US1456674A - Shipping crate - Google Patents

Description

May 29, 1923. v

H. MICHELSEN SHIPPING` CRATE Filed Aug. 17 1922 Patented 29, i923.

HAMILTON MTCHELSEN, OF MJAM, FLOBT-DA.

SHIPPING- CRATE.

Application filed August 17, 1922.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, HAMILTON MICHEL- snn, a citizen of the United Sta-tes, residing at Miami, in the county of Dade and State ot Florida, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in 'hipping Crates, ot which the following is a specification.

Tn the use ot a shipping crate constructed in accordance with Letters Patent oi' the United States No. 1,330,947, granted to me under date of February 17 19,20, it has been found that in re-icing, the operator will crown the ice in the center of the ice chamber and will then force the cover into closed position. This filling of the ice chamber with an excess of ice and the orcible closing of the cover causes a sagging of the ice chamber Hoor until it touches and often bears with considerable pressure on the sheet of insulation therebelow and on the fruit. This pressure often bruises and injures the fruit, and the sagging causes the water from the melted ice to collect and seep through the ice chamber floor onto the fruit, further injuring the same and often rendering it unfit for salev on arriving at its point of destination, resulting in considerable loss to both the shipper and retailer.

The object oit this invention is to provide a bottom or floor for the ice chamber, which is eiiec-tively braced and supported to prevent the same from sagging in the center, and one constructed in such a manner as to enable a portion of the contents of the crate to be used and the remainder to be maintained cool under the ice temperature.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying' drawings andpointed out in the claim hereto appended; it being Linderstood that various changes in the Jform, proportion, size and minor details otconstruction within the scope of the claim may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any oi the advantages ot the invention.

To more clearly comprehend the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in broken top plan ot the preferred embodiment.

yof construction.

serial No. 582,336.

Fig. 3 is a like view, of a modiiied form Tn the drawings 1 indicates a shipping container, preferably of wood, oblong in plan, adapted to be closed by a hinged cover 2, maintained in closed position during transportation by a lock or other securing means 3.

The container .is divided transversely by the vertically extending wall 4f, the upper edge 5 of which falls short of contacting with the under surface of the cover 2, and said wall divides the container into compartments 5 and 6 adapted for receiving the avocados.

The container is divided, adjacent its upper surface, by the longitudinally disposed horizontal partition pieces 7, which provide the respective `ice chambers 8 and 9 above the iruit receiving compartments 5 and 6. rThe partition pieces 7 are removably held in position by the rails or cleats 10, and the water resulting from the melting of the ice in the respective compartments 8 and 9 escapes therethrough through the weep openings 11. An air chamber 12 is provided between the partition pieces 7 and the upper surface of the fruit and the chambers 5 and G by a layer oi? cellular material 13 horizontally disposed longitudinally of the receptacle 1 beneath the pieces 7. This layer of cellular' material maintains the excessive cold trom the Yfruit contained within the chambers 5 and 6, and prevents the saine from becoming `frosted.

Tt will be observed that the respective chambers 5 and G; partition pieces 7 and the layer ot cellular material 13 are independently removable, thus enabling the fruit in one chamber to be removed while that in the other is maintained under a cooling temperature by a replenishment ot the ice. The partition pieces 4;, it will be observed, prevent the crowning ot the ire centrally of the ice shipping crate, and provides a support 'tor the inner edge of the wall 7. This breaking oix the wall 7 and supporting the same midway oi? its length adds strength thereto and prevents its sagging, which was the case in the shipping containers manufactured under the patent above mentioned.

Fig. 3 illustrates a container employing two vertically disposed partition pieces arranged at right angles to each other, one transversely of the shipping container and the other longitudinally, thus dividing the container' into` quarter'sections, andv it' is to be understood that1 each of these sections is provided With its individual layerY of cellular material and horizontally disposed partition piece.

I-claim:- v A refrigerator shipping crate for the transportation' of fruit; comprisinga box having itsvr interior l divided into a fruit receiving compartment and a' superimposed ice receiving compartment, a" removable horizontally'vdisposed partitionv piece sepa'- 'ratingthe' said compartments and forming' a. bottomfor the ice receiving compartment,A

a vertical partition piece Withinthe fruit r'eceivng compartment for div'ldlng thesame vertically into a lplurality of compartments and on whichl said removable partition piece rests,ysaid partition piece dividingy said .ice receiving compartment vertically into a plurality of compartmentsya layer of cellular of the watertherefrom, a cover lfor the ice compartment7 and means for locking the cover to the crate.

ln'testimony whereof I have signedfmy 7 name tothiss keciication.' v

H MILTON MICHELSEN.

Images