US600589A - Folding crate - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. MOLL, O. TOLLY & E. SIMS. FOLDING CRATE.

No. 600,589. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

ms norms PETERS cc, wore-um), wunwawovv. o c,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. MOLL, C. TOLLY 8: E. SIMS. FOLDING CRATE No. 600,589. Patented Mar. l5 1898.

wanna UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MOLL, CHARLES TOLLY, AND EDGAR SIMS, OF OBED, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,589, dated March 15, 1898.

Application filed June 3, 1895'. Serial No. 639,211. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN MoLL, CHARLES TOLLY, and EDGAR SIMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Obed, in the county of Shelby and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Folding Crate, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved folding crate 5 and it has for its object the pro duetion of a crate especially designed for poultry, simple and strong in construction, and capable of being folded into a small compact shape when desired for shipment empty.

The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawing sand then pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of our improved crate, showing the tops raised and the ends opened for clearer illustration. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the crate set up ready for use. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical central sectional view of the crate folded.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that our improved crate is of double construction, having two separate and distinct compartment, divided by a central vertical partitions and is preferably constructed of light wood, the bottoms being solid, while the central partition, tops, sides, and ends are of the usual slatted construction.

A represents the central partition, to the upper and lower edges of which horizontal strips a and b, respectively, are secured, the former strip being slightly wider than the latter in order to permit the folding of the crate, as hereinafter described. To the bottom strip (2, one on each side edge thereof, are hinged the bottoms B and B, the hinges 1 being on the upper sides of the strip and bottoms, permitting the bottoms to be turned upward when desired to fold the crate. To the outer edges of bottoms B and B' the sides 0 and C, respectively, are hinged, as at 2, in such manner as to permit the sides to be turned inward upon the bottoms. To the rear end of side C and to the forward end of side 0 the rear and front ends D and D, respectively, are hinged at 3, the ends being of the entire width of the two compartments, as shown, and adapted to turn back upon the sides to which they are hinged, small catches 4 of any well-known construction serving to secure the free ends of parts D and I) to the free ends of sides (3' and C, respectively, as shown in Fig. 53.

E and E represent the tops, hinged at 5 to the strip a and adapted to turn either upward or downward, this result being accomplished by leaving a small space between the edges of the tops and the edges of the strip a,as seen in Fig. 2. In each top a small opening is cut for the introduction of poultry, said openings being closed by covers 0 and e, catches U securing the covers to the tops. The tops, when the crate is set up, are secured by suitable catches 7, en gagiu g keepers on the respective sides.

In order to render the respective ends D and D firm and substantial, a notch 8 is formed centrally in the upper edge of each, which notches snugly embrace small tenons 9, secured to the under side of strip a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Assuming the crate to be set up as shown in Fig. 2, then when it is desired to fold it catches 4 and 7 are withdrawn from the keepers, the tops E and E are turned upward to the positions shown in Fig. 1 out of the way, the ends D and D are folded back upon the sides 0 and C, respectively, the sides and ends turned inward upon the bottoms B and B, and the latter, carrying the ends and sides, turned upward against the central partition A. The tops E and E are now turned down outside the sides, ends, and bottoms, the additional width of the upper strip a hereinbefore mentioned permitting the tops to fit snugly against the bottoms, as shown in Fig. 3. The crate is now folded, the various parts occupying the positions shown in Fig. 3 and assuming a small compact shape ready for shipment in an empty condition.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A folding crate com prisin ga central partition, horizontal strips secured to the upper and lower edges of said partition, tops hinged to the upper strip, bottoms hinged to the lower strip, sides hinged to the respective bottoms, and ends hinged to the sides, said ends being of the entire width of the crate and each hinged to the opposite end of each respective side.

2. A folding crate comprising a central partition, horizontal strips secured to the upper and lower edges of said partition, tops hinged to the upper strip, bottoms hinged to the lower strip, sides hinged to the respective bottoms, and ends hinged to the sides, said ends being of the entire width of the crate, each hinged to the opposite end of each respective side, and each adapted to be locked to the free end of the side opposite to that to which it is hinged.

3. A folding crate comprising a central partition, horizontal strips secured to the upper and lower edges of said partition, the upper strip being slightly wider than the lower strip, bottoms hinged to the edges of the lower strip, sides hinged to the bottoms, ends hinged to the sides, and tops hinged to the upper strip, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

4:. A folding crate comprising a central partition, horizontal strips secured to the upper and lower edges of said partition, the upper strip being formed with a tenon on its under side near each end, bottoms hinged to the edges of the lower strip, sides hinged to the bottoms, ends hinged to the sides, and tops hinged to the upper strip, said ends being formed with a notch adapted to snugly embrace the tenons on the upper strip when the crate is set up, as and for the purposes stated.

5. A folding crate comprising a central partition, horizontal strips secured. to the upper and lower edges of said partition, the upper strip being slightly wider than the lower strip and having a tenon centrally secured on its under side near each end, bottoms hinged to the edges of the lower strip, sides hinged to the bottoms, ends hinged to the sides, and tops hinged to the upper strip, said ends being centrally formed with a notch adapted to snugly embrace the tenons on the upper strip when the crate is set up, as and for the purposes stated.

6. A folding crate comprising a central partition, horizontal strips secured to the upper and lower edges of said partition, bottoms hinged to the lower strip and adapted to turn upward, sides hinged to the bottoms and adapted to turn inward, ends hinged respectively to the opposite sides and adapted to turn back upon the sides, and tops hinged to the upper strip on the partition and adapted to turn downward, whereby the crate may be folded into a small compact shape, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto aflixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MOLL. CHARLES TOLLY. EDGAR SIMS.

Vitnesscs:

JEssE PIERCE, EDWARD KLAR.

Images