Pallet and conveyor system for loading onto transport

Abstract

A pallet and conveyor system for loading pallets onto a transport vehicle is described. The conveyor system has a first and a second conveyor which positions the pallets between the conveyors and maintains the pallets in upright orientation. The conveyor defines an upper conveyance track and a lower conveyance track which may be placed on the bed of a transport truck. The pallets maintained in the conveyor system are easily loadable on the truck and can be captured without operator lifting by the conveyor system. The pallets may be forked from any direction and provide a stabilization device for maintaining the cargo within the pallets.

1 . A conveyor for transporting pallets having a plurality of tires in side by side relationship on a transport vehicle, comprising: 
 a first and a second conveyor, each of said first and second conveyor having a drive chain affixed to a plurality of carriages and to a forward and rear sprocket, a first and a second rotation hub, each of said carriages having an upper end thereof, said upper end having a pin extending outwardly therefrom.    
   
   
       2 . The conveyor for transporting pallets on a transport vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of pallets positioned between said first and said second conveyor and rotationally connected to said carriages on said first conveyor and said carriages on said second conveyor.  
   
   
       3 . The conveyor for transporting pallets on a transport vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of pallets supported between said first and said second conveyor along an upper conveyance track and a lower conveyance track, said plurality of pallets rotationally supported on said first and said second conveyor by said carriages.  
   
   
       4 . The conveyor for transporting pallets on a transport vehicle of  claim 3  wherein each of said plurality of pallets are rotationally supported by a first and a second pin, said first pin affixed to a first carriage on said first conveyor, said second pin connected to a second carriage on said second conveyor.  
   
   
       5 . The conveyor for transporting pallets on a transport vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said first and said second conveyor define a first conveyor path and a second conveyor path, said first conveyor path above said second conveyor path, said first and said second conveyor forming an ovalized rotational conveyor system between which are supported a plurality of pallets, each of said plurality of pallets rotationally connected to said first conveyor and said second conveyor  
   
   
       6 . The conveyor for transporting pallets on a transport vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of pallets rotationally supported between said first and said second conveyor, said first and said second conveyor defining a continuous ovalized carriage truck track defining a upper and a lower conveyance track, each of said plurality of pallets rotationally supported between said first and said second conveyor on at least one carriage from said first conveyor and at least one carriage from said second conveyor.  
   
   
       7 . A conveyor system for loading and transporting a plurality of pallets on a truck bed, comprising: 
 a first and a second circular conveyor spaced apart and mounted on a truck bed defining an upper conveyance path and a lower conveyance path;    a plurality of pallets suspended between said first and said second conveyor;    wherein each of said pallets is rotatably supported on a first and a second side by a first and a second carriage, said first carriage mounted to said first conveyor, said second carriage mounted to said second conveyor.    
   
   
       8 . The conveyor system of  claim 7  wherein each of said first and said second circular conveyor define a continuous carriage truck track, said carriage truck track retaining a drive chain affixed to said carriages.  
   
   
       9 . The conveyor system of  claim 8  wherein each of said carriages has an outwardly extending pin, said pin rotationally connected to at least one of said pallet.  
   
   
       10 . The conveyor system of  claim 7  wherein said first and said second circular conveyor forms a continuous circular track, said continuous circular track having a first rotation hub at a first end and a second rotation hub at a second end, said first and said second rotation hub having an outer wall forming a turn between said upper conveyance path and said lower conveyance path.  
   
   
       11 . The conveyor system of  claim 7  wherein each of said pallets is rotationally supported between said first circular conveyor and said second circular conveyor.  
   
   
       12 . The conveyor system of  claim 8  wherein said carriage truck track forms a continuous ovalized conveyance path on said truck bed, said continuous ovalized conveyance path having an upper conveyance path and a lower conveyance path, said plurality of pallets on said upper conveyance path suspended above said plurality of pallets on said lower conveyance path.  
   
   
       13 . The conveyor system of  claim 10  wherein said drive chain is connected to a forward sprocket at said first rotation hub, said forward sprocket drivingly connected to a drive motor.  
   
   
       14 . The conveyor system of  claim 11  wherein each of said plurality of pallets is connected to a first pin on said first carriage on a first side wall of said pallet and a second pin on said second carriage on a second side of said pallet, said first side and said second side of said pallet having a bottom rail extending there between.  
   
   
       15 . The conveyor system for loading and transporting a plurality of pallets on a truck bed, comprising: 
 a first and a second circular conveyor mounted on a truck bed, said first and said second circular conveyor defining an upper conveyance path and a lower conveyance path;    a plurality of pallets suspended between said first conveyor and said second conveyor along said upper conveyance path and said lower conveyance path;    wherein each of said pallets has a first side wall and a second side wall, each of said pallets supported on said first side wall by a first carriage mounted on said first conveyor, said second side wall mounted on a second carriage connected to said second conveyor;    wherein said first conveyor and said second conveyor define an ovalized carriage truck track, said ovalized carriage truck track suspending a plurality of pallets on said upper conveyance path and a plurality of pallets on said lower conveyance path.    
   
   
       16 . A pallet and conveyor system for loading a transport and supporting a plurality of tires in side by side relationship in the pallets, comprising: 
 a plurality of pallets suspended between a first conveyor and a second conveyor, said first and said second conveyor in spaced apart separated relationship, said first conveyor and said second conveyor defining a first conveyance path above a second conveyance path;    each of said plurality of pallets rotatably supported by a first and a second carriage, said first carriage affixed to said first conveyor, said second carriage affixed to said second conveyor.    
   
   
       17 . The pallet and conveyor system of  claim 16  wherein each of said first carriage and said second carriage is connected to a carriage truck, said carriage truck having at least one carriage truck wheel formed thereon.  
   
   
       18 . The pallet and conveyor system of  claim 17  wherein said first conveyance path and said second conveyance path form an ovalized carriage truck track to receive said carriage trucks.  
   
   
       19 . A mobile conveyor system for suspending a plurality of pallets containing tires comprising a first and a second ovalized conveyor in separated relationship, said first and said second conveyor rotationally connected to a plurality of pallets suspended between said first and said second conveyor and defining an ovalized conveyance path for said plurality of pallets, said ovalized conveyance path including an upper conveyance path and a lower conveyance path, said upper conveyance path suspending at least one of said pallets above at least one of said pallets on said lower conveyance path.  
   
   
       20 . A mobile pallet and conveyor system for loading a plurality of pallets onto a transport vehicle, comprising a first conveyor mounted to a truck bed and separated from a second conveyor mounted to said truck bed, said first and said second conveyor rotationally supporting a plurality of pallets there between, said first and said second conveyor each having an ovalized carriage truck track having a drive chain and a plurality of carriage trucks retained therein, each of said carriage trucks having a carriage support affixed thereto, said carriage supports having a pallet connecting pin formed on a distal end, said pallet and conveyor system being mobile by virtue of being mounted on said truck bed.