US820536A - Shipping-crate. - Google Patents

Description

I PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

G. B. WHEELER.

SHIPPING CRATE.

APPLICATION $11.31) 00.119. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

z m w 0 m a PATENTED MAY 15 1906 G. E. WHEELER. SHIPPING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.19. 1905- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[32} AZ. A? 45' 6 gmvawtoz UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

GEORGE E. WHEELER, OF BURLINGTON, 101V A, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO W. W. COPELAND AND ONE-THIRD TO H. G. SHELBY, OF BURLING- TON, IOWA.

SHIPPlNG-CRATE.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

ratenteol May 15, 1906.

Application filed October 19, 1905- Serial No. 283,492.

To aZZ whom it may col merit:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping-Crates and I do 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.

My invention relates to improvements in foldable or collapsible crates or boxes adapted f cir shipping poultry, merchandise, and the The object of the invention is to provide asimple, durable, and inexpensive shipping crate or boX, which may be readily collapsed when empty, so that it may be returned to the shipper. at a comparatively small expense.

The above and other objects, which will appear as the nature of my invention is better understood, are accomplished by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im.- proved shipping-crate, showing the same in its open position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same in its closed position. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view showing how the sides of the crate are folded inwardly when the latter is collapsed. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the crate when in its open position. Fig. 5 is a similar view through the same when in its closed position. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the crate in its folded position, and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views.

The embodiment of my invention, herein shown in the form of a shipping-crate, is so constructed that its sides and ends fold inwardly between its top and bottom, to which they are pivotally connected, and its top telescopes within its bottom, so that the crate is extremely compact when folded. The crate 1, as shown, comprises a bottom 2 and a top 3, both of rectangular form and one of less size than the other to permit the latter to telescope within it. As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the bottom is of greater size than the top in order to receive it. The bottom is solid and sur rounded by a downwardly-extending rim or flange 4, and the top is open or slatted and surrounded by a similar rim or flange 5. The top and bottom are connected by the slatted sides 6, the connection being effected, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, by pivoting the end bars 7 of said sides at their upper ends to the end flanges 5, as shown at 8, and by pivoting to the end flanges 4, as shown at 9, cross bars or braces 10, which latter have their central portions pivoted, as at 11, to the central portions of the end bars 7. These bars 7 and 10 thus form levers which are adapted to brace the top and bottom apart when the crate is open and to fold between the end flanges 4 and 5 when the crate is closed. The slatted ends 13 of the crate are hinged at their upper ends, as shown at 14, to

the under side of the top 3, so that they swing inwardly or toward each other when the crate is folded or collapsed. In the top 3, preferably at its center, I provide an open- .ing 15, through which the poultry or the like may be inserted or removed, and I close this opening by a door 16. The latter may be pivoted or hinged or slidably mounted, as shown in the drawings.

Any suitable means may be provided for locking the parts of the crate in their open or closed positions. As shown, the ends 13 are locked in their open position by catches 17 or by any other suitable fastening device, and the sides 6 are locked in their open position, so that the pivoted cross-bars 7 10 will brace the top and bottom apart by fastening devices 18. The latter may be in the form of sliding bolts or catches adapted to pass through alining openings in the bars 7 10, as shown in the drawings, or they may be of any other desired form and construction. When the crate is in its folded or closed position, shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, its parts may be locked in such position by the catches or fastening devices 19 or by any other suitable means.

While the embodiment of my invention herein set forth is in the form of an open or slatted'poultry-crate, it will be understood that by making the parts solid the same may be used as a box for shipping merchandise or the like. Owing to the fact that all of the parts are connected together, there being no loose parts, there is little or no liability of the parts becoming lost or misplaced, and owing to the fact that the device may be folded or collapsed to occupy but little space the same may be shipped and stored at a comparatively small expense.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inven tion will be readily understood Without requiring a more extended eX lanation.

Various changes in the fbrm, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

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

The herein-described boX or crate comprismg the top and bottom, the pairs of connecting- bars 7, 10 at the corners thereof, said bars 7 being pivotally connected at their upper ends to the top, said bars 10 being pivotally connected at their lower ends to the bottom, and one of each pair of said bars having a locking device to engage and lock the other to detachably secure said bars together in overlapped vertical position, the sides attached to the bars 7 and foldable between the top and bottom When said pairs of bars 7, 10 are in folded position, and ends, hinged to the top and foldable thereunder, substan tially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE E. WHEELER. Witnesses: LAURA E. WHEELER,

ELIZA STENTIFORD.

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