GB2259498A

GB2259498A - Bird resistant milk bottle cradle

Info

Publication number: GB2259498A
Application number: GB9219130A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Raymond Sharp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-09-12
Filing date: 1992-09-09
Publication date: 1993-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 2012-09-09
Also published as: GB9219130D0; GB9119526D0; GB2259498B

Abstract

A milk bottle cradle comprises a ledge 5 on which a milk bottle can be set only so that the bottle will tip under gravity, arrester means 2 to limit tipping of the bottle on the ledge 5, and a roof 6 below which the top of the bottle is disposed when the bottle is tipped so as to prevent access by birds to the bottle top. <IMAGE>

Description

BIRD RESISTANT MILK BOTTLE CRADLE This invention relates to a bird resistant milk bottle cradle.

A serious health risk is known to exist from the contamination of milk through the breaking of the caps of bottles by birds particularly magpies, and the insertion of their beaks in the liquid. This source of infection is known particularly to be the cause of many cases of the disease campylobacter enteritis.

Various devices are used to cover bottles delivered to the doorstep but their appl cation can seriously absorb the time of thcse delivering the milk, such delivery being a highly labour-intensive activity.

The present invention provides an improved cradle which meets the need to prevent bird access t6 the bottle top while imposing no time penalty on delivery.

The invention comprises a milk bottle cradle comprising a ledge on which a milk bottle can be set only so that the bottle will tip under gravity, arrester means to limit tipping of the bottle on the ledge, and a roof below which the top of the bottle is disposed when the bottle is tipped so as to prevent access by birds to the bottle top.

The cradle may comprise locators which limit movement horizontally of a vertically disposed bottle along the line of a designated diameter of the circle comprising the plan view of the bottle's circumference, a support means to receive the underside of the bottle and thus prevent further movement downwards when the bottle is lowered into the cradle with a substantially vertical disposition, support being afforded along a chord which is bisected by said diameter, or at a point on the diameter and within the minor segment created by said chord, a rest against which the bottle falls to assume an inclined disposition as gravity causes it to turn on said support means, and a protective hood under which the neck of the bottle is positioned as a consequence of that movement.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a first form of the cradle in end elevation, with a bottle being lowered thereinto; Figure 2 shows a plan view with the designated diameter and bisected chord marked; Figure 3 shows an end elevation with the underside of the bottle having reached the support means; Figure 4 shows an end elevation with the bottle against the rest and with its neck under the protective hood; Figure 5 shows a front elevation of a two bottle cradle with bottles at rest, the cradle having end restraints, a divider between the bottles, and a carrying handle; Figure 6 shows a plan view of a second form of two-bottle cradle, without bottles; with locators and rest of curved shape and the carrying handle located centrally and parallel to the ends of the cradle;; and Figure 7 shows an end elevation of the first form of cradle with the support means comprising an inclined floor.

Referring now the drawings, the cradle comprises a front panel 1, an intermediate, inclined panel 2, a back panel 3, a base 4, a ledge 5, a hood 6, and a carrying handle 7.

Figure 1 shows a bottle being lowered into the cradle with a substantially vertical disposition and located at this stage by the front panel 1 which functions as the primary locator. The intermediate, inclined panel 2 comprises an integral form of the secondary locator and the rest. The secondary locating is performed if and when the lower corner of the bottle contacts the intermediate panel 2, the lower part of said panel serving as the secondary locator. The bottle is thus channelled between front and intermediate panels until contact between its underside and the ledge 5 prevents further movement downwards.

In this example, the ledge 5 comprises a solid piece of material of rectangular section which runs the whole length of the cradle. The exposed edge of that section represents the chord 8, which is bisected by the designated diameter 9, as shown in Figure 2, and support is afforded at no point which is further horizontally from the front panel 1 than said chord 8.

Figure 3 shows the bottle so supported and thus in an unstable condition. As a consequence of that instability, gravity causes it to turn with pivotal movement on said edge of ledge 5 until its movement is arrested by the intermediate panel 2, which panel now serves as the rest.

Figure 4 shows the bottle having now assumed an inclined disposition and stably situated on the support ledge 5 and against the rest 2, with its neck beneath the roof 6. Birds are thus denied access to the bottle's cap.

The cradle may be used as a fixture, freestanding, or in portable form. In the latter case, a carrying handle is a desirable adjunct and one such handle 7 is shown in Figures 1 to 5. The hood 6 and handle 7 are set back to a degree which ensures ready access to the interior of the device, the requirement being that a bottle may be lowered with a substantially vertical disposition and thus with the same facility as is afforded by the conventional, open milk bottle crate. The two-bottle cradle shown in Figure 5 also has restraints in the form of end panels 10 and a divider 11 between the bottles. Such restraints serve to secure the bottles when the cradle is carried.

The alternative configuration shown in plan view in Figure 6 incorporates primary locator 1 as a curved surface, inclined panel 2, also curved, to serve as secondary locator and rest, ledge 5, separate roofs or hoods 6, carrying handle 7, end restraints 10, and divider 11.

Figure 7 shows a form of the device in which the ledge 5 comprises an inclined floor.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments here set forth since other alternatives will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art.

Thus, ror example, the wire form of construction commonly used for doorstep milk bottle carriers could be used to construct a cradle incorporating the principles here described.

Claims

1. A milk bottle cradle comprising a ledge on which a milk bottle can be set only so that the bottle will tip under gravity, arrester means to limit tipping of the bottle on the ledge, and a roof below which the top of the bottle is disposed when the bottle is tipped so as to prevent access by birds to the bottle top.

2. A cradle according to claim 1, comprising a casing or framework having a base up from which the ledge stands and a back, comprising the arrester means against which the bottle tips and comprising guide means constraining wetting o,. the bottle on the ledge.

3. A cradle according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising locators which limit movement horizontally of a vertically disposed bottle along the line of a designated diameter of the circle comprising the plan view of the bottle's circumference, a support means to receive the underside of the bottle and thus prevent further movement downwards when the bottle is lowered into the cradle with a substantially vertical disposition, support being afforded along a chord which is bisected by said diameter, or at a point on the diameter and within the minor segment created by said chord, a rest against which the bottle falls to assume an inclined disposition as gravity causes it to turn on said support means, and a protective hood under which the neck of the bottle is positioned as a consequence of that movement.