US2021208A - Chick box - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1935. w STQUFFEYR I 2,021,208 7 I CHICK 30):

Filed Sept. 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 19, 1935. I w; Q ER 2,021,208

CHICK BOX Filed Sept. 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nair.- 19, 1935 v PATENT OFFICE I 2,021,208 cmox nox William B. Stoufler, Mount Morris, Ill. Application September 4, 1984 Serial No. 742,521

17 Claim.

This invention relates to a new and improved box for shipping or carrying live chicks.

Incubation is now done mainly in large hatcheries from which the young chicks are distributed 'to the farms where they are to be raised. A

large percentage of these chicks go to farms not far distant from the hatchery and are transported usually by the farmer himself by automobile. or truck. There is no necessity, therefore, of providing expensive shipping containers made of heavy corrugated fibre board throughout on such short hauls. It is the principal object of my invention to provide a chick box of cheaper construction, one which requires no stapling and which uses lighter and hence cheaper materials, the box being made partly of paper sheet material and partly of paper board material, instead of being made throughout of paper board. While designed so as to be inexpensive enough for local delivery use, the box is nevertheless strong enough for use in shipping. by ex- I press and parcel post for considerable distances,

especially when reenforced for that purpose as hereinafter described.

Another object is to provide a box in which the partitions extend diagonally in crisscross relation so that triangular compartments instead of four-corned compartments are formed, and there is less tendency for crowding in corners, and

hence less danger of smothering. This arrangement of the partitions is .particularly advantageous in a-bcx constructed, as hereindisclosed, using light sheet material for the sides, because the partitions extend into the corners and thus support the sides at their ends, lending the desired strength and rigidity. It. also makes possible a strong construction without stapling, the partitions being simply slid into place.

Another object is to so construct the box to provide for better ventilation, and, at the same time, better insulation, especially for the floor and sides, so that chilling is avoided.

The invention is hereinafter described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective of a chick box made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the box with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view looking at the bottom of the box;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a somewhat similar section showing a modification;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a box with the cover responding parts throughout the views.

Referring to Figssl. to 4, the chick box of my invention has the square body 'or frame 8 thereof made ,of kraft paper, or any other similar tough v and fairly stiff wrapping paper, or for that mat- 10 ter any similar light sheet material. This frame is formed like an ordinary paperbag to provide sides 9 and a bottom It, the material being tucked in and folded and glued, as indicated at II in Fig. 3, to form the bottom, similarly as in a bag. 15 A square floor-piece l2 of corrugated fibre board is placed on the bottom III inside this bag-like frame, and-it has marginal upwardly projecting flanges l3 which have abutment with the inside of the side walls 9. The latter are folded in- 20 wardly to provide inner side walls 9' spaced from the outer side walls, reaching down far enough to overlap the upper edges of the flanges l3, as appears in Fig. 4,, thus giving a good finish to the interior of the box. This mode of assembling also 25 results in the provision of the air space It between the innerand outer side walls, as clearly appears in Fig. 4, thus affording substantially the same insulation with this sheet material construction as is ordinarily provided with corrugated fibre board construction. The double thickness side walls also make for the requisite strength and rigidity. The present construction also results in a greatly increased thickness of material in the bottom It added to the thickness of material in the fioor l2, resulting in a much warmer box than where fibre boardof single thickness is used alone in the bottom. The square form of the box is'furthermore pretty well defined with this much of the con- 40 struction alone. Two partitions l5 and it of corrugated fibre board are slotted vertically at the middle, one from the top down and the other from the bottom up, as at 11, to permit interfitting the partitions at the point of intersection, as 45 shown in Fig. 2; and are entered in the frame 8 reaching diagonally between the corners of the box. In this way, four triangular compartments l8 of equal size are provided instead of the usual four-cornered compartments. Each compart- 60 ment in a ,full sized box-20" by 20"will accommodate twenty-five chicks, and there is less opportunity for these chicks to crowd into corners and be smothered, there being only three comers as compared with the customary four in each compartment; The criss-crossed partitions fitting in the corners naturallyprovide good sup- 1 port for the sides 9-9' and provide cross bracing such that the box is much stronger than where the corners are left unbraced. It is, this feature which in a large part accounts for the strength and rigidity of the present box, despite the fact that light sheet material is employed for the sides and bottom instead of paper board. Furthermore,

this strength is built into the box without necessitating any stapling, the partitions being simply slid into place at the corners. If desired, the ends of the partitions may be first dipped in glue so that, when they are entered, they will soon thereafter be united firmly to the corners, and thus make for even greater strength and rigidity.

'The saving in labor cost in setting up the box from knockdown condition as compared with a stapled box can easily be appreciated, and.the

parts required in the construction of this box are of such simple form that less .labor .is required in the making thereof, so that a double saving in the cost of production results. The saving in cost derived through the use of sheet paper material or the like, as distinguished from paper board material for such a large part of the box, is, however, one of the most importantsavings. A further saving is contemplated bylmaking the floor piece l2 of lighter and cheaper material than the partitions l5 and I6, and by making the cover I! of still lighter and cheaper material.

The cover l9, which is of paper board material,

is large enough to overhang the sides of the box about a half inch, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, so as to be sure to form a good closure for all of the compartments l8. A small diagonally extending slot 20 is provided in the cover at the center to permit projection therethrough of a lug 2| provided on the upper edge of the partispaced relation to the cover when two or more are placed in a stack or are secured together for shipment as asingle package. The holes formed where the tabs 23 are bent in,'as just described, serve for ventilation, along with other holes 26' punched through the cover, and, when two or more boxes are stacked together and separated, as just described, with the sticks 24,,the're is, of course, no danger of these holes being closed. Other holes 21 are punched through the packages.

sides 99' and still other holes 28 through the partitions I5 and I6 for further ventilation of the compartments IS in the box. The fact thatthe cover i9 projects from the sides of the box a half inch or so, as above-mentioned, insures against the covering up of the holes 21 by other boxes or Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, the box may, if desired, be reenforced by the insertion of pieces 29 of paper board material, fitting at the ends at the angles between the side walls of the box and the ends of the partitions lS-IB. These pieces will, of course, not only add strength and rigidity, but also greatly increase the insulation in the sidewalls, making these walls about twice as resistant to heat losses as'where a single thickness of paper board is emthe sides of ployed, there being the additional insulation space ll, previously described. With suchla construction, holes 21 are provided in the. pieces 29 in register with the holes 21 for ventilation. While a box constructed along the lines of Figs. 5 l to .4 is particularly suited for local delivery due to its low cost, it should be understood that it is not intended solely for suchuse but may lower edge from the inside of the flange [3 to 2 allow air to enter between the walls, as indicated by the arrows. In other words, with this construction, there is indirect ventilation and less likelihood of the chicks being chilled by sudden gusts of air; the inner wall 9b will serve as a 25 baflle or shield.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering 30 all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

1. A box of the class described comprising a bag-like body of relatively light, foldable sheet material providing a' bottom and side walls, a separate rectangular floor-piece of heavier,

stiffer board material resting-on said bottom and holding the side walls out so as to partially define a rectangular box structure, criss-crossed vertical partitions of stiif board material fitting in the 40 said structure over the floor-piece so that the ends of the partitions enter the corners and support said side walls, and a cover for the box.

2. A box of the class described comprising. a bag-like body of relatively light, foldable sheet material providing a bottom and side walls,- a separate rectangular floor-piece of heavier, stiffer board material resting on said bottom and holding the side walls out so as to partially define a rectangular box structure, the side walls being folded in to provideside walls of double thickness, criss-crossed vertical partitions of stiff board material fitting in the said structure over the floor-piece so that the ends of the partitions enter the comers and support said sidewalls, and a cover for the box.

3. vA box ofthe class described comprising a Shag-like body of relatively light, foldable sheet material providing a bottom and side walls, a separate rectangular floor-piece of heavier, o stiiler board material resting on said bottom and holding the side walls out so as to partially define a rectangular box structure, the side walls being folded in to provide side walls of double thickness, the floor-piece having marginal upwardly projecting flangesv entered between the inner and outer piles of said side wallsto space the same ,for the purpose described; criss-crossed vertical partitions of stiff board material fitting in the said structure over the floor-piece so that 0 9,021,208 as a shield covering said openings but allowing circulation of air downwardly between the plies and under the inner ply into the box.

5. A box of the class described comprising a bag-like body of relatively light,'foldable sheet material providing a bottom and side walls, a separate rectangular floor-piece of heavier, stiffer board material resting on said bottom and holding the side walls out so as to partially define .a rectangular box structure, criss-crossed vertical partitions of stiff board material fitting in the said structure over the floor-piece sothat the ends of the partitions enter the comers and support said side walls, supplemental pieces of board material disposed along the inside of said side walls reaching from corner to corner andv serving to further strengthen the side walls of holding the side walls out so as to partially define a rectangular box structure, the side walls being folded in to provide side walls of double thickness, criss-crossed vertical partitions of still? board material fitting-in the said structure over the floor-piece so that the ends of the partitions enter the corners and support said side walls, supplemental pieces of board material disposed along the inside of said side walls reaching from corner to corner and serving to further strengthen the side walls of the structure, and a cover for the box.

7. A box of the class described comprising a bag-like body of relatively light, ioldable sheet material providing a bottom and side walls, a separate rectangular fioorepieceof heavier, stifle: board material resting-on said bottom and holding the side walls outso as to partially define a rectangular box structure, the side walls being folded in to provide side walls of double thickness, the floor-piece having marginal upwardly projecting flangesentered between the inner and outer plies of said side walls to space the same for the purpose described, criss-crossed vertical partitions of stiif board material fitting in the said structure over the floor-piece so that the ends of the partitions enter the corners and support said side walls, supplemental pieces of board material disposed along the inside-of said side walls reaching from corner to corner and serving to further strengthen. the sidewalls of the struc- ,ture, and a cover from'th'ebox.

. 8. In a boxof the class described, the combi nation of a bag-like rectangular container having bottom, sides, and removable cover, vertical crisscrossed partitions having their ends entered frictionally in the corners of said container so ,asto

support the sides and maintain the rectangular shapeof said container.

9. A chick box comprising a stiff rectangular floor-piece, a rectangular cover of similar material, criss-crossed vertical partitions disposed diagonally with respect to the top of said floorpiece under said cover, and enclosing side walls of lighter sheet material supported along the bottom by the marginal edges of the floor-piece and along the ends by the ends of the partitions.

10. Achicl: box comprising a still! rectangular floor-piece, a rectangular cover of similar material, cries-crossed vertical partitions disposed diagonally with respect to the top of said floorpiece under said cover, and a rectangular body part of lighter sheet material having bottom and side walls, the floor-piece being removably' enteredin said body on said bottom, and said partitions being removably entered on top of said floor with the ends of the partitions engaging the inside of the side walls at the corners.

11. A box as set forth in claim wherein said sheet material is foldable, and the side walls are folded in so as to provide spaced inner and outer side walls.

12. A box as set forth in claim 10 wherein said sheet material is foldable, and the side walls are folded in so as to provide spaced inner and outer side walls, and wherein the floor-piece has marginal upwardly projecting flanges, the inside of which is overlapped by the lower edges 'of the inner side walls.

' 13. A box as set forth in claim 10 wherein said sheet material is foldable, and the side walls are folded in so as to provide spaced inner and outer side walls, and wherein the outer walls have openings provided therein above the lower edges prising a rectangular container having bottom and side walls, partitions, dividing the inclosed space into compartments, one of said partitions having an upwardly extending lug at the middle thereof, a cover tor said container having an opening to receive said lug, the lug projecting 0 through said opening and adapted to receive a transverse fastener for holding the cover in place, and means on top of the cover at the corners, reaching to an elevation above the plane of the top of said lug, for spacing said box from other 5 articles placed thereon.

16. In a box of the character described comprising a rectangular container having bottom and side walls, partitions dividing the inclosed space into compartments, one of said partitions having an upwardLv extending lug at the middle thereof, a cover for said container having an openingto receive said lug, the lug projecting through said opening andradapted to receive a transverse fastener for holding the cover in place, and bifurcated lugs on said cover bendable down wardly to straddle the upper edges of said pare titions to frictionally hold the cover in place.

17. A chick box comprising a rectangular floorpiese of board material, a rectangular coverof of the floor-piece and along the ends by the ends I of the partitions, the floor-piece having its marginal edges flanged upwardly for reenforcement thereof, whereby to keep the bottom of the box straight, the flanges having engagement with the insideofthesidewslls. v

Images