Knock-down plastic cheese curing container

Claim 1

A knock-down cheese curing box comprising a first pair of plastic, opposed, individually constructed, unitary, rectangular side panels each having a flat, smooth cheese-contact interior surface and vertical edges, a second pair of plastic, opposed, individually constructed, unitary, rectangular side panels, each having a flat, smooth, cheese-contact interior surface and vertical edges, each of said first pair side panels having notch means along each vertical edge providing for joining to said second pair side panels and each of said second pair side panels having tab means along each vertical edge for sliding horizontally inward into noninterlocking engagement with said notch means forming a tubular configuration of said pairs of side panels, said notch means and said engaged tab means restraining vertical movement of said side panels relative to each other, an individually constructed, rectangular, plastic bottom tray, said bottom tray having a flat bottom panel and leg means for supporting said bottom panel above a support surface to allow lifting apparatus to be inserted therebelow, said bottom panel having an upper surface with lip means upstanding therefrom for locating said tubular configuration of side panels freestanding on an area of said top surface defined inward of said lip means, said lip means being of such minimal height as to permit said tubular configuration to be collapsed while filled with a block of cured cheese by sliding said engaged side panels horizontally outward from each other to leave the cured cheese block sitting on said self-supporting bottom tray, said top surface of said bottom panel interior of said lip means being flat and smooth for cheese contact, said side panels and said bottom tray being formed having solid outer plastic skins and porous plastic interior cores, a plastic pressure plate having peripheral dimensions substantially matched to the interior dimensions of said tubular configuration and having a smooth, flat, cheese-contact lower surface, an individually constructed cover adapted to overlie said tubular configuration, means interposed between said cover and said pressure plate for biasing said pressure plate away from said cover, means for restraining said side panels in interfitted relationship to each other, and means for holding said cover means downward over said tubular configuration with said biasing means exerting downward pressure on said pressure plate.