US2087044A

US2087044A - Incubator egg tray

Info

Publication number: US2087044A
Application number: US81739A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert H Reiners
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-05-25
Filing date: 1936-05-25
Publication date: 1937-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1954-07-13

Description

July 13, 1937. H. H. REINERS INCUBATOR EGG TRAYS Filed May 25, 1936 m 1 1mm 15 H H RE/NERS Patented July 13, 1937 1 UNETED STATES PATENT oFFicE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in incubator egg trays generally, although'more particularly to followers employed in combination with such trays.

Among the several objects of the invention are to provide a follower having an egg-contacting face of soft material whereby the eggs may be retained in compact relation in the tray without danger of becoming broken when the follower is moved into contact therewith; to provide a pair of spaced followers either one or both of which may be used in a tray, one of the followers yieldably contacting an end wall of the tray and the other being adjustable longitudinally of the tray,

7 1 5 and to provide a follower which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, and durable in operation.

:With these and other objects in View which will more fully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views. illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: rm. Figure 1 is a partial plan view of an egg tray showing the use of bothfollowers in the tray,

Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of the followers,

Figure 4 is anenlarged view, partly in section, 1 21 of the adjustable follower, and

Figure5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1. 7

Like reference numerals designate corresponding' parts throughout the several figures of the drawings 1 I Referring to the accompanying drawing, A designates'an egg tray which includes a bottom 5, side walls (5 and l, and

end walls

8 and 9. Adapted to be located within the tray between the side walls 6 and l is a relatively stationary follower B and a relatively adjustable follower C.

The follower 13 comprises a relatively stiff body it preferably formed from sheet metal and of an elongated rectangular shape, a strip H of 4:5 relatively soft material such as sponge rubber which is firmly secured to the front face of the body as by adhesive or other suitable means, and a flat spring l2 which is connected centrally by a rivet it or the like to the rear face of the 50 body Ill. The relatively soft strip H extends substantially throughout the length of the body it whereas the flexible end portions I 3, i l of the spring i2 terminate short of the ends of said body iii. This follower B, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, is positioned against the end wall 9 whereby the end portions M, M of the spring [2 contact the end wall and thereby serve to yieldably retain the follower against said end wall. The relatively soft facing III is adapted to be contacted by the eggs which are placed within the 5 tray.

The adjustable follower C includes a body l5 of relatively stiff material, preferably sheet metal, and a facing I'B of relatively soft material, preferably sponge rubber. The body 15 is elongated and rectangular in shape and the soft facing material [6 extends substantially throughout the length of said body. The body l5 has its upper and lower edges rolled to form resultant upper and lower tubular guides I! and H! which extend throughout the length of the body. Mounted in one end of each of the guides H and iii are anchor pins l9 and which are rigidly secured therein by solder or other means, thepins projecting outwardly beyond the associated end of the body 15 and having their extreme ends pointed for engagement with'the wall 6 of the tray. Mounted'in the other ends of the guides l1, I8 are retractible anchor pins 2!, 22 and

coil springs

23, 24 which function to yieldably urge the pins 2|, 22 beyond the associated end of the body l5. These retractible pins 2|, 22 are also provided with pointed outer ends for engagement with the wall I of the tray. In order that both retractible pins 2!, 22 may be moved simultaneously, I have provided a cross rod 25 which is soldered to the projecting ends of the pins, the end of the cross rod terminating in a finger piece 26 which projects above the body I5. In order to assist in guiding the pins 2!, 22, the cross rod 25 is formed into a longitudinally slotted guide or loop 21 whichhas sliding contact with a guide pin 28 fixed to the body It.

In operation, the tray is placed at an inclination, and if both followers are to be used, the follower B is first placed in the tray at the lower end thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and 5. Eggs 29 are then positioned within the tray and in advance of the follower B. After a predetermined quantity of eggs have been thus positioned, the follower C is positioned in the tray at the upper end thereof and is then shifted longitudinally with respect to the tray until the follower contactsthe upper row of eggs whereby the eggs will be disposed in compact relation and thereby firmly held against relative movement. When adjusting the follower C it is only necessary for the operator to engage the fingerpiece 26 and retract the pins 2|, 22 and shift the follower to its desired position in contact with the eggs, and

then release the fingerpiece whereby the anchor pins [9, 20 and 2|, 22 will frictionally engage the

side walls

6 and 7 of the tray and retain said follower in its adjusted position. By providing the followers with egg contacting surfaces of soft material all danger of breaking the eggs is avoided and furthermore the soft material functions to better position the eggs in firm contact with one another.

As previously stated, either of the followers may be used if desired. Under these circumstances, the eggs are placed in the tray in transverse rows, the first row being positioned in direct contact with the lower end wall of the tray. After the tray has been filled, a small space between the top row of eggs and the upper end Wall of the tray will exist, and either one of the followers may be positioned in said space to retain the eggs in firm contact with one another.

It will also be apparent that two of the followers B, or two of the followers C, may be employed with a given tray, one of the followers being positioned against the lower end wall of the tray and the other being positioned between the top row of eggs and the upper end Wall of the tray.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with an egg tray including side walls and an end wall, of a normally stationary transverse follower located between the side walls and having yieldable contact with said end wall and of a length for simultaneously engaging a plurality of eggs, and a second transverse follower located between and yieldably engaging the side walls, whereby said followers may be yieldably opposed to each other and the eggs therebetween in any spaced or angular relation necessary to properly grip said eggs.

2. The combination with an egg tray including side walls and an end wall, of a normally stationary transverse follower located between the side walls and having yieldable contact with said end wall and of a length for simultaneously engaging a plurality of eggs, and a second transverse follower located between and yieldably engaging the side walls whereby said followers may be yieldably opposed to each other and the eggs therebetween in any spaced or angular relation necessary to properly grip said eggs, each follower including a relatively stiff body and a relatively soft egg-contacting facing.

3. A follower for egg trays comprising a sheet metal body having spaced upper and lower anchor pins rigidly secured to the body and projecting outwardly beyond one end thereof, said body having spaced upper and lower guides extending longitudinally thereof adjacent the other end, retractible anchor pins slidably mounted in said guides, a cross rod rigidly connecting the projecting parts of the pins, and a coil spring mounted in one of said guides for normally urging the rectractible pins outwardly.

4. A follower for egg trays comprising a sheet metal body having spaced upper and lower anchor pins rigidly secured to the body and projecting outwardly beyond one end thereof, said body having spaced upper and lower guides extending longitudinally thereof adjacent the other end, retractible anchor pins slidably mounted in said guides, a cross rod rigidly connecting the projecting parts of the pins, a coil spring mounted in one of said guides for normally urging the retractible pins outwardly, and a fingerpiece fixed to the upper pin and projecting above the body for retracting both pins simultaneously.

5. A follower for egg trays comprising a sheet metal body having spaced upper and lower anchor pins rigidly secured to the body and projecting outwardly beyond one end thereof, said body having spaced upper and lower guides extending longitudinally thereof adjacent the other end, retractible anchor pins slidably mounted in said guides, a cross rod rigidly connecting the projecting parts of the pins, a coil spring mounted in one of said guides for normally urging the retractible pins outwardly, a guide pin fixed to the body and extending outwardly from one face thereof, and a longitudinally slotted guide forming part of said cross rod and engageable with said guide pin.

6. The combination with an egg tray including side walls and an end wall, of a normally stationary transverse follower located between the side walls at one end of the tray and comprising a stiff, resilient material faced body extending across the width of the tray for simultaneously engaging a plurality of eggs, and a long leaf spring attached centrally to the body and having its free ends yieldably engaging at the respective sides of said end Wall; and a second transverse follower adjustably opposing said stationary follower and eggs therebetween and comprising a stiff resilient faced body extending across the width of the tray and having sharp pointed pins projecting from its ends and means for yieldably holding the pins projected against the tray side walls to permit adjustment of the spaced and angular relation of said followers as occasion may demand.

HERBERT H. REINERS.