US972925A

US972925A - Collapsible crate.

Info

Publication number: US972925A
Application number: US53166509A
Authority: US
Inventors: Byrd C Rockwell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1909-12-06
Filing date: 1909-12-06
Publication date: 1910-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1927-10-18

Description

B. G. ROCKWELL.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED 1730.6,1909.

Patented 0011.18,]910.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

B. G. ROCKWELL.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED DBQ.6,1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BYRD G. ROCKWELL, OF MALVERN, ARKANSAS.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 6, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910. Serial No. 531,665.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRD C. ROCKWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Malvern, in the county of Hot Springs and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Collapsible Crate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shipping crates of that type designed to be collapsed to a compact bundle one of the objects of the invention being to provide a crate of this type which is light and strong and the parts of which can be readily assembled, the only separate parts to be adjusted being the top and bottom panels which are held in correct position upon the crate in a simple and eflicient manner.

A further object is to provide a crate body made up of hingedly connected panels, the connections between the panels bein of an improved type which will not reac ily get out of order, are cheap to manufacture, and are practically invisible.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the crate collapsed, the bottom panel being elevated above the folded body portion. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section through the upper end portion of one end of the crate and showing the position assumed by the top or bottom panel with relation to the end panels of the crate. Fig. 4c is a vertical section through one of the corner posts of the crate and the adjoining parts and showing the means utilized for holding the pivot device in position within the post. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one end portion of a modified form of top or bottom panel.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a corner post having a longitudinal channel 2 in one face thereof, said channel being designed to receive the ends of slats 3 of veneer or the like, it being understood that one of these posts is provided at each end of the series of slats and the posts and slats combined constitute one of the end panels of the crate.

The slats 3 are secured within the channels in any preferred manner as by means of nails, extending transversely through them and a wire 4 is disposed longitudinally within each channel and constitutes an abutment for the adjoining ends of the slats 3.

The ends of the wire project beyond the ends of the post 1. The crate constituting the present invention is provided with two end panels constructed in the manner above described.

Each side panel of the crate consists of parallel stringers 5 having longitudinal channels 6 therein, each channel terminating at points removed from the ends of the stringer and being arranged to receive the ends of slats 7 formed of veneer or the like,

these slats constituting the sole connection between the two stringers of the side panels and being fastened within the stringers by means of nails or the like.

An opening 8 is formed within each end portion of each of the stringers 5 and the projecting ends of the wires 4L pass through these openings and constitute pivotal connections between the stringers and the corner posts 1, it being understood that the end portions of the stringers bear upon the ends of the corner posts as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. Parallel tie strips 9 are mounted upon the ends of the stringers 5 and extend parallel with the slats 3, each of these tie strips being provided in its outer face with a longitudinal channel 10, there being a pair of openings 11 and 12 respectively within each end portion of i the channel. Each opening 11 is designated to receive one of the wires 4 the said wire being provided with an L-shaped extension 13 which fits snugly within the channel 10 and the terminal of which is mounted within the opening 12. It will be seen therefore that when the two ends of a wire have been arranged within opposed tie strips in the manner stated, said strips will. be held properly assembled with the stringers and the corner posts at all times and will positively prevent the corner posts from pulling apart and off of the slats 3 to which they are secured. One or more openings 14 may be formed within each of the strips 10 at points between the ends thereof, each opening having a locking pin 15 arranged therein and projecting beyond that face of the strip nearest the slats 3.

The top and bottom panels of the crate are preferably similar, each of said panels consisting of cross strips 16 to which are secured the end portions of

parallel slats

17 and 18, the intermediate slat 18 of each panel being shorter than the side slats, the length of said intermediate slat being substantially equal to the distance between the pins 15 upon the opposed strips 10. An intermediate cross strip 19 is secured to the slats, the length of this strip being greater than the distance between the stringers 5 of opposed side panels, so that when the top or bottom panel is placed upon the crate, the ends of the intermediate strip 19 will bear upon the stringers while the ends of the slats 17 and the cross strips 16 connected to them, can be inserted under the strips 9.

It will be apparent that when the parts of the crate body are assembled in the manner herein described, the end panels can be folded onto the side panels as indicated in Fig. 2, the various wires 1 constituting the pivotal connections between the panels and being held positively against displacement by the slats 3 and by the angular ends of the wires which engage the strips 10.

lVhen it is desired to set up the crate for use, the panels are moved apart so as to assume positions at right angles to each other and the bottom panel, which is of the same structure as the top panel, is placed with its intermediate cross strip 9 upon the side stringers 5. One end of the panel is then inserted under one of the strips 10after which the other end of said panel is bent inwardly and the entire panel shifted in the opposite direction so as to bring both of the ends under opposed strips 10 and with the pins 15 extending across the ends of the intermediate slat 18. Longitudinal displacement of the said bottom panel with relation to the balance of the crate is thus prevented unless one end of the said panel is depressed so as to be capable of moving past the holding pin 15 in the path thereof. After the bottom panel has been placed in position and the crate filled, the top panel can be applied in the same manner.

Although the top and bottom panels are preferably formed with the middle slats shorter than the side slats, as illustrated in Fig. 3 it is to be understood that, it preferred, one or more notches may be formed within the ends of the slats for the recepit being noted that the slats 3 tion of the holding pins and as indicated at 20 in Fig. 5.

It will be seen that a crate constructed in the manner herein described is very light and durable, 1t be1ng possible to form 1t almost entirely of veneer slats. Importance is attached to the particular means employed for fastening the wires 4: in the corner posts, which make up the body portions of the end panels, project into these corner posts and hold the wires in proper positions within the channels. It thus becomes unnecessary to use staples or other fastening devices solely for the purpose of holding the wire in place.

Various changes can of course be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A crate consisting of longitudinally channeled corner posts, wires extending longitudinally within and beyond the ends of the channels, connections projecting into the channels and secured to the posts to hold the wires against lateral displacement within the channels, said connections and posts constituting end panels, and side panels pivotally mounted upon the projecting ends of the wires.

2. A crate including parallel stringers, connections there between and cooperating therewith to constitute side panels, corner posts interposed between the ends of the stringers and channeled longitudinally, wires disposed longitudinally within said channeled corner posts and extending therebeyond and through the stringers, said wires constituting pivotal connections between the posts and stringers, and slats connected to the corner posts and extending into the channels, the ends of said slats abutting against the wires to hold the wires against displacement in a transverse direction.

3. A crate including longitudinally channeled corner posts, wires extending longitudinally within the channels and beyond the ends of the posts, connecting means in terposed between the posts and having opposite ends seated within the channels and abutting against the wires, said means being adapted to hold the wires against displaeement in a transverse direction and side panels pivotally mounted upon the projecting portions of the wires.

4. A crate including longitudinally channeled corner posts, Wires extending longitudinally within the channels and beyond the ends of the posts, devices interposed between the posts and extending into the channels to hold the wires against displacement in a transverse direction, strips adjacent the ends of the posts and engaged byrthe terminal portions of the wires, and side panels having end portions projecting between the posts and strips and pivotally mounted upon the wires.

5. A crate consisting of hingedly connected side and end panels, each end panel including corner posts, connections between said posts, and pivot devices disposed longitudinally within the posts and retained therein by the connections, tie strips engaged by the terminals of the pivot devices retaining projections upon said strips, and panels having their end portions insertible between the said strips and the end panels, each of said insertible panels having intermediate means for bearing upon the side panels.

6. A crate including corner posts, said posts being channeled longitudinally, pivot evices seated within and extending beyond the ends of the channels, connections between the posts and projecting intothe channels, said connections constituting means for holding the pivot devices against displacement in a transverse direction, side panels having their end portions pivotally mounted upon said pivot devices and bearing on the ends of the corner posts, strips mounted on the pivot devices and connectingv the corner posts, said strips, corner posts and connections constituting end panels, a projection upon each strip, top and bottom panels insertible between the strips and the connections between the corner posts, each of said inserted panels having cut-away end portions for the reception of the projections, and means upon each of said panels adjacent the center thereof for bearing upon the side panels to prevent the depression of the middle portions of said inserted panels.

7. A folding crate including pivotally connected side and end panels, strips parallel with and connected to the end panels, a holding projection upon each of said strips, and top and bottom panels, each of said last mentioned panels including connected bendable members and means upon the intermediate portions of said members for bearing upon the side panels there being cut-away portions at the ends of said panels for receiving the projections upon the strips when the ends of said panels are inserted between said strips and the end panels.

8. A folding crate consisting of hingedly connected side and end panels, strips connecting the end portions of the side panels, said strips being parallel with the end panels, projections upon said strips and extending in the direction of the end panels, and centrally supported top and bottom panels having ends depressible and insertible between the strips and the end panels and against the projections.

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

. BYRD G. ROCKWVELL.

Witnesses:

J. R. FREDRICKSON, FRANK EDWARDS.