Patent US3896766A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3896766A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Collapsible animal cage or the like
Assignee: FAVORITE Manufacturing Inc
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Filing: 1974-03-25
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Granted: 1975-07-29
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Expires: 1994-03-25
Abstract
Abstract A collapsible animal cage formed of rectilinear welded wire fabric or the like. The cage has front and rear rectangular end wall structures movable between an erected position and a folded position overlying a litter tray on the bottom of the cage, side wall structures intermediately hinged between their tops and bottoms and foldable over the end wall structures, and a top hingedly secured to the top of the side wall structures. Means are provided to hold the various structures in their erected position in a relatively rigid manner. The front end structure has a foldable door which can be readily latched in its closed position or held in its open position. The litter tray can be readily removed from the cage when the parts are in their erected position.
Inventors
- 👤 Harlan W Martin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 16:07
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K1/00; A01K1/02; A01K1/03; A01K31/00; A01K31/06; A01K31/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
399 words
In a collapsible animal cage or the like including: a rectangular floor structure; a rectangular top structure; front and rear rectangular end wall structures hingedly interconnected at their bottoms to opposed ends of the rectangular floor structure and swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed, and a lowered collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed over said floor structure; right and left hand rectangular side structures hingedly interconnected at their tops and bottoms to the top and floor structures, respectively, each of said side structures having horizontal hinge means substantially midway between the top and the bottoms, said side structures being swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed and a lowered collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed in a folded position over said floor structure; all of said side and end structures being formed of rectilinear welded wire fabric or the like having horizontal and vertical wires, the periphery of said side and end structures being horizontal and vertical wires of said wire fabric; the combination therewith of means to hold said side and end structures in their erected position comprising: a plurality of clip members adapted to interconnect all adjacent pairs of vertical peripheral wires, each of said clip members being provided with a holding section, a locking section, and a mounting portion remote from the holding and locking sections, the mounting portion being journalled for both rotational and vertical movement about one vertical peripheral wire of a pair of adjacent vertical peripheral wires, each of said clip members being vertically shiftable from a first locking position to an intermediate position, and rotatable from the intermediate position to a second position, the holding section engaging the other vertical peripheral wire of said pair of adjacent vertical peripheral wires and the locking section engaging an associated horizontal wire when the clip member is in the first position whereby the clip member is held from rotational movement, the holding section engaging said other vertical peripheral wire and the locking section no longer engaging the associated horizontal wire when the clip member is in the intErmediate position whereby the clip member is free to rotate to the second position, and said other vertical peripheral wire not being contacted by the holding section when the clip member is in the second position whereby the animal cage may be shifted to its collapsed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
399 words
In a collapsible animal cage or the like including: a rectangular floor structure; a rectangular top structure; front and rear rectangular end wall structures hingedly interconnected at their bottoms to opposed ends of the rectangular floor structure and swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed, and a lowered collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed over said floor structure; right and left hand rectangular side structures hingedly interconnected at their tops and bottoms to the top and floor structures, respectively, each of said side structures having horizontal hinge means substantially midway between the top and the bottoms, said side structures being swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed and a lowered collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed in a folded position over said floor structure; all of said side and end structures being formed of rectilinear welded wire fabric or the like having horizontal and vertical wires, the periphery of said side and end structures being horizontal and vertical wires of said wire fabric; the combination therewith of means to hold said side and end structures in their erected position comprising: a plurality of clip members adapted to interconnect all adjacent pairs of vertical peripheral wires, each of said clip members being provided with a holding section, a locking section, and a mounting portion remote from the holding and locking sections, the mounting portion being journalled for both rotational and vertical movement about one vertical peripheral wire of a pair of adjacent vertical peripheral wires, each of said clip members being vertically shiftable from a first locking position to an intermediate position, and rotatable from the intermediate position to a second position, the holding section engaging the other vertical peripheral wire of said pair of adjacent vertical peripheral wires and the locking section engaging an associated horizontal wire when the clip member is in the first position whereby the clip member is held from rotational movement, the holding section engaging said other vertical peripheral wire and the locking section no longer engaging the associated horizontal wire when the clip member is in the intErmediate position whereby the clip member is free to rotate to the second position, and said other vertical peripheral wire not being contacted by the holding section when the clip member is in the second position whereby the animal cage may be shifted to its collapsed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The collapsible animal cage or the like set forth in claim 1 wherein the mounting portion and the holding and locking sections of said clip member are fixed relative to each other, the mounting portion being a sleeve vertically shiftable about said one vertical peripheral wire to dispose the locking section into and out of its locking position adjacent said horizontal wire.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The collapsible animal cage or the like set forth in claim 2 wherein said locking section extends between horizontal wires of said side and end members when the clip member is in its locking position to brace and further rigidify said animal cage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
The collapsible animal cage or the like set forth in claim 1 in which each of the ends of the top structure is provided with fastener means selectively engagable with the top of said end structures to further rigidify said container when it is in its erected position, one of said fastener means also being engagable with one of the ends of said floor structure to maintain the collapsible container in its collapsed position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
120 words
The collapsible animal cage or the like set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said clip members is further characterized by the provision of a transversely extending portion extending away from the mounting portion, the holding section and the locking section being disposed at an angle to the transversely extending portion at a location remote from said mounting portion, said holding section lying between the edges of the transversely extending section, and said locking section lying beyond an edge of the transversely extending section, a vertical edge of the locking section being adapted to bear against an associated horizontal wire of said wire fabric to prevent the clip from being rotated when the clip is in its first position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
367 words
A collapsible animal cage or the like formed of rectilinear welded wire fabric or the like comprising: rectangular top and floor structures; front and rear rectangular end wall structures hingedly interconnected at their bottoms to ends of the rectangular floor structure and swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed and a lower collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed over said floor structure, said front end wall structure being provided with a rectangular opening therein, there being door frame wires extending the full length along the sides of the opening; a foldable door hingedly interconnected at its top to said front end wall structure adjacent the top of said rectangular opening, said foldable door including a top member having a lower transversely extending hinge wire and a bottom member hinged to said hinge wire, the ends of said hinge wire being provided with outwardly extending hooks which are interengagable with said door frame wires to hold the door in its closed position, and guide wire means carried by the lower peripheral edge of the foldable door, said guide wire means being slidable up and down the door frame wires for substantially the entire length of the rectangular opening within said front end wall structure; right and left rectangular side structures hingedly interconnected at their tops and bottom to the top and floor structures, respectively, each of said side structures having horizontal hinge means between the top and bottom, said side structures being swingable between upright erected positions wherein they are vertically disposed and a lower collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed in a folded position over said floor structure; the periphery of said sides and end structures being horizontal and vertical wires of said rectilinear welded wire fabric; and a plurality of vertiCal clip members adapted to be disposed in a first position wherein they interconnect all adjacent pairs of vertical peripheral wires to hold said sides and ends in their erected position, said clip members being disposable in a second position wherein only one of the adjacent pairs of vertical peripheral wires are contacted by the clip members permitting the collapsible animal cage to be moved to its lowered collapsed position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
367 words
A collapsible animal cage or the like formed of rectilinear welded wire fabric or the like comprising: rectangular top and floor structures; front and rear rectangular end wall structures hingedly interconnected at their bottoms to ends of the rectangular floor structure and swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed and a lower collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed over said floor structure, said front end wall structure being provided with a rectangular opening therein, there being door frame wires extending the full length along the sides of the opening; a foldable door hingedly interconnected at its top to said front end wall structure adjacent the top of said rectangular opening, said foldable door including a top member having a lower transversely extending hinge wire and a bottom member hinged to said hinge wire, the ends of said hinge wire being provided with outwardly extending hooks which are interengagable with said door frame wires to hold the door in its closed position, and guide wire means carried by the lower peripheral edge of the foldable door, said guide wire means being slidable up and down the door frame wires for substantially the entire length of the rectangular opening within said front end wall structure; right and left rectangular side structures hingedly interconnected at their tops and bottom to the top and floor structures, respectively, each of said side structures having horizontal hinge means between the top and bottom, said side structures being swingable between upright erected positions wherein they are vertically disposed and a lower collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed in a folded position over said floor structure; the periphery of said sides and end structures being horizontal and vertical wires of said rectilinear welded wire fabric; and a plurality of vertiCal clip members adapted to be disposed in a first position wherein they interconnect all adjacent pairs of vertical peripheral wires to hold said sides and ends in their erected position, said clip members being disposable in a second position wherein only one of the adjacent pairs of vertical peripheral wires are contacted by the clip members permitting the collapsible animal cage to be moved to its lowered collapsed position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The collapsible animal cage or the like set forth in claim 6 wherein said door frame wires are provided with a kink adjacent the top of the door frame wire, said kink being engagable by said guide wires to hold the foldable door in open position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
228 words
A collapsible animal cage or the like comprising: a rectangular floor structure having upwardly extending peripheral edge portions; a litter tray or the like mounted on said floor structure in such a manner that its upper surface lies below the upper periphery of the side portions, said litter tray or the like being slidable through an opening in said peripheral edge portions of the floor structure; a rectangular top structure; front and rear rectangular end wall structures hingedly interconnected at their bottoms to the peripheral edge portion of the rectangular floor structure and swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed above the ends of the rectangular floor structure and a lowered collapsed position where they are horizontally disposed over the litter tray or like object; right and left hand rectangular side structures hingedly interconnected at their top to said top structure and also hingedly interconnected at their bottom to the peripheral edge portions of said floor structure, each of said structures having horizontal hinge means between the top and bottom, said side structure being swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed above the side edges of the floor structure and a lower collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed in a folded position over said litter tray; and means operable to hold said sides and ends in their erected position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
228 words
A collapsible animal cage or the like comprising: a rectangular floor structure having upwardly extending peripheral edge portions; a litter tray or the like mounted on said floor structure in such a manner that its upper surface lies below the upper periphery of the side portions, said litter tray or the like being slidable through an opening in said peripheral edge portions of the floor structure; a rectangular top structure; front and rear rectangular end wall structures hingedly interconnected at their bottoms to the peripheral edge portion of the rectangular floor structure and swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed above the ends of the rectangular floor structure and a lowered collapsed position where they are horizontally disposed over the litter tray or like object; right and left hand rectangular side structures hingedly interconnected at their top to said top structure and also hingedly interconnected at their bottom to the peripheral edge portions of said floor structure, each of said structures having horizontal hinge means between the top and bottom, said side structure being swingable between an upright erected position wherein they are vertically disposed above the side edges of the floor structure and a lower collapsed position wherein they are horizontally disposed in a folded position over said litter tray; and means operable to hold said sides and ends in their erected position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
67 words
The collapsible animal cage or the like as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of the front and rear rectangular end wall structures have a lower outwardly and downwardly extending portion which is hingedly interconnected to the peripheral edges of the floor structure, the parts being so arranged and constructed that the end wall structures may lie substantially flat upon the litter tray or like object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
The collapsible animal cage or the like set forth in claim 8 wherein a lower fastener means is secured to said floor structure midway within the opening in the peripheral edge which permits the litter tray to be slid along said floor structure, said lower fastener means being interconnectable with one of said end wall structures to maintain said litter tray within the collapsible animal cage.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
The collapsible animal cage or the like set forth in claim 10 wherein said top structure is provided with upper fastener means which is adapted to engage the top portion of one of the end wall structures when said animal cage or like object is in its erected position, said upper fastener means also being engagable with the lower fastener means to facilitate maintaining the animal cage or the like in its collapsed position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-28 | 1979-01-27 | 1979-07-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-28 | 1983-01-27 | 1983-07-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-28 | 1987-01-27 | 1987-07-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |