Device and method for transporting materials

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and device for transporting materials from a shipping end to a receiving end. The device is a slip sheet formed from a flat sheet of material having a flat portion with four side edges. One of the side edges has a compressible tab portion that extends outwardly therefrom. The compressible tab portion has an elliptical lip and an upper lip that forms a convex air foil-type cross-sectional area. The compressible tab portion is canted upwardly from a plane defined by the flat portion of the slip sheet. The slip sheet can be used in combination with a captive pallet to transport materials. Further, a method of transporting materials is disclosed whereby the shipping and receiving ends house the captive pallet whereby only the slip sheet is transported by a push-pull or fork-lift type truck.

Having thus described the invention, it is now claimed: 
     
       1. A slip sheet in combination with a captive pallet for use with a fork-lift and/or push-pull type truck formed from a flat sheet of material comprising:
 a flat portion for receiving goods, said flat portion having four side edges, 
 at least one said side edge having a compressible tab portion extending outwardly therefrom, said compressible tab portion having an elliptical lip and an upper lip forming a convex airfoil-type cross-sectional area, wherein said compressible tab portion is canted upwardly from a plane defined by said flat portion of said slip sheet; 
 said captive pallet further comprises a front, rear, and a side, said captive pallet front and rear able to accept forks from a fork-lift type truck, a top section having a centerline, a bottom section having a centerline, a plurality of members mounted to said top section extending from said captive pallet front and extending to said captive pallet rear and being parallel to said captive pallet sides, a plurality of dividers mounted between said top and bottom sections, said dividers joining said top and said bottom sections, said dividers having a centerline extending parallel to said captive pallet sides, said dividers extending from said captive pallet front and terminating at said captive pallet rear, a plurality of slots, said slots being formed by said top section, bottom section and said dividers, said slots located along said front and said rear of said captive pallet, one of said slots being a center slot having a centerline located in-line with said centerline of said top and bottom sections, said slots able to accept said forks of the fork-lift type truck. 
 
     
     
       2. The slip sheet as recited within  claim 1  wherein said plurality of members are inverted u-shaped members. 
     
     
       3. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within  claim 2  wherein said plurality of inverted unshaped members have centerlines, wherein two of said inverted unshaped centerlines lie along the same vertical plane as at least two of said centerlines of said dividers. 
     
     
       4. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within  claim 2  wherein said plurality of inverted unshaped members comprises four. 
     
     
       5. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within  claim 2  wherein said plurality of inverted unshaped members comprise sixteen forming four rows and four columns. 
     
     
       6. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within  claim 1  wherein said plurality of dividers comprises between four and sixteen. 
     
     
       7. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within  claim 1  wherein said plurality of slots comprises three. 
     
     
       8. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within  claim 1  wherein said plurality of members comprises sixteen forming four rows and four columns. 
     
     
       9. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within  claim 1  further comprising a securing means extending within said rows. 
     
     
       10. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within  claim 1  further comprising a securing means, said securing means to secure a product seated upon said slip sheet, said securing means extending within said rows. 
     
     
       11. A slip sheet in combination with a captive pallet for use with a fork-lift and/or push-pull type truck; the slip sheet being formed from a flat sheet of material; the combination comprising:
 said slip sheet having flat portion for receiving goods, said flat portion having four side edges,   said captive pallet further comprising a front, rear, and a side, said captive pallet front and rear able to accept forks from a fork-lift type truck, a top section having a centerline, a bottom section having a centerline, a plurality of members mounted to said top section extending from said captive pallet front and extending to said captive pallet rear and being parallel to said captive pallet sides, a plurality of dividers mounted between said top and bottom sections, said dividers joining said top and said bottom sections, said dividers having a centerline extending parallel to said captive pallet sides, said dividers extending from said captive pallet front and terminating at said captive pallet rear, a plurality of slots, said slots being formed by said top section, bottom section and said dividers, said slots located along said front and said rear of said captive pallet, one of said slots being a center slot having a centerline located in-line with said centerline of said top and bottom sections, said slots able to accept said forks of the fork-lift type truck.   
     
     
       12. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination of claim 11 wherein said plurality of members are inverted u-shaped members. 
     
     
       13. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within claim 12 wherein said plurality of inverted unshaped members have centerlines, wherein two of said inverted unshaped centerlines lie along the same vertical plane as at least two of said centerlines of said dividers. 
     
     
       14. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within claim 12 wherein said plurality of inverted unshaped members comprises four. 
     
     
       15. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within claim 12 wherein said plurality of inverted unshaped members comprise sixteen forming four rows and four columns. 
     
     
       16. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within claim 11 wherein said plurality of dividers comprises between four and sixteen. 
     
     
       17. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within claim 11 wherein said plurality of slots comprises three. 
     
     
       18. The slip sheet and captive pallet combination as recited within claim 11 wherein said plurality of members comprises sixteen forming four rows and four columns.