US1428070A - Knockdown crate - Google Patents

Description

C. W. YOUNG.

KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15.1920.

1,428,070, PatentedSept. 5, 1922.

ATTokA/sy' Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

UNITED STATES CHARLES W. YOUNG, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

Application filed April 15, 1920. Serial No. 374,122.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. YOUNG, of Syracuse, .in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York. have invented new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Crates, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full. clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in sheet metal crates of the skeleton knock down type involving the use of substantially rectangular bottom and top plate sections and corner posts having their opposite ends provided with bendable tongues passing from the inside through corresponding slots in the plates near the corners there of, and clinched or overturned against the outer faces'of said plates to firmly lock the posts and plates to each other in forming the crate.

The main object is to provide a light, strong and durable sheet metal grate of this character capable of receiving and retaining boxes of baked stuff and other light materials for transportation to the place of destination, also permitting the plates to be easily and quickly detached from the corner posts by simply reversing the bending of the tongues, whereupon the plates and posts may be packed in compact space and returned to the sender at a minimum cost of transportation.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the crate and manner of assembling those parts will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved crate ready for use.

Figure -2 is a perspective view of the same crate with the parts detached ready for assembling.

Figure 3- is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of one corner of the upper plate and the upper end of the adjacent corner post showing the manner of fastening those parts together.

Figure --lis a perspective view of the lower end of one of the posts before bending the tongues, the dotted lines indicating the position ofthe tongue after being passed through the slots in the lower plate and bent against the outer surface thereof.

As illustrated, the crate comprises lower and upper substantially rectangular sheet metal plates -1 and -2, a series of, in

this instance, four upright sheet metal posts :3 of. rectangular cross-section, each having its opposite ends provided with a pair of bendable tongues 4- adapted to be passed from the inner side through corresponding slots 5 in the adjacent corners of the plates 1 and 2 and to be bent over and against the outer faces of said plates.

These plates are of substantially the same form and size and are, therefore, interchangeable, each being provided with a marginal flange extending along its side and end edges, thus producing what may be termed a pair of trays, the upper one of which is inverted so that the flanges of both plates face each other.

The adjacent ends of the flanges at the corners constitute abutments for engagement by the adjacent ends of the corner posts which are rectangular in cross-section and form what may be termed angle bars of rectangular cross-section having their open sides facing inwardly toward the center of the crate.

These bars or posts when assembled, fit

snugly in the corners of their respective plates --land -2- so that their side flanges bear, respecth'ely, against the sides and ends of the plates at the corners thereof.

The opposite ends of both flanges of the posts are provided with the bendable tongues -4 which are, therefore, disposed in planes at right angles to each other in spaced relation, each pair of. slots for receiving said tongues being similarly disposed at right angles to each other and in spaced relation so that when the tongues are inserted through the slots, they are bent over and upon the outer faces of the corresponding side and end flanges to firmly lock the plates to the ends of the posts, thereby producing a strong and rigid crate having an interior chamber substantially equal to the area of the plates and length of the posts and in which boxes of definite size may be stacked in tiers within the marginal flanges of both plates, said flanges serving to retain the boxes against lateral displacement through the open sides thereof, while at the same time the openings permit inspection of the boxes and any advertising or identifying matter thereon.

The spacing and reduced width of the tongues -4lof each air forms intervening seats -4- at t e junctions of the tongues with the main bodies against which the adjacent portions of the inner faces of the plates rest when the parts are adjusted for use If two or more vertical tiers are to be enclosed in the crate, one or more intermediate posts -6 consisting of flat sheet metal bars may be similarly fastened or clinched to the plates 1 and 2. intermediate the corner posts as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In preparing the crate for the reception of boxes for transportation, the lower ends of the posts are first secured to the bottom plate 1 in the manner described and the boxes are then stacked within the crate to the height of the posts whereupon the top plate is placed over and upon the upper ends of the posts and the corresponding tongues clinched through their respective slots, it being understood that the dimensions of the crate are made to correspond approximately to those of the assembled boxes therein so that the latter may be firmly held against undue relative movement or displacement.

In order to remove the boxes it is necessary to straighten the tongues on the upper ends of the posts by rebending the same vertically, whereupon the top plate may be readily removed by upward displacement, thus permitting the removal of the boxes by similar upward displacement.

The plates 1 and -2- are preferably solid or imperforate aside from the slots -5- and serve to protect the contents of the crate against injury from below or above, While the posts serve to hold the plates a fixed distance apart and to also protect the contents of the crate against contact with external objects.

It is evident from the foregoing description that this crate can be made at a sufliciently low cost to enable it to be thrown away by the receiver of its contents without material loss to the sender, or the parts may be packed in compact space and returned for use if desired.

What I claim is:

1. A knock-down crate comprising a pair of marginally flanged sheet metal plates having their flanges facing each other, said plates having elongated relatively narrow slots parallel with and in close proximiliy to the inner faces of the flanges, and she t metal posts having both ends provided with bendable tongues reduced in width toform seats for the plates, said tongues being passed through corresponding slots in the plates against the inner faces of the adjacent flanges and bent over and upon the outer faces of said flanges.

2. A knock-down crate comprising rectangular marginally flanged sheet metal plates of substantially the same size, each corner of each plate being provided with a pair of slots extending along' and in close proximity to the inner faces of the flanges of adjacent sides of the plate at an angle to each other, sheet metal corner posts of angular cross section, each having its opposite ends seated against the inner faces of the flanges of the corresponding corners and provided with a pair of bendable tongues passed through the adjacent slots and over-turned upon the outer faces of the adjacent flanges.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of April 1920 CHARLES W. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHAsE, Rosa G. CARROLL.

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