US2148681A

US2148681A - Tray partition

Info

Publication number: US2148681A
Application number: US76474A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas R Cameron
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-04-25
Filing date: 1936-04-25
Publication date: 1939-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 1956-02-28

Description

Feb. 28, 1939. T. R. CAMERON y v 21,148,581

i I TRAY PARTITION Filed April 25, 1936 71@ Wills Zlfallero n I l .f/ f/f/f I 51km Patented Feb. 2s, 1939 I' PATENT OFFICE A i y' k2,148,681 y y A y' TRAY PAR'rmoN Thomas R. Cameron,Hondo,Tex.A Application April 25, 1936, Serial No. 76,474

2 Claims.

This invention relates to trays and more particularly to a tray used in incubatore or the like for holding eggs and to a means insertible within the tray for holding eggs in an upright position within the tray where the quantity of eggs is insuiicient to completely fill the tray.

An object of this invention is to provide a partition for use in an egg holding tray which is readily adjustable to size and which can be positioned at any .point along the length of the egg holding tray so as to hold the eggs within the tray in the proper position.

' Another object of this invention'is to provide an adjustable partition which will be maintained by reason of its construction in an upright position within an egg holding tray and which can be easily positioned within the tray or removed therefrom without changing any of the present construction of the tray.

' The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in part be understood from the 'following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being villustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein: l

Figure 1 is a perspective View of an egg holding tray having a partition constructed according to an embodiment of this invention mounted therein.

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of the partition removed from the tray.

Figure 3 is a top plan of the partition.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like symbols designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral I 0 designates generally a tray construction including a bottom II, vertical side walls i2 and end walls I3. This tray construction is conventional and is of a type used for holding eggs within an incubator. Where the quantity of eggs placed within the tray IIJ is insufficient to completely ll the tray it is necessary to provide a partition or movable wall between the end walls I3 and the side walls I2 for holding the eggs in upstanding position. In some instances, an elongated strip is inserted between the side walls I2 and wedged in upright position or otherwise maintained in the proper position. It is, therefore, anobject of this invention to provide a partition which can be in.- serted in egg trays of varying sizes and which will, by reason of its construction, be maintained in an upright position and held sufficiently tight between the sidewalls I2 so as to properly support ,the eggs in the desired position.

. An elongated plate or strip I4 is adapted to be placed between the side Walls I2 of the tray and this strip or plate I4 is, in the present instance, constructed of metal and has one end I5 thereof bent at right angles to the length of the body of the strip and this end I5 is adapted 5 to engage against the inside surface of one of the side walls I2. A movable side wall engaging member, generally designated as I6, is slidably carried by the plate I4 and, in the present instance, the movable member I6 comprises a sub- 10 stantially U-shaped bar or relatively rigid piece of wire having the parallel legs I1 thereof disposed in spaced apart relation substantially equal to the depth of the plate I4. The bight I8 of this movable member I6 is adapted to engage 15 against the opposite side wall I2 of the tray I0.

The movable member I6 is slidable in guides I9 which are formed integral with the plate I4 and these guides I9 are formed by striking a plurality of tongues or the like from the plate I4 and then 20 bending these tongues in looped form so as to provide guide eyes to slidably receive the parallel legsk I1 of the movable member I6. The movable member I6 is constantly urged longitudinally and outwardly of the plate I4 by means of an eX- panding spring 20 which engages about one leg I'I of this member I6, as shown in Figure 2.

In the use of this device where the quantity of eggs mounted in the tray I0 is insuilicient to ll the entire area of the tray, the eggs may be 30 disposed adjacent one end of the tray or be disposed in a position to ll the area from one end and the partition comprising the stationary member I4 and the movable member I6 may then be positioned between the side walls I2 of the tray, 35 as shown in Figure l. The tension of the spring 20 is such as to yieldably maintain the partition in an upright position, this being also assisted by means of the angular end member I5 carried by the plate I4. It will, therefore, be obvious that 40 trays of different sizes may receive any desired quantity of eggs and a single partition may be used for these trays which will not aiTect the present construction of the tray so that the removable partition may be positioned at any de- 45 slred point along the length of the side walls I2 within the body of the tray.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. An extensible tray partitioncomprising a flat metal strip, a U-shaped extension member having the parallel legs thereof disposed longitudinally of the strip and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the strip, guides integral With the opposite longitudinal edges of the strip and rolled over from the edges of the strip, the legs of said member loosely engaging said guide members and the bight of said member being disposed beyond the adjacent end of the strip, and a spring bearing against one of said guides and against the bight end of the U-shaped member and constantly urging said U-shaped member longitudinally of said strip and outwardly of the adjacent end of the strip.

2. An extensible tray partition comprising a ilat metal strip, a U-shaped extension member having the parallel legs thereof disposed longitudinally of the strip and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the Width of the' strip, ears integral with the opposite longitudinal edges of the strip rolled over from the edges of the strip and projecting laterally of a face thereof and disposed inwardly of said longitudinal edges, the legs of said member loosely engaging said guides and the bight of said member being disposed beyond the adjacent end of the strip, and a spring surrounding one of the legs of the U-shaped member and bearing at one end against the bight of said U-shaped member and at the other end against one of said guides and constantly urging said U-shaped member longitudinally of said strip and outwardly of the adjacent end of the strip.

THOMAS R. CAMERON.