GB2138402A - Crates - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for transporting milk and the like in standard prismatic containers formed from card or like material employs a crate of selected dimensions which enable maximum crate volume utilization whilst coping with a range of different sizes and shapes of containers. The crate has an internal load space of 21 cm width, 28 cm length and 24 cm height, plus working clearances of about 10% on each of these dimensions and may accommodate a single layer of quart or litre cartons, two layers of flat-topped pint cartons or a single layer of gable-topped pint cartons (Fig. 3) bearing further cartons in a tilted orientation. The standard cartons have a 7 cm x 7 cm base, with their height in multiples of approximately 2.75 cm depending upon their capacity. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Crates This invention relates to crates for use (primarily) in transport of milk, fruit juice and the like, to the point of sale. The invention is concerned with such liquids packed in an industry standard container made of a cardlike material and which is a regular square prism shape with or without a "roof" at the top. The square has a 7cm side and the height is of two, four, seven or eight units height where one unit is about 2.75 cm. Such containers have a capacity of half pint, one pint, one litre or one quart respectively. If a roof is used, it is an extension of two opposed side walls which converge away from the base and meet at a ridge, and the other two side walls form gable ends for the roof. This adds about 4 cms to the height and provides an air space above the liquid so that the volume charged into the container is not increased.

In the 1982 "Proposals for Health and Safety (Manual Handling of Loads) Regulations and Guidance" it is said that loads of 35 Ibs (15.87 kg) or less can be handled without any special provision being made, for example by way of mechanical handling equipment. In order for the crate of the present invention to be used for example by a milk roundsman, it is therefore essential that the combined weight of the crate and its maximum content of liquid should not exceed 35 Ibs (15.87 kg.). In practice, all of the liquids concerned are of a very similar weight, and the weight of an injection-moulded plastics crate can be kept well below two kilograms, and this defines a maximum capacity for the crate of about 3 gallons (13.64 1.) in said cartons which themselves are of light weight.

It will be seen that where containers of one quart capacity are used, twelve containers will be involved and these are very conveniently arranged in three rows of four containers.

However, the crates may need to be transported and stored and under such circumstances crate volume utilisation is an important factor. it will be unsatisfactory for crates to be less than substantially filled. A crate which will (just) house one "layer" of quart containers will not house two layers of one pint containers because of the added dimension of the roof. In general it is easiest to obtain high utilisation factors with large crates, but this would conflict with the weight limitation.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved system for packing, and a crate for use in the system, enabling good utilisation of space.

In accordance with the invention a system for storage and transport of liquid in the mentioned industry standard containers comprises using a crate having an internal load accommodating space which is generally parallelopiped and of dimensions of 2lcms width, 28cms length and 24 cms height plus working clearances of the order of 10% on all of said dimensions, and loading said crate with a single layer of one quart or one litre containers, or with two layers of roof-less one pint containers, or with a first layer of one pint roof containers and a second smaller quantity layer of said one pint roof containers canted so that their base and side walls are at substantially equal angles to the base of the crate.

By these means, three gallons, twelve litres or two and one half gallons can be contained in a standard crate and thus the utilisation factor will be 83% at a minimum. Where the crate is used for packing half-pint containers, substantially similar considerations apply, and it will also be found possible to pack a mix of different sizes to very high capacity utilisation factors.

Preferably the crate comprises a skeleton structure made as an integral and unitary plastics moulding, and it may comprise a base which is perforated both for lightness and for drainage (for example of rain water) and a series of generally parallel vertical bars extending up the side and end walls, with a continuous rim and a second continuous bar extending around the side and end wall about half way up the height of the container. The vertical bars may be assymetrically arranged so that loaded crates can be stacked or, if alternate crates are turned end for end when empty, can be nested.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic end elevation showing 6 roof-less containers arranged in two layers, and the internal walls and the plane of the top of the load-accommodating space of the crate are shown by the line 10.

Figure 2 is a similar but showing 3 quart roof type containers.

Figure 3 is also similar but shows 5 1 pint roof-type containers arranged in the space.

Figures 4,5, 6a and 6b are respectively a plan view, a side elevation, and elevations of opposite ends of one example of a crate for use in carrying out the invention.

1. A system for storage and transport of liquid in the mentioned industry standard containers comprising using a crate having an internal load accommodating space which is generally parallelopiped and of dimensions of 2lcms width, 28cms length, and 24cms height plus working clearances of the order of 10% on all of said dimensions, and loading said crate with a single layer of one quart or one litre containers, or with two layers of roofless one pint containers, or with a first layer of one pint roof containers and a second smaller quantity layer of said one pint roof containers

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Crates This invention relates to crates for use (primarily) in transport of milk, fruit juice and the like, to the point of sale. The invention is concerned with such liquids packed in an industry standard container made of a cardlike material and which is a regular square prism shape with or without a "roof" at the top. The square has a 7cm side and the height is of two, four, seven or eight units height where one unit is about 2.75 cm. Such containers have a capacity of half pint, one pint, one litre or one quart respectively. If a roof is used, it is an extension of two opposed side walls which converge away from the base and meet at a ridge, and the other two side walls form gable ends for the roof. This adds about 4 cms to the height and provides an air space above the liquid so that the volume charged into the container is not increased. In the 1982 "Proposals for Health and Safety (Manual Handling of Loads) Regulations and Guidance" it is said that loads of 35 Ibs (15.87 kg) or less can be handled without any special provision being made, for example by way of mechanical handling equipment. In order for the crate of the present invention to be used for example by a milk roundsman, it is therefore essential that the combined weight of the crate and its maximum content of liquid should not exceed 35 Ibs (15.87 kg.). In practice, all of the liquids concerned are of a very similar weight, and the weight of an injection-moulded plastics crate can be kept well below two kilograms, and this defines a maximum capacity for the crate of about 3 gallons (13.64 1.) in said cartons which themselves are of light weight. It will be seen that where containers of one quart capacity are used, twelve containers will be involved and these are very conveniently arranged in three rows of four containers. However, the crates may need to be transported and stored and under such circumstances crate volume utilisation is an important factor. it will be unsatisfactory for crates to be less than substantially filled. A crate which will (just) house one "layer" of quart containers will not house two layers of one pint containers because of the added dimension of the roof. In general it is easiest to obtain high utilisation factors with large crates, but this would conflict with the weight limitation. The object of the invention is to provide an improved system for packing, and a crate for use in the system, enabling good utilisation of space. In accordance with the invention a system for storage and transport of liquid in the mentioned industry standard containers comprises using a crate having an internal load accommodating space which is generally parallelopiped and of dimensions of 2lcms width, 28cms length and 24 cms height plus working clearances of the order of 10% on all of said dimensions, and loading said crate with a single layer of one quart or one litre containers, or with two layers of roof-less one pint containers, or with a first layer of one pint roof containers and a second smaller quantity layer of said one pint roof containers canted so that their base and side walls are at substantially equal angles to the base of the crate. By these means, three gallons, twelve litres or two and one half gallons can be contained in a standard crate and thus the utilisation factor will be 83% at a minimum. Where the crate is used for packing half-pint containers, substantially similar considerations apply, and it will also be found possible to pack a mix of different sizes to very high capacity utilisation factors. Preferably the crate comprises a skeleton structure made as an integral and unitary plastics moulding, and it may comprise a base which is perforated both for lightness and for drainage (for example of rain water) and a series of generally parallel vertical bars extending up the side and end walls, with a continuous rim and a second continuous bar extending around the side and end wall about half way up the height of the container. The vertical bars may be assymetrically arranged so that loaded crates can be stacked or, if alternate crates are turned end for end when empty, can be nested. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic end elevation showing 6 roof-less containers arranged in two layers, and the internal walls and the plane of the top of the load-accommodating space of the crate are shown by the line 10. Figure 2 is a similar but showing 3 quart roof type containers. Figure 3 is also similar but shows 5 1 pint roof-type containers arranged in the space. Figures 4,5, 6a and 6b are respectively a plan view, a side elevation, and elevations of opposite ends of one example of a crate for use in carrying out the invention. CLAIMS

1. A system for storage and transport of liquid in the mentioned industry standard containers comprising using a crate having an internal load accommodating space which is generally parallelopiped and of dimensions of 2lcms width, 28cms length, and 24cms height plus working clearances of the order of 10% on all of said dimensions, and loading said crate with a single layer of one quart or one litre containers, or with two layers of roofless one pint containers, or with a first layer of one pint roof containers and a second smaller quantity layer of said one pint roof containers canted so that their base and side walls are at substantially equal angles to the base of the crate.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising the use of a crate which comprises a skeleton structure made as an integral unitary plastics moulding having a base which is perforated and a series of generally parallel vertical bars extending up the side and end walls, with a continous rim and a second continuous bar extending around the side and end wall about halfway up the height of the containers.

3. A system substantially as described using a crate substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.