US2550088A - Collapsible metal box - Google Patents

Description

April 24-, 1951 J. T. sAYER COLLAPSIBLE METAL BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 28, 1948 //VVE/YTO/5i JOHN T SHYER April 24, 1951 J. T. SAYER COLLAPSIBLE METAL BOX 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1948 I l I I I I I l l I I I I I I I I I l I April 24, 1951 J. T. SAYER COLLAPSIBLE METAL BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 001;. 28, 1948 NINE/V701? XOHN TSHYER- 3mm W Patented Apr. 24, 1951 COLLAPSIBLE METAL BOX John Thomas Sayer, Ifield, England, assignor to Sayers Metal Products Limited, London, England Application October 28, 1948, Serial No. 56,950 In Great Britain November 10, 1947 4 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible metal boxes, usually of sheet metal, of the kind in which the four sides of the box are interhinged and the bottom is pivotally connected to, and can be folded upwards against, one of the sides, and pairs of adjoining sides can be collapsed together, the box passing from a rectangular configuration, through a lozenge configuration, into a flat condition.

The object of the invention is so to connect the bottom of the box pivotally to the respective side of the box, that when the bottom is folded up Wards Within the box, such folded-up bottom does not obstruct the box collapsing into a flat condition.

According to this invention the above object is achieved, in a collapsible metal box having interhinged sides and a bottom which is foldable upwardly within the box, by the hinge structure between the bottom and a side wall of the container. This hinge structure comprises tongues extending from a border of the bottom through elongated horizontally disposed slots adjacent the bottom edge of such side wall, which tongues are secured to an external horizontal rod, each horizontal slot extending, in at least one direction, sufliciently beyond the width of the tongue extending therethrough, as to permit lateral displacement of the bottom clear of the hinge of such side to the side of the box folding thereagainst when the box is collapsed. Such side, in folding, pushes the bottom to slide sideways to be clear of the hinge, whereas the opposite side, on unfolding, pushes the bottom back into a central position in the box.

In order that the box can be collapsed in either direction to bring alternative sides against the folded-up bottom, the transverse slots through which the tongues of the bottom extend, preferably extend in both directions beyond the widths of the tongues.

The bottom of the box when turned down, is supported on lugs protruding inwardly from the other three sides of the box to which the bottom is not pivotally connected. Transverse slots are provided in the sides into which these lugs enter when the box is collapsed into the fiat condition.

The box is usually composed of sheet metal, but the components thereof may be metal castmgs.

The lugs may be formed by bending inwards a portion of the sheet metal out to form each slot, the remainder of the sheet metal cut to form the slot being removed to provide clearance 2 for the entry of a lug of an opposite side when the box is collapsed flat. I

A collapsible metal box, constructed in ac-' cordance with the invention, is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the box uncollapsed and with two sides partly broken away to expose the bottom to view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the box in the uncollapsed condition.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the box collapsed with the lid partly broken away, and

Fig. 4 is a corresponding plan.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view,

Fig. 6 is a corresponding vertical section and Fig. 7 is a corresponding inverted plan, showing a latch bolt holding down the bottom.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative detail.

The box is composed of sheet metal.

The four sides a, b, c, d, Fig. 4, of the box are interhinged so that pairs of sides can be collapsed together, the box passing from the rectangular configuration shown in Fig. 1, through a lozenge configuration (not shown), into the flat condition shown in Figs. 3 and l.

The hinges are formed by notching and bending the adjoining borders of the sides to form hinge sleeves e embracing hinge pins 1, F g. 4

g is the bottom of the box. The bottom g is pivotally connected to the side a, so as to be capable of being alternatively folded up within the box against the side a, as shown in Figs. 3 and l, or folded down so as to hold the sides a, b, c, d apart when unfolded to impart a rectangular configuration to the box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The bottom g is pivotally connected to the side a by tongues 71. on the bottom 9, which extend through transverse slots i in the side a, and which, outside the box, are bent to form sleeves a which embrace and are clinched around the ends of an external transverse rod k, Figs. 1

and 3.

a The external transverse rod preferably, as shown, does not extend beyond the tongues h. Instead of a single rod lc, each tongue It may embrace a separate short rod or pin to constitute a T head on the end thereof. The sides of the box can be folded flat either as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or in the reverse direction.

The slots i in the side a through which the 3 I tongues h of the bottom g extend, extend on both sides of the tongues h sufiiciently beyond the width of the tongues h to permit the bottom g of the box to be displaced sideways by the side b or the side (1 folding against the upturned bottom 9, and so to be clear of the hinge of such side to the side a. When the sidesare unfolded to impart the rectangular configuration to the box, the opposite side (1 or b in unfolding thrusts; the bottom g back into its central position.

When down, the bottom g rests on lugs Lprotruding inwardly from the sides I), c, d.

These lugs Z are formed by bending part. ofthemetal cut to form transverse slots m in the sides I), c, d. These slots m are so mutually positioned and are of a length extending'beyond the widthof the lugs bent therefrom, as to receive thelugs Z of opposed sides when folded thereagainst.

The lugs l of a side b or d folded against the side or enter the slots-i thereof.

The lugs may alternatively be formed by pieces of sheet metal l bent to: L- cross section and riveted on the respectivesidesas shown in FigLS.

Flat sliding latch bolts n entering the slots m in the sides b, c, d, and operated from the underside of the bottom g, are provided on the underside ofthe bottom g, to hold the bottom down.

prising tongues on one edge of said bottom and ois'a- 11a hinged to the-top of the side a, the I hinge being formed in the same manner as the would project beyond the sides of the box when the box is collapsed, thebottomand lid may each be formed by two-flaps, respectively pivotally connected and hinged toopposite sides of the box.

I claim: f

1'. In a collapsible box, vertical side wallsofv said box formed with elongated horizontally disposedslots adjacent their bottom edges and hinged together at their vertical edges, a bot-' tomof said box foldable: upwardly within said box about hinge elements disposed between one edge of said bottom and a bottom edge of one of the said side Walls, said bottom hinge elements comprising tongues on one edge of said bottom and extending through-said slots in: said side wall, each said slot in said side Wall extending in at least one direction beyond. the width of the tongue extendingtherethrough, and a transverse rodexternal to saidbox and secured to each said;v

extending through said slots in said side wall, each said slot in said side wall extending in both directions beyond the width of the tongue extending therethrough, and a transverse rod external to said box and secured toeach said tongue, and lugs protruding inwardly from the three other side walls adjacent their bottom edges at the level of said slots.

3. In a collapsible metal box, vertical side walls of said box formed With horizontally disposed slots adjacent their bottomedges and hinged together at their vertical edges, a bottom of said box foldable upwardly within said box about hinge elements disposedbetween one edge of said bottom and a bottom edge of one of said side Walls, said said bottom hinge elements comprising tongues on one edge of said bottom and extending through said elongated horizontally disposed slots in said side wall, each said slot in said side wallextending in atv least one direction beyond the width of the tongue extending therethrough, and a transverse rod external to said box and secured toeach said tongue, and lugs=protruding inwardly from the three other side walls adjacent their bottom edges and consisting of inwardly bent portions of the metal out to form saidslotsthere: in of less width than offset relatively'to' said slots.

Fl, In acollapsible metalbox, vertical side walls of said box formedwith horizontally disposed slots adjacent their bottom edges and hinged together at their vertical edges, a bottom of said boxfoldable upwardly within said box abouthinge elements disposed between one edge'of. said bottom and a bottom edgeof one of saidside walls, said bottom hinge elements comprising tongues on one edge of'saidbottom and extending through said elongated horizontally disposed slots in said side wall, each said slot in said: side wall: extending in both directions beyond the 1y from the three'other side walls adjacent their hingedtogether attheir vertical edges, a bottom 50 of said box foldabler upwardly within said box about hinge elements disposed between one edge of said'bottom and a bottom edge of one of the said side walls, said bottom hingeelements come.

' Number Name Date 1,038,816 Arnold Sept. 17,1912" 1,374,602 Panek Apr. 12, 1921 1,620,585 Walther Mar; 8, 1927 2,367,205 I Cowen Jan. 16, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date bottom edges and consisting of: inwardly bent portions of the metal cut to form said slots-therein of less Width than and offset relatively to said slots.

JOHN THOMAS SAYER.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS 177,430 Canada June 5,1917,

Images