US1156230A - Crate. - Google Patents

Description

J. HOLBROOK.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

coLuMmA c.

anew $01 J. HOLBROOK.

CRATE.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 23, 1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

rm Imam FLANDORAPH COnWASHINGTON Dv c4 Smuzmtoz a HOT/W213 .l. HOLBROOK.

CRATE.

APPLICATION EILED JUNE 23, 1914.

1,156,230. Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH CO.. WASHINGTON. D. Q

,i'o'Hiv HOLBROO'K, or Presents, 0am.

CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented net. 12, 1915.,

Application filed June as, 1914. Serial No. 846,893.

To all whom it may 007mm;-

Be it known that 1, JOHN HoLenooK, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Byesville, in the county of Guern sey and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which the following is a specificat on.

The present invention relates to improvements in collapsible or foldable crates, the primary object of the same being to provide a shipping crate which may be easily and quickly collapsed or folded wlthout the separationof any of the parts so that loose or separable members will not be requlred when setting up the crate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crate which shall include a bottom box-like section, sides and ends being hingedly secured to said bottomand a cover being hingedly connected with the sides, the arrangement being such that, when the crate is in its set up position, a firm and strong structure will be provided, and when the sides and ends are folded upon each other over the bottom, they will form a closure for the said bottom, so that small articles may be packed in the bottom, as for instance, the collapsible partitions providing cells or receptacles for eggs, or the like, and whereby the said small articles will be securely sus-- tained within the bottom member of the crate.

lVit-h the above and other objects in view, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible shipping crate constructed in accordance with the present invention, the same being in a set-up position; Fig. 2 is a central transverse sectional view through the same, Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device in its knock-down 0r collapsed condition, Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the same, F ig; 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view illustrating one manner of securing one of the ends to one of the sides, Fig, 7 is a similar sectional view showing the second form connecting the end and side, Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view looking toward the inner face of the end with the locking member arranged thereon, and Fig. 9 is a. perspective view of the bracket carried by one of the side members adapted'to co-act with the lock. Fig. 10 is a detail horizontal sectional, view illustrating a second manner of securing one of the ends to one of thesides.

The shipping case or crate, indicated generally by the character C includes essentially a base 1, which is of a box-like formation, comprising a rectangular bottom 2, the sides 3 and 4 and ends 5. The ends 5 each project a similar distance above the base :1, and the sides 3 and 4 have their inner faeeschanneled or otherwise reduced to provide the same with horizontal shoulders 3 which are arranged straight orflush with the upper edges of the said ends 5. v

Hingedly secured to the inner faces of the ends 5 of the boX 1 are the swinging or foldable end plates 7 of the crate proper, each of said end plates adjacent its upper or free corners having an opening 8 through which passes th'e shank 9 of a headed securing member 10. v j r i The reduced portion of the side 3 is eX- tended above the edges of the ends '5 of the box 1 or above the shoulder 6 thereof a greater distance than is the end terminal of the reduced portion of the side 1, and. hingedly secured upon the inner face of each of said reduced portions are the side plates 11 and 12 respectively of the crate proper. The side plate 11 which is hingedly secured to the side 30f the box or bot tom has hinged to its upper'and outer edge a plate 13 forming one of the'sections of the top of the device, while the plate 12, which is connected with the side 4, has hingedly secured to its upper and outer edge a plate l l which provides the hinged top proper for the device, and which when swung against the plate 13 over the upper edges of the end plates 7 abuts with the free end of the plate or section13, and thecombined width of these two plates equals the width of the box 1, or the length of the ends 5 of the said boX. The top 14 has arranged thereon a securing member preferably in the nature of a hasp 15which is adapted to engage with a staple 16 provided upon the plate13, a lock 17 being also arranged upon the staple to securely lockthe top of the crate; v

Byproviding thesides 3 and t with re-. duced portions, affording the horizontal shoulders 6, it will be noted that when the ends 5 are swung inwardly they will rest upon the said shoulders, whereby the said ends form a closure for the box 1. The top plate 14 is, when the device is collapsed, folded upon the outer face of the side 4, and the side t swung over the ends 5. The plate 13 is swung upon its hinge to bring the same flush with the side 3, and both of these members are folded over the top 14:. The combined width of the side 11 and the plate 13 equals the width of the box, but the top folded upon the side 12 is less than the width of the said box, so that the plate 13 extends slightly beyond the free end of the top plate 14 and this extending portion has arranged thereon a staple 17 which is adapted to receive the bill of a hook 18 which is provided upon the outer face of the side 4:.

It is, of course, to be understood that in lieu of the hook l8 and the staple, some suitable locking means will be provided for sustaining the elements of the crate in their collapsed position, and, if desired, and as indicated in the drawings, the bill of the hook may be provided with an elongated slot 19 within which may be arranged the hasp of a small lock 20.

vVhen the parts of the crate are in their set up position, as has been previously described, it is of course essential that some means be provided for locking the end plates 7 to the side plates 11 and 12, and therefore, I have secured to each of the said sides substantially L-shaped members or brackets 21, one of the angular portions of each .of the brackets projecting over the side, each of said angular portions being provided with an opening 22 which registers with the opening 8 in the end plate 7, and through which in the modification shown in Fig. 10 the shank 9 of the securing member 10 may be projected, while wing nuts 23 may engage with the threaded shanks to sustain the sides and ends rigidly connected.

IVhile securing means comprising nuts and bolts, as just described, may be found eflicient in some instances, it will be noted that the said nuts and bolts must be either deposited within the box 1 or the nuts threaded upon the bolts before the bolts are removed from the openings, both of which arrangements not proving altogether satisfactory in some instances, as time must be expended in threading the nuts upon the bolts. Therefore, I have found it desirable to provide a securing member 24 which comprises a shank 25 that is arranged within the openings 8, one end of the shank having a flanged head 26, and its second and outer end being provided with a bit 27. 'The bracket, in such aninstance, is provided with a key-slot in lieu of the rounded opening 22, and a pressure is adapted to be exerted. upon the head 26 of each of the members 2st to force its'bit through the key slot of each of the brackets. Thereafter, the bit 27 may be rotated and arranged away from the slot to lock the sides to the ends.

If desired, and as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the inner wall of each of the end members may have a plate 30 having an opening therein which registers with the opening 8 in the end plates, and the said plate may have an angular or depressed portion 31 which communicates with its opening, and the head 26 of the securing member 2% may have itsinner face cam-shaped, so that when the enlarged portion of the same is received within the depression the bit 27 thereof may readily pass through the key-hole slot 29 in the bracket, and when the shank is rotated to bring its bit out of register with the said slot, the cam head traveling upon the inclined surface of the depressed portion of the plate 30 will afford a binding action between the head of the said securing member and the bit thereof, thus sustaining the securing member in locked position against danger of accidental removal. Still again, and as illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the bracket 21 may be provided with a key-slot 29 and the securing member having its shank provided with a flanged head similar to the head 26 and a bit similar to the bit 27 which is adapted to pass through the key slot in bracket. The bracket, below the key slot may be slitted vertically and longitudinally. The members thereof being out-turned to provide spring catches 3535 which are spaced apart a distance only slightly in excess of the width of the bit of the securing nut, so that when the said bit is arranged therebetween the same will be retained against rotary movement, and one of the said members 35 must be depressed. before the bit can travel thereover to again register with the key-hole slot in the bracket to permit of the collapsing of the crate. In lieu of forming the members 3535 by slitting the said bracket similar catch members may be formed thereon, as teats, formed by forcing a portion of the metal of the bracket outwardly, may be found equally efficient, the

said structure being illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

1 From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the simplicity of the device, as well as the advantages thereof will, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the art to which such invention appertains without further detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A knock-down crate including a bottom box-like section comprising a base, ends and sides, the sides having their inner faces channeled to provide shoulders which are arranged flush with the upper edges of the ends, and plates hingedly secured to the ends of the box, side members hingedly secured to the sides of the boX, top members hingedly secured to the sides and the end plates adapted when the device is collapsed,

to rest upon the shoulders provided by the sides to form a closure for the boX-shaped bottom.

2. A knock-down crate including a boxlike bottom section, the sides of which projecting beyond the ends and having their inner faces channeled to provide shoulders which are flush with the ends, side and end plates hingedly secured to the sides and ends of the base, a top comprising two members of unequal width, one of which being hingedly connected with each of the side plates, means, comprising mechanism arranged between the ends and sides ,for securing the crate in the set-up position, the end plates adapted to rest upon the shoulders of the sides of the base when the crate is collapsed and the side plates with their top sections swung to overlie the end plates and each other, and means for securing the crate in a knock-down position.

3. A collapsible crate including a box-like base having its sides elevated above its ends and the inner faces of the said sides channeled to provide shoulders which are arranged fiush with the ends, side and end plates hingedly connected with the respective sides and ends of the plates, a top comprising two sections of unequal width, one of which being hingedly secured to each of the respective side plates, brackets upon the side plates and longitudinally adjustable locking members upon the end plates adapt ed to c0act with the brackets for sustaining the ends locked upon the side plates.

In a collapsible crate including a boxlike base having its sides elevated above its ends and the inner faces of the said sides channeled to provide shoulders which are arranged flush with the ends, side and end plates hingedly connected with the respective sides and ends of the plates, a top comprising two sections of unequal width, one of which being hingedly secured to each of the respective side plates, angular brackets having key-hole slots upon the side plates, and longitudinally movable shank members having bits adapted to be passed through the key-hole slots and turned to engage with the sides of the brackets to engage the brackets to sustain the side plates looked upon the end plates.

5. A collapsible crate including a box-like base having its sides elevated above its ends and the inner faces of said sides channeled to provide shoulders which are arranged flush with the ends, side and end plates hingedly connected with the respective sides and ends of the plates, a top comprising two sections of unequal width, one of which being hingedly secured to each of the respective side plates, longitudinally movable key members upon the side plates, brackets upon the side plates having key-hole slots adapted to receive the bits of the keys on the end plates, and means arranged upon the brackets engaging with the bits of the keys for preventing the rotation of the keys.

6. A collapsible crate including a box-like base having its sides elevated above its ends and the inner faces of said sides channeled to provide shoulders which are arranged flush with the ends, side and end plates hingedly connected with the respective sides and ends of the plates, a top comprising two sections of unequal width, one of which being hingedly secured to each of the respective side plates, longitudinally movable key members upon the sides, brackets upon the side plates having key-hole slots adapted to receive the bits of the keys on the end plates, and spring means arranged upon the brackets engaging with the bits of the keys for preventing the rotation of the keys.

7. A collapsible crate including a box-likebase having its sides elevated above its ends and the inner faces of said sides channeled to provide shoulders which are arranged flush with the ends, side and end plates hingedly connected with the respective sides and ends of the plates, a top comprising two sections of unequal width, one of which being hingedly secured to each of the respective side plates, longitudinally movable key members upon the side plates, brackets upon the side plates having key-hole slots adapted to receive the bits of the keys upon the end plates, and spring catches arranged upon the brackets engaging with the bits of the keys for preventing the rotation of the keys.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HOLBROOK.

Witnesses:

METTA E. THoMrsoN, J. A. HoorMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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