Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1886
Complete Left, 20th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 21st June, 1887
I, JAMES CAMPBELL POOL, of 8, Fentham Road, Erdington, Warwickshire,
Translator of Languages, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists in the new or improved means herein described whereby
eggs can be packed for transmission from place to place without liability of breakage
and can be stored and readily examined in considerable numbers without having to be
handled individually.
For the purposes of my Invention I provide a pair of box-like trays preferably of
rectangular shape and each tray about twelve inches square by one and a quarter
inches deep but I do not limit myself to any particular size as that varies according
to the size and number of the eggs they are required to hold. Each of the said trays
consists of a flat top part made preferably of strong cardboard to the underside of
which the four sides. (preferably of wood) are fixed. The said trays are placed one
on the top of the other and there secured together by suitable fastenings. The top
of each of the said trays is correspondingly perforated by rows of circular holes a
short distance apart and a little smaller in diameter than the length of the shorter
axis of the eggs for which the trays are required which is about one and a half inches
in diameter for ordinary hens' eggs. Horizontal bars (preferably of wood) extend
from side to side of each tray between the rows of holes as may be required so as to
strengthen the cardboard top parts.
In order to pack the eggs the top tray of the pair is first removed from the bottom
one and an egg is then placed end up in each of the holes in the bottom tray; the top
tray is then replaced on and fastened to the bottom tray when the tops of the eggs will
project through the holes in the top tray. The eggs will thus be kept in position and
prevented from touching each other by the holes in the top and bottom trays through
which their ends project. By holding the pair of trays and the eggs contained

page_text: therein against the light the eggs can all be examined together and the bad ones picked
out. As the tops of the eggs projecting through the top tray would be liable to get
broken if unprotected I provide a shallow lid which covers the top of the top tray
and to which it is secured.
In packing or storing a large quantity of eggs any number of pairs of trays as
above described can be employed and piled one on the top of another in an ordinary
packing case and if preferred the pairs can be temporarily fixed together a lid as
above described being employed to protect the top of each pile.
Eggs stored in the trays as above described will keep for a long time if the trays
are placed in a horizontal position as the eggs are thereby maintained on end and air
can freely circulate round them.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means of Packing, Storing, and Examining Eggs.
I, JAMES CAMPBELL POOL, of 8, Fentham Road, Erdington, Warwickshire,
Translator of Languages, 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 consists in the new or improved means herein described whereby
eggs can be packed for transmission from place to place without liability of breakage
and can be stored and readily examined in considerable numbers without having to be
handled individually.
In order that my said Invention may be the better understood I have hereunto
annexed a sheet of drawings on which Fig. 1 represents in sectional elevation a pair
of trays constructed according to my Invention and Fig. 2 is a part sectional plan of
the same, Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of the two trays separated from each
other and a top cover for the same and Fig. 4 shows the pairs of the said trays and
a top cover in use.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
For the purposes of my Invention I provide a pair of box-like trays A', A² preferably
of rectangular shape and each tray about twelve inches square by one and a quarter
inches deep but I do not limit myself to any particular size as that varies according
to the size and number of the eggs they are required to hold. Each of the trays A¹, A²
consists of a flat top part a' made preferably of strong cardboard to the underside of
which the four sides 61, 62, 63, 64 (preferably of wood) are fixed. The tray A¹ is
placed on the top of the tray A² and there secured by suitable fastenings such as the
ordinary hooks and eyes c. The tops a¹ of each of the trays are correspondingly
perforated by rows d², d², d³, d', d', d of circular holes a short distance apart and a
little smaller in diameter than the length of the shorter axis of the eggs for which the
trays are required which is about one and a half inches in diameter for ordinary hens'
eggs. Horizontal bars e (preferably of wood) extend from side to side of each tray
between the rows of holes as may be required so as to strengthen the cardboard top
parts. The pairs of trays illustrated on my drawing will each hold three dozen eggs.
In order to pack the eggs the top tray A' of the pair is first removed from the
bottom one A and an egg is then placed end up in each of the holes in the bottom
tray; the top tray is then replaced on and fastened to the bottom tray when the tops
of the eggs will project through the holes in the top tray (see Fig. 4). The eggs will
thus be kept in position and prevented from touching each other by the holes in the
top and bottom frays through which their ends project. By holding the pair of trays
and the eggs contained therein against the light the eggs can all be examined together
and the bad ones picked out. As the top of the eggs projecting through the top

page_text: tray would be liable to get broken if unprotected I provide a shallow lid B which
covers the top of the top tray and to which it is secured.
In packing or storing a large quantity of eggs any number of pairs of trays as
above described can be employed and piled one on the top of another (see Fig. 4)
and if desired placed in an ordinary packing case and the pairs can be temporarily
fixed together by the dowel pegs and the hooks and eyes c or by other means, a
lid B as above described being employed to protect the top of each pile.
Eggs stored in the trays as above described will keep for a long time if the trays
are placed in a horizontal position as the eggs are thereby maintained on end and air
can freely circulate round them.
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 :
The new or improved means of packing, storing and examining eggs herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, that is to say, the employment
of perforated trays placed together so as to hold the eggs between them in the
perforations substantially as set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 10th do 1007