US1253490A - Folding receptacle. - Google Patents

Description

F. W. HOWLAND.

FOLDING RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. I994. RENEWED run: 14. 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- 7 I F. w. HOWLAND.

FOLDING RECEPTACLE. APPUCATION FILED OCT. 12. 1914. RENEWED JUNE 14. 1917.

mmwwo Patenteai Jan. 15,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

raanx w. nowtenn, or cHrcAeo, ILLINOISS.

FOLDING BECEP'IACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.15,191.

Application filed October 12, 1914, eri l No. 866,252. Renewed June 14, 1917. Serial No. 174,793.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK W. HOWLAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates in general to folding receptacles and more particularly to folding crates adapted for the transference of live stock such as fowls or the like.

The principal objects of my present invention are the provision of improved means for supporting the side walls or retaining members of the receptacle; the provision of means whereby the strain on the hinges employed to connect the various parts of the receptacle together is transferred as far as can be to the side and end members of the receptacle; the provision of a folding receptacle of maximum strength which can be used an indefinite number of times; and generally to improve and simplify the construction of folding receptacles or crates especially those to be used in shipping live stock, together with such further objects as will hereinafter appear.

In attaining the foregoing objects and certain additional advantages to be below disclosed, I have provided the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein 7 Figure l is a perspective view of the crate in its extended or expanded form;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the crate when collapsed;

Fig. 3 is a. longitudinal vertical section through the expanded crate;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the crate on the plane 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fi 5 is a sectional view of the crate on the llne 5 -5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings the crate consists of a top member 10, a bottom member 11, and end members 12 and 13. These four members are all connected at their adjacent edges by means of hinges 14 and 15 respectively. It will be observed (see Fig. 3) that the hinges 14 arranged at opposite corners of the crate are arranged outside of the members to which they are attached, while the hinges 15 at the intermediate corners of the crate are arranged inside the members. The object of this arrangement is to enable the edges of the top and bottom members to overlap the edges of the end mem bers and therefore receive support therefrom without interfering with the folding of the crate when necessary. Thus the hinges 14 are arranged at the edges where the inner angle between the adjacent members is increased when the receptacle is folded and the hinges 15 are arranged at the edges where this angle is decreased. It will be evident that with the arrangement shown when the crate is folded, the folding action will increase the space between the adjacent edges of the members at both the hinges 14 and 15 instead of decreasing it which is exactly what is desired. As a result of this arrangement, the crate is formed so that the ends lie entirely within the edges of the upper and lower parts of the crate, and similarly, the side members lie entirely within the edges of not only the upper and lower parts, but also the ends of the crate as well so that the strain on the hinges is taken largely by the side and end members as well.

The side members 16 of the receptacle are attached to the upper member by means of hinges 17 which are arranged on the outside of the members in question in order to allow the sides to be folded outward and then backward onto the top of the crate when it is desired to collapse the latter.

It will be seen that as the side members lie within the edges of the other four members that they. effectually prevent the collapsing of the crate so long as such members are retained in position. Their position is secured by clamping the lower edge of each of the side members to the bottom member 11 of the crate so that these two adjacent edges cannot separate either vertically or horizontally. Vertical movement is prevented by extending the straps or cross members 18 so as to form hooks 19 which engage the edge of the bottom member 11. Horizontal movement of the lower edge of the side members is prevented by means of wire catches 20, arranged at each end and also centrally of the side member. These wires are pivotally attached to plates 21 fixed to the bottom member in such a way that the wire can be turned so as to be out of, engagement with the side member when it is desired to collapse the crate. lVhen these wires are moved into the position shown in Fig. 1, they securely prevent outward movement of the edge of the side member 16. The wires 20 are held in their engaging positions by means of wedgeshaped projections 23. Inward movement of the same edge is, of course, prevented by the hooked ends 19 of the straps 18. To further strengthen this part of the receptacle the lower edges 22 of each of the side members 16 preferably consist of an irolr strip.

If desired a hinged partition 28 may be provided attached to the top member of the crate by means of a hinge 29. This partition consists of a series of vertical slats connected top and bottom by transverse iron strips 80 and 31 respectively. V

lVith regard to the particular form of construction adopted, attention should be called to the fact that the longitudinal slats of the top, side and end members are preferably made of wood, while the transverse and vertical parts 24-, 18, 25, 16 and27 preferably consist of strip iron.

The bottom is preferably made either of a single piece of wood or else of slats with their edges adjoining instead of an open slat construction. Transverse metal sup-i porting or strengthening strips 2e are employed. It will be seen that these strips are so arranged that the outer edges of each end of the crate are all protected by means of such an iron strip.

The non strips are attached to the wooden slats by means of bolts having slotted heads.

for engagement with a screw driver on the iron strip side and nuts on the other side. This gives an extremely strong construction. The hinges are attached to the members in exactly the same way.

To further strengthen the top of the crate iron strips (Fig. 3) are arranged under neath on the under side of the wooden slats vertically beneath the strips 24: arranged above the latter.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use what I claimis new and I desire to secure by Letters Patent.

1. A folding receptacle comprising four retaining members,.hinges connecting the said members at four parallel edges thereof,

attached to one of the said four members,

and positive means for preventing said out- .folding retaining members pivotally attached to one of the said four members and each adapted to engage at its periphery with the other four retaining members.

i. A folding receptacle comprising top and bottom horizontal members, end members arranged between the edges of said top and bottom members and pivotally attached thereto, and side members pivotally attached to said horizontal membershand adapted to lie within the edges of said to bottom and endmembers.

A folding receptacle comprising top and bottom horizontal members, end members arranged between the edges; of said top and bottom members and pivotally attached thereto, and outwardlyfolding side members pivotally attached to said horizontal members and adapted to lie within the edges of said top, bottom and end members, and positive means for preventing the edges of the said side retaining members separating either vertically or horizontally from the edges of the retaining members opposite the member to which said side members are pivotally attached.

6. A folding receptacle comprising and bottom horizontal members, end memtop bers arranged between the edges of said top and bottom members and pivotally attached thereto, and outwardly folding side members pivotally attached to said horizontal members and adapted to lie within the edges of said top, bottom and end'members, and

positive means for preventing the edges of the said side retaining members separating either vertically or horizontally from the edges of their adjacent retaining members.

7. A folding receptacle comprising top and bottom, horizontal members, end members between the edges of said top and bottom members and pivotally attached thereto, and outwardly folding side members each pivotally attached to one of said horizontal members, and releasable means adapted to positively prevent theoutwardly folding member accidentally moving outward.

S. A folding receptacle comprising top and bottom, horizontal members, end members between the edges ofsaid top and bots tom members and pivotally attached thereto, and outwardly folding side members each 7 pivotally attached. to one of said horizontal members, and a hooked member on each side member adapted to engagev the edge and outer face of the retaining member opposite to the member to which the side member is pivotally attached.

9. A folding receptacle comprising top and bottom horizontal members, end members between the edges of said top and bottom members and pivotally attached thereto, and outwardly folding side members each pivotally attached to one of said hori zontal members, and releasable means for positively preventing said outwardly f0ld ing members accidentally separating either horizontally or vertically.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

FRANK W. HOVVLAND.

Witnesses:

DONALD G. lVILLIAMs, PAUL CARPENTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

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