US2175390A

US2175390A - Lug box

Info

Publication number: US2175390A
Application number: US205326A
Authority: US
Inventors: George E Harrison
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-04-30
Filing date: 1938-04-30
Publication date: 1939-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1956-10-10

Description

Oct. 10, 1939, G. E. HARRISON 0 LUG BOX Filed April 30, 1938 INVENTOR I Gilfialy oson/ v ATTORNEY mudixuaim UNITED STATES.

PATENT- OFFICE 2 Claim].

This invention relates generally to an improved lug box of the type used to carry vegetables and fruits from the fleld to packing shed or cannery, and the invention is directed in particular to a a metallic lug box for such purpose.

The principal object of the invention is to provide 9. lug box so arranged that when a plurality of the boxes are fllled and stacked together, the contents are not bruised or crushed and are properly ventilated; the boxes being constructed to prevent any one box of a stack from sliding off the next lower box.

Another object is to provide a tapered metallic lug box having means incorporated therewith to prevent wedging of one box in another when empty and nested together, and at the same time without possibility of relative lateral shifting of the nested boxes.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a lug box wherein the body is constructed from a single sheet of metal, the box being quite sanitary in use and readily cleaned.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which 95 will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box with the hinged platforms in position to receive another box thereon.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the box adjacent one end thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is an end view illustrating the position of the swinging platforms when several boxes are nested.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the body of 45 the box is made from a single sheet of metal, the sides I and ends 2 being bent upward with an outward flare from the bottom 3. Each end includes flanges 4 which are bent into overlapping engagement with and secured to the sides I, adjacent the ends thereof. These flanges increase in width from bottom to top as shown whereby to strengthen the upper edges of the sides adjacent the ends.

The upper edge of the body of the box through- 55 out its extent is reinforced by means of a rod 5 on the outside about which said edge portion is rolled. The box sides are reduced in height between flanges to form a dip 6 in each side for the purpose hereinafter described. Relatively nar-- row plates or platforms 8 are provided along one B edge with spaced hinge sleeves 9 which engage portions of the reinforcing rod 5 along the ends of the box where the rod is exposed between the rolled-over edge ll of the box ends; such edge being cut away at intervals to receive the hinge l0 sleeves for engagement with the rod. The hinge sleeves are arranged relative to the platforms so that the latter may be disposed horizontal inwardly and somewhat below the plane of said rod portions. These platforms are of sufflcient 18 length to extend, when horizontally disposed, from side to side of the box; there being saddle elements ll formed on the ends of the platforms for substantially the width thereof and arranged to engage over the corresponding upper rolled g0 edges of the box sides above flanges 4 when said platforms are so positioned. The platforms are thus disposed below the plane of both the upper edge of the adjacent end and side portions of the box. As a result, the boxes may be stacked one 25 upon the other, the bottom of one box resting on the platforms of the next lower box and without possibility of the boxes separating by reason of lateral shifting movement. The boxes are filled up only to the level of dip 6 in the upper go edges of the sides and therefore, as such level is below the platforms, the produce in the box cannot be bruised or crushed when the boxes are stacked. Also, by reason of the box being tapered as well as provided with the side dips 6, free cir- 35 culation of air over the produce in the boxes takes place even when such boxes are stacked and in rows on a truck or the like.

When the box is not in use and several are to be hosted, the platforms are swung up and over the end portions of rod 5 to a depending position therefrom in close face to face contact with the box ends. As the box tapers from its upper edges downward, the outer end or saddle portions of the depending platforms project beyond the ends of the box. Thus, when several of the boxes are nested, such projecting portions of the platforms engage the upper edges of the sides of the next lower box as shown in Fig. 4. This effectively prevents wedging of the nested boxes. To prevent lateral shifting of the nested boxes, the then lower edges of the depending saddles are cut upward, as at l2, so that the edge portion therebetween extends below the plane of the engaged upper edges of the lower box.' Openings ll in the platforms form hand grips by means of which the boxes can be readily handled when the platforms are swung upwardly to a vertical position as indicated in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets fnrth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. V

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tapered box adapted for nesting and including ends and sides, platforms hinged along one edge on the upper edges of the'box ends for swinging movement from a horizontal position inwardly of said box ends to a depending position exteriorly thereof, means to limit downward movement of the platforms from such horizontal position, the platforms when in a depending position projecting beyond the box ends and adapted to engage at their then lower edges adjacent the ends thereof on the upper side edges of the next lower box when a plurality of boxes are nested, and other means formed with said platforms and arranged to cooperate with said upper side edges of said next lower box to prevent lateral shifting of one box relative to the other.

2. A box as in claim 1 in which said other means comprises portions cut away from said lower edges of the platform at the point adapted to engage the upper side edges of the next lower box whereby when a plurality of boxes are nested,

the lower edge portions of the platforms between said cut-away portions extend below the planeof the engaged upper side edges of said next lower box and prevent any relative lateral shifting between said boxes.

GEORGE E. HARRISON.