Improvements in Hampers, Baskets, Boxes, Orates, and other Collapsable Articles for Storing or Transporting Goods or for other purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hampers, Baskets, Boxes, Orates, and other
Collapsable Articles for Storing or Transporting Goods or for
other purposes.
We, OLIVER SMITH of 276 Clarendon Park Road, Leicester, Cabinet Maker
and CARL JULIUS EMIL ZEIDLER of 9 Seymour Road, Clarendon Park,
Leicester, Basket Maker, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved construction of hampers, baskets, boxes,
crates and other receptacles for storing or transporting goods or for other
purposes.
The object of the invention is to construct such articles so that when empty
they may be collapsable or partly collapsable and consequently occupy much less
space than when constructed in the ordinary way.
The invention will be best understood from the following description in reference
to the accompanying drawings shewing the invention applied to hanipers and baskets,
and in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hamper partly collapsed and constructed in
accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a view of the framework of the bottom of the hamper and shewing
the bottom in the raised position before collapsing.
Figure 3 is a similar view of the bottom framework but shewing the bottom
differently constructed and one half turned up for sake of clearness.
Figure 4 is a view of a corner of a hamper, shewing an improved construction
of hinge or joint applicable for collapsing hampers and other collapsable articles.
Figure 5 is a modification.
Figures 6 and 7 are plan and section respectively of one corner of the bottom
framework.
Figure 8 is a section and
Figure 9 a view partly in elevation and partly in section of our improved hinge
or joint.
The bottom framework consists of side pieces A. and end pieces B rounded and
reduced in thickness at their extreme ends so as to overlap or rest on each other
and be connected by the reduced ends of the four vertical corner posts C round
which the wicker or willow is worked or secured as in Figure 1 to form a movable
joint.
To the underneath of each of the side pieces A there is screwed or otherwise
fixed a supporting rail A' upon which the framework rests and is thereby kept out
of contact with the ground.
A crossbar D is connected by screws passing through slots D¹ in each end thereof,
to either the ends of the bottom framework as shewn in Figure 3, or to the sides as
shewn in Figure 2.
The four corner posts C (the reduced lower ends only of which are shewn
in Figures 2 and 3) are also reduced in diameter at their upper ends for the tubular
extremes of the upper side pieces E to be shrunk thereon, the upper end pieces F
being bored partly through their thickness to receive the upper reduced ends of
the corner posts C and are additionally fixed in position by screwed bolts G passing
apwards through the wicker ends of the hamper and into the upper ends F.
A few strands of the wicker on the sides and ends of the hamper are alternately
passed round the corner posts as shewn most clearly in Figure 1, G¹ representing
he strands connected to the sides and G³ the strands attached to the ends thereby

page_text: forming a movable joint, so that when pressure is brought to bear upon one of the
corners of the hamper in a diagonal direction the sides and ends will be forced or
laid upon each other, the lid being previously lowered and the bottom raised on its
edge within the hamper as shewn in Figure 1.
The particular construction of hinge or joint, that we prefer to use in connection
with collapsable articles made in accordance with our invention is shewn as applied
to the corner of a hamper or basket in Figure 4, but the detail of which is more
clearly indicated in Figures 8 and 9.
The said joint or hinge is formed of two parts H and J.
Each part has secured thereto or integrally formed therewith a series of bobbins
or short tubes H1 J₁ formed at spaces or intervals apart in the length of each
upright or part H J the tubes or bobbins on one upright or part being placed in
the spaces in the other part, and the whole secured together by a central or
connecting rod K passing through the same and into the bottom and upper frame-
work as described in reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3 to form the complete hinge
or joint.
The spaces between the bobbins or tubes are hollowed out or concaved so as to
offer no impediment to the free movement of the bobbins or tubes on the opposite
upright which fit therein.
The opposite sides of the uprights H J are grooved or channelled at H² J' to
permit of the usual vertical rods round which the wicker is worked in the well
known way being wedged or otherwise suitably fixed therein.
The lid is connected to the hamper as indicated in Figure 1 by a hinge or joint
such as herein before described so that it can be turned over and back and lie close
to the side of the hamper as in Figure 1 when the latter is collapsed.
Instead, however, of hinging the bottom to the hamper in the same manner as
the lid, we prefer to form it with a wooden framing L as shewn in Figures 1, 2
and 3 so that the sides thereof rest against the sides A. of the bottom framework
and on the rails A' as clearly indicated in Figure 3.
Connected in this manner the bottom is better capable of carrying the contents
of the hamper, as in case of the bottom opening outwards in a similar manner to
the lid the tendency is for the load to strain the bottom or detach it from the
framework or otherwise to allow of an opening or crevice being formed between
the bottom and the ends and sides and lead to possible injury to the contents thereof
by rain or wet or the pilfering of the contents during transit.
When the bottom is formed in one piece as in Figures 1 and 2 it has loosely
connected thereto by a staple or equivalent means a ring L' which is passed over
the cross rail D to prevent the lid becoming detached or lost in transit when in the
collapsed condition.
Before collapsing the hamper, the bottom is raised inside the framework by the
wicker handle L' or equivalent and slid along the rail D until the movement is
stopped by the ring L' coming into contact with the rigidly fixed central cross-
piece D³, the bottom is then moved diagonally on the framework and when the
hamper is subsequently collapsed it will lie partly between the sides and ends
thereof.
Instead however of forming the bottom in one entire piece it may be con-
structed in two parts as in Figure 3, each part being hinged at L' to a connecting
rail M which is loosely pivotted to the crossbar D so that both parts can be raised
into a vertical position and turned or moved on the pivot into a position
diagonal to the bottom of the framework to lie between the sides and ends of the
framework when collapsed as hereinbefore described.
Instead of dividing the bottom in the direction of its width as in Figure 2 it may
when desirable be divided in the direction of its length instead, the construction
and attachment in other respects being identical with that of Figure 3.
In Figure 5 we have shewn a modified construction of collapsable basket applic-
able to hampers, boxes, cases and like articles.
According to this method of construction as will be seen from the figure last

page_text: named the sides N and ends O are connected at their lower ends to the bottom of
the basket, but are not otherwise connected to each other.
This admits of the sides and ends being laid flat on the ground, in the same
plane, as the bottom, thereby allowing baskets and other receptacles to be laid out
flat and piled on each other so as to economise space when empty.
The sides and ends may be connected to each other by a joint or hinge P similar
in construction to that described in reference to Figures 4, 8 and 9 or by split
rings O¹ or other equivalent means.
When it is desired to place the ends and sides in their normal position in relation
to the bottom i.e. at a right angle thereto it may be effected by drawing or
tightening the endless lacing cord R which is passed through openings in the upper
part of the sides and ends, the length of such lacing cord being determined by the
extent to which it is desired to lower the sides and ends.
The greatest length of lacing cord required will be such as to allow the ends
and sides to be lowered and laid flat in the same plane as the bottom and the
smallest length of cord will be equivalent to the combined measurement of the
length of the sides and ends, in which case the sides and ends will be in their normal
positions in relation to the bottom i.e. at a right angle thereto.
In the event of a lacing cord being employed which is greater than the combined
length of the sides and ends, it will allow the sides and ends to be partly lowered
or placed at a varying angle to the bottom according to the length of cord employed
and under such circumstances a number of baskets or hampers can be placed within
each other for economizing space either for storing or transporting purposes.
When the increased length of cord is employed and the sides and ends are drawn
into their normal positions consequent upon the tightening of the said cord, the
excess, surplus or loose cord for the time being is knotted tightly so as to keep the
sides and ends rigidly in their vertical positions and the tied cord may then be used
as a handle or means for carrying the basket or the like.
In order to afford additional strength to the basket or other receptacle when the
sides and ends are in their vertical positions they each have attached at a con-
venient point in their contiguous marginal edges a ring or eye S or equivalent
through which a peg S¹ is passed to connect one to the other.
The lid can be hinged or jointed to one of the sides by any of the means herein-
before described.
A hinge such as hereinbefore described and shewn in Figures 4, 8 and 9 is
specially applicable for use in connection with collapsable dog kennels, poultry
coops, movable arbours, summerhouses and like wooden structures and also for other
collapsable articles, structures or erections.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:—
1. A collapsable hamper, basket, box, crate or the like having the sides, ends
and lid hinged and folded against each other and the bottom enclosed between
the same, substantially in the manner described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a collapsable hamper, basket, box, crate or the like, the combination of
a bottom framework constructed substantially in the manner described and illus-
trated in Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a collapsable hamper, basket, box, crate or the like, the combination
with a bottom framework such as claimed in the last preceding claim of a bottom
constructed in one or more pieces or parts and adapted to be raised substantially
in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
4. In a collapsable hamper, basket, box, crate or other collapsable article the
use or employment of a hinge or joint such as described and illustrated in
Figures 4, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 5. A collapsable hamper, basket, box, crate or the like having the sides and
ends permanently attached to the bottom and the lid secured to one of the sides
and adapted to be laced together by one or more draw-cords substantially in the
manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figure of the accom-
panying drawings.
6. The improvements in collapsable hampers, baskets, boxes, crates and other
collapsable articles substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of Sentember 1801