US3138281A - Dairy cases - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1964 w. H. SCHRAY DAIRY CASES Filed Feb. 15, 19s:

INVENTOR WALTER H. SCHRAY I 7 .ip aaa gfir lllll Wlwi 9 b \Sx 4 ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,138,281 DATRY CASES Walter H. Sehray, Battle Creek, Mich assignor to United Steel 8; Wire Company, Battle Creek, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 258,772 Claims. (Cl. Elli- 19) The general object of the invention is to provide a wire milk case with a top frame designed to allow the unhamered entry into the case of paper or glass quarts, half gallons, pints, or other sizes, when such containers are fed from an automatic casing machine, said frame being of maximum strength to withstand deformation.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a wire milk case with an integral formed top frame.

Another feature provides for securing vertical side wires and corner posts to a formed top section so that the entire top of a milk case is retained in smooth condition, despite sharp impact and hard wear. As a result, cartons or bottles delivered to the case will not be snagged, scratched or punctured.

A further feature covers the provision of a reinforced formed top frame, stronger than the usual round wire top frame, so that a milk case equipped with such formed frame will be kept in square conformation, despite hard use, for a longer period of time than has heretofore been possible with conventional wire top frames. This is of vital practical importance because in dairies using automatic casing machines, multiple loads of sixteen quarts or nine half gallons or other multiples are delivered in a cube unit form at one time and the milk case must be kept in square to receive such loads expeditiously and without damage.

Further features will be more apparent from the following description of a typical form of the invention in which FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a wire milk case employing a formed top frame in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a detail showing a section of the integral formed top frame assembly.

In the milk trade it is desirable to utilize a case chassis which will be compatiblewith automatic machinery used in modern dairies, such as casers, stackers, destackers, pushers, conveyor lines and the like. In utilizing automatic casing machines it is essential that multiple loads be accurately delivered, without interruption. Since a cube unit is in effect dropped or pushed from such automatic casing machines into cases that are delivered by conveyor, it is a prime necessity that the case be square in order to receive the multiple loads, in quarts, half gallons or other multiples which are delivered in cube unit form.

Such cases, in order to meet maximum standards of sanitation and economic handling are preferably made of wire.

In the operations of an efficient, sanitary dairy wire cases are preferred. A wire case is readily flushed and kept clean; it may easily be stacked with like cases; and because of the material and mode of assembly, a longer life is usually assured than when wood cases are used. However, a wire case, after constant subjection to hard handling, including dropping, which cannot readily be avoided, is often pushed, pulled, twisted or otherwise knocked out of shape due to machinery handling, case-contact, and the other vicissitudes of wear and tear in and out of the dairy plant. The batter and misuse of cases presents a serious and costly problem in dairy product handling and delivery.

Applicants milk case with its special snag free and formed frame construction has solved the problems incident to making and retaining a milk case in square conformation regardless of rough usage.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 3 refers generally the intermediate bottom reinforcing rods 8 and at their ends to bottom perimeter frame member 7.

A series of intermediate perimeter frame members 10 are in parallel relationship with one another and are spaced between the bottom perimeter frame member 7 and formed top frame member 11. Members 10 are welded to the outer surfaces of inside corner posts 6. Bottom perimeter frame member 7 is welded to the outside surface of a bottom recessed portion 12 of each outside corner post 5. Each outside corner post Sincluding its recessed portion and companion inside corner posts 6 are integral and preferably formed from one piece of metal. a 1

Vertical reinforcing bars 13 are connected to bottom perimeter member 7, intermediate perimeter members 10 and to top formed frame member 11.

The formed top frame member 11 consists of an upper circumferential bar 14 having a cross section 15 substantially of rectangular conformation except for rounded corners. The longer dimension of section 15 is greater than that of the other heavy members such as bottom stacking frame member 4, bottom perimeter frame member 7, or the intermediate perimeter frame members 19. The upper circumferential bar 14 has integral therewith and depending therefrom an apron 16 formed with a lip 17.

The upper circumferential bar 14 is connected to the inside corner posts 6 at the upper extremities thereof and to the tops of vertical reinforcing bars 13. However, the apron 16 also envelopes the upper perimeter of the case and lip 17, integral therewith, is also welded to the inside corner posts and vertical reinforcing bars 13. There is an opening 18 between the lip portion 17 of apron 15 and the bottom seat 19 of circumferential bar 14.

The combination of upper circumferential section 15 designed with broad bottom seat 19, apron 16 with contacting lip 17, and the orifice formation 18 therebetween, comprises the formed top frame member assembly.

Applicants construction makes the formed top frame member the strongest part of .case 3. While the provision of the lip 17 spaced by orifice 18 from the upper section 15 provides adequate resilience in handling and stacking, the integral reinforced structure provides sturdiness never before obtained in milkcase construction. Maximum strength is afforded to withstand buifeting and assure keeping the case in square so that despite hard usage it will over a long life span receive, substantially trouble free, cube units of multiple packages delivered to it from automatic casing machines.

It will be understood that the features and advantages of the invention may be obtained despite variations in the elements of applicants case as specifically described in connection with the illustrative drawings.

I claim:

1. In a milk case of the character described, means for retaining the case in square conformation regardless of rough usage comprising a bottom perimeter frame member made of wire, intermediate perimeter frame members made of wire, a top frame member, corner posts connected to said frame members, intermediate bottom reinforcing rods connected to the bottom perimeter frame member, cross rods connected to the intermediate bottom reinforcing rods and to the bottom perimeter frame member, vertical reinforcing bars connected to said bottom perimeter frame member, the intermediate perimeter frame members and to said top frame member, the top frame member being formed of metal to provide an overlapping portion projecting over the top of the case and an overlapping portion projecting over the sides of the case, said overlapping portions being continuous and providing a smooth top and side surface.

2. In a dairy case of the character described, a series of frame members, corner posts attached to said frame members, reinforcing rods running horizontally of the case, reinforcing bars running vertically of the case, said bars and rods being attached to said frame members, and a formed top connected to said corner posts and vertical bars, said formed top being superposed upon the upper extremities of said corner posts and bars, a portion of said formed top frame enveloping the uppermost extremities of each side of the case gripping the uppermost portions of said corner posts and bars, and a portion of said formed top frame overlying the top perimeter of the case opening to provide a smooth rigid boundary for the case opening.

3. In a dairy case in accordance with claim 2, said formed top consisting of an integral piece of formed metal having an upper circumferential bar projecting beyond said reinforcing bars, and an apron positioned substantially parallel with and attached to the reinforcing bars.

4. In a dairy casein accordance with claim 3, said apron having a lip projecting inwardly, the lip being fastened to the corner posts and vertical reinforcing bars.

5. In a dairy case of the character described, a series of frame members, corner posts attached to said frame members, reinforcing rods running horizontally of the case, reinforcing bars running vertically of the case, said bars and rods being attached to said frame members, a formed top connected to said corner posts and vertical bars, said formed top comprising a circumferential bar connected to the corner posts at the upper extremities thereof and to the tops of said vertical reinforcing bars, said top including an apron enveloping the upper perimeter of the case, said apron having a lip integral therewith Welded to the inside corner posts and vertical reinforcing bars, the circumferential bar having a bottom seat, the bottom seat and lip being interpositioned with an opening therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,581,613 Ullrich Jan. 8, 1952 2,952,382 Rehrig Sept. 13, 1960 2,980,282 Young Apr. 18, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,026,525 France Apr. 28, 1953

Claims (1)

1. IN A MILK CASE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, MEANS FOR RETAINING THE CASE IN SQUARE CONFORMATION REGARDLESS OF ROUGH USAGE COMPRISING A BOTTOM PERIMETER FRAME MEMBER MADE OF WIRE, INTERMEDIATE PERIMETER FRAME MEMBERS MADE OF WIRE, A TOP FRAME MEMBER, CORNER POSTS CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME MEMBERS, INTERMEDIATE BOTTOM REINFORCING RODS CONNECTED TO THE BOTTOM PERIMETER FRAME MEMBER, CROSS RODS CONNECTED TO THE INTERMEDIATE BOTTOM REINFORCING RODS AND TO THE BOTTOM PERIMETER FRAME MEMBER, VERTICAL REINFORCING BARS CONNECTED TO SAID BOTTOM PERIMETER FRAME MEMBER, THE INTERMEDIATE PERIMETER FRAME MEMBERS AND TO SAID TOP FRAME MEMBER, THE TOP FRAME MEMBER BEING FORMED OF METAL TO PROVIDE AN OVERLAPPING PORTION PROJECTING OVER THE TOP OF THE CASE AND AN OVERLAPPING PORTION PROJECTING OVER THE SIDES OF THE CASE, SAID OVERLAPPING PORTIONS BEING CONTINUOUS AND PROVIDING A SMOOTH TOP AND SIDE SURFACE.

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