AN IMPROVED BOTTLE CRATE
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas William Wilson, of the Firm of Wilson
& Co, Grocers and Wine Merchants, of Woodbridge, in the County
of Suffolk, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED BOTTLE CRATE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas William
Wilson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 13th April 1875.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM WILSON, of the Firm of Wilson & Co., Grocers
& Wine Merchants, of Woodbridge, in the County of Suffolk, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BOTTLE CRATE,"
to be as follows:-
-
My said Invention relates to an improved crate for holding wine and
other bottles, and which is so constructed as to afford a separate rest or
support for each bottle, while at the same time the said rests or supports
offer no obstruction to the placing or removal of the various tiers or
rows of bottles, and are themselves casily removed or adjusted. The

page_text: said rests are adjustable shelves, which may be made of wood or metal,
and are formed with holes for the reception of the bottles, each shelf
holding one row of bottles The said shelves are fitted to slide into and
out of the crate. For this purpose I prefer to provide them at the ends
with metal cycs or sleeves fitted to slide upon small metal rods or wires,
provided with stops to keep each shelf in its proper position in the crate;
or I
may form guides on the sides of the said crate consisting of two
parallel bars, with a space between them for the reception of the ends of
the said shelves, or I may use guides formed of tubes, with longitudinal
apertures for the reception and passage of small T pieces or buttons
projecting from the bottom of the shelves; or I may use any other
suitable and convenient guides for the shelves.
When the shelves are properly placed in the crate they form scries or
sets placed one above the other, but each lower one a little in advance
or nearer the front of the crate than the one above it. This arrangement
permits them to be very compactly arranged within the crate and
renders the latter capable of containing a great number of bottles.
Tho sides and back of the crate may be closed or open, and formed of
wood or other suitable material. The bottom of the said crato is so
formed as to allow the same to assume an inclined or slanting position,
and I provide the said crate with wheels at the bottom, and with suitablo
handles at the back, so that it may be readily moved from one place to
another; but these handles are secured adjustable to the crate by joints
or connections, which allow them to be turned down and secured to form
supports, whereby the said crate can be caused to stand in a vertical
position.
A convenient manner of constructing the said crate is to make it with
a frame, consisting of four uprights united and secured at the top and
bottom by cross bars. To and between the said uprights, at each sido of
the said frame, I secure the aforesaid guides for the sliding shelves. The
upper part of the back of the crate may be lunged, and made to open
and closo. The dimensions of the said crates are varied according to
the number of bottles they are desired to contain.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas William Wilson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WILLIAM WILSON, of the Firm of Wilson & Co., Grocers and Wine
Merchants, of Woodbridge, in the County of Suffolk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, IIer heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas William Wilson,
Her special licence that I, the said Thomas William Wilson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas William Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thercafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED BOTTLE CRATE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas William Wilson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas William Wilson, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings forming a part of this Specification :-
My said Invention relates to an improved crate for holding wine and
other bottles, and which is so constructed as to afford a separate rest or
support for each bottle, while at the same time the said rests or supports
offer no obstruction to the placing or removal of the various tiers or

page_text: rows of bottles, and are themselves casily removed or adjusted. The
said rests are adjustable shelves, which may be made of wood or metal,
and are formed with holes for the reception of the bottles, cach shelf
holding one or more rows of bottles. The said shelves are fitted ad-
justably in the crate. For this purpose I prefer to provide them at their
ends with metal eyes or sleeves, fitted to slide upon small metal rods.or
wires provided with stops to keep cach shelf in its proper position in tho
crate; or I may form guides on the sides of the said crate, consisting of
two parallel bars, with a space between them for the reception of the
ends of the said shelves; or I may use guides formed of tubes, with
longitudinal apertures for the reception and passage of small T pieces or
buttons projecting from the bottom of the shelves, or I may use any
other suitable and convenient guides-for-the-shelves.

page_text: Third. A bottle crate, provided with two or more sets or series of
adjustable shelves fitted to slide on rods or bars or other suitable guidos,
mounted on a frame or case, which is furnished with wheels or rollers,
and is so constructed that when at rest it will stand in an inclined or
sloping position, as herein set forth and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas William Wilson, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October
in the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
five.
THOMAS WILLIAM WILSON. (L.S.)