US864421A

US864421A - Sap pail or bucket.

Info

Publication number: US864421A
Application number: US35590707A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Hall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1907-02-05
Filing date: 1907-02-05
Publication date: 1907-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 1924-08-27

Description

PATBNTED AUG. 27,1907.

J. HALL. SAP PAIL 0R BUCKET.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 5. 1907.

[NI/EN TOR.

A TTORNE i s UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

SAP PAIL OR BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1907.

Application filed February 5,1907. Serial No. 355,907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Monroe, in the county of Grafton and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Sap Pail or Bucket, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to covers for pails or buckets of that general class employed in collecting sap from maple and similar trees.

The object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character capable of being quickly attached to or detached from the tree and which forms a closure for the top of the bucket so as to effectually protect the contents of the latter from falling leaves, twigs and from snow or rain as well as to prevent excessive evaporation of the sap.

A further object is to provide means for clamping the cover in position on trees of different sizes and means for supporting the cover in elevated or open position when collecting the sap from the buckets.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it be ing understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sap bucket or pail provided with a cover or closure constructed in accordance with my invention showing the cover in closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cover in elevated or open position. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the cover detached. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a portion of the cover illustrating a modified form of the invention.

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

The improved cover is principally designed for use in connection with buckets or pails of that general class adapted to receive sap from maple and similar trees and by way of illustration is shown in connection with a pail or bucket of the ordinary construction in which 5 designates the bucket suspended from the spout 6.

The cover 7 is preferably stamped or otherwise formed from a single piece of metal one end of which is bent upon itself to form a terminal transverse eye or socket 8 for the reception of a rod 9 which forms a pivot pin or hinge for said cover. The opposite ends of the rod 9 are bent or twisted to form horizontally disposed spring coils 10 terminating in laterally extending spring pressed arms 11 the ends of which are provided with piercing points 12 adapted to engage the sides of the tree for clamping the cover in position on said tree.

The cover 7 is preferably of suflicient size to project beyond the adjacent walls of the bucket or pail and is preferably supported at an angle to the top of the cover so as to deflect the leaves and twigs as well as rain and snow and thus prevent the same from entering the bucket. I

Soldered, riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the bottom of the cover 7 is a transverse reinforcing strip 13 having spaced guiding grooves 14 formed therein for the reception of a longitudinally movable locking member 15. The locking member 15 is preferably formed of a single piece of wire bent into the form of an open loop the closed end of which is bent to produce a finger piece 16 while the opposite ends of the wire are deflected laterally to form terminal bearing members 17 adapted to engage the tree and thus support the cover in elevated or open position while removing the sap from the bucket The bucket 5 is provided with a supporting bail 18 which bears against a stop lug 19 formed on the spout 6, there being a recess or depression 19 formed in the upper edge of the bucket to accommodate the spout, as shown.

The cover is secured on the tree above the bucket by expanding the arms 11 and forcing the terminals 12 thereof into engagement with the bark of the tree, in which position the cover 7 will be disposed at an angle to the top of the pail and effectually close the latter. 7 In order to detach the bucket or remove the sap therefrom the free end of the cover is tilted upwardly which causes the locking member 15 to drop by gravity to operative position with its deflected ends 17 straddling the spout 6 and bearing against the tree thus sup porting the cover in elevated or open position while collecting the sap.

In order to release the cover it is merely necessary to exert a slight upward pressure on the finger piece 16 when the deflected ends 17 of the locking member will be disengaged from the trunk of the tree and allow the cover to drop to lowered or closed position.

By forming the arms with the spring coils 10 the former may be expanded to accommodate trees of different cross sectional diameter while by reason of the gravity actuated locking device 15 the cover is automatically supported in open position.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the body portion 7 is formed of wood and reinforced by metal straps 20 which constitute eyes or sockets for the reception of the intermediate connecting rod of the clamping arms, the construction and operation of the device being otherwise similar to that. shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided an extremely simple, inexpensive and efiicient device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A cover for sap pails having means for attachment to a support, and a gravity actuated locking member slidably mounted on the cover and adapted to engage the support for holding the cover in open position.

2. A cover for sap pails including a body portion pro vided with means for engagement with a support, and means slidably mounted on the body portion and adapted to engage the support for holding the cover in elevated position.

3. A cover for sap pails including a clamping member adapted to engage a'support, a cover pivotally connected with the clamping member and means independent of the pivotal means for holding the cover in open position.

4. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, yieldably clamping arms pivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage a support, and a locking member slidably mounted on said body portion and movable by gravity into engagement with the support for bold ing the cover in open position.

5. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, clamping arms pivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage a support, and a locking member slidably mounted on the body portion and adapted to engage the support for holding the cover in open position, said locking member being provided with a terminal finger piece.

6. A cover for sap pails including a body portion having one end thereof provided with a transverse groove, spaced transverse clamping arms pivotally mounted in said groove and adapted to engage a support, and a gravity actuated locking member slidably mounted on the body portion and adapted to bear against the support when the cover is moved to open position for holding said cover in said position,

7. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, clamping arms pivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage a support, said arms being provided with intermediate spring coils, and a locking member slidably mounted for longitudinal movement on the body portion and adapted to bear against the support for holding the cover in open position.

8. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, clamping arms pivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage a support, spaced guides secured to the body portion, and a loop slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in said guides for locking the cover in open position.

9. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, spring pressed clamping arms pivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage a support, spaced guides secured to the bottom of the body portion, and a locking member slidably mounted in said guides and having one end thereof provided with a terminal finger piece and its opposite end formed with spaced deflected portions adapted to bear against the support for holding the cover in elevated position.

10. The combination with a spout, of a sap bucket suspended from the spout and having its upper edge provided with a depression to accommodate the spout, a cover pivotally mounted for lateral movement above the spout, and a locking member slidably mounted on the cover and provided with spaced arms adapted to straddle the spout for holding the cover in open position.

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

JOHN HALL.

Witnesses:

F. H. MERRIFIELD, HATTIE A. PADDLEFORD.