US957796A - Folding crate. - Google Patents

Description

A. J. PARMETER.

' FOLDING CRATE. APPLIUATION FILED JULY 29, 1909. @WJWQ Pmmm may .10, m0.

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FOLDING CRATE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29, 1909.

Patented. May 10, 1910.

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FOLDING CRATE.

; and l do declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description pf the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which" it appertains to make and use the same. j

My invention relates t'o*'egg crates and partlcularly to that type which are adapted to be folded or collapsed for purposes of return shipment.

The object of the invention is the provi- .sion of a device of this character which may be conveniently and readily operated so that after the contents have been removed, the crate may be folded into compact form for return shipment. It may be as easily'and readily set up when it is desired to' fill the same. p

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby a single locking lever may be utilized to hold the device in locked distended position and in locked collapsed position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel hinge for joining the sides and ends of thccrate so that it may be readily folded and for connecting the bottom plates with one of the side members.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangements of parts as will be more fully pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the box in distendedposition; Fig. 2 is a central transverse sectionshowing the top closed; Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional View taken through the center of the device; Fig. 4t is a top plan View of the device in collapsed position; Fig. 5 is atop plan view of the device collapsed in the op posite direction; Fig. (3 is a bottom plan View of the devicev collapsed as shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional View of one of the hinges; and Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the locking lever.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 represents the body of a crate which comprises back and front members 2 and 3, respectively, hingedly connected to the end Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 1" ay 10., Application filed July 29, 1909. Serial No. 510,169. 2

members 4. In the preferredform of hinge, I roll the metal of the front and back members at each end of said members so as to fprm a tubular pintle socket 5 in which the pintles (3, formed on the ends of the members aremounted. 'lhese pintles are formed in a similar manner and are prevented from movement longitudinally in the pintle sockets, by lugs'or clips 7, which are bent over at the top and bottom of the tubular'channel forming portions in order to close their ends. The end members are provided with suitable bail handles S,by which the crate may be readily transported from placeto place. The lower portion of the rear side is curled up in a manner similar to the ends thereof to form a pintle socket 8, in which the pintles 9 and 10, of the bottom members 11 and 12, respectively, are adapted to engage. The ends of this curled 'or rolled channel portion are not turned over as the end members have sullicient overhang as shown in Fig. 2 to prevent any movement of the pintles longitudinally of the channel.

The forward ends of .the bottom members 11 and 12, are provided with downwardly projecting flanges 13, to engage channels 14:, formed by the upturned flange 15, of the front side 3. When these members are in place with their flanges engaging the flange 15, the s 'n'eading of the side memberswill be prevented. In order to further insure the device against spreading and to divide the crate int-o compartments, 1 secure hinge members 16, to the front and back sides therein in which there are journalcd pintles 17, to which is connected a transverse partition 18, which has its lower end raised between the bottom members 11 and 12. The top. portion of the backside is provided with lugs 1.) and 20, which are curled over to clamp a hinge pintle 21 therebetween upon which is mounted the top 22. The lugs 19 and 20, are arranged on either side of slots 23, which are adapted to permit the passage of the hooks 24, carried upon the rear side of the cover or top 22, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

Journaled in, the cars 25,. upon the front face of the side memberB, is a locking lever 26, which comprises hooked ends 27, adapted to engage the links 28, carried upon the cover so as to lock the cover in'closed position. The intermediate portion of this lever extends downwardly alontr the "face of jthe 1 side 3, where it straddles the projecting lug 29, which is apertured at 30, so as to receive a locking' seal 31.

\Vhen the crate is folded as shown in Fig. 4 or 5, one of the links 32, which are secured to the upper portion of the front side plate 3, is engaged with one of the hooks 24, so as to pull the front portion back toward the back plate. The hooked ends of the lever 26 are-extended eccentrically to the line of the bearings so that when the lever is turned in one direction, the hooked ends will be considerably below the bearings and, when the lever is turned in the opposite direction, the hooked ends are sub-- stantially in alinement with the bearings. Connected to these extended ends are chains 3%, whiclnhave hooks 35, arranged upon their .ends, one of which is adapted to engage one of the links'28, so as to lock the bottom of the crate in closed'position as shown in Fig. 6. The opposite link is folded down on the top of the cover and the remaining hook 35, is carried over the lower edge of the side 3. The lever is then thrown so as to carry the extensions back parallel with the lever and the seal is then placed? in position so as tolock the device in position for shipment.

It will be seen that the structure is substantially flat When foldedv and that it may be readilychanged from. one position to the other so that little time is lost in fixing the case up'for packing or for return shipment.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood with" out requiring a more extended explanation. Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be-resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing. any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

l-Iaving .thus described my invention, what. I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with hinged side and end members, of a top hinged to one of the side mein- I bers, pivoted links on the oppositeside member and hooks carried upon the underside of the top adjacent its connection with the side and adapted to engage said links to hold the opposite side member collapsed with respect to the first. side member on which the door is mounted.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with hinged side and end members, of a top hinged to one of the side members, links carried by the opposite side member, hooks carried on the undersideof the top adjacent the hinge connection and adapted to engage the links to hold the,

members collapsed, and means carried by the opposite side member for engaging the top to hold it in collapsed position.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with side and end members, of

a partition permanently hinged. to the side 7o members, separate bottom members hinged to one of the side members and adapted to fold up alongside of said side men'iher, a door hinged to one side member, links carried by the oppo'site side member, hooks car- 7:.

ried by the door adjacent the hing-ed connection thereof and adapted to engage the links, to hold the parts COllRPSQKl llIlkS .car-

ried by the door, and flexible means carried by the opposite side member for engaging so bers, independently hinged bottom members .85

connected to one of the side mei'nbers, a tophinged to one of the side members, links carried by the top, means carried by the opposite side member for engaging the links to hold the top in closed position when the crate is distended, and chains carried by said means for engaging the links to hold the top in locked position with the parts col lapsed.

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

ADDISOB J. PARli'IE'lER. Witnesses:

M. E. lni'criN, E. C. LEWIS.

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