US1546325A - Collapsible crate - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1925. 1,546,325

w.c .sTARKEY COLLIAPSIBLE CRATE Filed DEC. 22. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 7Z l I 6,12

22 359 l J5 l3 July 14, 1925.

' w. C.STARKEY COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed Dec. 22. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITED STAT/{E133 W'nvroian 'cARLos STARKEY, or FLORENCE, ALABAMA.

coLL'APsfBLE CRATE.

Application filedDecember 22, 192i. Serial No. 757,438.

down and occupy a minimum amount of space. Y

-With the foregoing and other ob ects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention residesin the combination and arrangementof parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope-of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a "top plan viewer a crate constructed in accordance with this invention set up ready for use;

Fig.2 is a side elevationthereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation; I

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectio'ntake'n on the line -1-4lof Fig. l; V

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of thecrate shown in folded position; and I 7 Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the fold ing crate.

in the embodiment illustrated, the crate constituting this invention comprisesa bottom 1 preferably co'mposedot wood, to the opposite sides of which are hingedly connected side members 2 and 3. To theends of said side members arehingedly connected end members t'tIDCl 5. All'ofthese'members are composed of substantially rectangular steel frames covered with heavy mesh wire.

The side members 2 and 3 are exactly alike and their combined widthcorresponds to the width of the bottom 1 sot-hat when these members are folded flat on said bottom member when the crate is collapsed as shown in Fig. 6 they will snugly fit on the bottom and provide a support for a detachable top member 10 which corresponds in size to the bottom member 1 and is also made in the form of a steel frame covered with a heavy wire netting 11 similar to that; used "onthe side and end members.

The name of each sidemember is made substantially rectangular in formand 'composed o:t a toprod'-6,a bottom "rod 71andend rods '8 with an intermediate 'rod 9 connectsaid top and bottom rods. I The top rod '6 projects at its ends beyond the end rods and is provided with bifurcations 12 which straddle the 'end rods of the adjacent end membe'rsas is shown'c'learly in Fig. 2.

Loops' l8 'a're swiveled to the ends of the bottom rod 7 and extend laterally relatively thereto a'nd ar'e designed to receive cooperating'loops 1st fo'rniedatth'e lowere'nds of the end 'memb'ers 3 and 4: and which extend transversely relatively to said members. The "loops 13 are split to permit disenga eme'nt therewith ofthe loops ofthee'nd memhers.

that they have no intermediate c'ross {rod "and the loops 1% formed in the ends thereof are -slida'bly engagedwith the loops '13 to -p'ro 'vide for the proper folding ot' these memhers when 'in collapsed position as will be h'ereinafter more fully described.

The detachable t'op memberlO ismad'e in "the form of a "substantially rectangular frame composed or longitudinally extending laterally spaced 'steel'rods 16, four of which are he're shown connectfed'byend rods 17 and over which is arranged a heavy wirenetting. The rods 16 are provided at their ends beyond *the end rods 1L3 with bifur- 'catedheads 18positioned to' straddle'the top 'rodsB? and #of the-endu'nembers and interlockingly engage therewith when the "crate is in set up operative position. i.

hinged door 19 is formed in the top 10 to afford access to the l1lt61l01 '0ftl1$ crate and which is here shownsecured by latch 20.

The end members 3 and l'when in upright operative position are connected by rods 2 'c'arrietl'by one member'a'nd cooperating rods 22 carried by the other member and which are adjustably connected by turn-buckles 23. These turn buckles '23 have pivot conned tion with the rods 21 and threaded connection with the rods 22 so that they may be turned for drawing these rods toward each other and thus securely locking the end members in engagement with the top memher.

The bottom member 1 is shown provided midway its width with metal lined sockets The end members 3 and Fl are 'simi- N la rly constructedtothe side membersexcept 1* designed to receive lugs 25 which project laterally downward from the bottom rod of V the end members and which operate as stops to limit the longitudinal movement of the end members in the loops 13 and to hold said end members in proper position for cooperative engagement with the other members of the crate.

' a t A coiled spring 2a is attached at one end to the top rod 4 of one of the end members and is adapted to be detachably connected with the top rod of the other end member 7 when these members are in folded collapsed.

position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In the use of this crate when the parts are I 1 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in which position the loops 13 carried by said members extend upward as shown in Fig. 5. The top mem- *ber 10 is then laid on top of the folded side members and the end members 3 and 4 are raised in the loops 13 and folded downwardly toward each other over the top member 10' as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When so folded thecoiled spring 24 carried by one end member is engaged with the other end member as shown in Fig. 5 and the parts will be securely locked in collapsed position.

To set up the crate when it is in folded position the operation is reversed. The coiled spring being disengaged from the end memher with which it is detachably connected,

said end members are swung upwardly to permit the top to be lifted out and then the side members are swung upwardly and they bifurcated heads carried thereby engaged with the end members. When in this position the top is inserted with the bifurcated heads thereof engaged with the cross bars at the upper end of the end members and these end members are secured together by the turn buckle carried rods as above described which look the parts in operative position holding them rigidly and solidly against all possible collapse.

I claim 1. A collapsiblecrate comprising a bottom having side members hingedly connected messes thereto, end members hingedly connected to the endsof said side members, and loosely engaged therewith to permit the end members to be folded down over the side members when the crate is collapsed, said end and side members having means for interlocking engagement when in upright operative position, a top having means for detachable connection with the end and side members, and

means for locking said top engaged with said members. v

2. In a collapsible crate, ,a bottom, side members hingedly connected to said bottom,

end inembers'having a sliding and pivotal connection with the ends of said side members, said endand side members having vmeans for interlocking engagement when in upright operative position, a top, and means for locking saidtop engaged with said members. j V

3. A collapsible crate comprising abottom having side. and endmembers hingedly con nected thereto, said side members having forks for interlocking engagement with the end members when in upright operative position, a removable top having means for interlocking engagement with said end members, and me'ans to detachably connect said end members and hold them engaged with the top member. V

4;. In a collapsible crate, bottom, side members hingedly connected to said bottom, end members having a sliding and pivotal connection with said side members at the ends thereof, a. removable top having fork heads at its ends for interlocking engagement with the end members when in set up position, and adjustable rods connecting said end 'members to hold them engaged with said top member.

- 5.,In a collapsible crate, a bottom, side members hinged to saidbottoin, loops extending laterally from the lower corners of said side members, end members having loops engaged with the loops ofsaid side members to adapt them to move toward and away from the side members when in folded position, and a coiled spring for connecting said end members when folded to "hold the parts securely together.

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

. Witnesses E. E. HARGETT, v CLARENCE BRADEN.

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