US3117688A

US3117688A - Adjustably compartmented case

Info

Publication number: US3117688A
Application number: US219571A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter J Walstad; Roy R Hamady
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-08-27
Filing date: 1962-08-27
Publication date: 1964-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-14

Description

n- 1964 .w. J; wALsTA'D ETAL 3,117,638

ADJUSJTABLY COMPARTMENTED CASE Filed Aug. 27, .1962 2 Sheets-Sheeti INVENTORS W ROY R. HAMD! ATTORN EY 1964 w. J. WALSTAD ETAL 3,

ADJUSTABLY COMPARTMENTED CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1962 INVENTORS WALTER J. WALSTA ROY R. HAMADY ATI'ORNE United States Patent C) 3,117,688 ADEUSTABLY CQMPARTMENTED CASE Walter J. Walstad, 821 W. 2nd St, and Roy R. Haniady, 1715 Detroit Sn, both of Flint, Mich. Filed Aug. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 219,571 Claims. (Cl. 2177) This invention relates to adjustably compartmented cases and more particularly to an adjustable case having four compartments adaptable into either of two alternative cross-sectional sizes.

Conventional cases for the transport and storage of bottles, such as bottles of Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, or the like, are frequently fashioned from wooden boxes divided into four compartments of identical fixed length and width by a pair of interior dividing walls rigidly connected between the midpoints of each opposing pair of the sides of said container, respectively, and intersecting each other at a right angle. Each of the rectangular compartments thus formed is of such length and width as to snugly receive a conventional cardboard package, or carton, often called a six pack, containing six beverage bottles each of a particular uniform greatest diameter. Such a case, if adapted to snugly receive in each compartment a carton containing six bottles of one diameter, will but loosely receive in each such compartment a carton adapted to contain six bottles of small diameter. Conversely, such a conventional case adapted to snug receive in each compartment a carton containing six bottles of smaller diameter will be utterly unable to receive a carton adapted to contain six bottles of larger diameter.

Further, manufacturers of beverages sometimes bottle their beverage product in bottles which, though of a con ventional luid capacity such as six, eight, or twelve ounces, have a unique configuration and greatest diameter. In practice, merchants are accordingly frequently obliged to store and transport bottles of a particular brand, capacity, and configuration, or cartons containing six such bottles, only in cases specially adapted to receive such, which cases frequently will not satisfactorily receive bottles, or cartons of six thereof, of any other brand, capacity, or configuration. Thus a retail merchant may have on hand a number of empty cases adapted to receive 24 six-ounce bottles of, say, Coca-Cola, and he also may have on hand a number of empty twelve ounce bottles of, say, Pepsi-Cola, but such empty cases will not properly receive 24 of such twelve-ounce bottles. Conversely, he may have on hand a number of empty cases adapted to receive 24 twelve-ounce bottles of, say, Pepsi-Cola, and he may also have on hand a number of empty six-ounce bottles of, say, Coca-Cola, but if he places said empty bottles in such cases, they will fit but loosely, will rattle during transport, and will be susceptible to breakage. Even when bottles are placed within such cases Without a surrounding cardboard carton for each half dozen thereof, as is often the case with returned empty beverage bottles, the same general problem maintains: it is impossible to place 24 bottles of greater diameter into a case adapted to receive 24 bottles of lesser diameter, and when 24 bottles of esser diameter are placed in a case adapted to receive 24 bottles of greater diameter they are received so loosely that they rattle and are susceptible to breakage because of the excess space within the case and between the bottles.

Accordin ly, an object of the invention is to provide means for dividing the interior of a case into four compartments each having first crosssectional dimensions and, alternatively, into four compartments each having second cross-sectional dimensions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide "ice an improved compartmented case adapted to receive a plurality of bottles having either of two uniform diameters.

These, together with various auxiliary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specil cation, in which like characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, and wherein:

FiGURE 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable case arranged to receive a plurality of bottles each having an identical, larger diameter.

FIGURE 2A is a sectional view taken along line 2-2- of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 23 is a sectional View taken as along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 but showing the upper cross member in elevated position.

FIGURE 2C is a sectional view taken as along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 but showing the upper and lower cross members in horizontal position and the upper cross member elevated.

FIGURE 2D is a sectional view taken as along line 22 of FIG RE 1 but showing the upper and lower cross members in a horizontal position and the upper cross member resting atop the lower cross member.

FIGURE 3A is a sectional View taken along line 33 of FIGURE FIGURE 35 is a sectional view 3-3 of FlGURE l but showing the in elevated position.

FIGURE 3C is a sectional View taken as along line 33 of FIGURE 1 but showing the upper and lower cross members in horizontal position and the upper cross member elevated.

FIGURE 3D is a sectional view taken as along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 but showing the upper and lower cross members in horizontal position and the upper cross member resting atop the lower cross member.

A IGURE 4 is a perspective view of an adjustable case arranged to receive an equal plurality of bottles each having an identical, smaller diameter.

FIGURE 5 is a partial view of the pivotal connection of one end of a lower cross member and an end or" an ad ustabl'e case, showing spring means adapted to yiel ingly urge said cross member in a direction away from said end of said case.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an end plate having a +-shaped recess therein adapted to receive the other end of a lower cross member.

FIGURE 7 is a partial view of a modified form of pivotal connection of one end of a lower cross member and an end of an adjustable case.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line S- of FEGURE 7.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, generally indicated at 1% is a rectangular receptacle or case preferably fashioned of wood and having a bottom 12, a pair of spaced, parallel sides i i, 14, and a pair of

parallel ends

16, 16 of shorter length than said sides, secure-d together by conventional means, such as screws, nails, or the like (not shown). A pair of slots l8, i8 is formed in ends 16, 15 to provide means for manually gripping the case.

An elongated wooden lower cross member 26 of rectangular cross-section is pivotally supported upon its longitudinal axis between ends 19, ill by a pair of round headed

screws

22, 22 extending through a pair of washtaken as along line upper cross member vers 2.4, 24 and a pair of holes 26, 25 in said ends, and

threadably engaged, respectively, within opposite ends 3 of said lower cross member. Member 29 is thus adapted for rotation about its longitudinal axis.

A coiled compression spring 28 is disposed surrounding the shank of one of said screws 22 and intermediate one end of member 2%) and the adjacent end 16 of case it} which supports same, to yieldingly urge said member axially in a direction away from said end. In the modification shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, a counterbore 27 coaxial with screw 28 is provided in the inner surface of that end 19 of case it? which abuts one end of spring 28, the diameter of the counterbore being such as to receive and support the proximate end of member 2% rotatably therein. The sidewalls of counterbore 27 in this modification together with screw 22 extending through the center thereof provide three points of continual support for the end of member 2i? received within the counterbore.

A metal or plastic end plate 3t? having a +-shaped recess, generally in icated at 32, therein is connected as by a plurality of flat head screws 3% to the inner surface of the opposing end lo. An aperture 33 in the center of plate E l? surrounds the shank of the other or said screws 22. Recess 32 is arranged to receive the opposite end of member it? wit in its horizontal arms when said member is arranged with its broader cross-sectional dimension disposed horizontally, and to receive said end Within the vertical arms of said recess when said member is arranged with its broader cross-sectional dimension disposed vertically. If desired, plate 38 may be recessed into said opposing end 15 a sufiicient depth so that the shoulders of such recess provide support for said opposite end of member 2t additional to the support provided by said other of said screws 22. A rectangular notch 36 is formed in the edge of one of the narrower sides of member 2%, at a point located along the length thereof such as to be midway between ends l6, 15 when said opposite end of member 29 is received Within recess 32, for a purpose more particularly hereinafter described.

An elongated, wooden upper cross member 38 of rectangular cross-section is also provided and is pivotally connected upon its longitudinal axis between sides 14, 3.4 by a pair of round headed screws 4 46 extending through a pair of washers 42,, 5-... and a pair of

vertical slots

44, 44 formed in said sides normal to the plane of bottom 12 and midway between

ends

16, 16, said screws being threadably engaged, respectively, within opposite ends of member A rectangular notch 46 is formed in the edge of one of the narrower sides of member 38 midway along the length thereof, for engagement with notch 36 for a purpose more particularl hereinafter described.

It will be noted that, while member Zai is adapted for translation along its longitudinal axis, member 3% is adapted for translation within a vertical plane, pendicular to bottom 12, within the limits imposed by the upper and lower ends of slots 44, Slots 4%, 44 are formed or" such lengths, and are so positioned vertically, that when member 3% is elevated to the upper limit imposed by said slots and is disposed with its broader cross-sectional dimension arranged vertically, it will clear the top of member 2% when member 245 is also disposed with its broader cross sectional dimension arranged vertically, as best shown in FIGURES 2B and 3B. Vfhen member 3% is then dropped vertically downward, from such position, notch 4-6 will engage with notch 36 of member 25), each notch being formed to have a width equal to the thickness of the other member, thus interlocking members 2%? and 38 as best shown in FIGURES 1, 2A, and 3A. It will be noted that

screws

42, 42 are located at approximately the midpoint of slots 44-, 4 3, respectively, when members 24? and 38 are thus interlocked.

In operation, with the case assembled, the case may be arranged as shown in FIGURES 1, 2A, and 3A, if

not already so arranged, by first elevating member 38 to its maximum position, then rotating both members 2% and 38 to positions such that their respective broadest cross-sectional dimensions lie in vertical planes, as best shown in HGURES 2B and 3B, and thereafter lowering member 38 until

notches

46 and 36 interlock. The dimensions of the several parts of the case are selected to be such that each of the four identical compartments into which case 1% is thus divided by members 2% and 33 will have a cross section of such size and configuration as to snugly receive a cardboard carton contai. -ng six beverage bottles of a particular uniform diameter of a larger order, such as, for example, welve-ounce bottles of Pepsi-Cola. Even without the cardboard carton, each such compartment will satisfactorily accommodate six such bottles Without undue excess of space therebetween.

To adapt case it) to snugly receive in each compartment a cardboard carton containing six beverage bottles or" a particular uniform diameter of a smaller order, such as, for example, six-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola, member 38 is first elevated to its maximum upper position, as best shown in FIGURES 2B and 3B. Membars 2% and 38 are then each rotated to positions such that their respective broadest cross-sectional di entions lie in horizontal planes, as best shown in FIGURES 2C and 3C. To rotate member 2%"), the member is first slightly translated axially against spring 28 so as to be disengaged from the vertical arms of recess 32 and free to rotate, then, while in such axially displaced position, rotated until'its broadest cross-sectional dimension lies in a horizontal plane, and therea ter allowed to be translated by said spring so as to become engaged within the horizontal arms of recess 32. Member 38 is then lowered until its lower broad side rests atop the upper broad side of member 29, as best shown in FIGURES 4, 2D and 31). It will be noted that notch 46 will then rest atop the upper broad side of member 2%, and notch 36 is disposed below the lower broad side of member 38, in which positions the notches will not contact, catch or interfere with cartons or bottles disposed within case it). The horizontal position of member 38 atop member 24) provides sufficient stability so that lock means, such as is provided by the interlocking of notches 3d and 46 when case it is arranged as shown in FIGURE 1, is not required to prevent accidental rotation of member 38. The width of members 29 and 38 is selected to be such that each of the four identical rectangular compartments into which case iii is thus divided by the members 2%] and 38 has a cross section of such dimensions as to snugly receive a cardboard carton containing six beverage bottles or" a particular uniform smaller order, such as, for example, six-ounce bottles of Coca-(Zola. Even without the use of such a carton, each compartment will satisfactorily accommodate six such bottles without undue excess of space therebetween.

The case can thus be disposed to carry 24 bottles having uniform diameters of a higher order, such as conventional twelve-ounce bottles of Pepsi-Cola, whether or not such be contained within cardboard cartons in lots of six, or, alternatively, 24 bottles having uniform diameters of a lower order, such as conventional six-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola, either set of 24 bottles being retained within the four compartments by the cross members with sufficient snugness to avoid undue rattling, slippage, or breakage.

It should be noted, however, that member 2%? or member 33 or both may be positioned, respectively, between opposing ends 16, In and

sides

14, 14, at points other than near the midpoint thereof, to divide case it into four compartments of non-identical size. Further, member 263 or member 38 or both may be pivotally supported, respectively, upon non-central longitudinal axes, for a similar purpose. Thus the case may be divided into four compartments of non-identical configurations and dimensions, each having first crosssectional dii rensions and, alternatively, second cross-sectional dimensions.

it is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that resort may be had to various changes in construction without departing from the scope of the invention or the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable case comprising, a receptable having a bottom and four sides, a first cross member of rectangular cross-section, the adjacent sides of which are of unequal breadth, rotatably supported between one pair of said sides, a second cross member of rectangular crosssection, the adjacent sides of which are of unequal breadth, rotatably supported between the other pair of said sides transversely to said first cross member, one or" said cross members being further arranged for sliding movement above the other of said cross members and within a plane perpendicular to said bottom, said cross members dividing the interior of said receptacle into a plurality of rectangular compartments having first cross-sectional dimensions when one of said cross members is arranged with its crosssectional sides of least breadth parallel to said bottom and, alternately, into an equal plurality of compartments having second cross-sectional dimensions when said cross member is arranged with its cross-sectional sides of greatest breadth parallel to said bottom, said cross members each being mutually restrained by the other against rotation when said upper cross member rests upon said lower cross member.

2. An adjustable case comprising, a receptacle having a bottom and four sides, and a pair of mutually transverse cross members each of rectangular cross section, the adjacent sides of each of which, respectively, are of unequal breadth, one or" said cross members being pivotally supported upon its longitudinal axis between one opposing pair of said sides, the other of said cross members being pivotally supported and vertically slideable upon its longitudinal axis above said first cross member within guide means in the other opposing pair of said sides, said cross embers dividing said receptacle into four rectangular compartments each having a first length and width when said cross members are each arranged with their broadest cross-sectional dimensions disposed in vertical planes, and each having a second length and width when said cross members are each arranged with their broadest cross-sectional dimensions disposed in horizontal planes, said upper cross member being restrained by said lower cross member against rotation when said upper member is in contact with said lower member.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein each of said cross members bears a notch therein adapted for engagement with such notched portion of the other cross member, to mutually restrain said cross members from rotation.

4. The device of claim 2 having means for releasably engaging an end of said lower cross-member with a supporting side of said case, to restrain said cross member against rotation.

5. The device of claim 2 having a plate connected to one side of said receptacle, said plate having a +-shaped recess therein adapted to receive and releasably engage in either of two alternative positions the proximate end of said lower cross member, and spring means intermediate the other end of said lower cross member and the opposite side of said receptacle to yieldingly urge said lower cross member axially into said recess, to releasably retain said lower cross member against rotation about its longitudinal axis and, when said cross members are disposed with their broad cross-sectional dimensions arranged horizontally and said upper cross member rests atop said lower cross member, to cause said upper cross member to be restrained against rotation about its longitudinal axis, and further having a rectangular notch formed in a narrow edge of each of said cross members, respectively, said notches being adapted for mutual engagement when said cross members are disposed with their broad cross-sectional dimensions arranged vertically, to releasably rest ain said upper cross member from rotation about its longitudinal axis.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 899,924 Valerins Sept. 29, 1908 2,011,972 Johnson Aug. 20, 1935 2,702,647 Wesling Feb. 22, 1955

Claims

1. AN ADJUSTABLE CASE COMPRISING, A RECEPTABLE HAVING A BOTTOM AND FOUR SIDES, A FIRST CROSS MEMBER OF RECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTION, THE ADJACENT SIDES OF WHICH ARE OF UNEQUAL BREADTH, ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BETWEEN ONE PAIR OF SAID SIDES, A SECOND CROSS MEMBER OF RECTANGULAR CROSSSECTION, THE ADJACENT SIDES OF WHICH ARE OF UNEQUAL BREADTH, ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BETWEEN THE OTHER PAIR OF SAID SIDES TRANSVERSELY TO SAID FIRST CROSS MEMBER, ONE OF SAID CROSS MEMBERS BEING FURTHER ARRANGED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT ABOVE THE OTHER OF SAID CROSS MEMBERS AND WITHIN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO SAID BOTTOM, SAID CROSS MEMBERS DIVIDING THE INTERIOR OF SAID RECEPTACLE INTO A PLURALITY OF RECTANGULAR COMPARTMENTS HAVING FIRST CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSIONS WHEN ONE OF SAID CROSS MEMBERS IS ARRANGED WITH ITS CROSSSECTIONAL SIDES OF LEAST BREADTH PARALLEL TO SAID BOTTOM AND, ALTERNATELY, INTO AN EQUAL PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS HAVING SECOND CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSIONS WHEN SAID CROSS MEMBER IS ARRANGED WITH ITS CROSS-SECTIONAL SIDES OF GREATEST BREADTH PARALLEL TO SAID BOTTOM, SAID CROSS MEMBERS EACH BEING MUTUALLY RESTRAINED BY THE OTHER AGAINST ROTATION WHEN SAID UPPER CROSS MEMBER RESTS UPON SAID LOWER CROSS MEMBER.