US533060A - Folding crate - Google Patents

Description

Nrrnn STATES 'PATENT risica.

GEORGE Hides, or oi-iADwIoKs, NEW YORK.

FOLDING CRAIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,060, dated January 29,1895f Application ned May 9,. 1894.. seria No. 510,555. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may conaerm. c

Beit known that I, GEORGE HIGGS, of Chadwicks, in the county of Oneida and State 'of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and, use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in folding crates.

In the drawings Which accompany and form a part of this specification and in which similar letters and figures of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several views, Figure l shows a top or plan view of my crate, the cover, however, being open and only a small section of the coverbeing shown. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the crate. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section taken on a line with A-B of Fig. l; both the cover and bottom being partially turned on its hinge to better exhibit the construction. Fig. 4 shows a slightly modified form of construction. Fig. 5 shows the crate folded. Fig. 6 shows details of one form of hinge used in the construction. Fig. 7 shows details of another form of hinge used in the construction. Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective View of the hinge shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail view of a bottom support.

The crate consists of four vertical sides A, B, C and D, with bottom E and cover F. Each of the sides, bottom and cover are preferably made of a series of slats asasecured on transverse strips as b, although it is quite evident that each of the parts could be made of asolid piece of wood. The bottom E is hinged by two or more hinges 1,*to the bottom or foot of the side C, and is adapted to fold into a position parallel with and lying on the inner side of the side C. The cover F is hinged by hinges 2 to the upper edge of the side Gand isadapted to swing outwardly into a position parallel with and lying on the outer side of the side C. The adjacent edges of the sides A and B and of the sides C and D are connected by a pair of plain strap hinges 3; one hinge preferably being provided at the upper edge of the crate and one at the lower edge. The edges of the sides connected by the plain hinges 3 are beveled, as shown at 4, to engage each other when the crate is set up and to assist in maintaining the crate in form. The pivot of the hinges 3 is substantially on a line with the outside of the crate. The adjacent ends of the walls or sides B and C, and, A and D are connected by the bent hinges 5, which are secured on the outside of the crate and are so bent as to bring the pivotal point 5a thereof substantially on a line with the inner face of the sides of the crate or within this line. Two of these hinges are preferably provided for each corner, as shown; one at the upper edge of the side and one at the lower edge. The hinges 5 may also be provided with an upwardly extending ear 5b on each of the parts of the hinge; which ears, when the crate is set up, will project above the upper face of the crate and are adapted to engage the bottom of a similar crate placed on top of it, so as to retain it in place, and thus facilitate placing the crates in tiers. To accomplish this same end, I also provide the construction shown in Fig. 4., in which the vertical slats a,

Vas shown in Fig.- 4., terminate short of the bottom of the lower retaining strip b and project above the strip c on the upper edge of the crate,pthereby affording a recess at the bottom for the reception of the projecting upper ends of another crate, so that they may be tiered up and retain their places on one another `in the same manner. For supporting the swinging edge of the bottom E, when in extended position for use, I provide one or more right-angled or L-shaped irons 6, secured in suitable position on the lower edge 'of the side A to engage and support the edge of the bottom.

To extend the crate, it is 'simply necessary to open the sides in the form of a rectangle and'turn down the bottom until it rests on the L-shaped hanger 6, when the crate is ready tov be filled; and it is held in form largely by the bottom E. After the crate is filled, the cover F may be turned into position to close the top of the crate and secure it.

I do not propose to use the cover F, however, with all my crates, as many users of crates use no cover whatever, and the cover may be entirely omitted, together with the IOO hinges by means of which it is secured to the crate. s

It is evident that the construction could be modified in several other particulars than those noted withoutdeparting from the equivalents of my construction.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination in a folding crate, of the four sides, A, B, C and D, hinged together on opposite corners of the crate by hinges 3 having their pivots substantially in line with the outer faces of the adjacent sides to which they are attached and hinged together on the other two opposite corners by bent hinges 5 having their bent portions projecting inside of the plane of the inner faces of the respective sides,

GEORGE IIIGGS.

Witnessesz GEO. M. l-IECOX, E. C. PORTER.

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