US1139207A - Shipping-case. - Google Patents

Description

E. B. McHOSE.

SHIPPING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1914.

Patented. May 11, 1915.

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E. B. McHOSE.

SHIPPING CASE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1914.

1,13,Q7@ Patented May 11, 1915.

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EDWIN BENJIMAN MCHOSE, OF AARONSBURY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHIPPING-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed May 1, 1914. Serial No. 835,745.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN B. MCHOSE, a citizen of the United States, residing a Aaronsbury, in the county of Center and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Shipping-Case, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to a shipping case or crate for eggs or other commodities, and aims to provide a novel and improved container or receptacle of that nature.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a collapsible or knock down crate of uniqueconstruction, whereby after the contents have been removed, the crate or case may be compactly folded or knocked down for the purpose of storage, or for conveniently returning the crate to the shipper or owner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel means for looking or holding the several portions of the crate or case together, when in erected or set up condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide peculiar, simple and effective means for holding the parts of the crate or case either in erected or collapsed condition, and whereby the crate will be rigid and parts intact under either condition.

It is also within the scope'of the present invention to provide a shipping case or crate of the nature indicated, which will be comparatively simple, substantial, non-encumbering and inexpensive in construction, and which will be simple, convenient, practical, serviceable and eflicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the crate or case in erected condition, portions being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in collapsed or knocked down condition. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the crate in erected condition, and with the cover or top removed. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section of the crate in erected condition. Fig. 5 1s a transverse, or cross section of the crate in collapsed condition. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the latches for locking the stays.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a bottom 1, preferably of rectangular outline, and constructed of wood or any other suitable material. The bottom 1 is provided with an upstanding margmal flange or rim 2.

The crate or case further includes sides 3 and ends 4 which are constructed of fiber, sheet metal, or other suitable material. The sides and ends are hinged to the bottom 1, and to accomplish the said result in a simple and convenient manner, metallic strips 5 of U-shaped cross section are secured or applied to the lower edges of the sides 3 and ends 4;, the lower edges of the side and ends being disposed immediately within the side and end portions of the rim 2, and longitudinal and lateral hinge rods 6 are passed through the strips 5 along the lower edges of the sides and ends 3 and 4, respectively, and have their ends or terminals engaged within the corner portions of the bottom rim 2. If desired, staples or other bearing members 7 may be engaged at spaced points to the hinge rods 6 and maybe driven outwardly into the rim 2 for stiffening and supporting the hinge rods 6. p

The hinge rods 6 of the ends 4 are preferably arranged directly adjacent the bottom 1, while the hinge rods 6 of the sides 3 are arranged in a plane above the plane of the end hinge rods 6, to enable the ends 4: to be swung inwardly upon the bottom 1, and to then enable the sides 3 to swing over each other upon the folded ends 3, as seen in Fig. 5.

In order to interlock the sides and ends at the corner of the crate or case, when the case iserected or unfolded, strips 8 are secured to the ends of the sides 3 upon the outer facesof the sides and have refiexed edges 9 engaged around and projecting within the ends of the sides '3, as seen in Fig. 3. Strips 10 are secured to the side edge portions of the ends upon the outer faces of the ends, and have inwardly projecting hooked or doubled portions 11, which are engageable over the reflexed edges 9 of the strips 8, when the ends 4 are swung to vertical position between the end portions of the sides 3, to thereby lock the ends 4 against excessive outward movement, as well as the sides 3.. It is evident, however, that the ends 4 may be readily swung inwardly and downwardly against the bottom 1, the hooked or doubled portions 11 disengaging the reflexed edges 9.

As is customary in ordinary egg crates, to divide the present crate into two compartments or chambers, there is provided a partition 12 adapted to be disposed ln-termediate the ends 4, although this partition need not be employed, if desired. In order to detachably mount the partition 12 between the sides 3, strips 13 are secured to the inner faces of the sides 3 intermediate the ends of the crate, and are provided with angular flanges or lips 14 projecting inwardly. Strips 15 are secured to one face of the partition 12 along the side edges of the partition, and are provided with angular flanges or lips 16 engageable between the flanged edges 14 of the strips 13 and the sides 3 of the case or crate, while strips 17 are secured to the other face of the partition 12 adjacent its side edges and are engageable with the flanges or lips 14. The strips 17 project toward the angular flanges or lips 16, to receive the strips 13 therebetween, whereby the lips or flanges 14 are receivable between the strips 15 and 17 of the partition 12, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 3. Thus, by dropping the partition 12 downwardly between the sides 3, after the sides have been erected, the strips 15 and 17 may be slid downwardly over the flanges or lips 14 of the strips 13, to mount the partition 12 in place, and to hold the same against lateral and longitudinal displacement. The partition 12 may be readily withdrawn from between the sides 3, when the crate is to be collapsed or knocked down, so that the partition 12 may be placed upon overlapped sides and ends 3 and 4, respec tively, as seen in Fig. 5.

The crate or case further includes a removable top or cover 18 having a depending marginal rim or flange 19 adapted to slip or fit over the upper edges of the sides and ends of the crate or case, flanged strips or members 20 being secured to the bottom face of the top or cover 18 adjacent, but spaced from the rim 1-9, in order that theflanged strips 20 may engage within the upper edges of the sides 3 and ends 4, as seen in Fig. 4, when the crate is erected and the cover or top applied. Thus, the flanges or lips 20 engaging within the sides and ends of the crate will hold the same against swinging inwardly.

As a means for holding the bottom 1 and top or cover 18 in place, when the crate-{is erected, or when the same is collapsed, a

pair of stays or links 21 are provided at each side of the ,crate or case, and have their lower ends pivoted to the side portions .of the bottom rim 2, by means of rivets or other pivot members 22 engaged into or through the rim 2. The stays or links 21 at each side are spaced apart longitudinally and are suitably arranged for the purposes which will hereinafter appear.

It is preferable to secure cross strips or straps 23 to the lower face of the bottom 1, and .to bend the ends of the strips 23 angularly, as at 24, so as to be engaged by the rivets or pivot members 22 under the lower ends .of the stays 21, whereby the strips 23 will serve to reinforce the bottom 1, as will be evident.

To reinforce the top or cover 18, cross or lateral strips 25 are secured upon the upper face of the top 18 and have their ends 126 bent angularly over the side portions of the rim 19.

Asa means for locking the upper or free ends of the stays 21 to the top or lid 18, the upper or free ends of the stays 21 are provided with inwardly projecting pins or fingers 27 insertible into apertures or sockets 28 provided in angular ends 26 of the strips 25 and side portions of the rim 19. The stays 21 are suificiently flexible, to enable the pins 27 to be readily sprung into and out of engagement with the apertures or sockets 28. The pins 27 are provided with grooves 29 for the engagement of the latches 30 carried by the side portions of the rim 19.

Each of the latches 30 is bent from a strip or bar of metal having its end portions 31 ofiset inwardly and slidable within depressions or recesses 32' provided in the outer faces of the side portions of the rim 19, whereby the latch 30 may be reciprocated or slid longitudinally. The end portions 31 of the latches :30 are arranged above the apertures or sockets 28, and are provided with lower notches 33 adapted to be slid into and out of cooperation with .the apertures or sockets 28. The latches or bars '30 are preferably provided intermediate their ends with outer finger pieces or knobs 34 for facilitating the movement of the latches to open and close the same. When the latches 30 are moved in one direction, the notches 23 being brought into register with the apertures 28, will permit the pins 27 of the stays 21 to be readily inserted into and withdrawn from the said apertures, whereas, when the pins 27 are inserted into the apertures '28, and the latches 3O moved properly, the lower edges of the latches will he slid into engagement with the slots or gro0ves29 of the pins 27, to lock the pins with-in the apertures 28.

In use, the crate may be readily erected or set up, by swinging the sides 3 and the ends 4: to erect position, in order that the corner strips 8 and 10 of the sides and ends will interlock at the corners of the crate. The partition 12 may then be readily introduced between the sides 8, to partition off the interior of the crate, if desired, as when the device is employed as an egg crate. The top or cover may then be readily slipped over the sides and ends, to hold them in place, and to close the container or receptacle. The stays 21 may then be swung to u right or vertical positions and the pins 2? thereof engaged into the apertures or sockets 28 after the latches 30 have been slid properly. Then, by sliding the latches 30 properly, the pins 27 may be locked in place, to thereby lock the stays 21. The stays 21 will thus hold or look the cover 18 in place, and will brace the structure in general, especially with the strips 23 and 25.

When the case is in erected condition, the same may be transported or shipped without danger of the crate collapsing or break ing, and if desired, the latches 30 may be sealed in locked positions, to assure against the unwarranted opening of the crate, by maliciously inclined persons.

The crate may be readily opened by properly manipulating the latches 80, to release the pins or fingers 27, in order that the upper ends of the stays 21 may be detached from the top or cover 18. Thus, the cover 18 may be removed, and the contents of the crate removed. The crate may then be compactly folded or collapsed, by removing the partition 12, if the same is employed and then swinging the ends 4 inwardly and downwardly between the sides 3 onto the bottom 1, and subsequently swinging the sides 3 over one another so as to overlap the folded ends 4. The partition 12 may then be placed upon the overlapped ends and sides, as seen in Fig. 5, and the top or cover 18 placed upon the rim 2 of the bottom. The stays 21 are then arranged to be crossed, as seen in Fig. 2, whereby the upper or free ends of the stays may be engaged to the opposite apertures or sockets 28, for looking the top and bottom together, by snapping the pins 27 into the proper apertures or sockets 28 and manipulating the latches 30 to lock the pins 27 in place. The crate or case may thus be compactly folded or collapsed for the purpose of storage, or for returning the crate to the shipper or owner in a compact condition, which will also reduce the cost of transportation materially.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawings, the advantages and capabilities of the present invention will be obvious to those versed in the art, without further comment being necessary, it being noted that the objects aimed at have been carried out satisfactorily by the provision of the structure herein disclosed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a crate, a bottom, a cover, stays pivoted to the bottom and having grooved pins at their free ends, the cover having sockets arranged to receive the said pins, and latches carried by the cover and engageable with the grooves of the said pins to lock the pins within the sockets.

2. In a crate, a bottom, a cover, a plurality of stays pivoted to each side portion of the bottom, the stays having grooved pins at their free ends, and the side portions of the cover having sockets for receiving the pins, and a slidable latch mounted upon each side portion of the cover and having notched portions cooperable with the said sockets for receiving the pins and engaging the grooves of the pins to lock the pins within the sockets.

3. In a crate, a bottom, a cover, stays pivoted to the bottom and having pins at their free ends, the stays being arranged in pairs, the cover having sockets adapted to receive the said pins, and means for locking the pins within the sockets, the stays of each pair and sockets of the cover being so arranged that when the stays are arranged vertically relative to the bottom the pins are engageable with the sockets to hold the cover in raised position, and whereby when the cover is lowered against the bottom, the

stays may be crossed. to enable the pins thereof to be engaged to the opposite sockets of the cover.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN BENJIMAN MoHOSE.

Witnesses:

E. E. PATTON, DAVID M. MOORE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. C.

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