US1147613A - Collapsible package for parcel-post and other uses. - Google Patents

Description

T. J. DAY.

COLLAPSiBLE PACKAGE FOR PARCEL POST AND OTHER USES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s, 1915.

1,147,613. Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wi/fneme/a 1 ZZZ/j) COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 50.,WASHINOTON, n. c.

T. J. DAY.

' COLLAPSIBLE PACKAGE FOR PARCEL POST AND OTHER USES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1915..

1,147,613. Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WMM mm 2 Q I I g v TIT'US 3'. DAY, OF DAMASGU'S, MARYLAND.

GOLLAPSIBLE'PAGKAGE FOR PARCEL-POST AND OTHER Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed March 3, 1915. Serial No. 12,994..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TrrUs J. DAY,a citi zen of the United States of America, resid ing at Damascus, in thecouuty ofMontgomery, in the State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improve-' ments in Collapsible Packages for Parcel- Post and other Uses, whereof the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a collapsiblebox, crate, or similar package adapted for the shipping of fruit, vegetables, eggs, chickens and other articles by parcel post, express or otherwise. i

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a top plan view of one embocliment of this invention in set-up position, the cover being swung open and parts being broken out to facilitate illustration; this embodiment showing a box comprising a plurality of compartments. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view thereof in partially collapsed position. Fig. 3 represent an edge view thereof in collapsed position. Fig. 4 represents a transverse'section looking toward the right on line 44 of Fig. 1. F1g. 5 represents on a larger scale, a top plan view of one of the folding end walls showing a form of hinged joint which tends to throw the folding end inward rather than outward. Fig. 6 represents a top plan of a single-compartment box embodying this nvention, the lid being partially open.

The same reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the different figures, round numbersbeing used for the principal elements and intermediate numbers for the adjunctive features thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 the package is in the form of a rectangular box and comprises a front wall 10, a back wall 20, a folding end wall 30, a folding end wall 40, a bottom 50, a lid and an intermediate transverse folding wall 7 O which divides the box into a plurality of compartments. In set-up position the front wall 10 and the backwall 20 overlaps the ends of the end walls 30 and 40 respectively. The folding end wall 30 is composed of two members 31' and 32. The member 31 has a hinged joint connection at its front end with the front wall 10 by an interior hinge 15 and the member 32 has a hinged joint connection at its rear end with the back wall 20 by an interior hinge. 25. The

7 members 31 and 32 have also a hinged joint connection with each other by an exterior hinge As thus constructed the end wall folds inward in collapsing. The abutting edges and 34 are beveled outward forming an outwardly flaring joint, and the hinge is. so placed as to cause stress at the contact points ofsaid joint when the box 1s set up and the members 32 and 34 are in alineme'nt as shown in Fig. 1. This stress s sufficient to cause the end wall to bulge inward automatically when released by the outswinging of the top 60 and bottom 50,-

whereby anerroneous outward bulgethereof is prevented and a proper collapsing of the box is facilitated. The folding end wall 40 is composed of two members .41 and 42. The member-41 has a hinged joint connection at its front end with the front wall 10 by an interiorhinge 15 and the member 42 joint opposite the hinge when the box is set up and the members are in alinement'. This stress is sufficient to cause this end wall to bulge inward and automatically effect a proper collapsing when unlocked or re leased. This stress also operates to counteract any outward pressure ofthe contents of. the box and prevent outward bulging thereof. p

The bottom 50 is flexibly connected to the front wall lO-by exterior hinges 55. The leaves 56 of said hinge's are preferably attached by rivets, screws or other suitable means to the outer'face of said front wall with their pintle sockets at the lower edge thereof and the leaves 57 are connected to the outer face of said bottom so that said pintle sockets are remotefrom the edge of said bottom a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of said front wall.

tom and underlie the edges of the front wall 10 and the back wall 20, said cleats along their outer side edges projecting beyond the ends of said bottom and underlying the lower edges of the end walls 30 and 10. An intermediate transverse cleat 53 is also preferably attached to the bottom 10 and its opposit-e ends underlie the lower edges of the front and back walls.

The lid or cover is connected to the back wall 20 by exterior hinges 65, whereof the leaves 66 are preferably attached to the rear face of said back wall with their pintle sockets above the upper edge thereof and the leaves 67 are attached to the outer face of said lid so that said pintle sockets are remote from the rear edge of the lid a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness of said rear wall. The lid thus shuts into the body and aids in looking the box in setup position. The lid is preferably provided at its opposite ends with transverse exterior strengthening cleats 61 and 62, which project beyond the front and rear edges of said lid and overlie the upper edge of the back wall 20 and the front wall 10, said cleats projecting along their outer side edges beyond the ends of said lid and overlying the upper edges of the end walls 30, and 40. The lid is also preferably provided with an intermediate transverse strengthening cleat 63, the ends of which overlie the upper edges of the back and front walls 10 and 20.

In the embodiment above referred to, the box is provided with an intermediate transverse folding partition wall 70 which divides the interior thereof into two compartments. This intermediate wall is composed of two sections 71 and 72. The front end of the section 71 has a hinged joint connection with the front wall 10 by a hinge 75 and the rear end of the section 72 is flexibly connected with the rear wall 20 by a hinge 76. These two sections have a hinged joint connection with each other by hinge 77 disposed on the opposite side of the wall from the hinges 75 and 76. This intermediate dividing wall 70 folds in unison with the folding end walls 30 and 40 when the box is collapsed. The partition 70 has also a stress in one of hinged joint connections when the box 1s set up and the members are in ahnement, such stress causing, when the partition is released, an initial folding movement which facilitates collapsing. In the embodiment shown the stress hinged joint is disposed where the members 71 and 72 are hinged together, the abutting edges 7 3 and 7 4: being beveled and forming a folding stress contact at the faces of said members opposite those to which the hinge is attached.

Suitable means are provided for holding the bottom and lid closed and the box in set-up position. For holding the bottom in closed position, fasteners 80 and are swiveledin vertical bearings 81 and 86 disposed on the inner face of the back wall 20 adjacent to its lower edge and near its opposite ends. These swiveled fasteners have respectively angular hooks 82 and 87 at their lower ends and angular handles 83 and 88 at their upper ends, the angular handles being at right angles to said hooks. The fastener 80 is shown in looking position in Fig. 1, the handle 83 thereof being swung toward the outer end 30 of the box against the back wall 20 and the hook 82 extending under and engaging the bottom 50 and engaging a staple 84 in said bottom as shown in dotted lines of said figure. The fastener 85 is like the fastener 80 except that its hook 87 is in reversed position. As shown in Fig. 1 this fastener is in released position, the handle 88 thereof being swung toward the outer end of the box against the back wall 20 and the hook 87 thereof projecting rearward.

For holding the lid 60 closed, fasteners 90 and are swiveled in vertical bearings 91 and 96 secured to the outer face of the front wall 10 adjacent to its upper edge near its opposite ends. The fastener 90 has at its upper end an angular hook 92 and at its lower end a handle 93. When the handle 93 is swung against the wall 10 toward the outer end thereof, the fastener is in open position as shown in Fig. 2. When the handle 98 is swung around in a horizontal plane into contact with the wall 10 at the right of the fulcrum 91, the hook 92 engages by a drawing action a staple 94 on the outer face of the lid 60 near the front edge there of, and said handle, which has a loop or slot, slides over outside a staple 94 in said front wall. The hook 95 is similar in construction and function to the fastener 90.

A fastening means which performs the double function of holding the intermediate wall 7 0 in set-up position and of supporting the bottom ofthe box when in that position, comprises a twopart fastener of any suitable construction for this purpose. The .fastener shown consists of a hasp pivoted to the folding wall 70 on the face thereof opposite that to which the hinge is applied, and a staple 101 secured to the bottom 50. This hasp is shown in looking position in Fig. 1. The lid 60 is preferably provided with a suitable handle or handles for lifting it. Two handles 110 and 115 are shown disposed near opposite ends of said lid.

Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of this invention, wherein the folding intermediate wall for dividing the interior into a plurality of compartments is omitted. In this case the front wall 10, the back wall 20, the bottom 50' and the lid 60 are relatively shorter than in the embodiment previously described; otherwise the parts may be the same. Assuming that the package is in setup position, to reduce it to a compact collapsed position for transportation, the fasteners 90 and 95 are swung out of engagement with the lid 60 and the latter is swung upward, over, and downward into vertical position fiat against the back 20. Then the hasp 100 on the intermediate wall 7 0 is disengaged from the eye or staple 105 on the bottom and said bottom is swung downward, outward and upward into vertical position against the front wall 10. Then the front and back walls 10 and 20 are pushed toward each other and the end walls 30 and 40 fold inward on their opposite end and intermediate hinges and the intermediate wall 70 also folds on its opposite end and intermediate hinges, as indicated in Fig. 2. The parts then come together in compacted collapsed position as shown in Fig. 3. In setting up the box from the collapsed position shown in Fig. 8, the back and front walls are pulled apart andthe folding end and intermediate Walls straightened. Then the bottom 50 is swung downward, backward and upward into the body'thus formed, and

the fasteners 80, 85 and 100 are adjusted in locking position whereby the box is firmly set-up ready to be filled. Then the lid 60 is swung upward, forward and downward into closed position and secured therein by the fasteners 90 and 95.

This invention may be embodied in a great variety of packages, of this character for containing various articles in divers quantities for transportation.

When set up the box or crate is light, strong and durable and when collapsed it is very compact. In collapsed position there are no projecting ends extending beyond the area of the front and back walls.

I claim as my invention:

1. A collapsible package comprising side walls, folding end walls having hinged oint connections with said side walls and composed of plural members having a hinged joint connection parallel with the hinged joint connections aforesaid, one of said hinged joint connections being under folding connections with said side walls and composed of plural members having a hinged joint connection parallel with the hinged joint connections aforesaid, one of said hinged joint connections being under folding stress in set-up position, a bottom having an offset hinged connection with one of said walls and operative to shut within said walls and lock them in set-up position, and means for fastening said bottom in closed position.

3. A collapsible package comprising side walls, folding end walls having hinged connections with said side walls and composed of plural members hinged together on lines parallel with the hinged connections aforesaid, and having their meeting edges outwardly beveled and under stress which tends to bulge'the ends inward, a bottom having an offset hinged connection with one of said walls and operative to shut within said walls and lock them in set-up position, and means for fastening said bottom in closed position.

4. A collapsible package comprising side walls, folding end walls having hinged connections with said side walls and composed of plural members hinged together on lines parallel with the hinged connections aforesaid, a folding intermediate wall having hinged connections with said side walls and composed of plural members hinged together on lines parallel with the hinged connections aforesaid, a bottom having an offset hinged connection with one of said walls and operativeto shut within said walls and lock them in set-up position, means for fastening said bottom in closed position and a fastener connecting said intermediate wall with said bottom and performing the double function of stiffening said wall and supporting said bottom between its ends.

Y TITUS J. DAY. Witnesses:

MARJORIE G. MACKALL, THOMAS L. DAWSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

Images