US573529A

US573529A - Folding shipping-crate

Info

Publication number: US573529A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1913-12-22

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-8heet '1. J. H. POLLARD. FOLDING SHIPPING CRATE.

Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

J/fimeah 1 0 Hand.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. H. POLLARD. FOLDING SHIPPING CRATE.

No. 573,529. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

IS PmRs co. morouwo WASHINGTON o c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES II. POLLARD, OF CLARENCE, MISSOURI.

FOLDING SHIPPING-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,529, dated December 22, 1896.

Application filed May 5, 1896.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES H. POLLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clarence, in the county of Shelby and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Folding Shipping-0rate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shipping-crates adapted for use as a poultry-coop, egg-case, or the equivalent thereof, and the object in view is to provide a folding crate of simple construction possessing the requisite strength and durability, and, furthermore, to provide improved means for holding the parts of the crate in operative position.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate embodying my invention, the same being closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the crate-top open. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the top and bottom of the crate folded parallel with the sides. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the crate folded. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the lock-hooks and the eye with which it is engaged.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The crate embodying my invention comprises sides 1, connected terminally by the ends 2, the means of connection consisting of strap-braces 3, secured to the outer surfaces of the sides and provided with inturned terminal ears 4, which extend, respectively, over and under the upper and lower edges of the ends and are pivotally connected thereto by means of pins 5. \Vhen the device is to be used as an egg-case, an intermediate wall or partition 2 is introduced, the same being pivotally mounted, as described in connection with the end walls, by means of straps 3.

Hinged, respectively, to opposite edges of the side walls are the top (3 and bottom 7, which extend beyond the planes of the outer surfaces of the end walls and are provided with terminal cleats 8 to bear against said outer surfaces of the end walls. cleats 8 may also be secured to the inner sur- Auxiliary Serial No. 590,373. (No model.)

faces of the top and bottom to engage opposite sides of the intermediate wall or partition 2. The hinges which I prefer to employ for securing the top and bottom to the side walls consist of flexible straps 9; of leather, metal,or suitable material, each strap being secured at one end to the side and at the other end to the lid, said top and bottom each constituting a lid. By this arrangement of the straps constituting the hinges the. lid is adapted to occupy either the closed position indicated in Fig. 1 or the open position shown in Fig. 3, in which it is parallel with the side. The top lid 6 is preferably provided with a fastening device 10, consisting of a base-plate 11, pivotally mounted upon the front edge of the lid by means of a screw 12 or its equivalent, and spring-actuated hooks or shouldered arms 13, mounted upon said plate for engagement with the ends of a keeper let on the outer surface of the contiguous side. The base-plate is also provided with upturned cars 15, forming stops to limit the outward swinging movement of the hooks under the tension of the actuating-spring 16. It will be seen that when the lid is closed the hooks and base-plate pass through the keeper and the shoulders of the hooks engage the ends of the same. The bottom lid is preferably secured in its closed position by means of hooks 17 which perform the additional function of braces and extend from the outer edge of the lid to a point contiguous to the center of each end. In order to prevent accidental disarrangement of the hooks without preventing their disengagement when necessary to fold the crate, I employ locking devices .consisting of spring-loops 18, one of which is arranged to embrace the eye 19, with which the hook is engaged and spanning the opening of the eye. The hook is provided with a tapered extremity and contiguous notches 20 in its outer side for engagement by the spring loop. hen it. is desired to disengage the hook from the eye, the loop maybe repressed by means of its outer projecting extremity.

In addition to the fastening devices above described I preferably employ fasteningstraps 21, which are passed through openings 22, formed in cleats 23, secured to the outer surfaces of the ends of the crate, and also through openings formed in the end cleats 8 of the top and bottom lids. Each strap is providedat one end with a buckle 24, and after the strap has been passed through the registering openings in the cleats S and 23 its extremities are brought together, as shown in Fig. 1.

The crate may be opened either at the top or bottom by loosening the straps and disengaging either the locking device 10 or the lock-hooks, and if it is desired to fold the crate the lids are arranged parallel, respectively, with the sides 1, and the sides are pushed toward each other to fold the ends between the planes thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. To secure the crate in its folded position,

-I employ the straps, which may be buckled nected to said ears to fold between the planes of the sides, top and bottom lids hinged respectively to said sides to fold outwardly and occupy positions parallel therewith, said lids being provided upon their inner sides with cleats to engage the contiguous edges of the end walls, and means for securing the lids in their closed positions, substantially as specified.

2. A shipping-crate having parallel side walls, end walls arranged between the planes of the side walls and pivotally connected thereto, top and bottom lids hinged respectively to the sides and adapted to fold outwardly to occupy positions parallel therewith, cleats on the extremities of the lids arranged beyond the planes of the end walls,

cleats on the outer surfaces of the end walls provided with openings to register with similar openings in said cleats on the lids, and securing-straps engaging said registering openin gs, substantially as specified.

3. A shipping-crate having parallel side walls terminally connected by pivotal end walls arranged between the planes of the side walls, top and bottom lids hinged, respectively, to the side walls to fold outwardly and occupy planes parallel therewith, said lids being provided with cleats to engage the contiguous edges of the end walls, and looking devices for said lids, the locking device for the top lid having a swinging base-plate adapted to pass through a keeper on the contiguous side wall, and spring-actuated hooks pivotally mounted upon said base-plate and provided with shoulders to engage the extremities of the keeper, the locking device being adapted to be swung laterally to occupy a position in the plane of the lid, substantially as specified.

4. A shipping-crate having parallel side walls terminally connected by interposed pivotal end walls, top and bottom lids hinged, respectively, to the side walls to fold outwardly parallel with the planes thereof, and locking devices for the free edges of the lids, the locking device for the bottom lid consisting of hooks connected to the free edges of the lid and extending upwardly and inwardly to a point contiguous to the centers of the end walls, eyes for engagement by said hooks, and spring-loops embracing the eyes to span the openings thereof and adapted to engage notches in the contiguous extremities of the hooks, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. POLLARD. lVitnesses:

CHAS. SPALDING, J. L. Rnnxes.