US2826332A - Tray type carrier - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1958 K. K. HUDSON TRAY TYPE CARRIER Filed May 3, 1954 United States Patent TRAY TYPE CARRIER Kenneth K. Hudson, Tampa, Fla.

Application May 3, 1954, Serial No. 427,302

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-95) My present invention has for its primary object providing a molded dual purpose bottle case of unique arrangement that can be filled at the bottling plant by a standard case filler, and can be used for two-handed carrying as a delivery case from bottling plant to retail store, and also for single-handed carrying as a package case from retail store by the customer. My invention relates particularly to a handle construction especially intended for use in the sort of case mentioned, but also capable of. being used in any sort of a carrier in which an extendable and retractable handle is desirable.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for keeping the top of the handle flush with the top of the case, in order to stack the cases in as small a space as possible, and also in alignment with the sides of the mid-rib, so as to permit the loading of the case with a commercial straight-line case filler. Still another object is to provide means for keeping the handle flush with the top of the empty case even when inverted, thereby making it possible to stack the cases with the open side down. The construction and operation are described with reference to the usual upright position of the carrier, but it will be understood that the use of such terms as up and down and their derivatives in the description and claims is for brevity, down referring to the direction the handle moves to retract, and up to the direction it moves to extend. The mechanism works to retract the handle automatically whether the carrier is right side up, or on its side, or upside down.

With these purposes in mind I describe and illustrate a preferred form of my invention, it being understood that the form shown is illustrative and not limiting, and that the principles thereof can be applied in modified forms and other suitable materials.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle carrying case embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial central longitudinal vertical section taken on plane 2-2 of Fig. showing the related details of construction of my handle and case with the handle in carrying position, only one end being shown, because the ends are symmetrical;

Fig. 3 is on the same plane as Fig. 2, but showing the handle retracted;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on plane 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on plane 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The case shown in Fig. 1, made of molded plastic, has extended ledges 11 at each end flush with the top of the case, providing handles for two-handed lifting for store delivery and has a central longitudinal vertical rib 12 the Patented Mar. 11, 1958 full height of the case, besides the usual bottle positioning ribs 14.

The mid-length of the rib 12 is lowered as at 16 to seat a handle grip 18 and further lowered as at 17 between the seats 16, to provide finger space, and also closed from 16 to 17, as at 19. The handle construction comprises the grip 18 preferably of solid molded material, and no wider than the top of the rib 12, carrying a spring wire shaped as a flat-based inverted U when puled up as in Fig. 2 and stressed to spread by its own resiliency into the position of Fig. 3 when released.

The middle part 20 of the wire is imbedded lengthwise in the grip 18 while each leg portion 21, one at each end, sweeps down in a long outward curve terminating in hook 22.

The central longitudinal rib 12 is hollow, open at bottom 13 and closed at top, 14 and 17, all as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to receive the wire legs 21. A short flange 27 goes down into the space between the sides of rib 12 near each end of the finger recess, but spaced along the rib from the closure 16, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A notch 29 in flange 27 and central with rib 12 and only slightly wider than the wire leg 21, guides the wire to seat the grip 18 in the lower position in alignment with rib 12, so that the grip will not interfere with loading bottles into the case. This notch 29 also receives the hook 22 to carry the load when the handle is up, see Fig. 2. When the grip is pulled up, the wire leg 21 slides up until the hook catches in the notch, and when the grip is released the resiliency of the wire causes a spreading action pulling the grip down to the position of Fig. 3. As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the shape of the stressed wire leg causes an angular contact with the edge of the flange 27, in the notch 29, resulting in a constant tendency of the leg to force itself downward.

It will be understood the foregoing is the preferred form illustrating the application of the principles of my invention, and that it may be used in modified forms, its scope being defined by the claim.

I claim:

In a tray type carrier, a vertical interior rib formed of two spaced-apart parallel walls with a top connection, a hand-grip-receiving depression in said rib, a short vertical flange depending from said top connection at each end of said depression, and an opening below said flange into said inter-rib space, a movable hand grip aligned with said rib and adapted to seat in said depression, outwardly and downwardly stressed spring legs. secured to each end of said hand grip, and each contacting the lower edge of its respective flange at an angle greater than the angle at which friction between said leg and said guide will cause said leg to remain stationary against said flange, whereby each leg constantly tends to force itself into a position to seat and hold said hand grip in said depression regardless of the position of the carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 142,783 Jacobson Nov. 6, 1945 1,757,475 Pratt May 6, 1930 2,109,034 Seifer Feb. 22, 1938 2,339,168 Hutchings Jan. 11, 1944 2,609,137 Toensmeier Sept. 2, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 311,517 Germany Mar. 29, 1919

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