Dynamic gas pressured jacking structure with improved load stability and air pallet employing same

摘要

A pair of relatively rigid planar members overlying each other are coupled about their edges by a flexible film band to form a jacking plenum chamber. The upper planar member functions as the load support, bearing a gas inlet hole adjacent one edge whose diameter is approximately twice the size of an outlet hole adjacent the edge of the underlying planar member to the opposite end of the jacking plenum chamber whereby, a gas under pressure entering on end of the jacking plenum chamber and escaping through the outer end, functions to jack the load and upper relatively rigid planar member to a height defined by the height of the flexible band. The holes at the opposite ends of the chamber provide load stabilization during jacking. The lower rigid member may further bear a thin flexible sheet perforated over a major central portion which is edged jointly to the lower planar member to define an air bearing planar chamber therebetween with the assembly functioning as an air pallet with integral jacking chamber. Side by side separate air inlets to the jacking plenum chamber and the air bearing plenum chamber are fed by a slidable valve member bearing the pressurized gas supply permits the selective jacking, air bearing or combined action. One or more tubes bearing perforations on the lower surface and selectively pressurized or subject to vacuum pressure penetrate into cavities beneath a conventional wooden pallet to effect a combined air pallet and jacking application to conventional wooden pallets, with ease of entry and removal of the combined air pallet and jacking tube or tubes.