US2508062A - Collapsible bottle carrier - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1950 R. E. FOWLER 2,508,062

COLLAPSIBLE BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Jan. 12, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @0 ATTD R N EYS May 16, 1950 R. E. FOWLER 2,508,062

COLLAPSIBLE BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Jan. 12, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 2 [55 Z INVENTOR.

A'ITD RN EYS y 6, 1950 R. E. FOWLER 2,508,062

COLLAPSIBLE BOTTLE CARRIER Filgd Jan. 12, 1948 '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 12, INVENTUR. 1 Byfl JZW Zefi v 12 F re m I w 2% v 13 12 F i I ATTCI R N EYE l atentecl May 16, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to package and article carriers including trays and to be carried by hand and more specifically to an improved collapsible bottle carrier which while adapted for carrying various kinds of bottles is especially designed for carrying soft drink bottles. The primary object of the invention is the provision of a carrier of this type that may be folded into compact shape and size for shipping and storing purposes, and which is readily extensible to receive and contain the bottled goods. In carrying out my invention I utilize a central upright panel, having a depressible and extensible handle, together with a pair of infolding trays pivotally mounted at opposite sides of the panel, and unitary braces forming bottle- :separators and pivotally linking together each of the trays with the central panel.

A minimum number of parts are employed in the carrier and these parts may with facility be manufactured at low cost of production, the parts may be assembled with convenience, and the resulting structure may readily be collapsed or folded, and unfolded, as desired.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of a physical embodiment of my collapsible bottle carrier in which the parts are combined and arranged in accord with one mode I have devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention. It will-however, be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within the scope of my claims without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a carrier in which my invention is embodied, and showing the extensible handle in retracted or depressed position; and Figure 2 is an end elevation of the carrier in Fig. 1, in extended position or unfolded to receive and contain bottles.

Figure 3 is an end View of the carrier in collapsed or folded position for shipping and storing. I

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a carrier in extended position and adapted to receive and contain six bottles.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the carrier in folded or collapsed position; and Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view at line 66 of Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is an end view of the extended carrier, showing a bottle by dotted lines.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the handle uplifted in carrying position,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the bottom panels of the infolding trays, with separators thereon, and disclosing a socket for a bottle cap.

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of one of the handle supports together with hinge joints for the unitary braces or separators of the trays.

Figure 10A is a detail cross section at line I UA-I 0A of Fig. 10.

Figure 10B is a similar view of portions of a handle support and panel.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view showing a portion of the central panel with a leg of the handle and the guide sleeve therefor, together with a hinge joint for the bracing units, and the vertically movable actuators.

Figure 12 is. a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of the side panels of an infolding tray with advertising matter embossed thereon. a

In the illustrated embodiment of the carrier the parts are preferably fashioned of sheet metal and sufficiently strong metallic wires, and as a base or main support of the carrier I employ a central upright longitudinally extending panel I having a double thick wall, and cut away at 2; along its upper edge to accommodate a hand in carrying the device.

The carrier is provided with a vertically adjustable handle 3 of inverted U-shape mounted on the central panel, and the legs 4, 4 of the handle are slidably mounted in a pair of upper guide brackets 5, 5 on the panel and a lower pair of longer sleeves 6, 6, rigid with the actuator. The legs of the handle terminate in outwardly projecting stop lugs l, l, for engagement with the lower ends of the sleeves 6, 6, when the handleis uplifted tocarrying position; and in storing or shipping position of the collapsible carrier,

the handle is depressed into contact with the upper edge of the central panel. The cross bar of the handle is equipped with a hand-piece or hand-grasp 8 having spaced flanges 9, 9, that may fit over the top edge of the panel when the handle is depressed to stabilize the handle when in down position, as when loading the carrier and when piling one carrier on top of another carrier, for stacking purposes.

At its lower end the center panel is fashioned with a pair of integral oppositely extending flanges l and II that are disposed longitudinally of the panel, and these flanges at their outer edges terminate in hinge sleeves as l2, to which a pair of 'in'foldin'g trays are hinged at' the opposite sides of the center panel and'similar hinge sleeves l2 are indicated on the hinged parts of the trays.

Each tray includes a bottom panel as i 2 and I 3 and the panels are hinged to the flanges as by long pivot or hinge pins 15. The bottom panels are adapted to support the bottles, as B, and each bottom panel is provided with a longitudinally extending series of upright, integral flanges l6, spaced apart to accommodate the bottles, and forming separators for the upstanding bottles.

--In Fig. 9it will be seen that each of the bottom panels on its underside is indented or embossed to form'a circular socket l1 and in stacking a series of carriers the sockets in the bottom panels of an upper tray fit snugly over the caps C of the bottles standingin a lower tray.

The bottom panel oi each infolding tray is provided with an outer upright side panel as [.9 and 20, and these side panel are hinged to theouter edges of the bottom panelsby means of hinge pins it], 29 and ears I2, in order that the bottom panelsmay 'fold inwardly against the opposite sides 'of the lower portion of the center panel, and the side panels may fold in inclined position against the upper portion of the center paneLas best'se'en'in Fig; 6. l

' For retaining and bracing the unfolded trays in rigid "carrying position, and for co-a'cti'on' with the separators on the bottom panels, in holding the" bottles in upright position, each tray is equipped with a preferably unitary structure of wire of "suitable strength,'by means of'which' the traysare united with the center panel at its'op- Dosite sides."

'Each of these unitary braces, which are utilized as actuators in folding and unfolding the trays, includes-two double thickspacing arms or separators ZI-and 22 that extend inwardlytoward the center panel for'impingement against its opposite sides, and two actuating link bars 23 and 24, the bars and arms being spaced to coincide with the bottom separators or flanges of the bottom panels. The angular braces also include longitudinally extending hinge bars 25 that are hinged in' sleeves 26' on'-thetop edges of the side panels, and the free ends 21' of the arms contact the opposite sides-of the center panel while the inner ends of the link bars 23 and 24 are bent to form journals 28 that are hinged in bearing sleeves 29 conveniently fashioned at the lower ends of the flanges 30 of the handle sleeves 6, of the actuators.

Asseen in Fig. 10 these actuators 629 are provided with bottom tabs 3| that fitinto slots 32 of the center panel I, to reinforce the joint of the combined guide sleeve 6 for the handle and the pairs of oppositely arranged ears or hinge sleeves 29 for the journals of the end links of the trays.

For identifying purposes, the side panels I8 and I9 may be utilized as advertising plates, as indicated in Fig. 12 where the letters of the advertising matter are embossed at 33 by stamping, or otherwise impressing the metal, and such matter is visible while the trays are infolded as well as when the side trays are extended for use.

When the trays are loaded with bottles, a lifting movement applied to the depressed handle of the carrier, applies a slight initial infolding movement to the two trays, so that the end links will be slightly inclined upwardly from the horizontal, and the side walls of the trays will be slightly inclined toward the center panel, as indicated in Fig. '7. In this manner thesidewalls of the trays are made to hug, or leanf againstfthe two sets of bottles, for retaining th'ni i'ntight posit iens within the trays while the appliance is being handled. This hugging or clamping action of the trays against, their contained bottles is accomplished by adjusting movements of the actuators 6, and for this'purpose the opposite ends of the center tray are cut away at 32 and the metal at the endsoi the cut-out is bent to form an integral stop ing 34 against upward movement of the actuator and a second stop lug 35 to limit downwarcimovement of the actuator, and the tabs 3] of the actuator co-act with these lugs,'a lternately, to limit the upward and downwardmovements of the two actuators.

After the bottles have been loaded by hand, or by machine, and with the handl in depressed position, the initial lifting.,movement applied by hand [to the handle, lifts the actuators, slightly, to'cause the side trays to hug the bottles; then the movement of the actuatorsis stopped and they remain stationary while the legs of thehan- (116 are being pulled up through the sleeves 6 until the lugsl, '1 of the handlesengage the bottoms of the sleeves, thereby taking the load of the ca rier.

When the carrier is empty, however, the bottom panels may be swung into upright position against the opposite sides o f the center panel, the sidepanels fold into inclined position against the upper portion of theicenter panel, and .the end links are folded into upright position between the side panels and the center panel, with, the handle uplifted, as in Figs. 5 and 6,.top1'ovidea compactarrangement for storing orshipping of the carriers Having thus fully described my invention, .what I. claim as newand desire to secur by Letters Patent is:

1. The combinationin acollapsible bottle-carrier. having a longitudinally extending vertical center panel and a handle therefor, and apairot oppositely extending horizontal bottom flanges on the panel, of a pair of. bottomrpanelshinged to. said flanges, a pair of upright. side. panels hinged to the bottomflanges, a pair of link-bars pivotally connecting the upperedges of. the side panels with the center pane band spaced foldable cross arms pivoted at their-outer. ends on the up: per edges of theside panelsfor. separating stand; ing bottles.

2. The combination in a collapsible bottle carrier having a longitudinallyvextending vertical center panel and a handle therefor, and a pair of oppositely-extending horizontal. bottom flanges onthe panel, of a pair of bottom panels hinged to said flanges, a pair of upright side panels hinged to the bottom, panels of I a unitar separator arranged on each side of said center panel and embodying end link bars hingedly connected about to said Center panel, and cross-arms arranged in- REFERENCES CITED termediate said link bars. 3. The combilnation in a collapsitllf bottle gar- 5 :1 3 gfii i are of record in the rier of a pane, a pair of opposi y ex en ing horizontal bottom flanges on said central panel, a l UNITED STATES PATENTS pair of bottom panels hingedly connected to said Number Name Date bottom flanges, socketsfon the under-side of the .593,889 Horn Nov. 16, 1897 bottom panels, a unitary separator arranged on 2,293,646 Haas et a1 Aug. 18, 1942 each side of said panel iand including end link 2,329,656 Sedgwick p 1943 bars having hinge connections with the central 0 2,347,807 Booth May 2, 1944 panel, and cross arms arranged intermediat said 25 3 3 Cunningham 19. 1944 link bars. 1 2,425,140 Allen Aug. 5, 1947 ROY FOWLER 2,425,401 Shaw et a1 Aug. 12, 1947

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