Carrier with retaining rollers

[57] ABSTRACT

The disclosure of the invention comprises restraining rollers for use in pairs with a carrier box for the transport of flowers, vase-supported flower arrangements, potted plants, and the like in a restrained carrying position on a vehicle seat. Each said restraining roller, or rollers, is formed with a highly resilient surface, and with pointed centering pins, which are relatively moveable, and are forced yieldably apart to bite into penetrable side walls of the carrier box. The rollers of a pair are pressed inwardly and downwardly against opposite sides of the container to be held, the compression of the resilient surfaces of the rollers acting to restrain the container against the bottom of the carrier box, and further against lateral movements relative thereto.

Claims, 6 Drawing Figures

<img file="US3762097A_D0001.tif" />

PATENTE00CT2I973

3,762.097

<img file="US3762097A_D0002.tif" />

3,762,097

CARRIER WITH RETAINING ROLLERS

The present invention relates to an improved carrier for transporting container-supported flower arrangements, potted plants and the like, and more particularly to a restraining roller of novel and improved construction forming an element of said carrier.

The carrier comprises generally a carrier box having side walls of a penetrable material, such as wood, and an open top, and in accordance with the present invention has associated therewith restraining rollers arranged in pairs, each of which rollers is provided with a highly resilient surface and relatively movable, yieldably expanded pointed centering pins adapted, when the roller is placed in a restraining position crosswise of the box, to move into biting engagement with the opposed side walls.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved carrier comprising a carrier box and restraining rollers of the sort described which is well adapted for the transport of container-supported flower arrangements, potted plants, and the like on a vehicle seat without risk of disturbance or injury.

It is a further object of the invention to· provide for use in a carrier for the transport of such floral items, pairs of restraining rollers, haying a highly resilient covering, for example, a thick layer of foam rubber, and relatively moveable, yieldably expanded pointed centering pins, which rollers may be readily located with relation to the enclosed floral items to restrain the same while in transit firmly in position both laterally, and vertically against the bottom of the box.

Referring to the drawing;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carrier looking from one end having a vase containing a flower arrangement supported therein, held in position by two restraining rollers;

FIG. 2 is a partial view taken on a line 2 — 2 of ΓΙΟΙ, but on a larger scale, illustrating the vase, aportion of the carrier box in section, two foam rubber covered restraining rollers also in section, and a carrier levelling bar;

FIG-3 is a view similar to FIG.2, but on the scale of FIG. 1, illustrating a vase of different shape and a suitable arrangement of the restraining rollers for supporting said vase;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a flower pot and a suitable arrangement of the positioning rollers for supporting same;

FIG.5 i s a view similar to FIGS. 2,3, and 4 illustrating a suitable arrangement of the restraining rollers for supporting more than one vase which is of still another shape; and

FIG.6 i s a detail view, partly in section, of the foam rubber covered restraining roller with the pointed centering pins embedded in the sides of the carrier box.

The carrier, herein described, takes the form of a wooden box 10 having an open top, and having contained therein pairs of restraining rollers 12, 14 adapted to be deployed spanning the box widthwise as may be required with the two ends of each roller held in fixed position in opposite sides of the box. Each roller consists of a hollow cylindrical tube 16, on which is mounted a thick covering of foam rubber 18. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the roller is assumed to be two inches in diameter with a foam rubber covering 18 about five eighths of an inch thick. Each roller is provided at one end with a pointed centering pin 20 fixedly mounted within the tube 16, and at the other end with a resiliently mounted centering pin 22, normally held in an extended position by a coiled spring 24 inserted between the inner end of the pin 22 and a shoulder 26 on the inner face of the tube 16. Engagement of the flanged inner end of the pin 22 with a collar 28 limits outward movement of the pin 22. The carrier box 10, while preferably constructed of wood, may be made with side walls of any suitable material which is penetrable by the the pointed centering pins to ensure the bite required of the pointed centering pins into the side wall surfaces.

A vertically adjustable levelling bar 32 is mounted to depend from the central rear portion of the carrier box bottom 34, as shown in FIG.2, for engagement with the usual dowp-wardly inclined rear portion of the seat on which the carrier rests. The levelling bar 32 is carried on the lower end of a screw threaded bolt 36 which is slideably mounted in an aperture passing through the bottom 34 of the box, and is clamped in adjusted position by a wing bolt 38 mounted in a housing 40 bolted to the bottom of the box and arranged to engage laterally against the screw-threaded bolt 36, so that the bolt 36 and levelling bar 32 are clamped firmly together.

The carrier is well adapted for supporting vase supported flower arrangements, potted plants and the like which may be of varying size and shape. By way of example, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a vase 42 having mounted therein a flower arrangement 43. The vase 42 is formed with a collar, a very short neck and outwardly bulging sides, and is held firmly in an upright position in the carrier box by the restraining rollers 12,14 which are pressed against the bulging sides of the vase, and are held in the restraining position by the biting engagement of the roller centering pins with the opposed side walls of the carrier box. The vase 42 is thus positioned laterally, and is at the same time forced downwardly, so that the base thereof is pressed firmly against the bottom of the carrier box.

FIG. 5 illustrates a vase 44 somewhat similar to the vase 42 of FIGS. 1 and 2, but having a longer narrow neck portion. The restraining rollers 12,14 are located against downwardly and outwardly sloping portions of the vase below the neck to force the vase downwardly against the bottom of the box. This view illustrates further how more than one container at a time may be transported in the carrier box 10. A portion of a second vase 44' is shown adjacent the vase 44 together with a restraining roller 14'. The number of containers which may be transported is limited only by the length of the carrier box which can be accomodated on the vehicle seat.

FIG. 3 illustrates a vase 46 of a different shape, being formed with an outwardly extending base 48. In this instance the rollers 12,14 engage the vase adjacent the base 48 in order to hold the vase down against the bottom 34 of the carrier box.

FIG. 4 illustrates the manner in which the rollers 12, 14 may be utilized to hold a conventional flower pot 50 down-wardly against the bottom 34 of the box. The rollers 12,14 are located against the outer top edge of the flower pot 50, so that the opposed outer top edges are pressed both downwardly and inwardly to hold the flower pot firmly against the bottom of the box.

From a consideration of the foregoing examples it will be evident that the box carrier and associated foam

3,762,097 rubber covered restraining rollers with their yieldably expanded pointed centering pins provide a simple, and at the same time, a most effective arrangement setting up individual floral items for transport on a vehicle seat without risk of injury thereto. The restraining rollers are quickly and accurately located and secured in the most effective restraining position, in which the individual floral item is held firmly against the bottom of the carrier box, and is at the same time fully supported against any lateral shifting or tipping movements therein.