GB1570663A

GB1570663A - Method of making and applying supports for containers

Info

Publication number: GB1570663A
Application number: GB6067/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Fiat Allis Construction Machinery Inc
Current assignee: Fiat Allis Construction Machinery Inc
Priority date: 1976-02-23
Filing date: 1977-02-14
Publication date: 1980-07-02
Also published as: IT1074303B; BE851626A; DE2707770A1; AU2237577A; SE7702025L; FR2341493A1; JPS52103275A; BR7700967A; SE415343B

Description

(54) METHOD OF MAKING AND APPLYING SUPPORTS FOR CONTAINERS (71) We, FIAT-ALLIS CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY, INC., a Corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America, of 106 Wilmot Road, Box F., Deerfield, State of Illinois, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention is concerned with a method of making a load-bearing support for attachment, in use, to the wall of a shipping container, and with a method of spacing a container from a surface using such a support.

The invention is related to the assembly of material forming the subject of our accepted application serial no. 1,535,825.

Shipping containers used in industry to package and transport various products, component parts and the like frequently take the form of relatively large boxes formed of corrugated material or cardboard which are sometimes supplied in knocked-down form and assembled as required. The bottom wall of such containers may be relatively weak because of the inherent nature of the box material or because the bottom wall actually comprises flaps which are folded together and secured by suitable means. In any event, handling and stacking of such containers by means of forklift trucks is facilitated if the box is disposed on some sort of pallet.

Conventional re-usable pallets made of wood or other materials are commercially available. However, such pallets must be stored before and after use and this requires considerable space. In addition, such pallets are relatively costly and deposit arrangements are sometimes required to insure their return by the customer to the supplier. Cheaper disposable pallets are available which comprise a flat sheet of corrugated material to the bottom surface of which discrete rolls of corrugated material are attached during manufacture by conventional air-drying gluing processes.

Again, however, such pallets are relatively large and require an undue amount of valuable storage space prior to use.

Furthermore, during the manufacture of such pallets, considerable space is required to enable the glue used to set. Heretofore, strips of wood, such as 2 x 4s, or other materials, have been glued directly to the bottom of previously assembled containers by means of conventional air-drying glues to provide containers having built-in pallets. However, these arrangements still have drawbacks. For example, the wood used is costly and is not ordinarily salvageable or re-useable for pallet purposes.

Similarly, made-up containers having builtin pallet means require relatively costly manufacturing techniques and also require more storage space than simple conventional knockdown-type corrugated boxes or containers.

The following United States patents disclose the state of the art in pallertized containers: 3,331,496; 2,298,703, 3,425,367; 3,464,371; 3,519,190; 3,605,651; 3,695,506 and 3,697,029.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of making a load-bearing support for adhesive attachment in use, to a shipping container which overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the prior art in a practical and satisfactory manner.

According to the invention there is provided a method of making a load-bearing support for a shipping container, comprising: selecting narrow sheet material with parallel edges, assembling said sheet material into a packed body of contiguous layers with the parallel edges exposed to present generally flat opposed surfaces, adhesively securing to at least one of said opposed surfaces a rigid facing piece, and applying to the outer surface of one facing piece a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive and a removable protective sheet.

In one form of the invention the sheet material is selected in the form of a single elongated strip and the assembling is effected by winding it into a packed cylindrical body with the free ends attached to the adjacent layer to hold the support together.

In another embodiment the sheet material is selected in the form of a plurality of elongated rectangular strips and the assembling is effected by stacking the strips side-by-side in adjacent contiguous relationship to form a packed body of elongated rectangular cross-section. Preferably, in these structures, the adjacent layers are adhesively secured together. The facing pieces may be applied as separate sheets of relatively rigid material or by wrapping a sheet of flexible material, for example, corrugated material, around the packed structure to provide the facing strips and securing the free end of the flexible material to the structure. The wrapped around sheet may, if desired, be adhesively secured to the surfaces all around the packed structure. The corrugated material may be made from paperboard or other material from which corrugated is usually made.

In the use of the support, to prepare a container for spacing from a surface, the removable sheet is removed from the support to uncover the adhesive face. The pressure-sensitive adhesive surface of the support is then pressed against the designated wall of the container to which it will immediately adhere by the action of the adhesive. One or several supports may be applied to one or more walls of the container in various arrangements depending on the spacing or supporting function desired.

The invention has been generally described and it will now be referred to in more detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred showings of supports made by the method of the invention and containers to which such supports have been applied.

Referring more particularly to the drawings: Figure 1 is an isometric view from the top of a container having supports secured to it according to the invention; Figure 2 is an isometric view of the bottom wall of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged end view of a support shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is an isometric view of a support shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3; Figure 5 is an isometric view of another form of support; Figure 6 is an isometric view of a cylindrical support; Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the support shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is an isometric view of the bottom of a container employing cylindrical supports applied in accordance with one aspect of the invention; Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but showing supports applied in accordance with another aspect; and Figure 10 is an isometric view showing two containers disposed in side-by-side relationship with supports applied in accordance with the invention used for palletizing and to perform a spacing function therebetween.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 10 designates a conventional shipping container as used in industry to package and transport various products, component parts or other contents and with which the present invention is advantageously employed to space the container from a surface. Figure 2 shows the container 10 resting on one side to provide a view of its underwall. The container 10, for example, may take the form of a box formed of corrugated material or cardboard which is supplied to the user in the form of a flat knocked-down blank to be assembled when needed. The container 10 comprises a top wall comprising two inwardly foldable flaps 12 and 14, a bottom wall also comprising two inwardly folded flaps 16 and 18 best seen in Figure 2, a front wall 20, a rear wall 22, a front wall 24 and a rear wall 26.The mating edges of the top flaps 12 and 14 are sealable by a strip of adhesive paper or tape 30, as shown in Figure 2. The mating edges of the bottom flaps 16 and 18 are also sealed by a strip of adhesive paper or tape 32, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

To facilitate the handling and stacking of container 10 by means, for example of a fork-lift truck or similar apparatus, or merely to space the container from the surface on which it rests supports made according to the invention in the form of elongated legs or runners 34 and 36 are secured to the bottom side of the container by means of a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

As Figure 2 best shows, the supports 34 and 36 are elongated and of rectangular cross-section, and in this example are arranged in spaced apart relationship on the bottom wall of a container 10 so that their longitudinal axes extend transversely to the mating edges of the flaps 16 and 18 on the bottom wall of the container. When the elongated supports 34 and 36 are arranged in this manner they serve to strengthen the underside of the container 10 as well as to provide means for spacing it from the sur face on which it rests thereby providing a palletized container easily liftable by a forklift truck.

Since the supports 34 and 36 are made identically, only the manufacture of the support 36 will be described in detail. A plurality of long narrow corrugated sheet material strips are selected, with the long sides having parallel edges and the corrugations extending perpendicular to the parallel edges. The material may be of corrugated paperboard of the type readily available in the container industry. These strips are arranged alongside one another and secured against displacement, in a stack, by folding an outer sheath 42 around the stack and securing it together as by applying glue at 44 or several staples 46. In assembling the structure, glue may also be applied to adhesively secure the adjacent strips 40 together, prior to wrapping with the sheath 42. Glue may also be applied to the inner sides of the sheath 42 as at 50.As Figure 3 shows, each strip has been preferably arranged in a plane transverse (i.e. at right angles) to the bottom surface of the container 10, thus enabling a support 36 to support a greater compressive load.

A coating of layer 52 of pressure sensitive adhesive, is applied to the upper side 51 of the support 36 during manufacture.

A removable sheet or layer 54 of paper or film, treated to prevent it from adhering permanently is applied to the layer 52 for eventual peeling away.

After the container 10 has been assembled and at least the bottom side has its flaps 16 and 18 folded inwardly and suitably secured in place, as by the tape 32 to form a wall, the supports 34 and 36 are suitably arranged and attached to the bottom wall. In attaching a support 34 or 36, the protective sheet 54 is stripped away and the adhesive coated surface 50 pressed against the wall of the container 10. The pressure-sensitive adhesive takes hold immediately to secure the support 34 or 36 to the container wall. Figures 1 and 2 show two elongated supports 34 and 36. Additional supports, arranged in a desired manner and with desired spacing may be applied to the wall of the container.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another type of elongated support 60 made similarly to support 36. A plurality of strips 62 of corrugated material or cardboard are secured together as at 64 by adhesive. Unlike support 36, a folded outer sheet is not wrapped around the outside. Rather a facing piece 63 is formed of corrugated material is glued by a suitable adhesive to the face presented by the edges of the strips 62. The strips 63 and 65 are applied to strengthen and rigidify the entire support 60 and protect the edges of the strips 62 forming the surface of the stack. Applying the top strip 63 provides a flat uninterrupted surface for the layer 68 of instant bonding adhesive. The bottom strip 65 is of hardboard, selected to be rugged and strong and capable of withstanding scuffing and scraping.As with the support 36, a layer 68 of pressure-sensitive adhesive protected by a removable sheet 70 is applied to the upper surface 66 of the top strip 63.

The support 60 is applied by the same method and for the same purpose as the support 36, as described earlier.

Figures 6 and 7 show still another type of support 72, manufactured in accordance with the invention. Figures 8 and 9 show pluralities of supports 72 which have been affixed to the underside of containers 74 and 76, respectively. The containers 74 and 76 are similar to the container 10. In this case, each support 72 is made by winding or rolling a long narrow strip 80 of corrugated material or cardboard of uniform width into a generally cylindrical body.

Glue as at 82, or a staple 84 is applied to the free end of the strip 80, to secure it in place and prevent the strip 80 from unravelling. Original facing piece 86 is glued to the face presented by the edges of the rolled strip 80 and a coating or layer 88 of pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to exposed side of the facing piece 86 serving as the upper side of the support. A removable sheet or layer 90 of paper or film is applied over the pressure-sensitive adhesive to protect it until ready for use.

The supports 72 may be usefully applied to the bottom of a container in various arrangements. Figure 8 shows supports 72 arranged symmetrically, one near each box corner. Figure 9 shows nine supports 72 arranged in symmetrical rows of three each.

It is preferable to place the supports as shown in Figure 9 rather than as in Figure 8 if the containers 75 have to carry a substantially heavier load.

Figure 10 shows two containers 10a and 10b ararnged in side-by-side relationship.

Two spaced apart supports 36 have been applied to the bottom wall of each container to space it from its supporting surface. In addition, a support 34a has been applied to a side or end wall 20 to serve as a buffer or spacer against the adjoining container 10b.

As an example of dimensions, making one embodiment of support 60 of the type shown in Figure 5, the components were selected so that the support was about 27+ inches long, 4 inches wide and 3 inches high. About twenty strips 62 of corrugated material, each of the order of 3 3/16th of an inch thick were selected, assembled, and each joined to its adjacent strip by conventional air drying adhesive.

For the bottom strip 65, hardboard of the order of gth of an inch thick was selected, and for the top strip 63, there was selected corrugated material of the order of th of an inch thick was selected, and for the top strip 63, there was selected corrugated material of the order of kth of an inch to 3/16th of an inch thick.

It is evident that the invention provides a convenient way of spacing a shipping carton from a surface and a new way of making supports for this purpose economically from readily available material. By selecting and assembling sheet material in the manner described, material which is normally, as a single ply, weak from a loadbearing point of view is so assembled into a structure in which it receives the thrust of the load edge-wise and mutual cooperation of the contiguous sheets in stacked relationship resists buckling so that the composite structure has considerable compression strength. The strength is further enhanced by the facing pieces to cover the exposed edges of the sheet material and the adhesive securing the sheets. Where corrugated material is used the structure is cellular so the strength-weight factor is improved.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A method of making a load-bearing support for a shipping container, comprising: selecting narrow sheet material with parallel edges, assembling said sheet material into a packed body of contiguous layers with the parallel edges exposed to present generally flat opposed surfaces, adhesively securing to at least one of said opposed surfaces a rigid facing piece, and applying to the outer surface of one facing piece a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive and a removable protective sheet.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the sheet material is in the form of a single elongated strip and the assembling is effected by winding it into a packed cylinder with the free end attached to the adjacent layer to hold the support together.

3. A method according to claim 1, in which the sheet material is in the form of a plurality of elongated rectangular strips and the assembling is effected by stacking the strips side-by-side in adjacent continguous relationship to form a packed body.

4. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the adjacent layers are adhesively secured together.

5. A method according to claim 3, in which a sheet of flexible material is wrapped around the packed structure with its free end secured to the structure to provide a sheath embodying said facing strips.

6. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the sheet material is corrugated material and the corrugations extend perpendicularly to said parallel edges.

7. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the sheet material is corrugated material and the corrugations extend perpendicularly to said parallel edges, and the adjacent layers are adhesively secured together.

8. A method of preparing a container for spacing from a surface comprising: selecting a load-bearing support as set forth in any of claims 1 to 7 removing the removable protective sheet and applying said adhesive face to a wall of the container.

9. A method according to claim 8, in which a plurality of such load-bearing supports are connected to the bottom wall of a container in spaced apart relationship to support the container with access spaces to the bottom wall of the container.

10. A method of making and applying supports for containers constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

11. A load-bearing support for a shipping container when made by the method as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 10.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. strip by conventional air drying adhesive. For the bottom strip 65, hardboard of the order of gth of an inch thick was selected, and for the top strip 63, there was selected corrugated material of the order of th of an inch thick was selected, and for the top strip 63, there was selected corrugated material of the order of kth of an inch to 3/16th of an inch thick. It is evident that the invention provides a convenient way of spacing a shipping carton from a surface and a new way of making supports for this purpose economically from readily available material. By selecting and assembling sheet material in the manner described, material which is normally, as a single ply, weak from a loadbearing point of view is so assembled into a structure in which it receives the thrust of the load edge-wise and mutual cooperation of the contiguous sheets in stacked relationship resists buckling so that the composite structure has considerable compression strength. The strength is further enhanced by the facing pieces to cover the exposed edges of the sheet material and the adhesive securing the sheets. Where corrugated material is used the structure is cellular so the strength-weight factor is improved. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -

1. A method of making a load-bearing support for a shipping container, comprising: selecting narrow sheet material with parallel edges, assembling said sheet material into a packed body of contiguous layers with the parallel edges exposed to present generally flat opposed surfaces, adhesively securing to at least one of said opposed surfaces a rigid facing piece, and applying to the outer surface of one facing piece a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive and a removable protective sheet.