Boxes or Cases for the Transportation or Storage of Eggs and other Perishable Goods.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 21st June, 1887.
Boxes or Cases for the Transportation or Storage of Eggs and other
Perishable Goods.
I, ELIJAH CHARLES BOWER, residing at Number 83 Fifth Street, in the city of
Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, United States of America,
Merchant, 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 invention has for its object certain peculiarities in the construction of boxes or
cases, designed especially for the transportation or storage of eggs, and other perishable
goods, whereby the contents of the boxes or cases will be kept fresh, and mustiness
avoided, to which end I provide the sides of the boxes with series of holes or ventilating
openings and form corresponding and communicating openings in the cell-cases within
the boxes, and provide covers which may be readily removed at any time to afford
freer access of air to the contents of the boxes, and yet be secured sufficiently to remain
in place during transportation or storage.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved boxes or cases, one side of
which is shown filled with cell-cases.
Figure 2 represents a front elevation of a portion of one end of one of said boxes or
cases showing the fastening mechanism, with the cover secured in place thereby,
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line x-x of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a horizontal
cross-section on the line y-y of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the
fastening device, Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the interior cell-cases,
Figure 7 is a side elevation of one of the binding strips and Figure 8 is a like view of
one of the intermediate partition strips of the said interior cell-cases.
A A illustrate the sides of the outer packing case which sides are provided with
series of perforations a, a, a, perferably slanted, or inclined downward from the inside
to the outside of said case-sides, so that, if my cases are exposed to rain or snow while
in transit, or while outside of a store or warehouse, there may be less danger of their
ID 077

page_text: contents being damaged thereby. I prefer to make these perforations round, as shown,
but they may be oval, square, oblong, or any other shape desired in any particular
instances. My cases are perferably made with central division strips b, and provided
with suitable covers B, having underside cleats k, k, at their ends, which fit over the
ends F F of the cases, and rest on the cleats m, m, one of which last-named cleats is
grooved out, as best shown at n, Figure 4, and o, o, Figure 2, for the reception of the
Handle G and lower part of the locking-device, secured to said cleat m by staples P, Pi
while the upper part of this locking device, consisting of stem q and locking-end H
(which latter part projects at a right angle to the line of the stem and handle) rests
in the angular groove r, s, in the adjacent cover-cleat k, the vertical part of which
groove receives the stem g, and the deep horizontal parts receives the locking-end H,
as shown in Figure 3, while the cleat k at the other end of said case is provided with a
hole t to receive a pin , and this end of the cover is first secured thereby and then the
locking-device G, 9, H, is turned as shown in Figure 3 and in full lines in Figure 2
(with the handle G turned to the left) and the cover is thereby fastened to place. To
unfasten the same, the locking-device is turned so that the handle G points to the right
(as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2) and then, the locking-end H will project
straight out from the end of the case, and this end of the cover can be lifted up, and
removed from the case (or temporarily lifted up on the pin u, at the other end) to
ensure a thorough airing of the contents of the case, as herein before stated.
Figure 6 shows one of the interior cell-cases partially collapsed, and Figures 7 and 8
are details of the same, Figure 7 showing one of the four outer or binding strips C
provided with a series of central perforations c, c, constituting, in connection with similar
central perforations c, c, in the intermediate partition strips D (Figure 8) air-passages to
permit a circulation of air throughout said case, these central perforations c, c, being
practically in line with the outside perforations a, a, in the sides A, A, of the packing
cases. From opposite sides of each perforation c, c, in the binding-strips C there
extends vertically, for a certain distance, a slot d, having continuations that are at
un angle of say 45 degrees from the vertical line of the slots, the angular continuation
of one slot extending in an opposite direction to that of the other. One end of each
binding-strip C has a tongue formed by cutting off the corners of this particular end
at an angle of about 45 degrees, and providing this cut-away portion with vertical
recesses g, leaving locking-corners h, h, as clearly shown in Figure 7.
The intermediate partition-strips D have, as stated, central perforations c, c, at
regular intervals from which slits i, i, lead to one edge of the strip, and, of course,
half of these partition-strips are upside down, so that they may be put together in the
ordinary manner of uniting cell-cases, and all of those strips D, have tongues and
locking-corners at each end, exactly like those at one end of the binding-strips. To
pass the tongues of of the partition-strips D through the slots or apertures d in the
binding-strips C, the upper and lower corners h, h, of these tongues are slightly bent,
so as to correspond with the oppositely extended angular continuations e, e, of said
slots. The partition and binding-strips being thus joined, the corners h, h, of the
tongues are brought back to their normal positions, thereby locking said binding-strips
in the recesses g of the tongues. In a like manner to that just described, the tongue f
of each one of the binding-strips is passed through the angularly-extended slots at the
other end of the adjacent binding-strip, the latter coming at right angles to the former.
Between each of the cell-cases, and on top of the upper ones, as they are packed in the
cases, I place division-plates E, preferably perforated, or straw-board, or like
material.
By the peculiar formation of the slots or apertures in the binding-strips C, I am
enabled to readily collapse the cell-cases in either direction, without danger of cramping
or breaking the tongues of these strips or those of the intermediate partition-strips I)
for the reason that there is an equal yield to said strips on both sides of said tongues,
and this is of great advantage in packing the cell-cases for shipment as no time is lost
in determining the right direction in which to collapse the same. These cell-cases are
made of straw-board, paper, paste-board, or any analogous material, and the slots,
perforations and tongues thereof may be cut out by suitable dies, and thus my

page_text: improved cell-cases may be made by suitable machinery, as cheaply as the ordinary
cell-cases now in use.
In the shipment of eggs by ordinary cases, with common cell-cases, the eggs not
only become musty, in a short time, but often taste of the paper or straw-board of which
the cell-cases are made, all of which is obviated by the thorough ventilation ensured
by my construction.
Though designed especially for eggs, my cases are adapted for the transportation
and storage of fruit, soap, or any other perishable material, of proper size to be
transported in cell-cases.
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 :-
First. In boxes or cases for transportation or storage of eggs, or other perishable
material, the combination of the sides A, A, provided with series of perforations cut
or bored slantingly through said sides, series of cell-cases consisting of straw-board or
analogous outer binding-strips, and intermediate partition-strips locked together by
slots and tongues, and provided with series of ventilating openings corresponding to
and communicating with those in the case-sides, and a removable cover B, and locking-
device G, q, H, secured to a cleat on the end of the case and having a projecting
locking-end adapted to engage with a slot in a cleat on the adjacent end of the case-
cover, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. In boxes or cases for transportation or storage of eggs, or other perishable
material, the combination with the sides A, A, provided with series of perforations
slantingly cut or bored therethrough, and a removable cover, of straw-board or
analogus cell-cases composed of binding-strips severally provided with a series of
central vertical perforations having vertical slots radiating therefrom, in opposite
directions, these slots having continuations at an obtuse angle thereto, and the
continuation of one slot extended in a direction opposite that of the other, and
intermediate partition-strips, also severally provided with a series of central perfora-
tions, and all of the strips united by tongues and slots, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1887.
ELIJAH CHARLES BOWER..