US1135598A - Collapsible crate. - Google Patents

Description

F. H. lVIcLAIN.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.s.1912.

Patented @1113, 1915.

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JE'INIS H. MCLAIN, 0F UNIVERSITY PLACE, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM A. SELLECK, OF LINCOLN, NEBRA$KA.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

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Specification of Letters Batent.

Application filed August 3, 1912. Serial No. 713,098."

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Finis l-I. MCLAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at University Place, in the county of Lancaster and States of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in C01- lapsible Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in collapsible shipping crates, and my prime object among others, is to provide a crate of the character described which is of very light, though rigid and strong construction, and adapted to be employed in shipping fruits, berries, vegetables, bakers and grocers products and c0mmodities, also laundry; this construction being applicable in boxes or baskets for the accommodation of all kinds of merchandise, and for many other purposes; it being understood that the crates may be made in various shapes and sizes to meet all require ments of shippers and other persons.

A. further object of my invention, among others, is to provide a shipping crate formed of extremely light material which may be reliably reinforced on the edges, centers of weaker portions thereof, so as to attain a maximum degree of strength.

@ther objects and advantages may be made clearly apparent from the following specifications considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved crate complete, ready for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the parts of the crate in a folded position. Fig.

3 is a perspective view showing the parts of the crate as partially knocked down or folded. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale through the crate. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of the pre ferred form of lock and seal employed by me to hold the top in position and also for holding the sides and end intact, and whereby the crates may be reliably locked and sealed, as desired, and, Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through one of the hinges employed.

Referring in detail to the various features of my invention and cooperating accessories, numerals will be employed, and referring to said sides and ends.

the numerals on the drawings, 7 is the base member which is provided with upwardly extending sides and ends 8 and 9 respectively, said ends and sides being of proper height, and the meeting edges of said sides and ends and also the base are bound by angle strips or reinforcing members 11, which extend slightly under the base and upward on the sides, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. The upper edges of the side and end walls, 8 and 9, are provided with a wire 12 extending therearound, which is held in place by a channel strip 13, secured thereover, the sides of said strip extending downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 4;.

The mainand movable side 14 and end sections 15 of my crate are hingedly secured to the sides'and ends of the base in a man ner hereinafter more clearly set forth and are reinforced around their edges by the channel strips 16, which are bent thereover, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. The sides and end walls of the crate and the base and also the top are all formed of thin strips of board, papier-mach, fiber board, or other suitable material. The sidesand ends 14 and 15, respectively, are each provided upon said wires, as shown in detail in Fig. l, and

said wires and loops form double hinges for The ends of the crate are of a width equal to the distance between the inner surface of the sides of the crate. so that said ends may be folded inwardly between said sides and the sides then folded thereon. The top 19 is provided with a right anglestrip 20 around its edges which is adapted to fit down around the side and end walls of the crate and in order that the sides and end walls will be prevented from collapsing when thetop is in place, I provide the top upon its lower surface with an angle'strip 21,'which is spaced from the depending portion of the strip 20 a distance equal to the width of the sides and ends and their reinforcing strips 16.

The top of the crate when placed in the "position indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 is adapt- Patented Apr. is, rare.

on the side, I desire it to be understood that like securing devices or clasps may be placed upon the end sections thereof. Attention is also called to the fact that in the center of the box at the position about where the clasp 23 is located, there may be a strip of corrugated iron or other suitable material of proper width, and up and down the side as well as upon the bottom and all of these outside reinforcing metal strips are preferably corrugated in character and designed to add great strength to the crate at its weakest points.

While in the drawings, I have shown the securing clasp as located upon the sides, it will be understood that the location thereof may be varied as by being placed upon the end sections, if deemed preferable.

In the drawings, I have shown a plurality of plates 21 each provided with a pivoted keeper 22. The top of the box and sides or end sections as the case may be, have each secured thereto a plate 24 which is riveted or otherwise secured to the outer surface of the box at any desired point, either on the end or sides as stated, it being understood that said plates may be reliably attached in place by screws, rivets or the like. A. hasp 23 pivoted to the plate- 24: has an elongated opening therein adapted to receive a pivoted keeper 22, when the same is turned upwardly and after said keeper has been directed through said opening and then turned downwardly, it presents a hook like cooperation with the hasp and will prevent the casual disengagement therefrom, it being understood that the keeper 22 may be attached to a lock orseal. The end and side walls of the base can be also provided, each with a keeper 22 (or said parts may be otherwise located), so that when the sides 14 and ends 15 are folded downwardly as when it is desired to ship the crate in a knocked down condition, the hasps are engaged therewith to lock the parts of the crate in a folded compact form.

By employing the O-shaped loops 17 as hinged connection between the sides and ends of the crate and the base walls, it will be seen that the ends or other sections when folded down, may be disposed below the upper edges of the base walls and the remaining parts may then be folded thereover and one of them may assume the position flush with saidside and the other slightly above so that when thus folded the side sections will be disposed substantially parallel with each other while the folded edges will each rest at an incline, an edge of one section resting on the bottom or base 7, while the corresponding edge of the other folded end section rests on the previously folded end section.

In employing my improved shipping crate for transporting eggs, it is desirable to use suitable fillers of the usual or any preferred construction and obviously said fillers thus employed may be readily folded and disposed of in the base section or bottom compartment prior to folding down the side and end walls, thus insuring a very compactly folded receptacle.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing specifications considered in connection with the accompanying drawings that I have pro vided a reliably efiicient shipping crate designed for a multitudinous number of uses and which may be cheaply and expeditiously manufactured and when formed will be found to be possessing great strength and rigidity, thereby insuring a long life of usefulness for my invention.

It will further be seen that I have provided a very useful and ellicient form of hinged connection between the end walls and base member, said hinges consisting essentially of a piece of suitable sheet metal bent in such a manner as to engage the contiguous edges of the base member and side and end walls, thus permitting the connected parts to be readily folded inward and outward as desired.

As before stated, it is obvious that the location of the securing devices for the lid section both in a folded and unfolded condition may be varied so as to be located at any part as upon the ends or side walls and while I have described the preferred construction and combination of parts deemed necessary in carrying out my invention, I desire to comprehend in this application such substantial equivalents and substitutes as fall fairly in the scope of my invention.

My improved shipping crate may be readily locked and sealed and folded or unfolded ready for use or ready for return shipment, so as to occupy a minimum amount of space.

What I claim as new is 1. A collapsible crate including a shallow box like base, side walls hinged to the corresponding sides of said base, end walls hinged to the corresponding ends of said base, all of said walls being adapted to fold into the space i'nclosed by said base portion and all of said hinges being of such construction as to space the pivoted ends of the movable walls from the upper ends of the vertical base walls when the former are moved into their substantially horizontal position, a top, a short inner guide strip secured to the under face of said top, a longer outer guide strip likewise secured thereto in order to secure the top upon the end walls and side walls, said inner guide strips being adapted to be above the space between said movable walls and said base walls when the former are folded down and to rest upon said hinges, and the outer strips being adapted to embrace the walls of said box like base.

2. In a collapsible crate, the combination memes With a shallow lOOX like base, of foldable Walls connected to the corresponding sides of said base, said Walls being adapted to fold in the space inclosed by said base portion, hinges connecting said foldable Walls With said base Walls, said hinges including channel strips inclosing the upper edges of said base Walls, further channel strips inclosing the lower edges of said foldable Walls, Wire disposed between said edges and said channel strips for each set of Walls, and endless bands linking the Wires of one set to the Wires of the other in such manner that When said movable Walls are folded into their substantially horizontal position, a space Will be left therebetween and said base Walls, a top, a short inner guide strip secured to said top, a longer outer guide strip similarly secured and spaced from said first strip, to embrace the upper edges of said foldable Walls when the crate is assembled, said shorter strips being further adapted to lie above in said space between the foldable Walls and the base Walls upon said hinges, and said longer strip being adapted to embrace said base Walls When the crate is collapsed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

FINIS H. MGLAIN.

Witnesses:

WILBER C. SUNDERLAND, M. F. LANGLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Fatents,

Washington, D. G.

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