US3346136A - Knockdown container - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 10, 1967 A. J.-OSB ORN KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21-, 1966 ALBERT J. OSBORN ATTORNEYS Oct. 10, 1967 A. J. OSBORN KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER 5 Sheets$heet 2 Filed July 21, 1966 INVENTOR ATTORNEY}? Oct. 10, 1967 A. J. OSBORN 3,346,136

' KNOGKDOWN CONTAINER Filed July 21, .1966 r z Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR ALBERT J. OSBORN 'ATTORNEYJ' United States Patent 3,346,136 KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER Albert J. Osborn, Shawano, Wis., assignor'to Hotz Manufacturiug Company, Shawano, Wis., a partnership Filed July 21, 1966, Ser. No. 566,919 3 Claims. (Cl. 217-12) This invention relates to an improved knock down reuseable container.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a container, crate, enclosure and the like having particular reference to a knock down structure which may be manufactured as a plurality of units or parts for assembly into a rigid container.

Another object is to provide a container which may be transported and stored in a knock down form for assembly when the container is to be used without the use of tools in a relatively simple manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a knock down container wherein each of the, sides is separate from the bottom whereby various heights and types of side panels and bottoms may be assembled to provide different sizes and kinds of structures as the circumstances may require.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a structure including a compartmented bottom whereby the container whether knock down or assembled may be readily moved and transported using conventional forklift type transporting means.

In general, the present invention comprises a knock down, reusable container comprising a bottom wall and two pairs of side walls, said bottom wall including paral-' lel, longitudinal grooves extending the length of a pair of opposite edges of the bottom wall and spaced inwardly from their respective edges, the other pair of side edges each having a depending skirt member secured thereto, the bottom edge of each skirt member being beveled inwardly and upwardly, each wall of said one pair of said side walls including a planar panel and a cross strip secured adjacent the top and bottom edge of the panel, each bottom edge cross strip being spaced inwardly of its panel to provide a portion of said panel adapted to be received in the corresponding longitudinal groove in the bottom wall, each wall of said other pair of said walls including a planar panel and a cross strip secured adjacent the top and bottom edge thereof, and a further cross strip secured on the inner face of each of said other pair of side wall panels adjacent the bottom edge thereof, the upper edge of each further cross strip being beveled downwardly and outwardly and complementary to the bevel on each of the bottom wall skirts, each of the side wall cross strips joining at adjacent edges in an overlap configuration and removable pin means through each of the lap joints formed by said cross strips.

The invention will be more particularly described in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of one of the pair of side walls of the box illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the wall shown in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of one of the other of the pair of side walls;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the side wall illustrated in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the bottom'wall means of the container illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the lower portion of the container illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged detailed view of the side walls illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 assembled to the bottom wall means; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view of the lap joint and interconnecting means for the side walls of the container illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, 10 generally designates a container constructed in accordance with the present invention. The container 10 includes a bottom wall means 12, a pair of side walls 14 and 14 and a further pair of side walls 16 and 16'. The preferred container also includes structures depending from the bottom wall means 12 and generally designated 18 adapted to support the bottom wall means 12 in spaced relationship from the ground to provide a space receptive of the forks of a conventional forklift type transport vehicle.

The bottom wall means 12 includes a planar panel portion 20 which panel portion 20 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending parallel grooves 22 and 22' adjacent one pair of opposed side edges of the bottom wall means 12. The grooves 22 and 22 are spaced just inwardly of edges 24 and 24 of the bottom panel which corresponds to the edges which are parallel with side walls 16 and 16'. The bottom Wall means also includes a pair of depending skirt members 26 and 26 which skirt members are each provided with a beveled lower edge 28. The bevels 28 slope upwardly and inwardly as illustrated in the drawings and in particular in FIGURE 8 thereof.

In the preferred form of construction the undersurface of the bottom wall means 12 has secured thereto three depending structural members generally designated 30a, 30b, and 300. The structural members 30a, b, and 0 have a length greater than the length of the depending cross or skirt members 26 and 26 and the lower surfaces .of the structural members 30a, b, and c are interconnected by other cross members 32 and 32. The spaces 34 and 34' formed by the cross members 32, 32', the structural members 30a, b, and c and the undersurface of the bottom wall member 12 are adapted to receive the times of a conventional furcated forklift vehicle whereby the container 10 may be lifted and transported to the desired location.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 2 and 3 each of the first pair of side walls 14 and 14' are identical in function and configuration and therefore only side wall 14 will be described herein. Sidewall 14 includes a planar panel portion 38. The panel portion 38 may, like the bottom portion, be constructed of a plurality of boards as indicated in the drawings.

Along the top edge 40 of the panel 38 is secured a cross member 42. The cross member 42 is provided with cut out portions 44 and 44 adjacent the extended ends thereof to provide ear portions 46 and 46' which extend beyond the lateral edges 48 and 48' of the panel 38. A similar cross member 50 is secured to the same face of the panel 38 at a distance upwardly from the bottom edge 52 of the panel 38.

The cross member 50 like cross member 42 is shaped to provide a pair of wing portions 54 and 54 which extend beyond the edges 48 and 48' respectively of the side panel 38. The inner surface 56 of the panel 38 has secured thereto a further cross member 58 which cross member is mounted parallel to the bottom edge 52 of the panel 38 and the top edge of the cross member 58 is beveled as at 60. The bevel 60, slopes downwardly and outwardly when the panel is in its assembled position. The bevels 60 are also complementary to the bevels 28 and 28' on the skirts 26 and 26' of the base or bottom assembly 12.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings the other wall portions 16 and 16' are identical in construction and therefore only wall portion 16 will be specifically described herein.

The wall portion 16 includes a planar panel 64 which like panel 38 may be constructed of a plurality of boards. The width of the boards forming the panel 64 is so selected that the lower portion 66 thereof will be snugly received in the cooperating grooves 22 and 22' formed in the bottom wall panel 12. Like wall 14 wall 16 is provided with an upper cross member 66 which cross member is shaped to provide a pair of cars 68 and 68' which ears cooperate with cars 46 and 46' of the other pair of side walls 14 or 14' to provide a lap joint which lap joint is generally designated 70 in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. It will also be noted particularly in FIGURE 9 that each ear portion 46 and 46', 68 and 68 is bored to receive retaining pin means generally designated 72.

Panel 64 like panel 38 is also provided with a lower cross member 74 which cross member is spaced upwardly a distance indicated at 76 from the bottom edge 78 of the panel. The cross member 74 is also provided with ear portions 76 and 76' which correspond to ear portions 54 and 54 of the cross member 50 of wall portions 14 and 14' described with reference to FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings. The ear portions 76 and 76', 54 and 54' cooperate to provide lap joints generally designated 80 in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. Each of these ear portions is also bored to receive retaining pins 82 as to be more fully described hereinafter.

The spacing between the lower edge of the cross member 74 and the lower edge 78 of the panel 64 is such that when the side walls are in their assembled position the lower surface 86 of each of the cross members 74 rests on the upper surface of the bottom panel 12 as more clearly shown in FIGURE 7 of the drawing.

In assembling the improved container the base or bottom wall portion 12 is positioned as illustrated, for example, in FIGURE 6. Then side walls 14 and 14 are placed adjacent the corresponding side edges of the bottom panel means 12 and the beveled edges 60 and 60' of side walls 14 and 14 are slid into cooperative engagement with the beveled portion 28 and 28' of skirts 26 and 26' carried by the bottom portion. After these panels are slid into cooperative engagement the other side walls 16 and 16 are assembled with the lower edge of each of the wall means in engagement with the corresponding grooves 22 and 22' in the bottomwall. With these panels in position pins 72 and 82 are inserted in the lap joints 70 and 80 to interlock the entire structure.

It will be particularly noted that the length of side walls 16 and 16' is such that when these walls are inserted on the bottom wall 12 the lateral side edges overlap the side edges of side walls 14 and 14 to thereby lock side walls 14 and 14' from side ways movement.

To disassemble the container the reverse procedure is followed.

From the foregoing description of a preferred form of the present invention it will be seen that the present container fully accomplishes the aim and objects hereinabove set forth. It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the form and type of construction without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A knock down, reuseable, container comprising a bottom wall and two pairs of side walls, said bottom wall including parallel longitudinal grooves extending the length of a pair of opposed edges of the bottom wall and spaced inwardly from their respective side edges, the other pair of side edges of the bottom wall each having a depending skirt member secured thereto, the bottom edge of each skirt member being beveled inwardly and upwardly, each side wall of one pair of side walls including a planar panel, the thickness of said panels being selected to snugly fit into the longitudinal grooves in said bottom wall, and a cross strip secured adjacent the top and bottom edges of said planar panel, the bottom edge strip of each of said one pair of side walls being spaced inwardly of its panel to provide a portion of said panel adapted to be received in the corresponding longitudinal grooves in the bottom Wall, each side wall of the other pair of side walls including a planar panel and a cross strip secured adjacent to the top and bottom edges of the panel, and a further cross strip secured on the inner face of the panel adjacent the bottom edge of each panel, the upper edge of each of said further cross strips being beveled downwardly and outwardly and complementary to the bevel on the corresponding bot-tom wall skirt, each of said side walls cross strips joining at adjacent edges of the container in a lapping configuration and removable pin means through each of the cross strip lap joints.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said container is constructed of wood.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 including structural members secured to the undersurface of the bottom wall and runners interconnecting the structural members to provide forklift receiving spaces between the ground and the undersurface of the bottom wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,043,379 11/1912 Wight 2l7l2 2,710,703 6/1955 Kephar-t 2l7l2 3,080,992 3/1963 Dedmon 2l748 RAPHAEL H, SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A KNOCK DOWN, REUSEABLE, CONTAINER COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL AND TWO PAIRS OF SIDE WALLS, SAID BOTTOM WALL INCLUDING PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL GROOVES EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF A PAIR OF OPPOSED EDGES OF THE BOTTOM WALL AND SPACED INWARDLY FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE SIDE EDGES, THE OTHER PAIR OF SIDE EDGES OF THE BOTTOM WALL EACH HAVING A DEPENDING SKIRT MEMBER SECURED THERETO, THE BOTTOM EDGE OF EACH SKIRT MEMBER BEING BEVELED INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY, EACH SIDE WALL OF ONE PAIR OF SIDE WALLS INCLUDING A PLANAR PANEL, THE THICKNESS OF SAID PANELS BEING SELECTED TO SNUGLY FIT INTO THE LONGITUDINAL GROOVES IN SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND A CROSS STRIP SECURED ADJACENT THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF SAID PLANAR PANEL, THE BOTTOM EDGE STRIP OF EACH OF SAID ONE PAIR OF SIDE WALLS BEING SPACED INWARDLY OF ITS PANEL TO PROVIDE A PORTION

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