US1931423A

US1931423A - Fruit basket or hamper

Info

Publication number: US1931423A
Application number: US634606A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raleigh T Barber
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-09-23
Filing date: 1932-09-23
Publication date: 1933-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1950-10-17

Description

Oct. 17, 1933.

R. T. BARBER FRUIT BASKET OR HAMPER Filed Sept. 23, 1952 Patented Oct. 17, 1933 PATENT OFFICE FRUITBASKET R HAMPER Raleigh T. Barber, Tampa, Fla.

Application September 23, 1932 Serial No. 634,606

3 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to hampers or baskets usually employed for shipping fruit, and vegetables such as oranges, apples, okra, beans, etc. and has more particular reference to means for ventilating the baskets or hamper and insures against deterioration of the fruit.

Briefly the invention consists in the provision of means within the basket or hamper to insure a circulation of air within the basket and about the fruit for ventilation purposes.

Further in accordance with the present invention a tube is provided that may be readily placed within the basket, and as easily removed therefrom, and which when arranged in the basket will insure distribution of air in the manner above suggested.

The invention together with its numerous objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through having the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the tube embodying the features of the present invention and Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the tube is made.

Referring more in detail to the drawing it will be seen that 5 designates generally a conventional fruit basket or hamper and includes a bottom wall having a ventilating aperture 6 therein, the usual side or peripheral wall, and a removable cover or lid '7, the latter being also provided with a centrally located vent opening 8 arranged in alinement with the opening 6.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a tube designated generally by the reference character 9, and this tube is adapted to be arranged vertically within the basket 5 in alinement with the apertures 6, 8' to permit the entrance and egress of air to and from the tube, and the walls of the tube are provided with apertures 10 through which the circulation of air passes into the basket from the tube, and from the basket into the tube passes outwardly through the opening 8.

The tube 9 is formed from an oblong blank .11 of comparatively rigid material, preferably paper, and in actual practice it has been found to employ corrugated paper. Preferably the blank 11 is of a length corresponding to substantially the depth of the basket 5, and is folded on parallel longitudinal fold or score lines 12 into the shape suggested in Figure 2. Adjacent a basket one longitudinal edge thereof the blank 11 has secured to one face thereof, a plurality of relatively spaced tabs 13 of paper or other suitable material, and when the blank isfolded to assume the shape shown in Figure 2, the free ends of the tabs 13 are easily secured to the blank in a manner suggested in Figure 2 whereby the wings or sides 11a of the blank are secured with their meeting edges contacting as shown in Figure 2. The blank 11 isof course suitably apertured to provide the fold l0.

With the blank thus folded and secured in folded position, it will be seen that it provides a tube like structure of comparatively rigid durable construction, and which when arranged in the basket as shown in Figure 1 will admirably serve to increase circulation of air within the basket.

As is also apparent from the above, the tube 9 when arranged within the basket 11 will have its ends engaging the bottom of the basket and the lid 7 and will be retained in vertical position by the contents of the basket, thus requiring no particular means for securing it in position.

It is also apparent that the tube can be used in-g0 conjunction ,with'a conventional fruit basket or hamper and will in no wise require alteration in the construction of the basket or hamper. Likewise the tube can be manufactured at a nominal cost, and will, when arranged within the 5 packed basket in no wise cause injury or bruising of the fruit.

Even though I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of further changes, modifications and improvements coming within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a tube for use with fruit baskets and the like for enhancing ventilation, and composed of a single blank of flexible material folded on two parallel longitudinal fold lines, and tabs adhesively 100 secured to the blank adjacent the longitudinal edge portions thereof for securing said edge portions in abutment and to hold the blank in its folded condition.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a tube for 1055 use with fruit baskets and the like for enhancing ventilation, and composed of a single blank of comparatively rigid material folded on.-two parallel longitudinal fold lines, and tabs adhesively secured to the blank adjacent the longitudinal 11.0

edge portions thereof for securing said edge portions in abutment and to hold the blank in its folded condition, said blank being oblong in plan, and provided with a plurality of haphazardly arranged apertures providing ports for the tube.

3. A ventilation tube for fruit baskets comprising an oblong blank of relatively stifi material folded on two spaced parallel longitudinal