US1099422A - Knockdown box. - Google Patents

Description

J. o. GALMEYN.

KNOGKDOWN BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.15, 1911.

1,099,422, y Patented lJune 9, 1914n 2 SHBETS-SHBBT 1.

J. C. GALMEYN.

KNOGKDOWN BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED mmm, 1011.

1 ,099,422` Patented June 9,1914.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

" i STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOSEPH C. CALIVIEYN, 0F CHICAGO,` ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JAMES CARMICHAEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KNOCKDOWN BOX;

Specification of Letters Patent.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH C. GALMEYN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Knockdown Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in knockdownboxes adapted for the shipment of food stuffs, vegetables, provisions and the like and aims to provide a simple, strong, durableand inexpensive device of this character whichmay be readily set up for use and, when emptied of its contents, easily knocked down or disassembled so that a number of the boxes may be nested or strapped together into a neat compact form for return shipment or storage.

rIhis invention embodies various novel features of construction designed to coperate in the accomplishment of certain objects, among which are, `the provision of means whereby the sides and ends of the box are detachably` locked to `the bottom when the box is opened but maybe detached therefrom when the boXiis `collapsedand also novel means for engaging the top of the box with the sides `and lends upon lateral sliding movement of the top.`

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the invention1is better `understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illust-ratingone preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2is an endview thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the center of the boX. Fig. lis `a detail perspective view of one of the end plates.` Fig. 5 is a longitudinal.sectionalview of the box. Fig. 6 is a perspective viewlooking at `the under side of theboX cover. Fig. `7 is a plan view of the box `with `the cover removed. Fig. S is a detail perspective view of one of the detachable brackets; and Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of one of the cover fastening devices.

From the drawings it will be` observed that the box comprises a bottom member 10, side `members 11, end members 121and a top member 13. Instead of following the practice of hinging the side and end members to the bottom member as has customarily been after it has been introduced therein.

done heretofore in knockdown boxes and crates of `various kinds, I have found it desirable and expedient to make the side and end members detachable from the bottom member so that when the box is collapsed the various members may be packed independentlyof each other in a small compact space and to this end I have provided means whereby the side and end members can be readily and automatically connected with the bottom member during the assemblage of the box and can be quickly and easily detached therefrom as the box is knocked down or disassembled. The connecting means preferably comprises a plurality of plates 14: secured by screws or other similar fasten t ing means to the bottom member each provided .w1th1 a perforation 16 and aslot `17 for detachable engagement with projections 18 and 19, which I have shown in formof screws, projecting from the faces of the end Vmembers and the ends of the side members,

respectively. The slot 17 with which each of the plates 14; :is provided has a horizontal portion for the entrance of the projection 19 and a vertical portion adapted to prevent horizontal displacement of the projection The perforationlG comprises an enlarged circular portion adapted to permit the head of the screw 1S to be passed therethrough and a shallow extension at its upper side to receive the shank of the screw and prevent the head thereof from being withdrawn from the plate.

In setting up the box the side members i are first introduced in a substantially horit zontal plane between the companion plates 14 on opposite ends of the bottom member so as todntroduce the shanks of the projections 19 into the horizontal portions of the slots 17.1 The side members are then turned upwardly into position perpendicular to the bottom member, the engagement of the lower edge of the side members with" the face of the bottom member'during the tilting movement serving to raise the projections 19 into the vertical portions of the slots 17, thereby preventing lateral displacement' of theside members. In order that the side members may notbe tilted beyond their perpendicular relation` to the bottom member, I provide suitable stops adapted to limit the swinging movements ofthe side members, the stops being shown in the present instance Patented June 9, 1914.l

Vlimited lateral movement.

as screws 20 projecting upwardly from the bottom member intermediate its length. The lower edges of the side members are preferably recessed at 21 to accommodate the screws 20 so that the stops may be 1ocated entirely within the plane of the box. An intermediate position of the side members as they are being brought from hori- Zontal to perpendicular position is shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. After the side members are assembled the end members may be placed in position by moving them outwardly against the plates 14 substantially 'in the plane indicated in dotted lines in Y Fig. 5 until the heads of the projections 18 are passed through the enlarged portions of the apertures 16, thereupon the end members may be' tilted to perpendicular position, the lower edges of the members sliding along the faceof the bottom member serving to raise the projections 18 into the shallow extensions of the apertures l'whereby the end members are locked against lateral displacement. In order to facilitate the swinging movement of the end members into position, their lower outer corn-ers are preferably rounded oif as indicated at 22 so that theyV will the more readily slide along the face of the bottom member.

In order to rigidly secure the side and end members together after they have been assembled, to prevent collapsing of the box and also to afford greater strength and rigidity to the vstructure asv a whole, I have provided the inner face of each of the end and side members adjacent Vits end with screws or other vsimilar projections 23 which `are adapted to be detachably engaged by strengthening brackets 24. As shown in Fig, 8 each of these brackets is of angle formation and is provided wit-h downwardly Vopening slots 25 adapted to slide over the shanks of the projections 23 to securely fasten the end and side members together. It will` be evident that the brackets can be easily attached when the box is set up and lreadily removed (when it is desired to take the box down.

The cover member 18 which is detachable from the rest of the box is designed to be secured to the side and end members by a From Fig. 6 it will be observed that a pair of hook shaped members 26 is secured to the bottom face of Y thel cover adjacent one edge thereof with the tongues 27 projecting inwardly and that the member 2S is secured adjacent the opposite edge of the cover with its tongue 29 projecting in the same direction as the tongues27.l One ofthe side members is provided with recesses 30 adapted tore- Yceive the tongues 27 while the other side member is provided with a similar recess positioned to receive the tongue 29. When the cover is resting upon the upper edges of the open box it will be evident that limited lateral sliding movement will bring t-he tongues 27 and 29 into their respective Each of the end members is recesses. equipped with a plate 82 havingone end 33 thereof bent outwardly, said portion being provided with a slot 34. rlhe lower face of.

the cover is also equipped with similar plates 32 positioned to slidably engage with the plates upon the end members g when the cover is slid into closed position. It will thus be seen that the cover when Vin position is lockingly engaged with both side members and both end members, thereby locking means maybe employed if preferred, for instance, the tongue 29 might be extended entirely through the side member and a padlock or key might be engaged in the perforation provided in the portion of the tongue extending outside the box. Preferably, however, the locking means'should be disposed entirely within the plane of the box so as to leave no projecting portions which might be liable to be broken on". f

While I have shown and described a pre# ferred embodiment of my invention it will be obvious that various changes in the size,

shape and proportion of the various parts may be resorted to and if preferred the sides, ends and top may be'made of slats or similar open work construction thereby producing an open crate adapted to accommodate poultry', etc., and that other mechanical changes 'may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I claim: Y

1. In a knockdown box, the combination `of a bottom member, end members, sideV members, perforated plates carried by said bottom member, ,and projections arranged on said side and end members in positionto engage with said plates and lock the side and end members to the bottom member when in perpendicular` relation and permit the side and end members to be detached from the bottom member when tilted from said perpendicular posit-ion. Y

2. A knockdown box comprising end, side and bottom members, and means for securing the said. members together, the said means comprising a plate permanentlyand lrigidly fixed to one of said members and provided with an aperture and a slot for detachable engagement with the other members, the said engagement rigidly connecting the said side, end and bottom members upon movement of the said members `to Which the said plate is detachably engaged.

3. A knockdown box` comprising bottom, end and side members, and a plate permanently and rigidly secured to the bottom member, said plate being provided With an aperture and a slot, and the end and side members being equipped With suitable projections to be inserted in the said aperture and slo-t and engaged therewith, the said engagement being completed by movement of the side and end members into upright position.

4t. In a knockdovvnbomtheicombination of bottom, end and side members, common means permanently and rigidly secured to said bottom member for detaehably connecting said end and side members to the bottom member when the said end and side members are inclined to the bottom member and for locking the said members `one to the other upon movement ofthe end and side members to a perpendicular position relatively to the bottom member, and detachable means for rigidly securing the said end and side members together at their tops.

5. A knockdovvn boxcomprising `a .bottom member, a plurality of plates secured upon each end of said bottom `member and each of said plates `being provided With a perforation and a slot, side members, studs` projecting from the ends thereof and adapted to be lockingly engaged in said slots When the side members are tilted into verti- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

cal position, end members equipped With` projecting studs adapted to lockingly engage in said perforations when the end members are tilted into vertical. position, and a cover provided with means whereby said cover is locked to both of said side members and both of said end members liipon sliding movement transversely of the 6. In a knockdown box, the combination of bottom, end and side Walls, an upwardly` upwardly extending plates secured to the` ends of the bottom Wall, each provided with an aperture and a slot, projections upon the end Walls to `engage in the said apertures, and projections upon the ends of the side walls to engage in the said slots, said pro-` jections being `arranged to engage with the apertures and slots `when the side and end Walls are in tilted position and to securel these Walls in position When the same are vertically disposed.

JOSEPH C. CALMEYN.

Witnesses:

IRA J. WILSON, M. ROBERTSON.

Washington, D. C."

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