Wire cloth tray

Claim 2

A tray formed of woven wire cloth having interwoven longitudinal wires and transverse wires comprising: a woven wire cloth bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth sidewalls Integrally connected to the bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth end walls integrally connected to the bottom, one of the end walls defining the leading edge of the tray; a gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner integrally connecting the forward end wall to the respective sidewalls at each forward corner, the gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner being integrally connected to the bottom; and the sidewalls and end walls being bent over at the upper extent of each to define the top edges of the sidewalls and end walls, and each rounded corner being severed across the upper extent thereof to define the top edge thereof, the top edge of each rounded corner being welded throughout its length to connect all of the respective severed wires of each corner.

Claim 3

The tray defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner at each rear corner integrally connecting the rear end wall to the respective sidewalls and being integrally connected to the bottom, each rear gathered corner being severed across the upper extent thereof to define the top edge thereof, the top edge of each rear rounded corner being welded throughout its length to connect all of the respective severed wires of each corner.

Claim 4

The tray defined in claim 2 wherein the end walls and sidewalls are folded over inwardly.

Claim 5

The tray defined in claim 2 wherein the individual longitudinal wires and transverse wires of the end and sidewalls respectively are knuckled over.

Claim 6

The tray defined in claim 2 wherein the uppermost transverse wire in the end walls and the uppermost longitudinal wire in the sidewalls are engaged by the weld material defining the top edges of the rounded corners.

Claim 7

The tray defined in claim 5 wherein all of the longitudinal wires in the end walls and transverse wire in the sidewalls are bent inwardly and wherein every other longitudinal wire in the end walls passes over the uppermost transverse wire of the respective end walls and wherein every other transverse wire in the sidewalls passes over the uppermost longitudinal wire of the respective sidewalls.

Claim 8

The tray defined in claim 2 additionally comprising a pair of longitudinal reinforcing bars, the reinforcing bars being mounted within the tray and secured to the walls thereof, and each longitudinal reinforcing bar extending the length of the respective sidewalls and being turned through each corner with the free end portions of each reinforcing bar extending transversely and approximately parallel to the respective end walls, and the free end portions of opposed reinforcing bars being transversely disposed from each other.

Claim 9

The tray defined in claim 7 wherein the longitudinal reinforcing bars have a rectangular cross section and wherein the narrow edge of each bar is seated on the bottom of the tray.

Claim 10

The tray defined in claim 8 wherein the reinforcing bars are held in place by a plurality of inverted L-shaped members, the free end of the long leg of each L-shaped member being secured to the bottom and the short leg extending across the upper narrow edge of the reinforcing bar and being secured to a wall of the tray.

Claim 11

The tray defined in claim 7 additionally comprising a pair of transverse reinforcing bars mounted within the tray and secured to the respective end walls thereof, the transverse reinforcing bars extending between the transversely extending, opposed free ends of the longitudinal reinforcing bars.

Claim 12

The tray defined in claim 10 wherein the transverse reinforcing bars are of smaller cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the longitudinal reinforcing bars.

Claim 13

The tray defined in claim 10 wherein the transverse reinforcing bars lie adjacent the end walls and underneath the bent over portion of the end walls.

Claim 14

A tray formed of woven wire cloth having interwoven longitudinal wires and transverse wires comprising: a woven wire cloth bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth sidewalls integrally connecteD to the bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth end walls integrally connected to the bottom, the end walls being operatively joined to the bottom, the end walls being operatively joined to the respective sidewalls at each corner of the tray; a pair of longitudinal reinforcing bars mounted against and contiguous with the sidewalls of the tray, each longitudinal reinforcing bar extending the length of the respective sidewalls and being turned through each corner with the free end portions thereof extending transversely and approximately parallel to the respective end walls, and the free end portions of opposed reinforcing bars being transversely disposed from each other; and means secured to the tray for holding the reinforcing bar against the sidewalls of the tray, the holding means adapted to permit relative movement between the bar and the sidewall, such relative movement arising from different rates of expansion and contractions in heat treatment operations.

Claim 15

A tray formed of woven wire cloth having interwoven longitudinal wires and transverse wires comprising: a woven wire cloth bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth sidewalls integrally connecteD to the bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth end walls integrally connected to the bottom, the end walls being operatively joined to the bottom, the end walls being operatively joined to the respective sidewalls at each corner of the tray; a pair of longitudinal reinforcing bars mounted against and contiguous with the sidewalls of the tray, each longitudinal reinforcing bar extending the length of the respective sidewalls and being turned through each corner with the free end portions thereof extending transversely and approximately parallel to the respective end walls, and the free end portions of opposed reinforcing bars being transversely disposed from each other; and means secured to the tray for holding the reinforcing bar against the sidewalls of the tray, the holding means adapted to permit relative movement between the bar and the sidewall, such relative movement arising from different rates of expansion and contractions in heat treatment operations.

Claim 16

The tray defined in claim 13 wherein the longitudinal reinforcing bars have a rectangular cross section and wherein the narrow edge of each bar is seated on the bottom of the tray.

Claim 17

The tray defined in claim 14 wherein the reinforcing bars are held in place by a plurality of inverted L-shaped members, the free end of the long leg of each L-shaped member being secured to the bottom and the short leg extending across the upper narrow edge of the reinforcing bar and being secured to a wall of the tray.

Claim 18

The tray defined in claim 13 additionally comprising a pair of transverse reinforcing bars mounted within the tray and secured to the respective end walls thereof, the transverse reinforcing bars extending between the transversely extending, opposed free ends of the longitudinal reinforcing bars.

Claim 19

The tray defined in claim 16 wherein the transverse reinforcing bars are of smaller cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the longitudinal reinforcing bars.

Claim 20

The tray defined in claim 13 additionally comprising gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner integrally connected to the bottom and integrally connecting each end wall to the adjacent sidewalls.

Claim 21

The tray defined in claim 18 wherein the sidewalls and end walls are bent over at the upper extent of each to define the top edges of the sidewalls and end walls, and wherein each rounded corner is severed across the upper extent thereof to define the top edge thereof, the top edge of each rounded corner being welded throughout its length to connect all of the respective severed wires of each corner.

Claim 22

The tray defined in claim 19 wherein the end walls and sidewalls are folded over inwardly.

Claim 23

The tray defined in claim 13 wherein the reinforcing bars are mounted on the inside of the sidewalls of the tray.

Claim 24

A tray formed of woven wire cloth having interwoven longitudinal wires and transverse wires comprising: a woven wire cloth bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth sidewalls integrally connected to the bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth end walls integrally connected to the bottom, one of the end walls defining the leading edge of the tray; a gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner integrally connecting the forward end wall to the respective sidewalls at each forward corner, the gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner being integrally connected to the bottom; and each rounded corner being severed across the upper extent thereof to define the top edge thereof, the top edge of each rounded corner being welded throughout its length to connect all of the respective severed wires of each corner.

Claim 25

A tray formed of woven wire cloth having interwoven longitudinal wires and transverse wires comprising: a woven wire cloth bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth sidewalls integrally connected to the bottom; upwardly extending woven wire cloth end walls integrally connected to the bottom, one of the end walls defining the leading edge of the tray; a gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner integrally connecting the forward end wall to the respective sidewalls at each forward corner, the gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner being integrally connected to the bottom; and each rounded corner being severed across the upper extent thereof to define the top edge thereof, the top edge of each rounded corner being welded throughout its length to connect all of the respective severed wires of each corner.

Claim 26

The tray defined in claim 22 additionally comprising a gathered woven wire cloth rounded corner at each rear corner integrally connecting the rear end wall to the respective sidewalls and being integrally connected to the bottom, each rear gathered corner being severed across the upper extent thereof to define the top edge thereof, the top edge of each reaR rounded corner being welded throughout its length to connect all of the respective severed wires of each corner.

Claim 27

The tray defined in claim 22 wherein the sidewalls and end walls are bent over at the upper extent of each to define the top edges of the sidewalls and end walls.