GB2178006A

GB2178006A - Containers for bottles

Info

Publication number: GB2178006A
Application number: GB08617478A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ernest Frederick Bowyer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-07-23
Filing date: 1986-07-17
Publication date: 1987-02-04
Also published as: GB8617478D0; GB8518583D0

Abstract

A container (10) for one or more bottles is securable to a surface, such as a wall or floor, and bottles are inserted into same through openings (24) in a lockable lid (14) and held against undesired removal, by flaps (26) around the openings (24), removal being by opening the lockable lid (14). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Containers for bottles This invention concerns containers for bottles for temporary butpreferably secure storage.

Much of the milk bought in this country is delivered to doorsteps every morning. That is extremely conve nientfor most ofthetime but occasionally bottles are stolen from the doorstep before they can be taken inside.

Another problem is due to animals, such as dogs and cats,fouling the bottles while still onthedoor- step. If the bottles are then taken inside and placed on a table or in a refrigerator the spread of germs is likely.

Weather conditions can also sometimes affect milk in bottles on a doorstep. For example, strong sunlight can cause the milkto go sour or severe frost can cause freezing of the milk which then cannot be used until thawed out.

The object of this invention is to provide a container for bottles that may be secured to a surface, such as a wall orfloorandthatcan hold bottles againstunde- sired removal and can provide protection for bottles.

According to the invention there is provided a containerfor one or more bottles, which container is securable to a surface, such as a wall orfloor and into which bottles can be inserted and held against undesired removal, removal otherwise being via a lockable closure.

In a preferred embodiment ofthe invention the container has a lid that is lockable when closed by any suitable means. The lid may be hingedly connected to the container. To provide a hinge connection, the container and lid may be formed integrally preferably from plastics material. The lid has an opening therein for each bottle through which the bottle can be in serted into the container possibly with its neck and top exposed. The opening is partially closed by hing edordeformableflaps pastwhichthe bottle can be pushed into the container but not withdrawn from the container.The flaps may be arranged around generally circular openings in the lid and may be urged upwards by spring means so that a bottle can be pushed through the opening past the flaps but when only the neck is exposed through the lid it is not possible to pull the bottle out of the container past the flaps. This is mainly duetothe spring loading ofthe flaps whereby it is difficult to hold the flaps downwards with one hand in orderto leave enough room to liftthe bottle out with the other. Additionally, if the bottle is ata suitable height when in the container, it may not be possible to push the flaps downwards without being stopped by the shoulder of the bottle.

As bottles come in different heights, it is proposed to provide in the container a step which can be moved beneath each opening and on which shorter bottles can stand. This is for the above-mentioned purpose of preventing removal of a bottle through the opening and also so that shorter bottles can be put into the container without having to be dropped.

The flaps around the opening ofthe container may alternatively be of resilient material, and either hinged or merely deformable.

To lockthe container, eitherthe lid and container can have interlocking parts requiring a keyforunlocking. Alternatively, a separate lock, such as for a hasp and staple, can be used for a container and lid having aligned holes in parts thereof when closed.

The container may be attached to a surface by any suitable means. The most common will be by means of screws through the container wall orthrough tabs attached to the container. Alternatively, a fixing plate may be provided for the container. Such a fixing plate could have prongs or the like over which loops orthe likeonthecontainerfit.Thefixing plate maybefas- tenedtoasurfacein any suitable way.

In use,the container ofthe invention will besecured to a surface such as a wall and locked. A milkman delivering milkwill then place the bottles of of milk in the containerthrough the openings in the lid of the container. The bottles are thus securely retained in the container until the lid is unlocked to open the container for removal of the bottles.

The number of openings in the container lid and hence the container size can be chosen according to the maximum milk bottle deliveryfora household. It is expected however, that two bottle containers will be the most popular.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a bottle container of the invention in perspective; Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the container; Figure3 is an internal plan view of the container; Figure 4 is an internal side view of the container; Figures a detail view of a flap of the container; and Figures 6A and 6B are front and side views respectively of a fixing plate for the container.

Referring to the drawings, a container 10 for milk bottlescomprisesa generally rectangular box 12 with a lid 14 hingedly connected to the box 12 at one end 16 or along one of its longer sides. Atthe other end, the box 12 and lid 14 have aligned adjacentflaps 18 and 20 when the lid is in the closed position. The flaps 18 and 20 each haveahole22therethroughthrough which a lock 19 can be fitted for locking the lid to the box. The flaps 18 and 20 may be on the opposite longer side to the hinge connection.

The lid 14 has two generally circular openings 24 sufficiently large for a milk bottle to be inserted therethrough into the container around the circumference of the opening are hingedly attached flaps 26thatcan be pushed downwards into the container but not pulled upwards beyond the plane ofthe lid. Theflaps26 are actually hingedly attached to tabs 30 (see Figure 5) that are attached to the underside of the lid. A spring 32 is provided between the flap and the tabs to urge the flap to its normal position i.e. more or less in the plane of the lid.

To accommodate different bottle heights, the container has stands 40 (see Figures 3 and 4) that are pivotably connected at 42so that one or both can be pivotted into a position directlyunderan opening in the lid for a shorter bottle or at right angles thereto to Ieavefreeforatallerbottle.

The container can be fixed to a suitable surface by any suitable means but a fixing plate such as shown in Figures 6A and B may be provided. The fixing plate 60 is basically a metal or plastics sheet cut and stamped to form four leaves ofwhich the upper62 have a prong like leading edgeandthe lower64are generally flat. The container has loops 68 on one side thereof which fit over the leaves 62 and 64, the upper leaves 62 principally serving to retain the container securely by virtue oftheir specially shaped leading edge 65. The fixing plate has screw holes 66forfastening thereofto a surface using screws or bolts.

The containercan thus be easily installed andthe operation of the flaps is such that bottles can be inserted into the container by pushing againstthe flaps. Once the bottle is in the containertheflaps return to their normal position whereafter removal of the bottle is prevented by the flaps. The bottles can, of course, then be removed by unlocking and opening the lid.

The container of the invention may be made of any suitable material but will most probably be made of plastics, metal or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. Acontainerforoneormore bottles,whichcon- tainerissecurableto a surface, such as a wall orfloor and into which bottles can be inserted and held against undesired removal, removal otherwise being by opening a lockable closure.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 having a lid that is lockable when closed.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lid has one or more openings therein inserted into the container.

4. A container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the opening is partiallyclosed by hinged ordeformable flaps past which a bottle can be pushed into a container but not withdrawn from the container.

5. A container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flaps are arranged around generally circular open- ings in the lid.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flaps are urged upwards by spring means.

7. A container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flaps around the opening ofthecontainerareofresi- lient material.

8. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 7 having in the container a step which can be moved beneath each opening and on which bottles can stand.

9. Acontainer as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 8,wherein the lid and container have interlocking parts requiring a key for unlocking.

10. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 8, wherein the container and lid have aligned holes in parts thereof when closed for a separate lock means.

11. A container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 10 having a fixing plate.

12. Acontainerasclaimed in claim 11,wherein the fixing plate has prongs or the like overwhich loops or the like on the containerfit.

13. A container for bottles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.