Collar for palletized load

Abstract

In combination with a carton stacked pallet, a collar is disclosed for indexing to an interstitial layer of cartons on the pallet for stabilizing the palletized stack of cartons above and below the collar both during and after palletization. The collar preferably consists of a continuous piece of corrugated board having a length corresponding to the circumference of the four sides of the palletized load to be enclosed. The corrugated board of the collar is folded and fitted to each of the four sides of the palletized cartons. A gusset member protrudes normally inward from each of the four collar sides for entrapment between the interstitial layers of the of cartons of the palletized load of cartons. At the palletizing site, the band is unfolded into a rectangular carton surrounding configuration with the folded gussets disposed to the inside. The pallet is partially stacked with a rectilinear sectioned stack of cartons to expose the top of a continuous interstitial layer of the cartons at a partial height of the ultimately palletized load. The collar is registered to the top of the continuous interstitial layer so the bottom portion of the collar below the gusset confines and stabilizes the top cartons on the pallet. When layers of further cartons are placed within the collar on the gusset there results a combination of forces stabilizing the palletized cartons below and above the collar both during and after the palletizing process.