US503313A - Knockdown egg or fruit carrier - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

"T. s. FITCH.

KNOGKDOWN EGG OR-PRUIT CARRIER.

No. 503,313.. Patented Aug. 15, 1893.

InUEnTu 1 UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.-

THADDEUS S. FITCH, OF

ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

KNOCKDOWN EGG OR FRUIT CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,313, dated August 15, 1893.

Application filed Dece ber 12, 1890. Serial No. 374,494. (No model-- T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THADDEUS SHELDON FITCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State offlalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Egg or Fruit Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of egg or fruit carriers in which the pockets for holding and carrying the eggs or fruit are cut in sections to form the pocket or holder.

It also relates to a novel means of constructing the pocket-carrying frame by which a knock-down tray is formed which can be returned to the producer in a compact form to be refilled.

The nature of my said invention and the manner in which I proceed to construct and produce the same will be understood from the following description in which the several parts in the accompanying drawings are represented by letters.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my egg and fruit carrier in position. Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the same in a knock-down position. Fig. 3 isa transverse vertical section taken through the center of the tray in an upside down position.

The material which I employ in constructing my egg and fruit-carrying tray is composed preferably of card-board A, rectangular in form, the inner face of which is lined with thin muslin B, such as cheese-cloth by pasting thereto. By this means when the board is slit and turned up in the form of a tray the muslin will form flexible hinges and hold the parts in position. The muslin lining is not absolutely essential, however, as when the slits are not cut entirely through the board the material itself will be of sufficient tenacity to hold the sections together for a time.

In practice longitudinal slits G C, are made with a knife along each side of the inclined face of the board from end to end to form the side piecesO C and then the transverse slits D D, are made across the ends from side to side intersecting with and crossing the longitudinal slits at right angles to form the end pieces D D". From the points 13" B", however, of the intersecting longitudinal. and transverse lines the cuts are clean through the board outwardly so that when the side-pieces G C are turned up these will carry the connected wing pieces, and when the latter are bent inwardly at right angles upon that face of the board or bottom the wings will form a support and corners E E, of the tray. The upper or outer edges of the four corner wings are cut away as at F F to form notches for the folding-parts; and also each of the four corners of the board or blank A are cut away as at G G, and extension or folding flaps H H with folding notches I I, made by the slits .I J, parallel with the slits or cuts D D. These flaps are folded overinteriorly down upon the wings E E and the inner face of the endpieces, and serve to keep and bind the parts in place when folded by means of a pin or rivet K passing through the end-pieces and the inner-folded flaps, as shown. Each tray is provided with a suitable number of air inlets, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, to permit a free circulation of air around the fruit held in the pockets.

The pockets of my egg or fruit carrier are constructed with differently formed arms or engaging parts; the construction of pockets shown at L being preferable the retaining arms of which are cut through the upper face of the board and lining (when this is employed), in a spiral form with a central hole or opening M, as shown, and the egg or fruit is pressed down upon the pocket sufiiciently far to hold and retain it, in which position the spiral arms will engage the product in an oblique position and not bear directly against the shield or skin and thereby chafe or pierce the product to be transported.

The tray and contents are packed in boxes with edges in a downward position as shown in Fig. 1, and between each tray is placed the usual diaphragm orseparating board. When the shipping point has been reached the contents of the pockets and pins are removed and the trays knocked down flatwise, in which compact form they may be sent by mail, or otherwise, Without the boxes, to be refilled, and thereby the costin freight of the returned empty boxes is saved; or the trays may be utilized by being kept intact and filled with fruit or other products, being used in a reverse position with the arms of the pockets pressed backward flatwise on aplane with the bottom of the tray and reshipped to points of shipment or other places desired, in the same boxes or packages, and set up again for carrying fragile or other products that may become impaired by coming into contact with each other.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In egg and fruit carriers an inverted tray having pockets or cells formed therein of spirally cut holders or retaining arms, as set forth and specified.

2. In an egg and fruit carrier an inverted tray having pockets or cells formed therein of radially cut holders or retaining arms, as set forth.

3. The herein described tray blank A, having the side pieces C O the wings E, E, of less height than the side pieces O O the end pieces D D having the notches G, G, at their outer corners, and. the folding flaps H, H, of less length than the end pieces D 'D all constructed and arranged substan- 4. The herein described tray blank A having its under side covered with muslin, and provided with pockets and air inlets, the side pieces (3*, (3*, the wings E, E, of less height than the side pieces 0*, 0*, the end pieces D D having the notches G, G, at their outer corners, and the folding flaps H, H, of less length than the end pieces D D all constructed substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a knock down carrier for eggs and fruit an inverted tray having pockets or cells formed therein of spirally cut holding or retaining arms with a central hole or opening therein, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

TIIADDEUS S. FITCH.

Witnesses:

O. W. M. SMITH, CHAS. E. KELLY.

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