US1297548A - Collapsible rack. - Google Patents

Description

L. I. DARBY.

COLLAPSIBLE RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. 1918. 1,2915% Patented Mar. 18,1919.

2 SHEETS'SHEET'I.

WITNESSES: -5- INVENTOR- V I BY' LevnlD-afii g VZ M Wm ATTORNEYS r s mum's PETERS m, Morn-1.1mm. wAsumowN, n. c.

L. l. DARBY.

COLLAPSIBLE RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6,1918.

1,297,548 Patented-Mar. 18,1919.

2 SHEETSrSHEET 2- E 7 E 5 335.5 f: L evl I T B SZEY,

ATTORN EYS STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI I. DARBY, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

COLLAPSIBLE RACK.

Application filed March 6, 1918. Serial No. 220,683.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI I. DARBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Rack; 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention relates, generally, to a collapsible rack for cans, preserving jars, bottles, etc.; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel utensil which is adapted as an aid in handling jars, and the like, by the housewife during the processes of preserving fruit, vegetables, and other products, the same being of such a novel construction as to be readily folded up, when not in use, so as to occupy little storage space.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel collapsible rack having a novel means for articulating its various parts, and a novel means for locking the same in its opened operative position; the same providin furthermore, a very clean, sanitary, durable and easily manipulated utensil for the purposes mentioned.

With the various objects of my present invention in View, the same consists, primarily, in thenovel construction of collapsible rack hereinafter set forth; and the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as Well as in the details of the construction thereof, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which:-

Figure 1 is a side view of the novel collapsible rack in its open position ready for use; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same in open position; Fig. 3 is a side view of the same in collapsed position; Fig. 4 is a transverse seotion taken on line 14 in said Fig. 1, looking toward the left; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 55 in said Fig. 1, looking toward the right.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail side view of the means for locking the rack in open position; Fig. 7 is a similar detail View of a bearing portion of the device, Fig. 8 is a front edge view of the same; and Fig. 9 is a similar front edge View illustrating the way of opening said bearing for assembling purposes.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinafter described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the complete collapsible rack made according to and embodying the principles of my present invention, the same comprising a bottom member consisting of a rectangular frame having longitudinal side portions 2 and transverse end portions 3 integrally formed, a suitable uniting sleeve 4, or other suitable means, joining together the abutting ends of the frame, preferably at a side portion 2. Arranged intermediate of said side portions 2 are a plurality of supporting bars 5. Said supporting bars 5 are longitudinally disposed, and are provided at their ends with eye-portions or loops 6 which embrace said end portions 3 to secure said bars 5 in place. The frame thus formed is tinned after its parts are assembled together, and the tinning serves to solder the eye-portions or loops 6 to the end-portions 3 to fix said bars 5 and the sleeve 4 in place.

The reference character 7 indicates normally vertical corner pieces or risers respectively pivotally connected at the corners of said bottom member. Said corner pieces or risers are preferably made of fiat metal. Fixed to and extending between the lower ends of laterally opposite corner pieces or risers, are transversely extending spreader or spacer rods 8, which serve to secure said laterally opposite corner pieces or risers to gether, and maintained in proper laterally spaced relation one to the other. The ends of said rods are fixed'in perforations provided in said corner pieces or risers. Connected integrally with the outwardly facing marginal edge of each corner piece or riser, adjacent to the upper end of the same, are a pair of vertically spaced outwardly extending lugs which are curled inwardly to form receiving socket portions 9. Fixed in said socket portions 9 of laterally opposite corner pieces or risers 7 are the ends 10 of an upwardly projecting handle loop 11, which thus extend vertically upward from joining together the abutting ends of the frame, preferably *at a side portion 12. Arranged intermediate of said end portions 13,

in equally spaced positions, are a plurality of transverse bars- 15, the endsof which" are turned around said longitudinal side portions 12 to provide embracing eye portions or loops'16 to secure said bars 15 in place. The top "frame thus formed'is tinned after its parts are assembled together and the tinning servesto solder the eye portions or loops 16 to the side portions12 to fix said bars 15 and the sleeve 14 in place.

The said corner-pieces or risers are each provided in their inwardly facing marginal edges, adjacent to their lower ends with a novel construction of bearing portion whereby the bottom frame member is pivotally connected therewith. Th'ese novel bearing portions comprise a semi-circular seat 17,

cut or notched in thematerial of each corner piecev or riser; Each corner piece or riser is cut away at'the inner sideof its seat in the form of a vertical'slot 18 thus providing a tongue 19, integrally formed with each corner piece or riser, and extending downwardly and vertically toward said seat 17 the free end of each tongue also having cut or notched therein a senli circular seat 20 adapted to be alined above said seat 17,'and when so alined toform in conjunction therewith 'a circular bearing opening. When it is desired to assemble in proper pivoted relation to said corner-pieces or risers 7 said bottom frame member, said tongues19 are bent'outwardly away from the seats 17 (as shown'in Fig. 9 of the drawings) thus pro viding openings or gapsthrough which the transverse end portions 3 of said bottom frame member may be inserted to seat the same'in said semi-circular seats 17 v of said corner-pieces'or risers 7. After the end portions 3' are thus related to the seats 17 the tongues 19 are then bent back into normal position to carry their seats 20in straddledrelation over said end portions 3 and alined with'the' seats 17 to combine therewith'in forming a circular bearing in which said endportions 3 of the bottom frame member are pivotally journaled,-'as will be clearlyapparentfrom an inspection of Fig.

6 of the drawings; In like manner said corner pieces or risers are provided in their inwardly facing marginal edges, adjacent to their upper ends, with a similar bearing construction, comprising the semi-circular seat 17 the vertical slot 18, and the tongue 19 having the reverse seat 20 for alinement with the seat 17 said bearing portions providing a pivotal connection of the end por tions 13 ofsaid'top frame member with the corner pieces or risers 7 the manner of assembling said parts being the same as above described.

It will thus be apparent that the bottom frame member'and top frame member are pivotally connected withthe corner-pieces or risers, the latter being arranged in later- 'ally opposite interconnected pairs'providing end frame members, and that consequently by turning downwardly the end frame-"members thus provided, the rack or carrier'may be collapsed into a substantially flat bulk as shown in Fig. 30f the drawings.

In order to properly limit-the unfolding or setting up movement of the endfra'me members, so that the same cannot swing beyond a normal vertical plane, I provide the corner-pieces or risers forming one end framemember with stop means for limiting the upward swinging movement of the end frame'membersf This stop means comprises an inwardly extending lug 21, connected with each of the laterally opposite corner pieces or risers which form one end member, the same extending from the inner marginal edges of said corner pieces or risersbenea'th" the bear'ingportions thereof in which the bottom frame is journaled. The free end of each lug is turned outwardly at right" angles to provide'a stop piece 22,'which when the end frame-members are swung upward to normalvertical? position engages the'105 under'sid'es ofsaid longitudinalsideportions 2 of said bottom member, thus limiting any further swinging movement of the end-member beyond the normal vertical plane, and since the opposite end member is interconnected therewith by said top frame member, it too is stopped in normal vertical position.

In order to lock the rack or carrier in normal operative unfolded position, so that the same cannot collapse when in use, I provide a locking means associated with the cornerpieces or risers forming'the opposite end frame-member.' This locking means comprises'an inwardly extending lug 23, connected with each of the laterally opposite corner pieces or risers which form said opposite end member, the same extending from 1 the inner marginal edges of said cornerpieces or risers, beneath the bearing portions thereof inwhich'the bottom, frame is journaled. I vprovide a laterally disposed slidebar 24 having eye-portions 25 at its opposite ends embracing said side portions 2 of said bottom frame member, to dispose said slidebar beneath the latter and longitudinally slidable thereon. When the end frames have been raised to normal vertical position, said slide-bar 24 is pushed over the lock lugs 23, so that the slide-bar is disposed between the latter and the bottom-member. The slidebar 24 is thus positioned to obstruct any upward swinging movement of said lock lugs consequent upon the downward swinging of said end member to which the latter are connected below the point of pivotal connection with said bottom-member, therefore locking the end members, as interconnected by the top-member in upwardly extending normal position.

The collapsible rack thus constructed provides a very useful utensil for the housewife, as well as for many other uses. When opened to normal position it serves as a rack or carrier for preserving jars, etc., the same being inserted through the openings of the top-member and supported by the bottom member, so that a number of jars may be let down with the rack into the boiling water contained in the preserving kettle or or removed therefrom, without danger of scalding or otherwise injuring the hands. Other uses to which the rack may be put will readily recommend themselves without necessity of specifically mentioning the same.

The rack is clean and sanitary, may be easily washed, and when not in use may be collapsed to occupy but little storage space.

I am aware that some clnnges may be made in the arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts without departing from the scope of my present invention as above described, and as defined in the following claims. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the eXaCt arrangements and combinations of the .various devices and parts as hereinabove set forth, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. A folding carrier comprising corner pieces, means interconnecting laterally opposite corner pieces, upwardly extending handl loops secured to and between laterally opposite corner pieces, a jar supporting bottom frame member pivotally connected to said corner pieces, a jar embracing top frame member pivotally connected to said corner pieces in vertically spaced relation to said bottom member, one pair of laterally opposite corner the like,

pieces having inwardly extending stop members adapted to engage the under side of said bottom member to limit the unfolding movement of said carrier, the opposite pair of laterally opposite corner pieces having inwardly extending tongues, and a slide bar associated with said bottom member and said tongues to prevent folding movement of said carrier.

2. In a folding carrier normally vertical corner pieces of flat stock, a jar supporting bottom member, a jar embracing top member spaced above said bottom member, the ends of said members having portions serving as journals, the inwardly presented marginal edges of said corner pieces being cut away to provide semi-circular bearing seats, and free tongues formed in the marginal edges of said corner pieces having reverse semi-circular seat portions above said bearing seats, said tongues being adapted to be bent out of the respective planes of said corner pieces to provide gaps admitting said journal portions of said bottom and top members into said bearing seats and then bent back into alinement with the latter to cause their reverse seat portions to straddle said journal portions to prevent displacement of said journal portions from said seats.

3. A folding carrier comprising corner pieces, means interconnecting laterally opposite corner pieces, upwardly extending handle loops connected with the upper ends of laterally opposite corner pieces, the inner marginal edges of said corner pieces being cut away to provide upper and lower semi-circular bearing seats, vertical tongues formed in the marginal edges of said corner piece above said bearing seats, said tongues having reverse semi-circular bearing seats adapted to be alined respectively over said first mentioned bearing seats, a jar supporting bottom member pivoted by its ends in said lower bearing seats of said corner pieces, a jar embracing top member pivotally associated in like manner with said upper bearing seats of said corner pieces, said tongues being adapted to be bent out of the respective planes of said corner pieces to provide gaps admitting-said bottom and top members to said bearing seats and then bent back into alinement with the latter to prevent displacement of said bottom and top members from the pivotal connections thus provided, stop means for determining the limit of the unfolding movement of said carrier thus formed, and lock means for maintaining said carrier against collapsing when unfolded.

4. A folding carrier comprising corner pieces, means interconnecting laterally opposite corner pieces, upwardly extending handle loops connected with the upper ends of laterally opposite corner pieces, the inner marginal edges of said corner pieces being cut away to provide upper and lower semi-circular bearing seats, vertical tongues formed in the marginal edges of said cornerpieces above said bearing seats, said tongues having reverse semi-circular bearing seats adapted to be alined respectively above said first mentioned bearing seats, a ar supporting bottom member pivoted by its ends in said lower bearing seats of said corner pieces, a jar embracing top member pivotally associated in like manner with said upper bearing seats of said corner pieces, said tongues being adapted to be bent out of the respective planes of said corner pieces to provide gaps admitting said bottom and top members to said bearing seats and-thenbent back into alinement with the latter to prevent displacement of said bottom and top members from the pivotal connections thus provided, one pair'of laterally opposite corner pieces having inwardly extending stopmembers beneath the pivotal connection of said bottom-member therewith, said stop members being adapted'to engage'the under side of said bottom member to limit the unfolding movement of saidcarrier, the opposite pair of laterally opposite corner pieces membertherewith, and a slide bar associated with said bottom member adapted-to be moved between said lock lugs and said bot prevent collapse of said cartom member to men 5. In a folding carrier normally vertical Copies of this patent maybe obtained'for five cents achfby addressing the Washington, D. 0.

aving inwardly extending lock lugs beneath the pivotal connection of said bottom frame consisting of side portionsfend por tions,*-and intermediate laterally extending longitudinally spaced members; "means- 1 pivotally connecting'the' end portionsof said bottommember and said top member to said corner piecesin vertically spaced relation,"'

one pair of laterally opposite corner pieces having inwardly extending stop melribers'i provided with-outwardly turned stop "lugs at their extremities,"said stop-members'being located beneath the'pivotal"connection' of said bottom member'with said" corner pieces so as to becarried into stopping relation with the side portions of 'saidbotto'm member to limit the unfolding movementof said carrier,the opposite pair of laterally opposite corner pl'eces having "'inwa rdlyfen same may be insertedf betweensaid bottom" membei-"and said' lock lugs to prevent the folding of'said carrier, and vertical handle loops connected to and between the upperends of laterally opposite corner pieces;

In-test'imon'y' that I claim the'inventio'n' set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of-March, '1918.

LEVI l. DARBY 1 Witnesses: V FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL,

FREDK' H. W. FRA'ENTZEL.

Commissioner'of Patentsi

Images