US297225A - Ventilation of barrels and boxes - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. W. BROOK.

VENTILATION OF BARREL$ AND BOXES.

No. 297,225. r Patented Apr. 22, 1884.

u. PETERS. Phoicrliihagmplur. Washington. D. a

JAMES \VILLIAM BROOK, OF AMHERST COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

VENTILATION OF BARRELS AND BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,225, dated April 22, 1884.

Application filed August 17, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES \V. BROOK, of the county of Amherst, and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ventilation of Barrels and Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full. clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make anduse it, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in ventilation of barrels, "boxes, and other vessels in which grain, fruit, or any perishable article is packed or placed; and it consists in a wire coil which is placed in the middle of the box or barrel for the purpose of forming an air chamber or space at this point, whereby the fruit, grain, or other article is ventilated at the center as well as the sides.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which can be placed in the center of any grain or perishable article of any kind which is to be packed in boxes or barrels, or which is to be placed in piles or heaps, and by forming an air space or chamber to prevent fermentation from taking place at this point.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 shows a modification.

In making my device I take a coil of wire, iron, wood, or any suitable material, and first form'one, two, or more large circles, leaving considerable of an end, B, extending out from the coil. After these top circles or coils have been formed "the coils are reduced in size, as shown, and continued any suitable length. At the other end of the device a suitable number of large coils, similar to the one above described, are again formed, and the end of the piece of wire is wrapped aroundor twisted into the last coil or ring, so as to strengthen it as much as possible. An end is also left projecting from this last ring or coil, and this end is then bent down either through the large coils and outside of the small ones, or outside of the large coils, and then the lower end of this projecting piece is bent into a hook, O, which is made to catch inside of the large coil at the opposite end. The projecting end which was left sticking out at the first end of the coil is also bent so as to pass down through the large coils on the opposite ends, and then has its end bent into a hook, C, over the large coils at the front end, as already described. These two hooked ends serve to prevent the coil from becoming extended to too great a degree when the coil is being pulled up out'of the barrel, box, or heap in which it is being used. These hooks prevent too great an expansion of the coils, and do not in any way interfere with the contraction of the coils to any desired extent. The large coils at each end are made for the purpose of forming the hearing against the top or bottom of the barrel or box for thepurpose of holding the coil more securely in position.

If desired to fasten the coil in place in the barrel or box,it may be fastened down by means of staples, hooks, or any other suitable devices of that kind. It is not absolutely necessary that the hooks should be formed, for the coil will act in some respects as well withoxt them, but they are preferably used for the purpose of preventing the coil from being drawn out too far, as above described. One of these coils placed in a box or barrel, or under or through a heap of hay, fodder, or any grain or perishable article, forms an air chamber or space atthis point, and thus prevents heating or fermentation from taking place. \Vhere the coil is placed in the center of a box or barrel which is filled with fruit, vegetables, seed, or any perishable object, it prevents it' from becoming heated at the center. \Vhere openings are made through the heads or sides of the barrel the air circulates freely through the barrel and its contents. The springs, by keeping the center of the box or barrel open, keep its contents always cool. Where this coil is to be placed in a barrel containing seed or any other finely-divided material, it may be inclosed in a bag or covering of any kind which will prevent the seed or other fine material from filling the center of the coil and thus preventing it from acting. lVhere these coils are used in connection with heaps of any kind, they serve to break the solid bulk and divide the heaps up into smaller portions, and thus allow the air to circulate through with sufficient freedom to prevent heating from taking place.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction here shown, for the coil alone, when made ofany suitable material which is strong enough to resist the strain, will answer every purpose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of a barrel or box in which some perishable article is to be packed with a spring which is placed therein, to allow air to circulate freely through the article, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of a barrel orbox to be used in the packing of perishable articles with the spring which is placed therein, the ends JAMES \VILLIAM BROOK.

Vitnesses:

J. \V. GARNER, XV. S. D. Hamns.

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