64 Materials and Their Handling 



Separate Container from 'I > an?* porting De~ 

 . The containers may be boxes provided 

 with wheels to enable them to be trundled from 

 place to place. In large plants the best practice, 

 however, is to separate the transporting device 

 from the container. The container usually has 

 to remain at a machine some time while the ma- 

 terial is going through the operation. During 

 this time the wheels and running gear are acting 

 merely as legs, and for the time being are not 

 serving the purpose for which they are primarily 

 intended. If the container and the running gear 

 are made easily and quickly detachable, the latter 

 can be moving other material elsewhere, while 

 the container remains at the machine. In this way 

 both parts can be kept working at full efficiency. 



Styles of Containers. There is an infinite va- 

 riety of containers. These may be boxes, drums, 

 tote-pans, specially designed racks, or simply plat- 

 forms on which material can be piled. If the 

 boxes or tote-pans must be lifted by hand, there 

 is a limit to their size and weight. They should 

 not be too large for convenient handling and, if 

 possible, not so deep as to require leaning over 

 to reach material at the bottom. Wood is fre- 

 quently used but, where the material is covered 

 with oil or cutting lubricants, steel boxes are the 

 most economical in the long run, as they stand up 

 longer under rough usage. A great many styles 

 of tote-pans are obtainable on the market. They 

 are usually rectangular, made of sheet steel, with 

 a handle on each end. They may be solid, or 

 perforated for draining. It is usually desirable 



