Crate

Abstract

A crate with an openable side has vertically spaced bottoms defining a housing between them. Two vertical runners are disposed one at each side of a side wall opening of the crate. A plurality of horizontal shutters are each coupled to their neighbours by horizontal pivot means and the ends of all of the shutters are slidable in the respective vertical runners. The plurality of shutters constitute a movable wall capable of closing the side wall opening, and of sliding in the runners into a retracted position within the housing. The shutters may be retained at partly retracted positions, by engagement of only the top shutter, or of all of the shutters, with retaining means on the vertical runners.

Description

SPECIFICATION

This invention relates to crates used for the handling and transport of various products, notably goods intended for sale in shops.

Different types of crates have already been used for this purpose. However, these are not entirely satisfactory as, generally, they have not been specially designed for such a purpose.

The object of this invention is the provision of a crate specially designed for making deliveries to retail shops or warehouses.

This crate is so contrived that it can be unloaded easily, even when other similar crates are placed on top of it. Moreover, the design of this crate is such that it can be placed in a shop or a warehouse with its contents so that the buyers or sales assistants, in the case of a shop, and the suppliers as well as the people who make up orders in the case of a warehouse, may remove or add goods as and when needed.

For this purpose, the crate of the present invention is basically characterised in that it comprises a double bottom, and one of its sides is made up of several shutters hinged one after another on horizontal axes and the edges of which can slide between two vertical runners provided on each side of the opening for this side, the arrangement being such that the latter can be fully or partly retracted inside the housing formed by the double bottom of the crate.

Thus, as and when the contents of the crate are unloaded, it is possible to reduce the height of its movable side, in order to facilitate access to the goods contained inside it. However, advantage may also be taken of this facility in order to gain access to the contents of the crate when other similar crates are placed on top of it.

Other features and advantages of the crate of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crate in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section in a transversal plane showing the same crate with its movable side fully raised;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are similar views showing the same side, partly raised and in a retracted position respectively;

FIG. 5 is a partial view in perspective showing the method of fastening the top part of the movable side;

FIGS. 6 to 8 show a constructional variation of the vertical runners guiding the movable side.

The crate of the present invention comprises a double bottom consisting of two horizontal superimposed trays with a gap between them. In the example shown, these consist of two wire grids. However, for the sake of clarity, FIG. 1 shows only the top grid 1, and only the frame 2 of the bottom grid is shown on that figure.

Another wire frame 3 is positioned some distance above the frame of the top grid 1. These three frames are connected by vertical cross-pieces to form a reinforcing stay at the bottom of the crate.

Supporting legs 5, designed to rest on the ground, are fixed to the side ends of this stay. These legs are in addition designed so as also to be able to act as components for holding the sides in position when several similar crates are superimposed one on top of another.

On three sides of the top frame 3 of the bottom stay there are fixed three vertical panels 6, 7 and 8 designed to form the corresponding sides of the crate.

These panels can be painted or perforated. Thus, in the example shown, these panels consist of metal grids. However, for the sake of clarity, only the frames of these three panels are shown in FIG. 1. These panels can be permanently fixed in a vertical plane. However, they can also be hinged so that they can be folded flat against the bottom of the crate when the latter is returned empty or when it is in store.

This is the crate in the example shown. The panel 6 is, in fact, hinged on the bottom stay by means of hinges 9, while the other two panels 7 and 8, corresponding to the two ends of the crate, are themselves hinged on the vertical edges of the panel 7 by means of hinges 10.

Thus, when the crate is empty, these three panels can be folded one against another in order to be folded down against the grid 1 of the double bottom 1-2. In this position, these three panels are contained in the space demarcated by the frame 3, which is raised in relation to the grid 1. In this form, the crate thus takes up the minimum of space, facilitating its return empty.

In accordance with one of the basic characteristics of the invention, the fourth side of the crate consists of several shutters hinged one after the other on horizontal axes.

Thus, in the example shown, this side consists of four shutters 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d, each consisting of a wire grid. The adjacent horizontal edges 13 of these grids are connected by rings 12 or similar components forming a kind of hinge enabling these shutters to fold one after the other.

The ends of the horizontal edges 13 of these extend beyond the corresponding ends of the said shutters and they are positioned in front of two vertical guiding runners provided on each side of the opening for the movable side of the crate. Each of these runners consists of a vertical strip of metal 14 fixed on the corresponding edge of the side end 7 or 8. Opposite each runner there is provided an upright 15 which may consist of a wire, and which acts as a counter-guide and retaining unit.

Moreover, in the crate shown, the ends of the shutters 11a, 11b are fitted with two bars 18, shaped or otherwise, which slide on each side of the strip of metal 14. Thus, these bars not only guide the shutters, but also stabilise the vertical sides 7 and 8.

The outer edge of the guiding strips 14 comprises at least two notches 16a and 16b, capable of taking the projecting ends 13b of the top edge 13a of the shutter 11a of the movable side.

The notches 16a are positioned at such a height that the movable side is held in the fully raised position when the ends 13b of the top edge of the shutter 11a are engaged therein. Moreover, the height of the notches 16b is so determined that this same side is in the partially raised position shown in FIG. 2 when the ends 13b of the top edge of the shutter 11a are engaged in the said notches. However, the metal strips 14 could comprise further notches so as to allow several other possible adjustments of the raised height of the movable side.

As may be seen from FIG. 3, the bottom shutters 11c and 11d of this side go into the housing formed by the double bottom, when the side is not fully raised. Moreover, this side can also go completely into this housing in the fully retracted position shown in FIG. 4. The shutter 11d is then checked by a stop 19 positioned on the grid 2 so as to hold the first shutter 11a in such a position that the retractable side can subseqently be raised easily.

But in order subsequently to bring this side back to a partially or fully raised position, it is sufficient to grasp its top shutter 11a and pull the whole upwards.

To guide the shutters of the movable side during this operation, the transversal members of the bottom grid 2 of the double bottom have upward-curving ends 17. These are so positioned as to guide the ends of the horizontal edges of the shutters on the side runners 14-15 provided on each side of the opening for the movable wall.

Thus, the latter can assume three different positions, viz:

a fully raised position shown in FIG. 2;

a partially raised position shown in FIG. 3,

a completely retracted position shown in FIG. 4.

Of course, this side is designed to be located in the first position when the crate is completely full, during transport thereof to its destination. Once arrived there, the movable side can be kept in the fully raised position at the start of unloading.

This side can then be brought to the partially raised position shown in FIG. 3, to expose the top part of the front face of the crate. This therefore makes it possible to facilitate access to the goods still contained inside it.

The movable side can also be brought to the fully retracted position in order to give completely free access to the goods.

This side is then left in the retracted position when the other sides are folded back, in order to return the crate empty in a form taking up the least possible space.

When the crate is re-loaded, the movable side can be kept in the retracted position, which facilitates this operation. Moreover, loading can, in these circumstances, be carried out by means of a loading device comprising one or several tamping rods.

It should be noted that the ability to retract the movable side of the crate to a greater or lesser extent makes it possible to gain access thereto when it is full and other similar crates are placed on top of it.

In these circumstances, this crate can be left in a shop or a warehouse, with its contents, with other crates placed on top of it, so that buyers or sales assistants can easily draw from the goods as and when needed. In such a case, the supporting legs 5 are used to hold the superimposed crates on top of one another.

As has already been stated, the crate covered by the invention is designed in particular for use for the transport of goods for re-stocking shops or warehouses.

Due to its advantages, this crate can then be left in position with its contents. Nevertheless, it can also be returned immediately after unloading.

However, it goes without saying that the crate in accordance with the invention can be used for many other applications for which it is useful to have a side available which can be opened to a greater or lesser extent.

Of course, this crate is not limited to the single embodiment described above as an indication only. Thus, it is obvious that the various sides of this crate could be made up of units other than wire grids. Moreover, these sides could possibly be solid.

Moreover, the means of hinging the various shutters could be different. It goes without saying that there may be a greater or lesser number of these shutters.

Further, means of holding the movable side could be provided to keep the latter in several intermediate positions. Naturally, these holding devices could also be different from those previously described and shown as an indication only.

Again, FIGS. 6 to 8 show a constructional variation of the vertical runners guiding the movable side. In this variation, the corresponding runners 14a comprise a series of notches 16c distributed over the whole height thereof and separated from one another by a distance equal to the height of the shutters 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d forming the movable side.

These shutters consist of wire grids the adjacent horizontal edges 13 of which are assembled by means of rings 12 or similar components enabling these shutters to fold one after another.

However, in this constructional variation, the ends of the adjacent horizontal edges 13 of the various shutters extend beyond the space demarcated by the two vertical runners 14a. These ends are designed to engage in the notches 16c in these runners when the movable side is fully raised (see FIG. 6).

In this connection, it should be noted that in the previous embodiment, only the ends 13b of the top edge 13a of the top shutter 11a were engaged in retaining notches 16a or 16b in the two guiding runners 14.

This variation thus differs from that embodiment by the fact that when the movable side is fully raised, the ends of the adjacent horizontal edges of all the shutters which make it up are engaged in retaining notches 16c provided in the two guiding runners 14a.

This makes it possible to obtain two extremely useful additional advantages. One of these resides in the fact that during transport, the movable side raised to a closed position better withstands the pressure of the goods inside this crate. This side is thus in fact bolted on to the guiding runners at several successive points along the height thereof.

Another advantage of this variation consists of the fact that when the movable side is opened for unloading the crate, this side is automatically brought forward, which makes it possible to free a space between it and the goods contained in the crate, so that the downward sliding of the movable side is facilitated.

This advantage is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. When the movable side is to be retracted, the ends of the horizontal edges 13a of all the shutters have to be disengaged from the notches 16c, by a combined lifting and forward-pulling movement in the direction of the arrows F. The ends of the horizontal edges 13a of the various shutters then have to be brought in front of the runners 14a so that these ends can slide against the runners as shown in FIG. 8. This consequently involves a forward movement of the whole of the movable side and gives rise to a certain amount of play between this side and the goods contained in the crate, as explained above.

Claims

I claim:

1. A crate comprising vertically spaced first and second bottoms defining a space between them; two vertical runners respectively disposed on opposite sides of a side wall opening of said crate, said runners comprising metal strips having each a front face directed away from the interior of said crate; a plurality of shutters of equal height coupled to each other by a horizontal pivot means, each of said shutters having lateral protruding opposite end portions adapted to slide on the front faces of said metal strips, said shutters being movable between a retracted position located in said space between said bottoms and a plurality of raised positions along said runners so that the plurality of shutters constitute a movable wall capable of partly or fully closing said side wall opening; and a plurality of means disposed on said runners for retention of said shutters in a plurality of selected raised positions, said retention means comprising a plurality of notches extending inwardly from said front faces of said metal strips to receive and retain said lateral protruding end portions of adjacent upper and lower edge portions of each of said adjacent shutters of said plurality of shutters, said notches being spaced from each other corresponding the height of said shutters, so that during movement of said shutters relative to said metal strips, said shutters are spaced further from any goods retained in said crate than in the retained position of said shutters.

2. A crate as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said runners additionally comprises a vertical upright guide member opposite and outwardly spaced from said front face of each metal strip.

3. A crate as defined in claim 1, wherein said crate comprises three side walls each having a bottom edge and two side edges, means hingedly connecting one of said side walls along its bottom edge to a corresponding edge of the upper one of said bottoms for movement of said one side wall between an upright position substantially normal to said upper bottom and a folded position folded against said upper bottom, and means hingedly connecting each of the other two side walls along a side edge thereof adjacent to a corresponding side edge of said one side wall for movement between a first position in which said other two side walls extend normal to said one side wall and a folded position folded against said one side wall.