Improvements in Transport Cases for Fruit and other Goods.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Transport Cases for Fruit and other Goods.
THOMAS BISSON, "The Laurels," St. Sampson's, Guernsey, Channel Isles, Fruit
Grower, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1
My invention consists in an "improved fruit case" for transportation purposes.
Its main object is to provide specially designed trays to support suitable baskets,"
boxes or other similar recepticles to contain fruits and other goods of a delicate
and frail nature in a manner that the said baskets, boxes or the like are kept
securely on the trays and thus preventing damage or injury to fruit during
transportation, and moreover to render an easy and quick method of withdrawing.
the trays from the case.
The tray is made preferably of a light wood and rectangular in construction to
conform with shape of fruit case, and the usual shape of fruit baskets, with
divisions or compartments for the reception of fruit baskets, boxes or the like..
Each division or compartment of the tray forms an aperture so that when each
fruit basket, box or the like is let in its place, it is securely held through the
sloping sides of baskets or boxes coming into contact with the sides of the
rectangular shaped apertures. The tray can be slid in and out the fruit case with
perfect ease without in the slightest displacing or disturbing the fruit baskets or
the like.
Improvements in Transport Cases for Fruit and other Goods.
THOMAS BISSON, Grower, "The Laurels," St. Sampson's, Guernsey, Channel
Isles, 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 an improved fruit case for transportation purposes.
Its main object is to provide specially designed trays to support baskets, boxes
or other similar receptacles to contain fruits and other goods of a delicate and
frail nature in a manner that the said baskets, boxes or the like are kept securely
on the trays and thus preventing damage or injury to fruit during transportation
and moreover to render an easy and quick method of with-drawing the trays from
The exterior of case does not deviate in constructional appearances
with any other well-known fruit case. I have shown a method of fastening
securely the doors of the case in a suitable and convenient manner so that if it
the case.

page_text: is deemed necessary to open case for inspection in passing Her Majesty's
Customs they may be opened and closed easily and without expending much time.
I do not limit myself to this particular fastening nor do I claim this as part of
my invention, and any other fastening that may be considered more suitable may
be used.
In reference to the accompanying drawings appended to the specification, a
clearer conception of my invention may be more clearly seen.
Fig. I. represents a plan of tray showing 4 divisions or compartments, each
for the purpose of receiving fruit basket, box or other receptacle for containing
frail goods.
Fig. II. is a transverse section of tray taken through X, X.
Fig. III. is a front elevation of tray.
Fig. IV. is a view of interior of fruit case with doors removed for the purpose
of showing the arrangement of trays with baskets shown in chain-dot-lines.
Fig. V. is a plan view of a frame for the purpose hereinafter explained.
Fig. VI. is a view of case all ready for transport and showing
fastening securely the doors.
method of
The tray A, is preferably made of light wood and each strip constituting the
tray may be dovetailed, screwed, or nailed together into the fashion as shown
in plan view Fig. 1, and thus affording strength combined with neatness and
compactedness for holding baskets or small trays of fruit, boxes or other recep-
tacles for containing frail goods. It will be seen that only 4 divisions or com-
partments are shown to hold baskets or the like, but I do not limit myself to
any particular number of compartments as this depends entirely on the size of
fruit case required. The side pieces A', of the tray with the battens B, con-
stitute compartments for the reception of fruit baskets, fruit trays and the like,
and, furthermore the battens B, catch the sloping sides of the baskets and the
like as they are slipped into their places. A very important point in my
improved tray is the provision of space C, between each compartment, so that
when fruit overhangs the sides of the baskets or trays, such as grapes, they are
not liable to become bruised or soiled in any way as the contents of each basket
and the like cannot come in contact with another. The side pieces D, strengthens
the tray and also acts for the same purpose for overhanging fruit, as above
described, against the sides of the case E.
When filling the fruit case E, with trays all ready loaded with baskets and the
like with fruit or other frail goods, and when fruit does not over-hang the edges
or sides of baskets or protrude above the same, may prefer to use a light frame-
work as shown in Fig. V. By bringing into use this light framework F, a
greater number of baskets and the like can be placed in the case. This frame F,
is placed on top and is supported on edges of baskets or the like in readiness to
receive more similar baskets of fruit or other fragile goods. Above that again
another tray A, and so on, is placed under the same regular and conditional
order. The tray A, rests on ledges a, fastened or secured to sides of case E.
It will be seen on referring to Figs. IV and V that the frame is provided with
strips or battens F, and a bevelled surface F, on one side of the strip or batten
to accord with the usual shape of the baskets or the like and for the purpose to
keep the baskets or the like in their respective positions. F2, forming sides of
frame F, also acts for same purpose as strips or battens F¹, and are similarly
shaped.
The tray in being filled or loaded is first of all drawn from the case, and
baskets or the like are let into the apertures where they are held firmly, but can
easily be removed when desired. On reference to Fig. IV, a cleat H, or small
piece of wood is provided for the purpose of preventing the tray A, from upset-
ting when on withdrawing the same, as for example, much in the same way as
an ordinary drawer is kept when drawn from its recess. This arrangement
secures more safety when unloading and allows the operator to leave the tray
when partly drawn from the case.

page_text: It is obviously clear that this cleat H, also acts as a guide for the tray to
be slidden into case, but I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not con-
sider this as part of my invention as it is not essential to provide a guide of
any kind for the use of the trays in my fruit case.
I have only shown in chain-dot-lines a few handleless baskets G, commonly
termed in the trade as fruit trays, but of course as will be clearly seen, baskets
or trays with handles, or boxes and other receptacles may be used.
The fastening for keeping the doors of fruit case closed deviates a little from
the ordinary hasp fastening, inasmuch, that a metal piece J, has a small rectan-
glular shaped slit to receive a tapered pin, at its lower end it has a small hole
or slit to receive a split-ring or small coil of wire, and on this is attached the
label giving the address to its destination.
Fig. VI. shows the case all ready for transmission and in appearance resembles
much the same in construction as any other fruit case and therefore needs no
further description.
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. The construction of a tray having divisions or compartments constituting
apertures for receiving suitably shaped fruit baskets, fruit trays, boxes and the
like, applicable for transmission purposes, and fitting into box or case fashioned
for that purpose for transmitting delicate fruits or other fragile goods, substan-
tially as described, and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. A tray for the purpose of receiving fruit baskets with handles or without,
fruit trays, boxes and the like, constructed as hereinbefore specified, and in com-
bination with a fruit case or box for transmitting delicate fruits or other fragile
goods, substantially as described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. A frame specially constructed for the purpose substantially as described in
the above specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of September 1899.