US1376487A - Folding box or crate - Google Patents

Description

Y. A. VON SCHLUEMBACH.

FOLDING BOX 0B CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. Ia. I9I9.

'1,376,487 Patented Maya, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

anne/Mica A. VON SCHLUEMBACH.

FOLDING BOX 0R CRATE.

APPLxcATloN FILED APR.18,1919.

i.',5.76,4:8'7.y Patented May 3, 1921,

, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 2B' A. VON SCHLUEMBACH.

FOLDING BOX 0R CRATE. APPLICATION FILED APR. I8, 1919.

n a m wm. y M Sm ,n Mm e y 4M m m s y ZA m .y 9 ,VMWI MQW C I y ,Q y Huw 8 2 wf m 4, W 6 7 8 e 1 79 2 UNITED STATES ADOLPH VON SCHLUEMBACH, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING BOX 0R CRATE.

Application filed April 18, 1919.

To all 'whom t may concern/I:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH VON SCHLnnMnAoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, county of Blair, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes or Crates, of which the following` is specification.

My invention relates to folding boxes or crates, and particularly to devices of this character wherein the sides and ends are hingedly connected to the top element and the sides and ends have a sliding connection with the bottom element.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device of the class mentioned in which the edges of the top and bottom sections shall lie close together and flush when the crate is folded, and wherein the sides and ends shall be perfectly vertical when the box is in expanded position. A further object of my invention is to provide a folding box or crate which shall be strong and durable to stand shi vping when either in its expanded or collapsed position, and which shall be of sufficient strength to securely hold substantially any material which can be packed within the same. A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for slidably connecting the lower portion of the sides to the bottom. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lith these objects in view, my invention consists generally in the various combinations and arrangements of par-ts, and in the details of construction, hereinafter de-V scribed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the folding crate embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on substantially the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device in folded position.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the bottom elements to which the sides are sldably connected.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a modified form of the device.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one end of .Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

serial No. 291,071.

the crate or box in expanded position and illustrating the metallic reinforcing elements.

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspective views of elements used in modiied forms of the device.

Fig. 9 isa perspective view of the bottom reinforcing elements.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the interior upper corner of a modified form of box.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4, illustratinga modified form of said element.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of Fig. l1 upon an enlarged scale.

Fig. 13 is a bottom plan view of the portion of the device illustrated in Fig. 12.

Figs. 14 and 15 are fragmentary perspective views of modified form of the said bottom element, and

Fig. 16 is a side elevationof a still further modification.

Referring now to the drawings, land 2 indicate generally the top and bottom, respectively, of the folding Abox or crate embodying my invention, 3,73 the ends, and 4, 4 the sides thereof. In regard to the sides and ends, these may be of any general construction desired according to the use to which the'device is to be put; that is, they may be slatted as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 for use as a chicken crate or the like, or may be solid walls as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 10, when the device is to be used as a packing, shipping, or storage box. With this understanding, shall hereinafter designate the device as a crate, it being understood that said terms shall include either solid or slatted construction, except when the specific construction is mentioned or described as such.

The top 1 comprises a pair of parallel lon" gitudinal members 5, 5, and a pair of transverse end members 6, 6. In the form of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive the side elements 5 are of less width vertically than the end member 6 and the sides 4 are hingedly connected to the members 5 so that the outer faces of the sides and said members shall lie flush when the box is in expanded position, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 6. The hinge connection between the sides 4 and the members 5 may take the form of ordinary hinges 7 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, particularly when the open crate construction is used, or may constitute dowel pins 8 let into the members 6, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The difference in thevertical widths of the members 5 and 6 is substantially equal, or slightly greater, than the thickness of the sides 4, so that when said sides fold inwardly the lower edges of the members 6 may rest upon the end frame members 9 of the bottom.V Also, the portions of the members 6 extending below the lower edges of the members 5 provide for bearings for the dowels 8 when such construction is employed. The end members 3 are hingedly connected to the top 1 by dowels 10 having bearings in the side members 5 above the pivotal axis of the sides 4 so that said ends may swing upwardly against the top and then the sides fold against and under said ends. It will be noted that when the box is in expanded position the ends 3 rest between the ends of the sides so as to hold the same locked in expanded position.

The bottom 2 comprises a pair of end members 9 connected by a bottom 11 and also by the metallic reinforcing framework 12. The members 9 are provided with slots or runways. 13 in which projections 14 on the lower ends of the sides are adapted to travel. These projections are preferably pins provided with antifriction rollers, and I also prefer to provide washers 15 on the outer ends thereof which travel in enlarged outer portions 16 of the runways 13. See Fig. 4. The projections 14 constitute means-for connecting the bottom to the upper portion of thedevice. To fold the boX, the ends 3 are raised into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, after which the lower portions of the sides are forced inwardly, the members 14 traveling in the runways 13, until the top 1 rests upon the bottom 2, as shown in Fig. 3. To expand the box, the top is raised and the members 14 move outwardly in the runways 13 until they reach the outer ends thereof, the ends 3 either dropping or being moved downwardly into vertical position, lock the sides and form a rigid con-V struction. A closure 17 is provided which is preferably rabbeted into the upper frame as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6. Any means may be employed for connecting the closure to the upper frame, such as hinges 18.

The reinforcing member 12 for the bottom of the device preferably comprises a pair of end channel members 19, 19, which embrace the outer and lower faces of the members 9, thereby closing the outer faces of the runways 13 and longitudinal members 2O connecting the same. The vertical portions of the angle members 19 are eX- tended the desired distancel along the sides of the device and constitute stops to limit the outward swing ofthe sides 4 in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. Metal angle brackets 22 are provided to reinforce the corners of the top frame. These are shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6.

If preferred, the vertical edges of the sides members may be provided with metal reinforcing elements 23 or 24, as shown v in Figs. 7 and 8, respectively, and these are provided with outwardly projecting pins 8 at their upper ends and 14at their lower ends, to constitute pivot dowels at their upper ends and sliding members at their lower ends to engage in the runways 13. As shown in Fig. 7, these elements may be of simple angl@l irons or they may be channel members as shown in Fig. 8, their use being dependent largely upon the size of the boX and the use to which the same is to be put.

In Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive I have shown a modied form of the end elements 9 of the bottom frame. As shown therein, said element is formed of a metal strip bent to form a horizontal bottom 9a, vertical ends 9", horizontal upper members 9C terminating at the center where they are bent downwardly as at 9d. The lower ends of the portions 9d terminate in semi-cylindrical portions 9e which project through an aperture 9fin the lower portion 9. The semi-cylin- ,drical portions 9e are complementary to each other and are threaded to receive a nut 9g, the whole forming a rigid construction. This arrangement provides a pair of runways 13 for the members 14.

As shown in Fig. 14, the member 9 may be formed of a casting slotted as at 13L and provided with a pair of horizontal flanges 25 to receive the ends of the floor 11 between them. A similar construction` is shown in Fig. 15 except that the same is formed of sheet metal bent to form an upright flange 26 slotted at 132L and formed with the horizontal flanges 25.

A still further modification of the element 9 is shown in Fig. 16. In this form of the device said element is formed of upper and lower metal bars 27 spaced apart by ferrules 28 and connected by rivets 29 extending through said ferrules.

In Fig. 10 of the drawings, I have illus trated a modied form of the device wheres in the elements 5 and 6 of the upper frame are substantially the same depth and the ends and sides 3 and 4 respectively, are 120 pivotally connected tothe upper frame by the dowel pins'30 and 31. I

I claim:

1. A folding boX or crate comprising a top and a bottom co-extensive in length and 125 width, sides hingedly connected to said top and having a sliding connection with the bottom, and ends hingedly connected to the top and swinging downwardly between said sides, substantially as described.

2. In a folding box or crate, a top frame comprising side and end members, a bottom, sides hingedly connected to the top and adapted to lie directly beneath said side members of the top when the box is in expanded position with the outer faces of said members and sides in the same vertical plane, a sliding connection between the lower ends of said sides and said bottom, and ends hingedly connected to said top and adapted to swing downwardly between the said sides, substantially as described.

3. A folding box or crate comprising a top and a bottom co-extensive in length and width, sides hingedly connected to said top, said bottom having end members provided with slots, projections on the lower ends of said sides working in said slots, members vclosing the outer sides of said slots, and ends hingedly connected to the top and swinging downwardly between the said sides, substantially as described.

et. A folding box or crate comprising a top and a bottom coextensive in length and width, sides hingedly connected to said top,

said bottom having end portions provided with slots, projections on the lower ends of said sides working in said slots, bottom brace members, said brace members having flanges closing the outer sides of said slots and ends hingedly connected to said top and swinging downwardly between the said sides, substantially as described.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 in which said flanges are extended along the sides of the bottom, substantially as described.

6. In a folding box or crate, a top comprising a frame formed of side and end members having their upper edges in the same plane, the lower edges of the end members extending below the lower edges of the side members of the frame, sides for the box hingedly mounted beneath the side members of the frame, a bottom, a sliding connection between the lower ends of said sides and said bottom, and ends adapted to swing between the said sides, substantially as described.

7. In a folding box or crate, a top and a bottom, a pair of sides, reinforcing elements on the vertical edges of said sides, hinge members on one end of said reinforcing elements, projections on the opposite ends of said elements, said bottom being provided with slots to receive said projections, and ends swingingly mounted between said sides, substantially as described.

8. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which the end members of the bottom are formed of metal strips slotted to receive the projections on the sides, substantially as described.

9. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which said slotted end members of the bottom are each formed of a metal strip extending horizontally substantially the width of the bottom, then bent upwardly and then inwardly to substantially the center, and then downwardly terminating in complementary semi-cylindrical portions, the bottom portion being apertured to receive said semicylindrical portions, and a nut threaded on said portions, substantiallv as described.

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

ADOLPH VON `SCI-ILUEMBACH.

Witnesses:

W. W. RUDIsiLL, A. M. HABRoWsxI.

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