Vegetables, and other Produce.
Year: 1886

page_text: Vegetables, and other Produce.
I, JAMES CHARLES CHAPMAN of New Hope Plantation Saint-Simon's Island
in the County of Glynn and State of Georgia United States of America Planter,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention relates to an improvement in that form of crate or box employed
to transport fruit and vegetables and other like materials to market; which crates
or boxes must either be broken up or returned empty to the original shipper-
consequently it is desirable that the crates be so constructed that they may be
folded up to occupy the least possible space when they are so returned.
The Invention consists of certain novel constructions and combinations of parts
to be hereinafter described and specifically pointed out in the Claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of, the crate, the same being represented with the
bottom removed and placed in position upon the side of the crate.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the crate, the bottom and top being removed, and
placed upon the sides of the crate, and the centre partition being represented
in place.
Figure 3 is a cross sectional elevation of the crate. Figure 4 is a view of the
crate as it appears when unpacked and folded for return to the shipper.
The crate proper is composed of side bars a a and end bars 6 6 the ends of which
meet at the four angles of the crate where they are over lapped as shown and held
in place by 'a long rod k which passes through the ends of the strips or bars a and b
being formed at one end with a head c and passing through a plate & at the other,
above which plate the end of the rod is flattened out by rivetting so that dis-
placement will be prevented. Upon either end of each set of side bars there are
cleats e e formed with bevelled faces f; said cleats serving as braces for the crates
and as the retaining cleats for the bottom and cover of the crate as will be herein-
after explained. In the longitudinal centre of the crate there is a partition formed
by bars h h which are inserted between the bars a a and held in place by rods i i

page_text: which are rivetted in the same manner as the bars kk The bottom m and cover n
of the crate consist of a flat board or series of boards fixed upon four cleats b
and the cleats being at the ends of the cover and bottom and their inner
faces being bevelled to fit over the bevelled faces f of the cleats e when removed
from the crate so that they would be held in the position shown in Figures 1. 2.
and 4 upon the side of the crate, while the cleats are arranged to fit on either
side of the upper and lower bar h. The cleats P project outward from either side.
of the cover and bottom but at unequal distances, the projection being greater upon
one side than upon the other so that, as the cover and bottom are narrower than
the interior width of the crate the longer projecting ends of the cleats may be fitted
under the top bar on one side then the cover or bottom will be moved slightly
away from that side until the shorter projecting ends of the cleats 1 will fit
under the upper or lower bar of the opposite side of the crate. The cover having
been so placed in position is held against displacement by a screw o fixed upon the
upper bar h this screw passing through a slot p formed in the cover, which slot is
80 shaped that when the longer cleats are inserted beneath the top bar a the
screw o will pass up through the slot and as the cover is pulled to the centre of
the crate the screw head will pass into a narrower portion of the slot wherein the
shank of the screw will be closely embraced, so that the head of the screw will
prevent displacement. When in this position the slot might be sealed up to
prevent all pilfering or tampering with the contents of the crate. In some cases
I have found it desirable to further divide the crate by a central partition q which
is passed in through the end bars b and held in place by gravity, all lateral
displacement being prevented by cleats rr which fit against the sides of the
bars b and h.
When the crate is to be, returned to the shipper, the cover and bottom `are
removed, and the central partition o taken out; the cover and bottom being slid
upon the sides of the crate, so that their cleats will engage with the cleats e of
the crate proper. The crate is then folded over to the position shown in Figure 4
in which position it will occupy a comparatively small space.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. A crate or box formed with bars a and b united by rods / the bars a being
provided with cleats e formed with bevelled faces.f and the cover and bottom of
the crate being provided with bevelled faced cleats / substantially as described and
for the purpose specified.
2. The box or crate formed of bars. a b united by rods and being provided
with bevelled faced cleats e e in combination with covers n and m provided with
bevelled faced cleats & substantially as described.
3. The box or crate formed of outer bars a and b united by rods and with
inner bars h united to the bars a by rods i, said crate being provided with cleats e
in combination with the cover and bottom m and n provided with cleats 7 and
formed with slot p and screws o substantially as described.
J. C. CHAPMAN.
By A. M. & W Clark, Agents.