GB2151211A

GB2151211A - Method for transporting milk and container for use in the method

Info

Publication number: GB2151211A
Application number: GB08332914A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter William Bothwell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-12-09
Filing date: 1983-12-09
Publication date: 1985-07-17
Also published as: GB2151211B; GB8332914D0

Abstract

A container with a hinged lid (16) is provided for containing bottles of milk and other produce delivered to a house. In the container, there is a removable spacer (19) to locate bottles. The container resembles a dwelling. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of transporting milk and container for use in the method The present invention relates to a container for a number of bottles of milk and to a method of transporting milk, in which the container is used.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a container which includes a body comprising a bottom wall and side walls, a lid which is hinged to the body, a handle attached to the body and a spacer mounted inside the container and removable therefrom, wherein the spacer is adapted to receive a plurality of bottles and to maintain the received bottles spaced apart from one another and wherein the lid has an exposed upper surface inclined to the bottom wall when the container is closed by the lid.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of transporting milk wherein the milk is placed in bottles, the bottles are capped, a plurality of the bottles are placed in a container according to the first aspect of the invention at a loading station, the closed container is carried to an unloading station by the handle and the container is opened and the bottles removed therefrom at the unloading station.

An example of a container in accordance with the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein a perspective view of the open container is illustrated diagrammatically.

The container shown in the drawing comprises a body 10 which includes a substantially flat, rectangular bottom wall 11 and upstanding side walls 12 to 15. The container further comprises a lid 16 connected by a pivot pin with the shorter side walls 12 and 14 for pivoting relative to the body about an axis which is parallel to the bottom wall 11 between the open position illustrated in the drawing and a closed position in which the lid rests on the side walls and closes the container. In the closed position (not illustrated) the lid 16 may rest on the pivot pin and wall 13 remote therefrom, or upon all of the side walls. There is no substantial gap between any of the side walls and the lid when the container is closed.

The lid 16 has two surfaces which face upwardly, when the container is closed, and meet at a ridge 18 which is at least approximately central. Alternatively, the lid may comprise four surfaces which face upwardly when the container is closed, these surfaces meeting a substantially central apex of the roof. In either case, when the container is closed, the upwardly facing surfaces of the lid are all inclined to the bottom wall 11. The lid may have other forms resembling the roofs of houses.

Opening movement of the lid 16 relative to the body 10 is limited by engagement between an external face of the wall 15 and an edge of the roof adjacent to and parallel to the pivot axis. The angle through which the lid can be pivoted relative to the body does not exceed 110 and is preferably within the range 30 to 90". More preferably, the maximum angle through which the lid can be pivoted is within the range 50 to 70". The centre of gravity of the lid 16 has a position such that in all positions of the lid relative to the body 10, when the bottom wall 11 rests on a horizontal surface, gravity urges the lid towards the closed position. Accordingly, the lid will tend to close automatically.

There is provided in the body 10 a removable spacer 19 which includes first and second substantially parallel and substantially flat plate-like parts 20 and 21 connected by transverse webs 22 which normally lie adjacent to the shorter side walls 12 and 14. The lower part 21 of the spacer rests on the internal face of the bottom wall 11. The upper part 20 defines a number of circular apertures 23, in each of which there can be received a milk bottle. Once a number of milk bottles have been inserted into the spacer 19 to stand on the lower part 21 thereof, tilting of the milk bottles is so restricted by the spacer that contact between adjacent bottles is prevented and the bottles are held apart by the spacer.

To facilitate cleaning of the container, the spacer 19 can be removed from the body through the open upper end thereof. The junctions between the bottom wall 11 and the side walls 12 to 15 are curved so that these walls merge smoothly with one another and there are no sharp corners to harbour dirt.

The container is provided with a handle 24 pivotally connected with the side walls 12 and 14 for pivoting relative to the body about an axis which is parallel to the pivot axis of the lid 16 and is nearer to the lid than to the bottom wall 11. The pivot axis of the handle is mid-way between the walls 13 and 15 and is near to upper edges of the walls 12 and 14. Opposite limbs of the handle are cranked to clear the lid 16 when the handle is raised from the position shown in the drawing. The handle is lowered to the position illustrated to avoid obstruction of opening of the container. The pivot axis of the handle lies above the centre of gravity of the empty container and above the centre of gravity of the loaded container.

Each of the opposite limbs of the handle 17 is extended beyond its pivotal axis by a hook formation 24. When the handle is in the lower position illustrated, with a cross bar of the handle resting against the outside of the wall 15 near to the bottom wall, the hook formation lies beneath the lid 16 and engages a peg 30 thereon to hold the lid in its closed position. When the cross bar of the handle is raised, the hook is pivoted away from the peg 30 to a position below the lid 16, where it does not interfere with opening of the lid. Alternatively, the hook formations could be somewhat longer to engage over the outside of the lid 16 adjacent to the edge thereof which corresponds to the front wall 13.

On the external face of the wall 13, there are provided three retaining formations 25, 26 and 27 for retaining respective pieces of sheet material adjacent to the wall 13. The retaining formation 25 comprises three retaining elements which form an open-topped frame for receiving a rectangular piece of sheet material 28. The retaining formation 26 comprises three similar, but somewhat larger, retaining elements also defining an open-topped frame for receiving a rectangular piece of sheet material 29. The retaining formation 27 may be substantially the same as the formation 25 and the three formations may be arranged on the wall 13 to represent a door and two windows of a model house.

When the lid 16 is closed, it overhangs the wall 13 somewhat and covers the retaining formations 25 to 27 and the pieces of sheet material 28 and 29. These pieces can readily be removed from the retaining formations when the lid is open. It will be noted that each of the pieces 28 and 29 of sheet material is of small area, as compared with that of the wall 13.

The container is intended to be used to receive bottles which have been filled with milk, capped and transported in crates or other containers to a loading station where a selected number of bottles is placed in the container. The lid is raised to permit insertion of the bottles into the container and is then closed. The number of bottles required is indicated by information displayed on the exposed face of the piece 28 of sheet material. The piece of sheet material 29 displays information identifying the house or household for whom the milk is intended.

At least the lid and side walls of the container are opaque so that the container conceals the bottles from view. It also protects the bottles from attack by birds and from contamination in other ways. Concealment of the bottles reduces the risk of pilferage and vandalism and avoids advertising the fact that the householder is not available to remove bottles of milk after they have been delivered.

A loaf or other articie of similar size can be placed on the bottles and accommodated partly in the space enclosed by the lid 16, when the lid is closed.

The loaded container can be carried by means of the handle 17 to an unloading station where the container is opened and the bottles of milk are removed from the container. Empty bottles may then be placed in the container, the container being returned to the loading station. It will be appreciated that the container conceals the presence of the empty bottles from view.

The lid is preferably held in the closed position by gravity alone.

The container is formed of a substantially rigid material, preferably a plastics material. The container may be provided with feet which space the bottom wall from the ground. To ensure that the centre of gravity of the container is low, weights may be incorporated in or in the vicinity of the bottom wall. Additionally or alternatively, the bottom wall may be thicker than the side walls and the lid may be formed of thinner material than the side walls. The container can be coloured to match the colour of the exterior of the house at which it is used and is of a form such that it can have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Notes from the householder to the milkman or from the milkman to the householder can be supported by the container in a conspicuous but sheltered position.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A container which includes a body comprising a bottom wall and side walls, a lid hinged to the body, a handle attached to the body and a spacer mounted inside the body and removable therefrom, the spacer being adapted to receive a plurality of bottles and to maintain the received bottles spaced apart from one another.

2. A container according to Claim 1 wherein the handle is movable between raised and lowered positions and is provided with means for holding the lid in its closed position when the handle is in the lowered position.

3. A container according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein there are provided on the external face of a side wall retaining elements for retaining adjacent to the wall a sheet which is smaller in area than is the wall.

4. A container according to Claim 3 wherein the lid projects beyond said wall sufficiently to cover the retaining elements.

5. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the lid and body have mutually co-operating abutment surfaces which engage to limit opening movement of the lid to an angle not exceeding 110 .

6. A container according to Claim 5 wherein the lid has a centre of gravity at a position such that gravity urges the lid towards the closed position when the container stands on a level surface and the lid is fully open.

7. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the lid has a ridge or apex spaced from the side walls.

8. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the junctions between the bottom wall and the side walls are curved, the internal surfaces of these walls merging smoothiy with one another.

9. A method of transporting milk wherein the milk is placed in bottles, the bottles are capped, a plurality of the bottles are placed in a container according to Claim 1 at a loading station, the closed container is carried to an unloading station by the handle and the container is opened and the bottles are removed at an unloading station.

10. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

11. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.