Abstract:
A packing frame structure is constructed to include two top rails and two bottom rails adapted for fastening to material elements at four sides to hold material elements a row and to protect packed material elements against shocks and impact, and two blocks adapted for fastening to the bottom rails at the bottom side to support the packing frame structure and the packed material elements above a flat surface for enabling the package to be conveniently carried by a forklift. The top rails each have a top wall and through holes in the top wall for the hooking of the hook of a truck crane or the like.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a packing frame structure and, more particularly, to such a packing frame structure, which is practical for holding solid material elements stably in a row for delivery and storage to hook the carried solid material elements well protected against shocks or impact. 
   In order to protect solid material elements, for example, plate members against scratching and impact during delivery, packing materials and cartons/boxes are commonly used to pack solid material elements before delivery. It is expensive to pack solid material elements in this manner for delivery. 
   The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a packing frame structure, which is practical for holding solid material elements stably in a row for delivery. It is another object of the present invention to provide a packing frame structure, which well protects the solid material elements held therein against shocks and scratching without the use of any packing materials. According to one aspect of the present invention, the packing frame structure comprises two top rails and two bottom rails adapted for fastening to material elements at four sides to hold material elements a row and to protect packed material elements against shocks and impact. According to another aspect of the present invention, two blocks are respectively fastened to the bottom rails at the bottom side to support the packing frame structure and the packed material elements above a flat surface  for enabling the package to be conveniently carried by a forklift. According to still another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of packing frame structures can be fastened to one another in a stack to hold multiple sets of material elements at different elevations. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one bottom rail according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective showing one application example of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view showing another application example of the first embodiment of the present invention where two detachable pallets are arranged in a stack. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  shows another application example of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  shows still another application example of the second embodiment of the present invention.  
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–3 , a packing frame structure in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of two top rails  1 , two bottom rails  2 , and two blocks  3 . 
   The top rails  1  each comprise an elongated top wall  11 , an elongated bottom wall  13 , and an elongated vertical connecting wall  12  connected between one long side of the top wall  11  and one long side of the bottom wall  13 . The bottom wall  13  comprises a plurality of locating holes  131  spaced along the length thereof in a line. The top wall  11  comprises a plurality of through holes  111  spaced along the length thereof in a line. 
   The bottom rails  2  each comprise an elongated top wall  21 , an elongated bottom wall  23 , and an elongated connecting sidewall  22  connected between one long side of the top wall  21  and one long side of the bottom wall  23 . The top wall  21  comprises a plurality of locating holes  211  spaced along the length thereof in a line. The bottom wall  23  comprises a plurality of through holes  231  spaced along the length thereof in a line. 
   The blocks  3  are narrow elongated members respectively attached to the bottom surfaces of the bottom walls  23  of the bottom rails  2  and fixedly fastened to the through holes  231  of the bottom walls  23  of the bottom rails  2  by fastening devices, for example, screws  30 . 
   The locating holes  211  of the top walls  21  of the bottom rails  2  are fastened to a respective locating hole  411  in the bottom flange  41  of  each of a number of planar material elements  4  by a respective fastening device, for example, a respective screw  51 , keeping the planar material elements  4  supported on the bottom rails  2  above the blocks  3  and vertically arranged in parallel. After connection of the planar material elements  4  to the bottom rails  2 , the top rails  1  are respectively bilaterally attached to the planar material elements  4  at the top and arranged in parallel to the bottom rails  2 , and then fastening devices, for example, screws  52  are respectively mounted in the locating holes  131  of the bottom walls  13  of the top rails  1  and fastened to a respective locating hole  421  in the top flange  42  of each planar material element  4  to fix the top rails  1  to the planar material elements  4 , keeping the planar material elements  4  well protected by the top rails  1  and the bottom rails  2 . When installed, a fork entry  6  is defined between the blocks  3  beneath the planar material elements  4  into which the forks of a forklift truck can be inserted for lifting and moving the packed planar material elements  4 . A crane may be used to carry the packed planar material elements  4  to the desired place. When a crank is used, the hook of the hoisting block at the end of the hoisting rope of the crank can be hook in one through hole  111  of the top wall  11  of one top rail  1 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , when a number of material elements  4  packed in a first packing frame structure, a second packing frame structure, after removal of the blocks  3  from the respective bottom rails  2 , can be fastened to the first packing frame structure to hold another set of material elements  4  above the first packing frame structure. In this case, the through holes  231  of the bottom walls  23  of the second packing frame structure are selectively fastened to the through holes  111  of the top walls  11  of the top rails  1  of the first packing frame structure. By means of this arrangement, multiple packing frame  structures can be fastened to one another to hold multiple sets of material elements  4  at different elevations. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–3  again, each top rail  1  further comprises an elongated sidewall  14  perpendicularly downwardly extended along one long side of the respective bottom wall  13  in direction reversed to the respective elongated vertical connecting wall  12 . The sidewall  14  has a plurality of locating holes  141  longitudinally spaced in a line and adapted for fastening to a respective top locating hole  431  in one side flange  43  of each material element  4  by a respective fastening device, for example, a respective screw  53 . Each bottom rail  2  further comprises an elongated sidewall  24  perpendicularly upwardly extended along one long side of the respective top wall  21  in direction reversed to the respective elongated vertical connecting wall  22 . The sidewall  24  has a plurality of locating holes  241  spaced in a line along the length thereof and adapted for fastening to a respective bottom locating hole  432  in one side flange  43  of each material element  4  by a respective fastening device, for example, a respective screw  54 . According to the application example shown in  FIG. 3 , the locating holes  131 ;  141  of the bottom walls  13  and sidewalls  14  of the top rails  1  as well as the locating holes  211 ; 241  of the top walls  21  and sidewalls  24  of the bottom rails  2  are fastened to the respective locating holes  411 ; 421 ; 431 ; 432  of the material elements  4  by screws  51 ; 52 ; 53 ; 54 . According to the application example shown in  FIG. 8 , only the locating holes  141  of the sidewalls  14  of the top rails  1  and the locating holes  241  of the sidewalls  24  of the bottom rails  2  are fastened to the respective locating holes  431 ; 432  of the material elements  4  by screws  53 ; 54 .  FIG. 7  shows another application example of the present invention. According to this application example, the aforesaid blocks  3  are eliminated.  
     FIG. 6  shows a packing frame structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the aforesaid sidewalls  14 ; 24  are respectively eliminated from the top rails  1  and the bottom rails  2 . Further, the locating holes  131  of each top rail  1  as well as the locating holes  211  of each bottom rail  2  are not disposed at the same plane, that is, the bottom wall  13  of each top rail  1  comprises a plurality of downward lugs  130  spaced along the length and aligned in a line and defining a respective locating hole  131 ; the top wall  21  of each bottom rail  2  comprises a plurality of upright lugs  210  spaced along the length and aligned in a line and defining a respective locating hole  211 . The downward lugs  130  are formed of a part of the bottom wall  13  of the respective top rail  1  by stamping. The upright lugs  210  are formed of a part of the top wall  21  of the respective bottom rail  2  by stamping. The locating holes  131  of the downward lugs  130  of the top rails  1  and the locating holes  211  of the upright lugs  210  of the bottom rails  2  can be fastened to respective locating holes  45 ; 46  of flat material elements  4  by respective screws  55 ; 56 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5  again, spacer blocks  58  may be set in between each two adjacent material elements  4  and secured thereto by a screw bolt  57 . The material elements  4  each have a locating hole  47  for the mounting of the screw bolt  57 .