US49866A - Improvement in fruit boxes or baskets - Google Patents

Description

JOHN H. noonfrfrg'r'linfon iANs'oNn., CONNECTICUT.

IM PRo'vE-M'NLI' 'IN" Figugirioxss bRfBAsK'sfrs.

Specifieationforming part ofNetters-atent Ilot-219,866; dated September l2', 1865.

4To all whom 'it may Be it known that I, JonrtH. DooLrTTLE, of Ansonia, New Haven county, in the State of Gonnccticuhave invented certain new and.

useful Improvements in Fmi-t' Boxes or Baskets; and I'do hereby deelarfi that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makin g part of. this application.

My present invention relate -to an improvement in fruit boxes or baskets, having for its object to render such' boxes or baskets capable of being packed in. crateswtnout the use of any partition-boards, and also without any lia.- bility of injury to the contents ot the boxes.

Previous to my invention n umerous kinds `ot fruit boxes and baskets have been suggest ed, patented, and used in the market, many of which (like myimproved box) havebeen formed of thin board or strips of veneer, which is a very desirable method of construction in many respects; butwith thiskindof boxes it has been found necessary, in packing a number of them in a crate for transportation, to employ horizontall y-arran ged partition-boards, placed one over each layer or stratum of boxes to support the next layer of boxes and to prevent the box`e s i `rom slippin g' partially into each other,

and mashing the berries or contents thereof. It will be understood that when a number .of boxes made as heretofore were put into a crate without any partition-boards a very slight displacement or deran gement of a box laterally would allow it (being formed of thin stuff) to dip or descend partially into the box below it.

This objection, heretofore existant in most kinds of fruit-boxes, is entirely overcome by,

my invention, which consists inmakin g the box slightly tapering inwardly from the bottom toward the top, in such manner that a series of boxes of the same size may be packed ina crate or otherwise with the lower edge of each box surrounding, and thebottom thereof restingon, the top edge of the box placed immediately bcneath it, 'as will' be presently more fully explained. y

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will proceed to describe the construction and operation thereof, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, and in which- Figure lis an elevation of one of'my improved fruit-boxes.' `Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same; and Fig. 3 isa similar section of a series ot' such boxes as they appear packed together.

In the several gures thevsame letter of reference designates the same part.

I t ke a strip of thin board or'veneer cut in Y the proper shape and bend it around to form the sides or contourof the box, as seen at having first made suitable slots and notches for the accommodation of the binder and bot- "i tom-supporting cords b c d. After securing the sides A by means of the cords b and c, I place the bottom-board e in and then put on the retaining -cord or band d. The construction of the box, as thus far explained, is similarto that magie the subject of another application for d Letters Patent by me,ii1 which it will be found minutely described.

- The strip of veneer of which the sides A of the box are formed is so cut andbentinto shape as to make. the top edge of the box a little smaller than the bottom edge.

I prefer to make external contour of the top edge a shade smaller than the internal contour ofthe bottom edge, so that by taking two boxes and placing one over the other they will Vit together, as shown at Fig. 4.

The bottom-board e is arranged a short disy tance above the lower edge ot' the box,so that when the boxes are packed together they will interlock, each one over the one under it, as clearly shown at Fig. 3. Of course the contour of'the box may be varied from that shown to any desired form-either polygonal, round, or oval. l Although I have shown my invention in connection with a mode of construction of the box of a bent strip tied together with strings, and its bottom supported and retained by means of strings, it will be understood that the characteristic feature of my present invention-viz,l

the idea offormin g the boxes taperingand so as to interlock and pack together, as described- Y may bc embodied with great and perhaps equal advantages in other kinds of boxes formed in a manner entirely different from that shown in this application.

It will be seen that by my invention I am enabled to pack the boxes in large quantities or numbers in crates or large boxes for transportation without the use of any partition or separation boards, and that the botton1-board of each box will take a complete bearing upon the entire top edge of the box below it, and the whole series be matched together in vertical tiers.

It may be deemed an additional advantage to have the boxes constructed according to my present invention in consequence of their capacity to stand in a vertical tier on the counter or stand of the salesman, one box forming a perfect cover to another, as shown and illustrated.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A fruit box or basketmade smaller at the top tha-n at its bottom, so that the bottom of each box may rest upon the top edge of the box beneath it when a series are packed together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testi mon y whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

JOHN H. DUOLITTLE.

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