Improved Folding Crate.
Year: 1899

page_text: I, SIDNEY RICHARD GRIMWADE, of Holderslea, Blyth Bridge, in the County of
Stafford, Earthenware Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object an improved folding crate, which, when set up
for use, is strong and securely bound together, but which can be readily folded
or collapsed for storage, &c. when not required for use.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct five frames constituting the
bottom, sides and ends of the crate. These frames are each formed of strong
top, bottom and end rails, preferably of yellow pine or some equally strong wood,
and with intermediate rods preferably of ash, hazel, birch or other suitable wood.
The side and end frames are bound to the bottom frame by flexible bands of
leather, hide, wooden withs, or other suitable material, so arranged that one of
the sides can be turned under the bottom, whilst the second side can be laid flat
on the bottom, and the two ends laid flat on said second side. The ends are each
provided on two opposite sides with screwed pins, which can be passed through
holes in the end bars or rails of the two sides, and when the crate is erected, nuts
screwed on to said screwed pins keep the parts firmly together. The flexible
bands I prefer to employ consist of strips of leather, hide, wooden withs, or other
suitable material, formed into loops and passed around adjacent bars or rails of
the various parts, which latter are preferably rounded at the parts to receive said
loops. The flexible bands connecting the end frames with the bottom are longer
than those of the side frames, to permit of the ready folding up of the parts as
above described.
Dated this let day of July 1899
Improved Folding Crate.
I, SIDNEY RICHARD GRIMWADE, of Holderslea, Blyth Bridge, in the County of
Stafford, Earthenware Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
The invention has for its object an improved folding crate which..when set up

page_text: for use, is strong and securely bound together, but which, when not required for
use, can be readily folded or collapsed for storage, &c.
I will describe my invention by the aid of the accompanying drawings, in
which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 an end elevation, showing
the crate as it would be when set up for use.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the same as it would be when folded or collapsed.
Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a cross section and a plan of a preferred form
of joint or fitting for the top rails of the side and end frames, and
Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively an elevation and a cross section of parts slowing
a modified form of means for securing the end and side frames in position for use.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct five frames A, B, B, C, C₁,
constituting the bottom A, sides B, B, and ends C, C, of the crate.
The bottom frame A is formed of side rails a a', end rails a², and intermediate
rods a³, and the side and end frames are similarly formed of top rails bor c,
bottom rails 61 or e¹, and end rails 62 or 2, and intermediate rods or The
rails a a¹ a², bb b², c c c², are preferably of yellow pine or some equally strong
wood, and the intermediate rods a bor care preferably of ash, hazel, birch, or
other suitable wood. The side frames B B and end frames C C are flexibly
bound to the bottom frame A by bands 6 or of leather, hide, wooden withes,
or other suitable material, by preference iron. The bands are of equal length,
whilst the bands are somewhat longer than the bands 6. This arrangement
enables one side frame (say B) to be turned or folded underneath the bottom
frame A, and the second side frame (say B) to be laid or folded flat on the
bottom frame A, and the two end frames C C to be laid flat on said second side
frame B¹.
The end frames C C are each provided on two opposite sides with screwed pins
or bolts, which can be passed through holes in the end bars or rails 62 of the
two side frames. B B¹; thus, when the crate is erected for use, nuts screwed
on to said bolts keep the parts firmly together.
The modification represented at Figs. 7 and 8 of means for securing the end
and side frames in their position for use consists of a screwed pin or bolt having
an eye, and a screwed pin or bolt clo having a hook e to hook into the eye c
nuts being used to draw the parts tight; the outer ends of the screwed pins
or bolts are spread over to prevent the loss of the nuts. By screwing back
the nuts the hook can be removed from the eye c'.
In order to increase the rigidity of the crate when erected for use, I preferably
form recesses in the top bars or rails of the side frames B B¹, and I shape
the ends of the top bars or rails c of the side frames C C¹ to fit such recesses, as
shown at Figs. 5 and 6.
The bands I prefer to employ are in the form of loops embracing adjacent
bars or rails a a¹ and ba² and e, and these bars or rails are preferably rounded
at the parts to receive such loops.
The crate can be used either with or without a top frame, as is well understood.
The crate herein shown and described is capable of being made by ordinary
crate makers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A folding crate consisting of bottom, side, and end frames, flexibly con-
nected together by bands embracing the outer bars or rails of the bottom frame
and the bottom bars or rails of the side and end frames, the bands connecting the
side frames with the bottom frame being of equal length and the bands connect-
ing the end frames with the bottom frame being somewhat longer than the other
bands to permit of the frames being folded, as herein set forth.
2. A folding crate consisting of bottom, side, and end frames,. flexibly connected

page_text: together by bands embracing the outer bars or rails of the bottom frame and
the bottom bars or rails of the side and end frames, and bolts and nuts to secure
the side and end frames together when the crate is erected for use, substantially
as herein set forth.
T
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.