GB2185679A

GB2185679A - A wine box stand

Info

Publication number: GB2185679A
Application number: GB08601286A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tobias Jellinek
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-01-17
Filing date: 1986-01-17
Publication date: 1987-07-29
Also published as: GB2185679B; GB8601286D0

Abstract

A table stand for a wine box of currently standard form and comprising leg frames (1) and (2) pivotedly mounted together at a handle (3), a shelf (6) pivotedly mounted on a cross member (4) of one frame for hook engagement with a cross member (5) of the other frame to provide both a platform for the box and means limiting the pivotal separation of the frames, and rails (9) and (10) on the frames which embrace the box both to fix horizontally the latter on the stand and to use the box to prevent the pivotal movement of the frames towards one another. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wine box stand This invention relates to stands for boxes containing beverages and especially (but not exclusively) wine.

It is nowcommon practiceto retail market beverages, and more particularly wine, in boxes.

Such boxes are of the kind wherein the beverage is held in a flexible bag-like liner (commonly of 3 litres capacity) provided with a tap, and with this liner contained in a rectangular parallelepiped cardboard box and the tap projecting from the lower margin of one normally vertical side of the boxfordispensation ofthe beverage from the liner.

The object ofthis invention is to facilitate table use of boxes ofthe aforesaid kind in a more convenient and visually acceptable manner.

According to the invention a stand for a box of the aforesaid kind comprises a platform, means for establishing a horizontally rectangular boundaryfor the box in relation to the platform, legs supporting the platform so as to elevate the tap of a box on the platform to give access room for a drinking glass below the tap, and a handle.

Preferably the stand is fabricated from metal wire rod and incorporates a rail above the plane ofthe platform to establish the said boundary by affording a snug fit around sufficient of the sides of the box substantially to fix the box horizontally in relation to the platform.

Advantageously for ease of packaging the stand comprises two frames and a platform, with each of these parts hinged to anothersothatthe stand can be collapsed to give a substantiallyflat "knock down" capability, and wherein the interaction of the box with the means which establishes its movement boundary also positively prevents collapse ofthe standwhilstthe box remains on the platform.

One embodiment of the invention will now be more particularly described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing being a perspective view of an erected stand. This stand is intended for use with a now conventional wine box of 3 litres capacity incorporating a tap in the vicinityofthe loweredge of one of its pairof more narrow vertical sides.

The illustrated stand comprises a pairofsimilar generally rectangularframes 1 and 2formedfrom mild steel wire rod which are hinged together along their upper edges by means of a folded sheet metal clasp 3 so thattheframes can be opened apartfor erection in inverted V manner or closed together for storage or packaging. Each frame has an integral respective cross bar 4 and 5, and a rectangular sheet metal plate is formed along one short side 7 to encircle one (4) of the cross bars to permit pivotal movement of the plate 6 in relation to the frame 1.

The opposite short side 8 of the plate is formed with a U shaped margin for hook engagement with the cross bar (5) of the other frame 2 when the stand is erected.

Each frame is further provided with an integral U shaped rail 9 and 10 having its ends welded to the respective frame uprights, and the dimensions of the plate 6 and the rails 9 and 10 which are disposed above the plane ofthe plate 6 respectively establish a rectangular horizontal platform for the base of the wine box and constraints which fit snugly around the two narrow sides and four corners of the wine box so as to bound the box and fix its position so as to prevent horizontal shifting of the box on the platform.Further this arrangement is such that with the box in position on the platform 6 this presence of the box positively prevents relative movement of the rails 9 and 1 towards one another and so in turn prevents accidental collapse ofthe stand whilst the box remains in position on the platform.

The lower sides of the frames 1 and 2 remote from their hinge 3 may be formed as illustrated so thatthe lower corners of the frames give four rest points 11 forthe stand on a table surface and the dimensions of the frames are such that the platform supports the base of the box at such a level that a drinking glass can conveniently be introduced below the wine box tap to permit convenient dispensing of wine attable.

Also the frames extend sufficiently upward to position their hinge 3 above the wine box so that this hinge also affords a handle for use when introducing the box into the stand and for transporting the stand and box together.

In an alternative non-collapsible version of the stand the two rectangularframeseachwithcrossbar substantially as already described are now rigidly interconnected in an inverted V relationship by means of a rectangular rail which is welded above the cross bars eithertothese bars ortothe uprights of the frames so thatthe cross bars provide the platform and the rail establishes the boundary for lateral movement of a box resting on these cross bars.

In another embodiment of the invention the platform and rails are combined in a rectangular frame of angle section so that the horizontal flanges provide the vertical support for the box and the vertical flanges establish the boundary of movement of the box.

1. A stand for a box of the kind herein described and comprising a shelf, legs supporting the shelf so as to elevate the tap of a box on the shelf sufficiently to give access room for a drinking glass belowthe tap, constraining means for establishing a horizontally rectangular boundary for the box in relation to the shelf, and a handle.

2. Astand according to Claim 1 wherein said constraining means comprises a rail mounted on the legs above the horizontal plane of the shelf for engagementwith at least one pair of opposite vertical sides of the box.

3. A stand according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein two frames each comprise a pair of legs and a transverse member, and an interconnection of the two transverse members above the box provides said handie.

4. A stand according to Claim 3 wherein two frames each have at least two sides, said frames have a pivotal interconnection to permit angular

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Wine box stand This invention relates to stands for boxes containing beverages and especially (but not exclusively) wine. It is nowcommon practiceto retail market beverages, and more particularly wine, in boxes. Such boxes are of the kind wherein the beverage is held in a flexible bag-like liner (commonly of 3 litres capacity) provided with a tap, and with this liner contained in a rectangular parallelepiped cardboard box and the tap projecting from the lower margin of one normally vertical side of the boxfordispensation ofthe beverage from the liner. The object ofthis invention is to facilitate table use of boxes ofthe aforesaid kind in a more convenient and visually acceptable manner. According to the invention a stand for a box of the aforesaid kind comprises a platform, means for establishing a horizontally rectangular boundaryfor the box in relation to the platform, legs supporting the platform so as to elevate the tap of a box on the platform to give access room for a drinking glass below the tap, and a handle. Preferably the stand is fabricated from metal wire rod and incorporates a rail above the plane ofthe platform to establish the said boundary by affording a snug fit around sufficient of the sides of the box substantially to fix the box horizontally in relation to the platform. Advantageously for ease of packaging the stand comprises two frames and a platform, with each of these parts hinged to anothersothatthe stand can be collapsed to give a substantiallyflat "knock down" capability, and wherein the interaction of the box with the means which establishes its movement boundary also positively prevents collapse ofthe standwhilstthe box remains on the platform. One embodiment of the invention will now be more particularly described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing being a perspective view of an erected stand. This stand is intended for use with a now conventional wine box of 3 litres capacity incorporating a tap in the vicinityofthe loweredge of one of its pairof more narrow vertical sides. The illustrated stand comprises a pairofsimilar generally rectangularframes 1 and 2formedfrom mild steel wire rod which are hinged together along their upper edges by means of a folded sheet metal clasp 3 so thattheframes can be opened apartfor erection in inverted V manner or closed together for storage or packaging. Each frame has an integral respective cross bar 4 and 5, and a rectangular sheet metal plate is formed along one short side 7 to encircle one (4) of the cross bars to permit pivotal movement of the plate 6 in relation to the frame 1. The opposite short side 8 of the plate is formed with a U shaped margin for hook engagement with the cross bar (5) of the other frame 2 when the stand is erected. Each frame is further provided with an integral U shaped rail 9 and 10 having its ends welded to the respective frame uprights, and the dimensions of the plate 6 and the rails 9 and 10 which are disposed above the plane ofthe plate 6 respectively establish a rectangular horizontal platform for the base of the wine box and constraints which fit snugly around the two narrow sides and four corners of the wine box so as to bound the box and fix its position so as to prevent horizontal shifting of the box on the platform.Further this arrangement is such that with the box in position on the platform 6 this presence of the box positively prevents relative movement of the rails 9 and 1 towards one another and so in turn prevents accidental collapse ofthe stand whilst the box remains in position on the platform. The lower sides of the frames 1 and 2 remote from their hinge 3 may be formed as illustrated so thatthe lower corners of the frames give four rest points 11 forthe stand on a table surface and the dimensions of the frames are such that the platform supports the base of the box at such a level that a drinking glass can conveniently be introduced below the wine box tap to permit convenient dispensing of wine attable. Also the frames extend sufficiently upward to position their hinge 3 above the wine box so that this hinge also affords a handle for use when introducing the box into the stand and for transporting the stand and box together. In an alternative non-collapsible version of the stand the two rectangularframeseachwithcrossbar substantially as already described are now rigidly interconnected in an inverted V relationship by means of a rectangular rail which is welded above the cross bars eithertothese bars ortothe uprights of the frames so thatthe cross bars provide the platform and the rail establishes the boundary for lateral movement of a box resting on these cross bars. In another embodiment of the invention the platform and rails are combined in a rectangular frame of angle section so that the horizontal flanges provide the vertical support for the box and the vertical flanges establish the boundary of movement of the box. CLAIMS

4. A stand according to Claim 3 wherein two frames each have at least two sides, said frames have a pivotal interconnection to permit angular collapse of the stand, means is provided to limitthe angle of separation ofthe frames, and wherein the constraining means interacts with the boxto positively prevent said collapse whilst the box is on the shelf.

5. A stand according to any Claim 3 or 4wherein theshelfalsoservesasthemeansto limittheangle of separation of the frames.

6. A stand according to any one of Claims 3, 4 or 5 wherein the shelf is pivotally mounted on a cross member of one frame for latching engagementwith the second frame.

7. Astand according to Claim 6 wherein the shelf consists of a substantially flat plate, the edge opposite that which is pivotally mounted on the cross member of said one frame having hook engagement with a cross memberofthe other frame.

8. A stand according to Claim 7 wherein the constraining means comprises a pair of rails each bridging the legs of a respective frame parallel with the frame mounted and engaging edges ofthe platform.

9. Astandfora beverage dispensing box substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.