US2709031A - Combined shipping and feeding device for baby chicks - Google Patents

Description

May 1955 A. w. GONDEK COMBINED SHIPPING AND FEEDING DEVICE FOR BABY CHICKS Filed March 12, 1954 INVENTOR.

United States Patent COMBENED SHIPPING AND FEEDING DEVICE FOR BABY CHICKS Andrew W. Gondek, Brimfield, Mass.

Application March 12, 1954, Serial No. 415,735

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-6) This invention relates to improvements in a combined shipping carton and feeding device for baby chickens.

The principal objects of the invention are the provision of a shipping container which is constructed and arranged for shipping baby chicks and is provided with novel means for conversion to a feeding device for the chicks.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings Where- 1n:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the shipping container of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the receptacle of the container as used as a feeding device; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial elevational view of a side of the container shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the invention will be fully described.

The container-feeder of the invention includes a receptacle 2 and closure 4 therefor both of which may be formed from corrugated board or the like.

The container has a lower wall 5, side walls 6 and end walls 8, the latter of which have end tabs 10 turned inwardly and secured to the side walls as by staples 12 or the like.

The side and end walls are provided with panels 14 and 16 which are formed by slitting the walls, as at and 17 and 19 and 20. These panels need not be entirely severed from the walls and may be attached at such points as 21 and 23 in such a manner as to facilitate the easy and ready separation of the panels from the walls.

Longitudinal and transverse partitions 24 and 26 are provided which have end portions and 27 which are secured to the panels as by staples 29.

The partitions 24 and 26 are removable from the receptacle and being secured in some suitable manner, as described, to the panels the said partitions and panels may be removed from the receptacle simultaneously.

When used for shipping purposes it is customary to place about twenty-five baby chicks in each of the compartments of the receptacle and the closure 4 secured in place on the receptacle.

Numerous cuts or score lines are provided in the side and end walls to provide discs indicated by V. The cuts are made so that as many of the discs may be punched entirely out or partly out as desired to provide the desired ventilation according to climatic and temperature conditions.

At destination the closure is removed and the container is used as a feeding device for the baby chicks. This is accomplished by removing the partition walls together with the panels.

As the panels are removed, the height of the side and end walls is greatly reduced so as to provide walls of a step-over height, that is, of such height that the baby chicks may readily step over and into the receptacle for feeding.

Feed is placed in the container and it is desirable that baby chicks confine their feeding to a more or less restricted area wherefor the receptacle accomplishes the desired result.

Not only does the receptacle and closure provide the means for shipping baby chicks but the container is readily adapted as a feeder for the chicksuntil such time as other feeding means is appropriate.

Subsequently the feeder may be discarded and by using the container for shipping purposes and then as a feeder, the chicks so shipped have a new feeder and confine their feeding to the feeder until ready for automatic or intermediate feeders.

The panels are held to the side walls during shipment only to the extent they would not be accidentally displaced. The means holding the panels in place will be such as to be readily rupturable to facilitate the ready and easy removal of the panels from the walls.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combination shipping and feeding container including a receptacle and a closure therefor, said receptacle having a lower horizontal wall and side and end walls of a certain height extending upwardly therefrom, longitudinal and transverse partition walls in and removable from said receptacle extending between opposite side and end walls, said side and end walls provided with panels secured to the ends of said partition walls and removable from said walls on removal of said partition Walls from the receptacle.

2. A shipping and feeding apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said panels are of a height to reduc the certain height of the side and end walls to a step-over height for baby chicks.

3. A combination shipping and feeding container including a receptacle and a closure therefor, said receptacle having a lower horizontal wall and side and end walls of a certain height extending upwardly therefrom, longitudinal and transverse partition walls in and removable from said receptacle extending between opposite side and end walls thereof, the side and end walls of said receptacle being provided with panels secured to the ends of said partition walls and removable from said partition walls on removal thereof from the receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,649,211 Bitzer Nov. 15, 1927 1,714,295 Bomberger May 21, 1929 2,015,341 Gorsuch Sept. 24, 1935 2,152,079 Mott Mar. 28, 1939 2,339,445 Wynne et a1 Jan. 18, 1944 2,547,892 Stevens Apr. 3, 1951

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