Noun

Singular crate

Plural crates

crate (plural crates)

1. A large open box or basket, used especially to transport fragile goods.

Verb

Infinitive to crate

Third person singular crates

Simple past crated

Past participle crated

Present participle crating

to crate (third-person singular simple present crates, present participle crating, simple past and past participle crated)

1. To put into a crate.
2. To keep in a crate.

Anagrams

• Alphagram: acert
• caret
• cater
• react
• recta
• trace

A crate is a large shipping container, often made of wood, often used to transport large, heavy or awkward items. A crate has a self-supporting structure, with or without sheathing. For a container to be a crate, all six of its sides must be put in place to result in the rated strength of the container.

Boxes and crates are often confused with one another; mostly when they are made of wood. Contrary to a crate, the strength of a wooden box is rated based on the weight it can carry before the cap (top, ends, and sides) is installed.

History

The first documented writings in the US about shipping crates is in a 1930 handbook (Technical Bulletin No. 171) written by C. A. Plaskett for the US Department of Agriculture although his writing imply that crates were defined before that time. C. A. Plaskett was known for his extensive testing and defining of various components of transport packaging.

Construction

Although the definition of a wooden crate as compared to a wooden box is clear, construction of the two often results in a container that is not clearly a crate or a box. Both wooden crates and wooden boxes are constructed to contain unique items, the design of either a crate or box may use principles from both. In this case, the container will typically be defined by how the edges and corners of the container are constructed. If the sheathing (either plywood or lumber) can be removed, and a framed structure will remain standing, the container would likely be termed a crate. If removal of the sheathing results in no way of fastening the lumber around the edges of the container, the container would likely be termed a wooden box.

Crates can be made of wood, plastic, metal or other materials. The term 'crate' often implies a large and/or strong container. Most plastic crates are smaller and are more commonly called a case or container. Metal is rarely used because of its weight. When metal is used, a crate is often constructed as an 'open crate' and may be termed a 'cage'. Although a crate may be made of any material, for these reasons, the term 'crate' used alone often implies one constructed of wood.