Improvements in and relating to Holders for Storing, Handling, and Transporting Eggs, Fruit, and the like:
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Holders for Storing, Handling, and
Transporting Eggs, Fruit, and the like:
I, JOSEPH HENRY BOWLEY, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at Marengo, in the County of McHenry and State of Illinois, one of the
United States of America, Salesmau, 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 certain improvements in devices for holding, storing,
handling and transporting eggs, fruits, perishable goods and goods liable to
breakage by the jar and joltings incident to transportation; and is especially
designed for employment in connection with my improved egg and fruit packing
cases patented to me in Great Britain, Number 15394, dated August 13th,
1894, A.D.
The object of the first part of my invention is to provide a knock down
temperature regulated box to receive the packing case or cases which may be so
controlled that the temperature best suited for the preservation of the eggs or
other perishable goods, may be maintained during storage or while in transportation,
it being well known that extreme temperatures of either heat or cold are
detrimental to many classes of perishable goods, especially of eggs (and my
invention also provides ease and safety), and the improvements consists in certain
communicating compartments having folding sides and partitions arranged in such
manner that a supply of vitalized air of proper temperature obtained from
warmed, refrigerated and atmospheric air properly commingled and compressed to
the required degree as best suited for the commodities handled and to the
temperature of the surrounding atmosphere, and furthermore, that the various
compartments, walls and partitions may be folded 'one upon the other and closely
packed together to be returned to the place of original shipment when the goods
have been delivered.
My invention further consists in a knock down rack-truck for holding the cases
and refrigerator boxes upon a yielding folding platform, suspended from a folding
extension frame mounted upon rollers which will hold the said goods in safety
from jars and jolts incident to transportation, which may be easily moved about
upon the cars, platforms or runways, and which may also be folded up compactly
for return shipment with the refrigerator boxes and egg cases to the original place
of shipment or elsewhere, when the goods have been delivered.
In the accompanying drawings,-
Figure 1, is a longitudinal section through a refrigerator box containing a
portable egg case, and side elevation of the folding truck on which said box is
mounted.
Figure 2, a sectional perspective showing one ond, one side and half the cover
removed, and the partitions and cover section attached to the remaining sides and
bottom folded thereon, the other portions being foldable in a similar manner as.
hereinafter described; and
Figure 3, a top plan view of the folding rack-truck, extended:
The packing box 51 is constructed preferably in the manner described in my
former patent hereinbefore named, and is made to revolve upon trunnions 52
supported on spring bearings 53 at the ends of the exterior temperature regulated

page_text: packing box 51 which move on vertical grooves, 55, and are supported upon
springs 56, which allow the egg case to be revolved at suitable intervals or
automatically as stated in my aforesaid patent to prevent the eggs from settling at
one end of its shell and also to prevent by means of the spring supports the yolk
from being broken and commingling with the white of the egg, when subjected to
the ordinary rough usage when in transit.
The knock down temperature regulated packing box 51 is made with duplicate
folding sides 57, ends 58, cover sections 59, and partitions 60, 61, and 62: the
latter being located at the ends of the bottom chamber beneath the egg cases, and
providing an intermediate compression chamber 63 for holding air at a suitable
temperature regulated by weighted, valves 64 at the aperture 65 between the
compression chamber 63 and the packing case chamber 66; a check valve 67
placed at apertures at the top and ends of the chamber 66 allows the confined air
to escape, but excludes the exterior air.
The refrigerating chamber 69 between the ends of the box and of the compression
chamber 63, has a slotted bottom 70, to support the ice and has a perforate air
distributing tube 71 which conducts exterior air from the passage 72 beneath the
partition 61 to the refrigerating chamber 69; an apertare 73 leading from the
passage 72, and controlled by a stop cock check valve 74 serves to control
the admission of the exterior air. An aperture 75, and check valve 76, in the
partition 62 admits the air from the chamber 69 to the chamber 63, when the air
therein requires regulation as regards pressure and temperature.
A check-valve regulated stop cock 77 in an air conduit pipe 78, at each end of
the chamber 66, leads to the air compression chamber 63 and regulates the
admission of exterior air direct to said chamber without first passing through the
refrigerating chamber 69; thus providing air for direct circulation under favorable
conditions without drawing from the refrigerating chamber. A heating chamber 79
below partition 61 on a plane with and hetween the air passage 72, is supplied
with heat by any suitable means, such as oil, gas or electricity; the electric
heating coils 81 at the ends of the intermediate gas jets 82, illustrating the means
preferably employed for this purpose.
A perfect regulation of the temperature as well as the humidity of the air
within the packing case chamber may thus be obtained and regulated to suit the
required conditions. Fruit, meat, and all perishable goods may thus be carried,
and the rotation of the case containing the goods, either automatically as described
in my above named Patent, 15,394, or from time to time as required, will cause a
more general distribution and equalization of the cooled or heated air drawn from
the lower vitalized and temperature regulated chamber.
The various sides, ends, covers, partitions and slotted bottom of the regulator
chambers are hinged together as clearly shown in Figure 2 to fold together as
follows: The partitions 60 have hinges 60 z and fold upwardly against the sides 37;
the slotted floor sections 70 have hinges 70a and fold against the ends 58; the
perforate tube 71 is pushed down into the air passage 72; the partition 62 have
hinges 62 a and fuld against the floor partitions 61, and the cover sections 59 bave
hinges 59 a and fold downwardly against the sides 57. The sides 57 first fold upon
their hinges 57 x upon the floor 61, and the ends then fold over the sides also
parallel with the floor and the entire box 54 may then be re-shipped in small
compass. The egg case or other packing box may be made to knock down in any
well known or preferred manner. The packing boxes can not be easily handled,
and when resting upon the floor of freight cars are subjected to violent jolts from
both vertical and end wise concussions while in trausit, and said boxes are also
heavy and can not be easily moved about from place to place. To avoid these
difficulties, I provide a rack-truck of novel construction, the preferred form of
which is shown in Figure 3.
My improved truck consists in the frame proper 83, having the bearings or axle
boxes 84, at each end. In order to permit the truck to be shortened or lengthened
the franie 83 on each side is divided into two parts and their enda are adapted to

page_text: approach each other when the truck is shortened, where they are easily held in
adjusted position by any preferred means.
The sections 88 are made in two parts, one end overlapping the other, and there
held in adjusted position by the bolts 87. Said side sections 88 are so hinged to
the frame that they may be folded down upon the frame 83, or may be disposed so
as to rest on one edge and thus form the side bars or sections of the frame for
enclosing the lower parts of the storage apparatus.
Corner springs 89, are so placed as to receive a corner of the case and are
enclosed in suitable boxes 85, provided with rollers or wheels for taking up any
vertical or end wise jar or blow.
A buffer spring 90 is placed between the axle boxes 84, and the spring box 85,.
and there held in any preferred manner, and is adapted to take up all end wise
concussions.
By the construction above set forth for the frame-proper aud its accompanying
parts, it will be seen that ends will overlap each other, permitting the truck to be
lengthened or shortened. The width of the truck is governed by the telescoping
axles, as shown.
The barrel 86 is provided with a proper bore for loosely receiving the ends of
the axles where they may be adjusted at any preferred point and held by suitable
set screws (not shown). Said barrels are connected to the frame proper by passing
loosely through the staples 83°.
In order to support the inner ends of the frame 83 I provide the supporting
section 91, which is adapted to rest under the ends of said frame and overlap the
ends thereof. In order to hold the ends of said section in engagement with the
ends of the frame 83, I provide the loops or holders 93, which are formed of
strap-iron or other suitable material, and reach over the ends of the frame
section 83, from one side of the section 91 to the other.
The ends of said loops thus provided are attached upon either side of section 91.
The formation of said loops 93 is of such a character that they will loosely receive
the ends of the frame section 83 and permit the same to slide within them and
thus allow the truck to be shortened or lengthened.
By arranging the side sections 88 in the manner described it will be seen that
they will readily telescope, or lengthen and shorten, as desired.
The chamber 92 may be used to intermingle prepared and natural atmosphere
to the end that a regulated atmosphere may be produced of the desired humidity
and temperature and at the same time may be thoroughly vitalized and freed from
all germs of decomposition by the use of some suitable antiseptic. It is understood
that connection with said chamber can be made by pipes and the flow of atmosphere
controlled by valves of suitable construction.
It will be understood that some of the improvements herein claimed may be used
in stationary storage or preserving compartments or buildings as well as in
movable boxes, and also that the truck herein described may be folded when not
in use.
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 box for holding perishable goods fitted with a refrigerating chamber, a
heat chamber, a vitalized air chamber, and an air intermingling chamber, air pipes
connecting the refrigerating and vitalized air chambers with the exterior or
atmospheric air, and a goods holding chamber mounted within said box, sub-
stantially as described.
2. A box for holding perishable goods, comprising temperature regulating
chambers, located at the ends and bottoms of said box, an intermediate vitalized
air chamber and a superimposed rotatable goods chamber all divided by foldable
partitions and formed of foldable sections substantially as described.
3. A foldable box provided with temperature regulated chambers, a chamber.

page_text: preferably revolvably mounted in said box, pipes connecting. said regulated
chambers and the mounted chamber, in combination with a telescoping carrying-
truck consisting of the frame, the floor sections carried thereby and springs secured
thereto adapted to compensate for longitudinal and vertical concussions, sub-
stantially as described and for the purpose named.
Dated this 18th day of April 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.