US1559024A - Collapsible crate - Google Patents

Description

oct. 27, 1925. I 1,559,024

A. G. WOODWARD f GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed April 28. 1924 J .7 l v .la v .5 4

I INVENTOR.

H/l/ Graf /ooduavrc] ATTo Patented Oct. 27, 1925:

i UNITED *STATES COLLAPSIBL'E CRATE.

Y Applicatiim ed vSerialV o; n l

To all whom 'it may concern: j(

Be it known that I, ALvAHk Giani i'ooni- WARD, acitizenofthe United States, and ref sidingat Detroit, fcounty of State of Michigan, have `invented a new an Improved CollapsibleQrate, of which the following is a specification.'

This invention relates to collapsible crates, and has for oneof its object sthe provision of a crate which, w hen collapsed, forms c bo'dnnent o'f 4my invention'.

Figure 1 is a` perspective viewfof the crate. 1

Figure`2 end portion of Vthe same of Figure 1.4 f

Figure 3 is a front view', partifaflly in ver tical? section, of the box formed by collapsing of the crate.

Figure i's a' pe'rspectiv'e'view of one' of the wall forming units of the crate.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary verticalsection, talrer'nf line 5 5A f Figurefl, showing one of the connections between said wall forming units.

In these views,'the reference character 1 designates the bottom member of the crate, said member being formed preferably of boards. Through the corners of said member are passed the headed lower endsof four two-part rods 2, 3 the two parts of said rods being pivotally connected as shown at 4:, midway of the height of the crate. 5 desigis a' vvertical sectional View of an taken' on' line4 22 nates a plurality of wall-forming units each consisting of a rectangular open frame, having apertures 6 at its corners to receive the rods 2, 3. The upper part 3 of each of said rods has its free end headed, as indicated at 7.

To the rear portion of the uppermost wall unit 5, a cover 8 is hinged as indicated at 9, a fastener 10, of any suitable construction Waynean being provided te daahably s'eufe' Said' cover to thefront l portion of saidl unit. l

` .VYhen tli' e u nits .5 occupy their spaced crategforniing relation, 'shwn Figurel 1,' spacer. .blocks 11 are V4engaged 4betweel'i lsaid units'. l 115m @2111; PiOPeIly spaced... ,It is. preferred to provide foursets of these blocks, each set 4being rigidly scuredto a bar 12. The four bars 12 are hinged'l as Iin-r dicated.' @t 15.10 th@ betteln, 'member lfadjacent its corners, the hinge axes being parallel` so that when not in use, s ai' i bars may b e swungy similarly down ,upon ,the ,bottom 1,

adjacent ,tov'opposite sidewalls of ther crate (see Figure 3).

The top and bottom faces .o'f thefbflocks 11, converge slightly towardthe free `ends of said blocks Vso thatin swinging said bars to their upright positions o f use, the Vblocks 'may be freely entered between the units 5.

rihe free ends of the bars 12 are bent as in-r dicated atlllto y form abutnTents which, when said v bars are in upright position, engage above .the top-most unit' 5 holding `theseveral units from any relativeupward shifting.

TNT'

In' the use ofthe describedreceptaclelas a crate, the bars' 12 extend vertically adjacent the walls, andthe spacers lproject between the units `5' holding rthe latter.uniformlyY apar'tgapredetermined distance. T he bent ends 14 of said barsengage above the unitsI resisting a-1iy;f;orce tendingy Ito', ,force said .f

unift'sapart. The ends Mare againgbent tercesses in the bottom of the cover to posi-4 tively prevent the bars 12 from swinging inwardly on their hinges.

The four two-part rods 2, 3 hold the units 5 from relative'lateral movement, andthe heads 7 of said rods assist in preventing said units from escaping endwise from said rods.

To collapse the describe-d crate, the cover 8 is swung up suliiciently to release the upper ends of the bars 12,'whereupon the latter may be swung upon their hinges 13 to rthe horizontal positions adjacent the bottom 1, seen in Figure 3.

This permits the units 1 to slide down on the rods 2, 3, to inally seat one upon another, thus producing closed walls. Under these conditions, the upper members 3 of the rods 2, 3, lie completely above the units 5 and may be swung to the horizontal positions, shown by Figure 3. The cover 8 is now closed down upon the receptacle and fastened, and separation of the units 5 vertically is positively prevented by the downturned rod parts 3.

It is evident that the inclined top and bottom faces of the blocks 1l facilitate their insertion between the units 5.

From the foregoing description it will appear that the device is very simple and eiiicient in operation, will not easily get out of order, and provides a device which accomplishes the objects described. l

`While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequatelyfulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the inv-ention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a crate, the combination with bars forming the walls of the crate, of spacers insertable between said bars, and members carrying said spacers pivotally secured to the crate bottom to permit a ready removal of said spacers Jfrom between said bars.

2. A crate having its side walls formed by open Jframes normally spaced apart and movable into engagement to transform the crate into a box. y

3. In a crate a plurality of wall units each comprised by an open rectangular frame, a set of spacers removably engageable between said frames, and a member supporting said spacers adjustable to a non-use position within the crate to permit said frames to engage each other and to form a closed box.

4. In a crate, normally spaced bars forming the walls thereof, spacers normally holding said bars apart, members carrying said spacers adapting them for group removal from between the bars, and rods upon which said bars are slidable to engage each other and to form closed walls, when said spacers are removed.

5. In a crate, bars Jforming the walls thereof, two part rods loosely connecting said bars the parts of said rods being pivotally connected, and spacers removably engageable between said bars, the bars being slidable downwardly to engage the lower parts ot said rods when the spacers are removed and the upper parts of the rods being then adapted to swing on said pivotal connections to retain the bars upon the lower parts of said rods.

6. In a crate, Va plurality of open rectangular frames forming the crate walls, sets of spacers normally holdingV said frames apart, and` members carrying said sets of spacers, adapting them for group removal from between said frames.

7. In a crate,`a plurality of open rectangular frames forming the crate walls, a bottom member, and means attaching said frames to said bottom adapting them for a movement Jfrom said bottom to a spaced relation or toward said bottom to a closedwall relation.

8. In a crate,.a plurality of open rectangular frames forming the crate walls, bottom and top members, the latter hingedly connected to the top-most frame, means attaching said frames to said bottom adapting them 'for a'movement from said bottom to a spaced relation or toward said bottom to a closed-wall relation, bars hinged to the bottom member otl said crate and adapted to swing to positions adjacent opposite walls of the crate, and a set of spacer members carried by each bar engageable between said frame members to maintain their spaced relation, the cover member being engageable with said bars in its closed position to hold the bars in vertical position.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

ALVAI-I GRAY WOODVVARD.

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