US363700A - Folding box or crate - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. 0. & W. L. THOMPSON.

FOLDING BOX 0R CRATE.

Patented May 24, 1887.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. C. 86 W. L. THOMPSON. FOLDING B'OX 0R CRATE. No. 363,700. Patented May 24, 1887.

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U ITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

JESSE O. THOMPSON AND WILLIAM L. THOMPSON, OF ORMANVILLE, IOWA.

FOLDlNG BOX on CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,700, dated May 24, 1887.

Application filed February 11, 1887. Serial No. 227,278. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that we, Jnssn O. THOMPSON and WILLIAM L. THOMPSON, of Ormanville, in the county of Wapello and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes or Crates; and we 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 appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in folding boxes or crates in which merchandise is packed for market or shipment; and the ob- ,j ect is to provide a box for packing eggs, vegetables, fruits or merchandise, in which all the parts composing the same are securely held together.

A further obj ect is to provide a packing box or crate that may be returned to the packer or shipper at a nominal expense.

A further object is to provide a box or crate that'can be kept in stock in compact form and can be shipped from a distance at a small expense for freight.

A further objectis to provide means whereby the box or crate may be divided into compartments when set up for use.

With these ends in view our invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter de- 3 scribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective showing our folding box or crate ready for shipment with the box set up. Fig. 2 is a View, partly in section, show- .ing the interior construction.

Fig. 3 is a View of our box or crate folded for return shipment or storing, the lid being detached. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the crate knocked down with the lid in position.

A represents the bottom board of our crate or box cut a sufficient length and provided with sideand end strips, ac and 00, secured thereto in any suitable manner. The side strips, a a, are preferably of wood, although .metal could bensed, cut the same length as ing sides B higher than the side strips, (ii, to allow the side to fold over the side B. These folding sides are made, preferably, of wood, each being rectangular in shape and secured to the side strips, a a, by hinges I). The upwardly-extended leaves b of the hinges b are made of suffieient length to extend to the top edges of the hinged sides B B, to which they are secured, These hinged portions B Bhave shallow grooves cut in their surface to receive the hinge-leaves I), which also serve as battens to prevent the sides B B from warping. The side strip, a, to which the folded side B is hinged, is of such relative height above the interior bottom surface as to permit the side B to fold inwardly and have a clearance distance above the bottom equal to its own thickness. The opposite leaf or hinged side, B, is so located in regard to its folding mate B that itwill bear closely upon the latterwhen given a reclining pOSlliOll to a right angle to the vertical side a, upon which it is hinged.

The folding end wings, O O, are secured by the hinges 7a to the end strips, 0 c, the latter strips being secured to the ends of the bottom A and to the rigidly-attached side strips, ca. The end pieces, 0 c, are of such a height that the folding wings O G will lie flat upon the top face of the folding side 13 when the two sides B B are folded.

The hinges 70 which connect the end wings, v

C O to the end strips, 0 c, are composed of spring metal strips k k", connected by a lapjoint at s. The upper portions, k ,.are secured, preferably, by screws to the edges of the end wings, G O, the lower parts, 70', being made to lap over the strips 70 a proper distance to form a hinge-joint. The width of the hinge-strips If k" is sufficient to permit a portion of the same to project beyond the inner faces of the end wings, G O, and the pivots s are inserted at a point near the inner edges of the leaves k k to permit these wings (l O to fold inwardly when required, and be restrained from outward inclination beyond a perpendicular position by the joint action of the hinge-joints and the abutment of the adjacent edges of the parts 0 c O O. The hinges lap beyond the sides 13 and restrain them from falling outward.

The folding sides B B are provided with,

latches E, pivoted to the top inner surface of the leaves of the hinges that secure these wings in rigid side strips, a at. These latches E are of asuitable length to engage with their shoulders notches E, the body of the screws 11 extending through suitable slots, d, the latter being formed in the top edges of the end wings, O O, to permit this engagement. It is evident that when the side and end wings of the crate are erected or made to assume a perpendicular position, and the latches E are folded into their respective notches to hold the ends 0 O rigidly upright, the box or crate thus constructed will be substantial and unyielding, fully capable of withstanding the rough usage incident to freight transportation.

The outer faces of the end wings, G C, are provided, respectively, with an undercut recess, h, and a hole or recess, h. The undercut recess h is provided with a face-plate, 70, secured above the recess, adapted to give a substantial bearing-surface to the spring-catch F, secured in the cover or lid G, and also to prevent the wood from chipping.

The cover G consists, preferably, of a piece of wood cut the required length, and provided on each end with downwardly-projecting strips r, extending the entire width of the cover and secured thereto by screws or nails. A springcatch, F, the ends of which are secured to the cover G, is bent several times around a pin or axle, Z, in the recess 1 of one of the inner faces of the downwardly-projecting strips r, and thence upwardly terminating inan inclined head, R, which latter is provided with a shoulder, 0", adapted to engage'the undercut recess 7b 'in the outer face of one of the end wings and assist in holding the cover securely on the box. The cover G is further provided, at a point opposite the spring-catch F, with a pin'or lug, n, projecting inwardly a short distance and adapted to enter the hole It.

When it is desired to adjust the cover or lid, the pin a is first inserted in the side hole, It, and pushed inwardly. The cover then being pushed down and the spring-catch engaging the shoulder of the undercut recess h, the

cover is secured. The end strips of the box are similarly provided with an undercut recess, m, and with a hole, m, adapted to engage the spring-catchand the lug or pin when the cover is secured to the bottom, ready for storing or shipment.

L represents the dividing-partition. This partition consists, preferably, of two sections, one of which is provided with dowel-pins o,

. placed or secured at suitable intervals on its inner end and adapted to enter corresponding recesses in the inner end of the other section, and when inserted therein making a firm joint. Thewhole is then inserted in shallow vertical slots K, formed in the opposite sides or wings and extending upwardly the entire height of these sides. In this manner the crate may be divided into any desired num ber of spaces When it is desired to prepare the box or crate for the reception of goods, the endwings are raised until they come in the plane of the end strips. The hinged sides are then raised until they are in a plane with the side strips, when the hooks E are inserted in the slots d over the screw d, and the whole is thereby secured against folding. The dividing-partition Lis then inserted, if desired,and the box complete, with the exception of the cover, which latter can be secured at a moment s notice, for shipment or storing. When, on the other hand, it is desired to fold the box either for packing or shipment, the hooksE are withdrawn, as is also the dividingpartition L, and the latter is separated and placed in the bottom of the box. The side wing, B, which is secured to the lower side strip a is then pushed downwardly until it bears upon the sectional dividing-partition L, which is deposited on the bottom of the crate, as above stated, when the side which is secured to the higher strip a is folded down over the other hinged wing, a, and the end wings are made to recline upon these folded parts. The cover G is secured in place by inserting the dowel n in the socket made for it in the end a, and the spring-latch is made to engage the recess made for it on the surface of the opposite end 0, thus forming a complete, compact, and portable package, that holds in firm contact the component parts of he crate in as small a space as possible in consideration of its length and width.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a folding box or crate, the combination, with the hinged folding side hinges and latches pivoted to the leaves of the hinges, of hinged end wings slotted to receive the pivoted latches, and also provided with screw-shanks that are located transversely in these slots to engage the hooks or latches, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding box or crate, the eombination, with a bottom, rigidly secured side and end strips, and hinged inwardly-folding side and end wings, of four latches that engage cross-bolts located in slots in thetop edges .of the end wings, a cover that has depending ends having a dowel at one end adapted to enter a socket in one end wing of the crate, and a spring-latch attachment at the opposite end of the cover, which is adapted to engage a groove in the opposite end wings of this crate, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a bottom, side and end strips of varied heights, one of these end strips being provided with a socket and the other strip having an undercut notch, and the folding sides and-ends, one of the latter having a socket and the other an undercut notch, of a detachable cover having depending end cleats, one of these cleats being provided with an inwardly-projecting pin adapted to enter a specification in the presence of twe subscribsocket in the end wing or end strip of the box I ing witnesses.

or crate, and the other end cleet being provided on its inner face with a spring-catch, the

5 lower end of which terminates in a. shoulder and an outwardly-inclining end, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this f JESSE O. THOMPSON.

WILLIAM L. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

L. TORRENCE, W. T. WILSON.

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