They are shaped to fit the cows' teats
@MLE_online I haven't seen that in the ones around here
Looks like an attempt to remove a stress riser, a square corner in that spot without those would be a likely location for cracks to start
@Dangerous_beans why not in the corresponding upper corners then?
@MLE_online I'm guessing those are less likely to flex open, and putting a hole there would weaken the rim? all this is just from looking at them, i don't know for sure
@Dangerous_beans @MLE_online I was thinking that, like how airplane windows can't be squared off
@MLE_online any idea who manufactured this specific milk crates? these ovals seem unique to these models
@jonahgibberish those are from different manufacturers. the ovals seem to be common across brands
@MLE_online where? searching milk crate images in a search engine and the designs with the ovals in that spot are in the minority. have you searched for the patent for that design?
@jonahgibberish well, i have three different brands in my garage and all three of them have the ovals!
@MLE_online looked at some patent images from the 1960s of milk crates that included the ovals but no information as to purpose, at this point I'd guess they are just aesthetic elements courtesy of the designer but not ruling out they serve some unknown but necessary purpose that's part of how they are manufactured
@MLE_online This design has an innie and an outie. Maybe those features were designed to keep adjacent columns of stacked crates more stable by hooking together.
@jlamoree I'm not seeing how those holes would hook together
@MLE_online Maybe there were pegs or hooks or cables used on the trucks.
@MLE_online I can totally imagine the frame of a hand truck having something to poke into those holes and keep the crates from tipping over when going up a curb sideways. This product has a latching mechanism to do it. https://www.rotacaster.com.au/shop-product/crate-handling-dairy/milk-crate-rotatruck
@jlamoree thats an interesting thought
@jlamoree @MLE_online
You are very likely correct
The milk crates shown in this video have the hook engagement holes in a different location but they have been specifically designed to work with where the hooks are on the hand truck
https://youtu.be/PrU3W8S9bc8?t=55s
I believe the different milk crate manufacturers in the 1960s had to standardise on hook engagement holes based on the hand trucks that were in use at the time.
@MLE_online so when they're upside down there is a frightened face to remind you to turn them right way up
@steadilyebbing there should be more pareidolic design used to manipulate us into treating inanimate objects nicely in the world
Me, an autistic who feels about many inanimate objects as if they have feelings:
"Sure, why not?"
@MLE_online I thought they were rope holes to tie them together with less friction, but now I don't know.
The company seems to make lots of designs and this 24qt one is what has the holes.
https://www.rehrigpacific.com/supply-chain/products-and-solutions/24-qt-dairy-crate
@gettingcomputey It looks like the Husky-Lite brand also has the holes. I will have to further survey other brands
@MLE_online Have you tried looking up those patents?
@mossmann I'm looking now. thanks for the suggestion
@MLE_online looks like the ovals did not exist in D208439 (1967) but did exist in D209865 (1968), but I don't see any explanation for them.
@mossmann very mysterious!
@MLE_online are they just for tying them down in a truck bed or something? it doesn't look like the height is uniform between the different crates so i dont think they're intended to connect to eachother
@MLE_online Looking at patents US3351228A and US3565278A suggests the holes may be there in part to address differential shrinkage after molding. They may also have a role in positioning the crate during either manufacture or usage.
@dr_a this is a good start!
@MLE_online @dr_a Mastodon. Where important issues are resolved.
@MLE_online The current varient of that crate appears to be here:
https://www.rehrigpacific.com/supply-chain/products-and-solutions/16-qt-dairy-crate-pl-style
@claralistensprechen3rd @dr_a I haven't found anything in that patent that says that's what the ovals are for, but I'm still reading it
@MLE_online it wouldn’t be surprising if it’s a structural feature for molding. Are all of the patent numbers readable on the top crate in the picture?
@dr_a I will look tomorrow!
@MLE_online were you able to figure out what the holes were intended for?
@dr_a no. I haven't followed up. I've been meaning to email the company with that original patent but I haven't done it yet
@claralistensprechen3rd It's a very good theory, but I've gotta see something more conclusive than a theory or I'm going to have to keep researching
@MLE_online Instead of guessing, I thought I'd have a look. We may not know, they appear in FIG 1 of R.F.Gildart's 1968 patent (https://patents.google.com/patent/US3390808A/en) but they're not described therein. I couldn't find an equivalent feature in the prior art patents referenced (aluminum milk crates, bottle cases) I think it's safe to say they're for securing the crates with a strap, but the inventor's intent may be lost to time.
@MLE_online @mossmann Yeah, they appear in Rehrig's related patents after that time, too, but they're not part of the patent claim.
Looks like a fun rabbit hole here concerning the Rehrig Company, the transition from wire to wire-reinforced plastic containers and the relationship between shopping carts and milk crates.
@North @MLE_online It seemed very strange to me that those holes would not be mentioned in the patents until I just realized: The holes may have been copied (for compatibilty with equipment or whatever) from a different manufacturer. We may be looking at the wrong company's patents.
@MLE_online barcode window
@canadianglen These holes predate the widespread usage of barcodes by a few years
@MLE_online i tried lol
@MLE_online By their face they aren't doing well, someone probably should put them back upright.
Less
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More
uwu
uwu
uwu
@MLE_online Total guess ... uniform holes across vendors to allow automated equipment to grip the crates through washing, loading, and/or stacking
processes?
@JohnS_AZ there's been speculation about that elsewhere in the comments, but I haven't found any conclusive proof yet!
@MLE_online Damn mastodon. It didn't show me there were other replies until I reloaded.
@JohnS_AZ it's almost like this site was built by amateurs
@MLE_online I’m going to wildly speculate that they would make the crate stronger / last longer, as they’re less likely to crack than the lattice used elsewhere, and those are points where I’d imagine there might be a lot more stress and flex to endure.
Or maybe some automatic handling tool can pick them up there?
@MLE_online if they align between brands (which it looks a bit like they do?), where other features differ, I’d be more thinking the latter?
I had to check some in the garage from the 1980's - no ovals. I think perhaps that may have only been certain manufacturers of the crates? Or maybe a later improvement or process change that used the ovals?
@MLE_online #FediThreadsThatFeelLikeReddit (but naturally more wholesome)
Found this:
https://ab-handling.com/products/forked-sacked-truck
Would seem to fit the holes, but didn't have pics of it in action. Plus if something is in the crate wouldn't it get stabbed?
More evidence:
https://smceuroclamp.co.uk/products/our-range/milk-tine-attachments/
@pr06lefs yeah, I don't think you could put could through the holes without stabbing the milk jugs inside
@MLE_online maybe it lines up with something on the milk cartons that you’d want to read without pulling it out. Like the sell-by date or fat content.
@MLE_online Lash-down points. If the main pattern just continued, you’d have people running ropes/bungies to that thin lattice, which isn’t strong enough.