US1681063A - Shipping crate - Google Patents

Description

R. STEELE SHIPPING CRATE Aug. 14, 1928. 1,681,063

Filed Dec. '24, 1926' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EOSCOE STEELE, OI ROCKAWAY BOROUGH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WIRE- BOUNDS PATENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01" MAINE.

snrermo one-rs.

Application met December :4, 1926. Serial No. 150,812.

This'invention relates to ship in crates and particularl to wireboun s ippmg crates of the bu ge-pack type for use 1n the shipment of citrus fruit and the like.

Among other ob'ects, the invention 1s 1ntended to provi e an improved w1rebound bulge-pack shipping crate which is light in weight and strong in construction, and which may be quickly and easily assembled and packed.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a crate with a top section which, when secured in place on a bulge pack, is free to shift relative to the body of the crate at either end of the crate and thereby accompan the settling movement of the contents of t e crate.

Another object of the invention is to pro -vide .such a crate with a bulge-pack top which is held in position on the bulge pack by wires under tension, which WlI'eS cause the top to accompany a settling movement of the contents of the crate.

One illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the underside of the top section of the crate.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the body of the crate, i. e. the sides, bottom and ends.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the empty crate with the top in proper os1t1on, and showing the top section exten mg at either end beyond the body of the crate so as to permit the top to be bulged upward when placed in position on a bulge pack. I

Fig. 4 1s a perspective view of the-crate filled with a bulge pack of citrus frult, and with the to section in bulged position and secured to the body of the crate by the bindin wires.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the crate shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a to Ian view of the blank which when fol e constitutes the bottom and side sections of the crate.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the top section of the crate.

Fig. 9 is a sidexelevation of the blank shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the top section shown in Fig. 8.

of the crate The sides and bottom of the illustrative crate consist of three separate sections of side sheets 1 and end cleats 2 connected together in foldable relationship by binding wires 3 secured to the sheets 1 and cleats 2 by staples 4 which straddle the wires 3, pass through the sheets 1 and into or through the cleats 2. Additional center cleats 5 may be provided to strengthen the crate at its center and to hold a partition-6 if desired. A center wire 7 is stapled to the sheets 1 and to center cleats 5, if such center cleats are provided. The cleats are preferably of the type known as butt end cleats and are so dimensioned and positioned that the cleats on the bottom section will overlap the ends of the cleats on the side sections. End sections 8 rest against the inner faces of the end cleats 2 of the side and bottom sections and are secured thereto by staples or nails driven through the end sections 8 and into the end cleats 2. The sheets 1 are preferably spaced from each other in each section and between sections to provide for ventilation.

The top section consists of a sheet or sheets 1", and end cleats 2. End wires 3 are secured to the section at either end by staples 4" which are driven over each wire 3, through each sheet 1 and into the end cleat 2. A center wire '7 is stapled to the sheet or sheets 1*. v The end wires 3 and the center wire 7 are so ositioned that they will be in substantial a ignment respectively with the body wires 3 and 7 when the top section is placed in closing position, so that the ends of the respective wires on the top and on the body may be twisted together to complete the continuity of the wire binding about the crate and to hold the top section in position. The ends of the wires on the top section and the body of the crate are preferably tensioned over the closing corners, when twisted, so that the top section will be held firmly on the bulge pack and will .be drawn downward with the contents of the crate when the contents settle. The top section is preferably from to 3 of an inch longer than the sectionswhich constitute the body of the crate, and the cleats of the top section, which are also butt end cleats, are dimensioned and positioned to fit between the cleats on the side sections when the top section is placed in position and thereby complete the formation of a reinforcing cleat frame at either end of the crate. The butt end character of the cleat ends permits the cleats of the top section to shift relative to the cleats of the side sections to accommodate varying degrees of bulge inthe top section, without impairing the reinforcing efiectiveness of the cleat frame. For example, in Fig. 3 where the top section lies fiat, and is not bulged, a portion of the end cleats 2 of the top section extend at either end of the crate beyond the edges of the cleats 2 of the side sections, while in Fig. 4 the top section has been bulged upward b the contents of the crate'and the end cleats 2 of the top section at either end of the crate have shifted inward to accommodate the bulge and are flush with the cleats 2 of the side sections. Fig. 4 re resents the position of the top section imme iately after it has been put in position on a bulge pack and has been secured in position by twisting the ends of the wires on the to section and the body of the crate respective said wires being tensioned over the closing corners of the crate. The tensioned wires cause the top section to pressfirmly upon the bulge pack and, when the pack settles, the tensioned wires will cause the top to follow the settlement of the contents of the crate keeping a firm pressure thereon. When this settlement of the contents of the crate and of the top section occurs, the cleats 2 of the top section shift outwardly relative to the end cleats 2 of theside sections.

The preferred method of making the illustrative crate is to assemble the sheets and cleats for the body of the crate, in the flat, in a crate blank machine which staples the binding wires to the sheets and cleats forming the flat three-section blank shown in Fig. 7. The sections of the blank shown in Fi 7 are then folded at right an les to eac other into crate form, and en s 8 are secured to the end cleats 2 of the body of the crate. The sheets and cleats for the top section are similarly assembled in a crate lank machine and the wires sta led thereto. The staples are preferabl dnven'tightly over the wires to prevent t em from s lpping beneath the staples. Preferably, the wires on the top section are sufiiciently long to extend over either side of the crateto be joined to the wires of'the body of the crate, although, if desired, the body wires may be long enough to extend over the closing corners and to the top of the crate. The center wire 7 on the top section is preferably longer than the end wires 3 to accommodate the upward bulge of the top section at its center, when placed in position on a bulge pack, although, if desired, the center wire 7 of the body of the crate may be long enough to extend over onto the bulge top and be there intertwisted with the wire 7 of the top section.

Among other advantages, my improved bulge-pack crate is easy to assemble, pack and close; the separate top section being readily placed in position on a bulge pack and the wire ends twisted together. Owing to the arrangement which permits the shifting of the cleats on the top relative to the cleats on the sides, the top section is free to accompany a settling movement of the contents of the crate, and the tensioned wires com 1 the top section to accompany this settlmg movement of the contents of the crate and thereby hold the contents of the crate against shifting movement during transit.

The ventilation spaces in each section and at each corner of the crate facilitate the packing of a number of such crates in a box car or other conveyance without shutting 011 the circulation of air from any crate.

The contents of the crate may be easily inspected during transit by cutting one of the end wires at one corner of the top section which will permit the raising of that corner of the top section sufficiently for inspection purposes without impairing to any great extent the effectiveness of the crate as a shippin" container. After ins tion the corner of the top which was raise may be returned to a closed position and secured in such position by a metal strap or brad secured to the cleat 2 of the side section and extending over the closing corner of the crate and secured to the cleat 2" of the top section.

To facilitate inspection in transit, a comparatively heavy ga e binding wire may be used, which wire wil securely hold the top section in position by a mere hooking engagement or single twist instead of a permanent twisting engagement thereby permitting a disengagement of the connection between the top and the body of the crate without cutting the binding wire.

Having described one illustrative embodiment of the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A wirebound bulge-pack crate comprising cleat-reinforced side and bottom sections connected together in foldable relationship by binding wires secured to and extending across the several sections, the cleats being located adjacent the ends of the sections, and a separate cleated top section secured to the side sections by wires stapled to the top section and tensioned over the cover corners of the crate and intertwisted with the wires on the side sections, the top section being longer than the side and bottom sections to permit the top section to bulge upward, and the cleats of the top section being located adjacent the ends thereof and constructed and arranged to fit between the cleats of the side sections and to shift relative to said side cleat" in accordance with variations in the bulge of the top section; whereby the top section will maintain a Illll -pack crate comprising cleat-remforce side and bottom sections connected together in foldable rela tionship by binding wires secured to and extending across said sections, the cleats being located ad'acent the ends of the sections and the inding wires being located at either end of the sections and, at the center of the sections, and a separate cleated top section havi wires secured thereto at either end thereo and at the center to register with the wires on the side sections for intertwisting therewith, the top section being longer than the side sections and the center wire on the top section being longer than the end wires to accommodate the upward bulge of the top section, and the cleats of the top section being located adjacent the ends thereof and constructed and arran d to fit between the cleats of the side sections and to shift relative to said side cleats in accordance with variations in the bulge of the top section; whereby the top section will maintain a constant pressure on the contents of the crate and accompany a settling movement thereof.

3. A wirebound bulge-pack crate comprising side and bottom sections each rovided with end cleats and connected toget er with binding wires, and a separate top section provided with end cleats and having wires firmly stapled thereto and adapted to register with the corresponding wires on the side sections for interengagement therewith, the top section bein longer than the side sections to permit t e top section to bulge when placed on a bulge ack, and the cleats on the top section bein utt-ended to fit between cleats of the si e sections and shift relative thereto in' accordance with variations in the bulge of the top section; whereby, when the wire ends are tensioned over the closing corners and intertwisted, the top section will exert a. constant pressure on the contents of the crate and will accompany a settling'movement thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ROSCOE STEELE.

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