US669631A - Folding crate. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. I2, |904.

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l(frm Modem SMITH B. GILLETTE, OF GENEVA, OHIO.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,631, dated March 12, 1901.

Applicationjiled January 21, 1901. Serial No. 44,177. (No model.)

To L'ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that LSMTH B.G1LLETTE,a citizen of the Unit-ed States of America,and a residentof Geneva, Ashtabula county, Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention'relates to folding crates; and it consists in the new construction and combination of the parts comprising the improvements, whereby simplicity, compactness, and facility for folding and unfolding are made very easily and quickly attained. There are no separable and removable parts liable to be misplaced ,or lost.

The nature of and manner of manipulating the invention will fully appear from the subjoined description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of my new Afolding crate opened up ready for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, showing it partly closed Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same entirely closed, showing its compactness and small compass. Fig. 4 is a strip of metal attached to the ends of the side slats for uniting and protecting them.

A represents the bottom of the crate formed of slats joined at their ends to stronger crosspieces A A.

B B are the sides of the crate, also formed i of slats joined at their ends with the flanged metal strips b b. These sides are hinged to the side slats of the bottom by Wires coiled together to form the hinges C C. The middle Wires are placed across the bottom and secured thereto by staples c c. The hinges of one of the sides are made alittle higher from the bottom for the purpose of having that side lie flat upon the other when the crate is folded. The end wires forming said hinges are also secured to the slats of Ithe sides B B in the same manner. Thus the Wires serve to join and strengthen the sides and bottom as well as make the hinges.

D D are the ends of the crate, made of slats joined at their ends with strong end pieces d cl. These ends are also joined to the crosspieces A' A by means of Wire hinges E E.

F F are bars pivotally attached to the insides of the top slats of the ends D D and are designed for locking the sides and ends of the crate in place opened up, as seen in Fig. l, by the ends of said bars bearing against the inner ends of the top slats of the sides, as shown at ff, Fig. l.

p p are pins or staples on the inside faces of the end pieces d (l, which when the ends and sides of the crate are upright and in contact catch in against the inner edges of the metal strips b b, and thereby hold the ends D D in place and prevent said ends from being pushed or falling outward, as seen at e e, Fig. 1. The spaces between the two upper slats of the ends D D are made open enough to allow the insertion of the fingers of rthe hands of the user, thus making the upper slats and bars serve as handles for carrying the crate.

The manner of setting up the crate is as follows: The folded crate, as seen in Fig. 3, is locked together by turning the ends of the bars F F in under the top slats of the ends D D, as seen in the slanting lines in the middle top of Fig. 3. The folded crate needs no other means for holding it folded. To set up the crate, the said bars F F are turned under their respective slats. This unlocks the ends D D, which may then be turned upward into the position approximately seen in Fig. 2. Then the sides B B are turned into the upright position and the ends D D closed against the ends of the sides, and the bars F F are turned down into place and the crate is set up ready for use.

It will be seen that this makes a very simple, cheap, and durable crate capable of being readily folded and secured in compact form.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The improved folding crate consisting of bottom A having end cross-pieces A', sides B B having metal end pieces b b, Wire hinges O O uniting the side slats and attaching them to the bottom, the ends D D having end pieces d d and the pins p, Wire hinges E E, attaching the ends to the cross-pieces A' Ar of the bottom, and the pivoted bars F F, on the ends D D, adapted for locking the ends to the sides, when the crate is set up, and for securing the crate when in the folded position, substantially as described.

Signed by me at Cleveland, Ohio, this 11th day of January, 1901.

SMITH B. GILLETTE.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. TIBBITTS, CHARLES L. STOCKER.

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