned so that the wheel is immobily wedged to achieve stability and preferred positioning of the vehicle on the pallet.