Refrigerated cargo box

Claim 2

A readily disassembled cargo box including in combination, a base having a rectangular configuration, a back panel having a Rectangular lower portion and a generally trapezoidal upper portion, respective rectangular side panels, respective rectangular slant roof panels, a rectangular central roof panel, a door having a rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion and readily releasable means for connecting said back and side panels and said roof panels and said door to form said box, said releasable means comprising means forming respective clamping means along adjacent edges of said top panel and of said slant panels, said clamping means adapted to engage in response to swinging movement of said top panel about its back edge.

Claim 3

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said panels and said door are formed of insulating material.

Claim 4

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said releasable means comprises interengageable means running along the bottoms of said side panels and along the corresponding edges of said base, said interengageable means comprising dovetail grooves and tongues located in said grooves.

Claim 5

A cargo box as in claim 3 in which said dovetail grooves are in said base and in which said tongues are inwardly directed tongues on the bottoms of said side panels.

Claim 6

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said readily releasable means comprise interengageable means running along the bottom of said back panel and said door and along corresponding edges of said base, said interengageable means comprising dovetail grooves and tongues located in said grooves.

Claim 7

A cargo box as in claim 5 in which said dovetail grooves are in said base and wherein said tongues are outwardly directed tongues on said back panel and door.

Claim 8

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said readily releasable means comprises means forming a dovetail groove in the upper surface of said base running around the periphery thereof, respective inwardly directed tongues along the bottom edges of said side panels located in corresponding portions of said groove and respective outwardly directed tongues along the bottom edges of said back panel and said door.

Claim 9

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said releasable means comprises interengageable tongue and groove forming means along the rear edges of said side panels and along the vertical edges of said back panel.

Claim 10

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said releasable means comprises means forming a dovetail groove adjacent the upper edge of said back panel, respective upwardly directed tongues along the edges of said slant panel located in said groove and a downwardly directed tongue at the rear edge of said central top panel, said tongues located in said grooves.

Claim 11

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said releasable means comprises clamping means extending along adjacent edges of the side panels and slant roof panels.

Claim 12

A cargo box as in claim 10 in which said clamping means comprises means forming outwardly opening channels along the upper edges of the side panels and inwardly directed flanges along the lower edges of said slant panels, said flanges adapted to enter into said channels in response to swinging movement of said slant panels around their back edges.

Claim 13

A cargo box as in claim 11 including gaskets clamped between said flanges and walls of said channel forming means.

Claim 14

A cargo box as in claim 12 in which said flanges and said channel walls are of sinuous cross-sectional shape to form respective pairs of gasket pockets when said slant wall is in position, and respective pairs of gaskets in said pockets.

Claim 15

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said clamping means each comprises means forming an outwardly opening channel along a side edge of the top panel, a downwardly extending flange along the corresponding edge of a side panel and a gasket clamped between said flange and a wall of said channel.

Claim 16

A cargo box as in claim 1 including heat-insulating seals along adjacent edges of said base and said door and said panels.

Claim 17

A cargo box as in claim 1 in which said releasable means comprises a latch at the fronT edge of said top panel, means mounting said latch on said top panel for movement between an open position and a closed position and interengageable means on said latch and on said door for clamping said door to said top panel.

Claim 18

A cargo box as in claim 16 in which said clamping means comprise interengageable cam surfaces on said latch and on said door.

Claim 19

A cargo box as in claim 17 including a sealing gasket between said door and said top panel.

Claim 20

In a refrigerated cargo box a door comprising a body of insulating material, said body having a rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, means carried by said body forming an outwardly directed tongue running along the bottom edge of the body, and means carried by said body forming a locking cam surface running around the remainder of the periphery of said body, said cam surface forming means providing a recess at the inner side of said panel running around the remainder of said periphery and a sealing gasket located in said recess.

Claim 21

In a refrigerated cargo box a door comprising a body of insulating material, said body having a rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, means carried by said body forming an outwardly directed tongue running along the bottom edge of the body, and means carried by said body forming a locking cam surface running around the remainder of the periphery of said body, said cam surface forming means providing a recess at the inner side of said panel running around the remainder of said periphery and a sealing gasket located in said recess.

Claim 22

A door as in claim 19 including heat insulation positioned around the inside of said body adjacent the periphery thereof.

Claim 23

In a refrigerated cargo box a side panel comprising a generally rectangular body of insulating material, means forming a single inwardly directed tongue running along the bottom edge of said body, means forming respective outwardly directed single tongues running along the side edges of said body and means forming an outwardly opening channel along the upper edge of said body.

Claim 24

In a refrigerated cargo box a side panel comprising a generally rectangular body of insulating material, means forming a single inwardly directed tongue running along the bottom edge of said body, means forming respective outwardly directed single tongues running along the side edges of said body and means forming an outwardly opening channel along the upper edge of said body.

Claim 25

A side panel as in claim 21 in which said channel forming means provides an outer wall having a sinuous cross-sectional shape and a gasket in said channel.

Claim 26

A side panel as in claim 22 including heat insulation positioned along the top and bottom edges of said body.

Claim 27

A side panel as in claim 21 including a latch provided with a cam surface and means mounting said latch for pivotal movement at the front edge of said body.

Claim 28

In a refrigerated cargo box, a back panel comprising a body of insulating material, said body having a generally rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, means carried by said body forming an outwardly directed tongue running along the lower edge of the panel, means carried by said body forming a dovetail groove running around the remainder of the periphery of the panel and a heat-insulating seal running around the periphery of said body.

Claim 29

In a refrigerated cargo box, a back panel comprising a body of insulating material, said body having a generally rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, means carried by said body forming an outwardly directed tongue running along the lower edge of the panel, means carried by said body forming a dovetail groove running around the remainder of the periphery of the panel and a heat-insulating seal running around the periphery of said body.

Claim 30

In a refrigerated cargo box, a slant roof panel comprising a generally rectangular body of insulating material, means forming an outwardly directed tongue along the back edge of said body and means forming respective inwardly directed flanges running along and spaced from the side edges of said body, said flanges having a sinuous cross-sectional shape and gaskets disposed between said flanges and said side edges.

Claim 31

In a refrigerated cargo box, a slant roof panel comprising a generally rectangular body of insulating material, means forming an outwardly directed tongue along the back edge of said body and means forming respective inwardly directed flanges running along and spaced from the side edges of said body, said flanges having a sinuous cross-sectional shape and gaskets disposed between said flanges and said side edges.

Claim 32

A slant panel as in claim 26 including a latch formed with a cam surface and means mounting said latch for pivotal movement at the front edge of the body.

Claim 33

In a refrigerated cargo box a top panel comprising a rectangular body of insulating material, means forming an inwardly directed tongue along the rear edge of said body and means forming respective outwardly opening channels along the side edges of said body, said channels having arcuate outer sides and gaskets located in said channels.

Claim 34

In a refrigerated cargo box a top panel comprising a rectangular body of insulating material, means forming an inwardly directed tongue along the rear edge of said body and means forming respective outwardly opening channels along the side edges of said body, said channels having arcuate outer sides and gaskets located in said channels.

Claim 35

A top panel as in claim 28 including a latch having a cam surface and means mounting said latch for pivotal movement at the front edge of said body.

Claim 36

A refrigerated cargo box including in combination, a rectangular base, means forming a dovetail groove in the upper surface of said base around the periphery thereof, a back panel having a generally rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, means forming an outwardly directed tongue along the bottom edge of said back panel, said tongue located in said base groove, means forming a dovetail groove in the inner surface of said back panel around the remainder of the perIphery thereof, respective generally rectangular side panels, means forming an inwardly directed tongue along the bottom edge of each of said side panels, said side panel bottom edge tongues located in the sides of said base groove, means forming outwardly directed tongues along the respective back edges of said side panels, said side panel back edge tongues located in the vertical extents of said back panel groove, means forming outwardly opening channels along the top edges of the respective side panels, respective generally rectangular slant top panels, means forming a respective upwardly directed tongue along the back edge of each of said slant panels, said slant panel back edge tongues located in said back panel groove, means forming respective inwardly directed first and second flanges spaced from and along the upper and lower side edges of each of said slant panels, said lower edge flanges being received in said side panel channels, gaskets in said channels between said flanges and walls of said channels, a generally rectangular top panel, means forming a downwardly directed tongue extending along the back edge of said back panel, said top panel back edge tongue being disposed in the back panel groove, means forming respective outwardly opening channels along the side edges of the top panel, said top panel channels receiving said slant panel upper edge flanges, gaskets located in the top panel channels between walls thereof and said slant panel flanges, a door having a rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, means forming an inwardly directed tongue along the lower edge of said door, said door lower edge tongue located in said base groove, and means extending around the remainder of the periphery of the door for releasably clamping said door in position.

Claim 37

A refrigerated cargo box including in combination, a rectangular base, means forming a dovetail groove in the upper surface of said base around the periphery thereof, a back panel having a generally rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, means forming an outwardly directed tongue along the bottom edge of said back panel, said tongue located in said base groove, means forming a dovetail groove in the inner surface of said back panel around the remainder of the perIphery thereof, respective generally rectangular side panels, means forming an inwardly directed tongue along the bottom edge of each of said side panels, said side panel bottom edge tongues located in the sides of said base groove, means forming outwardly directed tongues along the respective back edges of said side panels, said side panel back edge tongues located in the vertical extents of said back panel groove, means forming outwardly opening channels along the top edges of the respective side panels, respective generally rectangular slant top panels, means forming a respective upwardly directed tongue along the back edge of each of said slant panels, said slant panel back edge tongues located in said back panel groove, means forming respective inwardly directed first and second flanges spaced from and along the upper and lower side edges of each of said slant panels, said lower edge flanges being received in said side panel channels, gaskets in said channels between said flanges and walls of said channels, a generally rectangular top panel, means forming a downwardly directed tongue extending along the back edge of said back panel, said top panel back edge tongue being disposed in the back panel groove, means forming respective outwardly opening channels along the side edges of the top panel, said top panel channels receiving said slant panel upper edge flanges, gaskets located in the top panel channels between walls thereof and said slant panel flanges, a door having a rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, means forming an inwardly directed tongue along the lower edge of said door, said door lower edge tongue located in said base groove, and means extending around the remainder of the periphery of the door for releasably clamping said door in position.

Claim 38

A refrigerated cargo box as in claim 30 in which said clamping means comprises respective latches each providing a cam surface, means mounting said latches respectively on the front edges of the side panels and slant panels and top panels, and means on said door providing cam surfaces for cooperating with said latch cam surfaces.

Claim 39

A readily disassembled cargo box including in combination, a base having a rectangular configuration, a back panel, respective side panels, a front panel, a roof, and readily releasable means for connecting said back panel and said front panel and said side panels and said roof and said base to form said box, said releasable means comprising interengageable means running along the bottoms of said back panel and said side panels and said front panels and around the perimeter of said base, said interengageable means comprising means forming a dovetail groove along each of the front and back and sides of said base adjacent the edges thereof, each of said dovetail grooves having a mouth and oppositely directed groove portions extending from said mouth, and respective single tongues extending along the bottom edges of each of said front and back and side panels, each of said tongues being adapted to be inserted in one of said grooves through said mouth upon movement of the panel edge toward the base and to engage in one of said groove portions upon rotation of the panel relative to the base.

Claim 40

A readily disassembled cargo box including in combination, a base having a rectangular configuration, a back panel, respective side panels, a front panel, a roof, and readily releasable means for connecting said back panel and said front panel and said side panels and said roof and said base to form said box, said releasable means comprising interengageable means running along the bottoms of said back panel and said side panels and said front panels and around the perimeter of said base, said interengageable means comprising means forming a dovetail groove along each of the front and back and sides of said base adjacent the edges thereof, each of said dovetail grooves having a mouth and oppositely directed groove portions extending from said mouth, and respective single tongues extending along the bottom edges of each of said front and back and side panels, each of said tongues being adapted to be inserted in one of said grooves through said mouth upon movement of the panel edge toward the base and to engage in one of said groove portions upon rotation of the panel relative to the base.

Claim 41

A cargo box as in claim 32 in which said dovetail grooves run respectively along the sides of said base adjacent the edge thereof, said tongues comprising respective inwardly directed curved tongues along the bottoms of said side panels and respective outwardly directed curved tongues along the bottoms of the front and back panels.

Claim 42

A cargo box as in claim 32 in which said dovetail grooves run respectively along the sides of said base adjacent the edge thereof, said tongues comprising respective curved tongues along the bottoms of said side panels, said side panel tongue being oriented in one sense with reference to said base, and a curved tongue running along the bottom of said back panel, said back panel tongue being oriented in the opposite sense with refErence to said base.

Claim 43

A cargo box including in combination, a generally rectangular base, a pair of generally rectangular side panels, a pair of generally rectangular end panels, and a generally rectangular top panel, first readily disengageable interlocking elements respectively unitary with and extending along the bottom edges of each of said side and end panels substantially from end-to-end thereof and unitary with and extending around the periphery of said base for connecting said side and end panels to said base, second readily disengageable interlocking elements respectively unitary with and extending along the front and rear edges of said side panels substantially from top to bottom thereof and unitary with and extending along the side edges of said end panels substantially from top to bottom thereof for connecting said side panels to said end panels, and means connecting said top panel to said side and end panels, said second elements respectively comprising outwardly directed tongues along the end edges of said side panels and inwardly directed tongues along the side edges of said end panels.

Claim 44

A cargo box including in combination, a generally rectangular base, a pair of generally rectangular side panels, a pair of generally rectangular end panels, and a generally rectangular top panel, first readily disengageable interlocking elements respectively unitary with and extending along the bottom edges of each of said side and end panels substantially from end-to-end thereof and unitary with and extending around the periphery of said base for connecting said side and end panels to said base, second readily disengageable interlocking elements respectively unitary with and extending along the front and rear edges of said side panels substantially from top to bottom thereof and unitary with and extending along the side edges of said end panels substantially from top to bottom thereof for connecting said side panels to said end panels, and means connecting said top panel to said side and end panels, said second elements respectively comprising outwardly directed tongues along the end edges of said side panels and inwardly directed tongues along the side edges of said end panels.

Claim 45

In a knock down container, an assembly including a first panel, a second panel, said panels having respective generally straight edges along which said panels are to be joined, a first elongated angle member having respective portions generally at right angles to each other, means securing said first angle member to said first panel with one of said portions spaced from and generally parallel to the straight edge of said member, a second elongated angle member having respective portions generally at right angles to each other and means securing said second angle member to said second panel with one of the portions of the second member spaced from and generally parallel to a side of said second panel adjacent its straight edge, said spaced portions adapted to interengage to assembled said panels along said edges in response to relative sliding movement of said panels.

Claim 46

In a knock down container, an assembly including a first panel, a second panel, said panels having respective generally straight edges along which said panels are to be joined, a first elongated angle member having respective portions generally at right angles to each other, means securing said first angle member to said first panel with one of said portions spaced from and generally parallel to the straight edge of said member, a second elongated angle member having respective portions generally at right angles to each other and means securing said second angle member to said second panel with one of the portions of the second member spaced from and generally parallel to a side of said second panel adjacent its straight edge, said spaced portions adapted to interengage to assembled said panels along said edges in response to relative sliding movement of said panels.

Claim 47

An assembly as in claim 36 including respective gaskets disposed in the space between said spaced member portions and the associated panels.