Cases or Receptacles for the Transport of Fruit, Flowers, Vegetables, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Cases or Receptacles for the Transport of Fruit, Flowers, Vegetables,
and the like.
We, WILLIAM JOHN KELLEY, JOHN WILLIAM DOREY, and GERVASE
FOOTTIT PEEK, all of Smithfield Market, Manchester, and St. Sampsons,
Guernsey, Fruit Merchants, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide cases or receptacles for safely.
transporting by rail sea or otherwise, fruit, flowers, vegetables and the like, either
in a loose condition or loosely packed in uncovered baskets or hampers, thereby
preserving intact the natural bloom and freshness of the fruit etc., which is liable
to become impaired when closely packed in covered hampers or baskets which
have to be separately handled. Further, according to this invention, the capacity
of the receptacle may be readily varied according to the quantity of produce to be
transported.
According to this invention, the case or receptacle we employ consists of a
number of superposed open trays adapted to fit onto and serving as lids to one
another, the top tray being provided with a suitable lid or cover. The slings by
which the said trays are hoisted bodily from the railway truck to the steamer, and
vice versa, as necessary in the Channel fruit trade, are detachably connected at
their lower ends with the bottom tray, and are provided with studs or projections
which engage with corresponding holes or depressions in the sides of the trays
which they are caused to embrace closely by means of locking bars which pass
through the slings and across the lid which covers the uppermost tray. This
arrangement effectually obviates any risk of the trays becoming separated or
disarranged during transit. The capacity of the receptacle may be varied in
proportion to the quantity of goods to be carried, by increasing or diminishing the
number of the trays which in combination form the case or receptacle.
In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to corresponding
parts in all the figures :-
-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a case or receptacle constructed in accordance
with our invention.
Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view of one of the trays.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of the lid or cover.
Fig. 4 is an edge view of one of the slings.
Fig. 5 is a detached view on an enlarged scale of the upper portion of one of the
slings, shewing the manner of securing the locking bars.
a a are the trays which are preferably about nine inches deep. is a dependent
rim or flange, preferably of metal, provided on the underside of each tray (except
the lowermost tray) and adapted to fit into the tray beneath. ccare iron bars
extending across the bottom of the lowest tray and having eyes c¹ at each end
which receive the hooked extremities d' of the detachable slings d the upper ends
of which terminate in eyes e. fare metal clamps at the corners of each tray,
and g g are holes therein adapted to receive the projecting studs or pins on the
slings & when the latter are locked in position. is the lid or cover for the top
tray, preferably curved to allow rain or moisture to run off. kk are locking bars,
having each a head at one end and an eye at the other, which pass freely through
holes in the slings d and are locked in place by padlocks or otherwise; when

page_text: these locking bars are thus locked in-position: the trays cannot possibly become
separated neither can the slings slip out of place.
When a greater or less number of trays are to be combined to form the case or
receptacle; slings, of suitably proportioned length would be substituted, the slings
being all made interchangeable.
Each tray or compartment would be provided with suitable ventilating apertures
lined with perforated zinc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is. :-
1. A case or receptacle for the transport of fruit, flowers, vegetables and the
like, consisting of a number of superposed trays arranged to fit onto one another,
combined with detachable slings fnrnished with studs or projections adapted to
engage with corresponding depressions or holes in the sides of the trays, and
means for locking the said slings in position, substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. A case or receptacle for the transport of fruit, flowers, vegetables and the
like, comprising a set of superposed trays provided with dependent flanges b,
slings d detachably connected with the bottom tray and having projecting studs
or pins h, corner clamps on each tray having holes g for the reception of the
said studs, and locking bars k which hold the slings in position and are
secured by padlocks or like suitable fastenings, substantially as described and
illustrated.
l
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.