for the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , reference is made generally to the first three figures of the drawings . fig1 shows in perspective a pallet 10 which comprises a substantially planar deck , or deck 12 , and a pair of runners 14 . a top view of the embodiment appears in fig2 . in fig3 are shown details of a runner 14 and an exemplary portion of the deck 12 . the runner 14 has a pair of integrally connected opposed sidewalls or sidewalls 16 . connecting the sidewalls 16 is a curved bottom surface or bottom 20 , the direction of curvature being concave upwardly and the degree of curvature being such that the bottom 20 will become substantially flat when the deck 12 is fully loaded . for purposes of stability , the sidewalls 16 preferably diverge upwardly from the bottom 20 . it is believed that the illustrated curvature of the bottom 20 acts to mitigate the tendency of the sidewalls 16 to spread when under extreme load . each sidewall 16 has a flange 18 which depends outwardly from the uppermost portion thereof , the two flanges 18 being in coplanar relation . the runner 14 is positioned against the underside of the deck 12 so that the flanges 18 and the underside of the deck 12 are in abutting relation . each flange 18 has four corrugated surface portions each of which has one downwardly open groove , or groove 22 , the significance of which is brought out below . the deck 12 has a set of brackets which cooperates with the flanges 18 to fix the runner 14 to the deck 12 . in the presently preferred embodiment the set of brackets consists of four brackets 24 for each flange 18 , each bracket 24 being displaced downwardly from the deck 12 and integrally connected therewith , whereby in the deck 12 there is defined an opening above each bracket 24 . each bracket 24 has a corrugated surface portion which has an upwardly protruding ridge , or ridge 26 , corresponding to one groove 22 of the associated flange 18 . as shown in fig3 bracket 24 is positioned immediately below the associated flange 18 such that each ridge 26 interlocks with the corresponding groove 22 , and the top surface portion of each flange 18 which overlies the central portion of each groove therein is extended upwardly into the opening in the deck 12 from which the associated bracket 24 is displaced . the deck 12 also has a set of tabs which cooperates with the two sidewalls 16 so as to resist displacement of the runner 14 with respect to the deck 12 such as when a torque is externally applied to the runner 14 . the set of tabs consists of four tabs 28 for each sidewall 16 , each tab 28 being displaced downwardly from the deck and integrally connected therewith and being located between the two sidewalls 16 . the lower edge of each tab 28 is in proximate contact with the associated sidewall 16 . fabrication of the presently preferred embodiment is relatively straight forward . the runners 14 are stamped from sheet metal and formed to final shape except that the corrugated surface portions of the flanges 18 are omitted . the deck 12 is also stamped from sheet metal and formed to final shape except that the corrugated surface portions of the brackets 24 are omitted . fig4 shows a cross - section of a runner 14 and fig5 shows a cross - section of an exemplary portion of the deck 12 at this point . the pallet 10 is then assembled by sliding the runners 14 into place under the deck 12 , the flanges 18 being engaged and guided by the brackets 24 . each flange 18 is then struck together with the associated bracket 24 so as to form the respective interlocking groove 22 and ridge 26 . the sheet material of the pallet 10 can be of any suitable metal and thickness depending upon the application . for a better appreciation of the presently preferred embodiment reference is made to the following example : a pallet 10 in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment was constructed from 0 . 170 inch thick sheet of 5086 - h34 aluminum . the deck 12 had outside dimensions of 54 inches square and was provided with a 2 inch high centrally positioned circular flange having a diameter of about 19 inches , the circular flange being for centering and securing 12 , 000 pound spools of coiled metal sheet . a test was subsequently conducted wherein the pallet successfully withstood a load of 35 , 000 pounds . for a perspective view of the exemplary pallet 10 , reference is made to fig6 . the invention may have yet other practical embodiments . in fig7 for example , there is shown a runner 14 wherein the flanges 18 depend inwardly from the sidewalls 16 . note also in fig7 that the tabs 28 of the deck 12 are positioned outboard of the associated sidewalls 16 . it will be recognized , however , that the provision of the grooves 22 and the ridges 24 of this embodiment may be less convenient than as previously discussed . it may for instance be necessary to further provide holes in the sidewalls 16 through which each bracket 24 may be supported before striking the associated flange 18 from above . in another embodiment , as illustrated in fig8 the laterally oriented surfaces of the flanges 18 and the brackets 24 are substantially flat . tangential displacement of the runner 14 relative to the deck 12 is resisted by a vertically oriented surface portion of each bracket 24 in position against the lengthwise edge of the associated flange 18 . any tendency of the runner 14 to slide in its lengthwise direction relative to the deck 12 is resisted by friction . conceivably such resistance could be further enhanced by gluing . in still another embodiment , as shown in fig9 the configuration is similar to that in fig8 except that the vertically oriented surface portion of each bracket 24 envelopes the lengthwise edge of the associated flange 18 . in most applications of the invention it is contemplated that the pallet 10 have two runners 14 . the runners 14 are ordinarily sufficiently spaced apart to permit the introduction of the fork of a truck therebetween and to provide acceptable stability to the overall structure . it is conceived however that support for the deck 12 may be externally provided in part , in which case only one runner 14 might suffice . other applications might of course call for more than two runners 14 . as is well known in the art , the pallet 10 can be provided with various means for positioning and securing specific loads thereto . by way of example fig6 shows one such method of practice . while several embodiments of this invention have above been illustrated and described along with methods of practicing the same , it will be recognized that the invention may otherwise be embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims :