GB2080251A

GB2080251A - Carton with separaters

Info

Publication number: GB2080251A
Application number: GB8116052A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-05-28
Filing date: 1981-05-26
Publication date: 1982-02-03
Also published as: GB2080251B

Abstract

A carton e.g. for bottles comprises a lower arrangement of separaters 16-19 and a higher arrangement of separators 105 supported from a stiff central separater 106. The separaters 16-19, 105 erect automatically when the carton walls 1-4 are moved from a flattened condition to the erect condition, the lower ones 16-19 being extensions of crash-bottom style bottom-forming panels 5-8. <IMAGE>

Description

SPEClFlCATlCN Carton with separaters, its blank and apparatus facilitating its erection for use The present invention relates to cartons and providing the bottom of such cartons with substantially vertical separaters which when used with a top structure according to the invention, will extend the separation and provide a handle for carrying the carton filled with articles for sale. The invention therefore provides the blank for the carton and means for its erection for use. One such use would be as a carrier for bottles.

Hitherto, for instance, carrier blanks have been made for glass bottles for which transport requirements make it necessary to have separation between the glass and these requirements have resulted in cartons with separaters between a central wall and two long side walls which, due to their method for folding flat when empty, have a bottom which is fixed to only the two long sidewalls. Such designs vary but they are necessarily complicated and require a lot of the paperboard from which they are made to be cut to waste, also the blank is complicated to fold and glue together which generally causes its production to be slow and limited to special gluing machines such as rightangle gluers so it is an expensive carton.Therefore it is desired to be able to make such carrier cartons, or any carton requiring separaters or dividers, by using the type of bottom which will erect automatically when the sides are opened and are known generically by such names as the Crash-bottom, the Auto-bottom and the Lock-bottom but such bottoms are weak and the reference to locking relates only to the engagement of two opposite parts of the bottom to prevent it returning to its original flat carton state. Furthermore such bottoms do not appear two lend themselves to the provision of separaters, nor do they appear two allow the type of flat folding required to allow a top structure with a central handle held stiffly as required by bottle carriers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bottom which is self erecting and has separaters which are self erecting when the sidewalls are opened from the flat condition by means provided or locked by means provided and which will also erect a top structure of the invention when used as a carrier for bottles.

Accordingly the present invention provides a carton including separater means for separating its contents and having a bottom comprising bottom member panels depending from the bottom edges of each of four sides walls by a horizontal line of fold, each side wall hinged by a line of vertical fold to the next side wall, and when the carton is folded into a flat condition two of the four said vertical folds lie between the two other vertical folds which are folded double each with members adjacent to it forming two similar opposing structures, the adjacent bottom members folded to lie against the inside of the adjacent side walls and a glue lap divided from one of the bottom members by a diagonal fold meeting with the vertical fold folded double and the horizontal lines of fold, the glue lap folded to lie against the adjacent bottom member and alued to it, characterised in that the upper edge of at least one bottom member of each one of said similar opposing structures carries a separaterforming extension hinging with the bottom member at a line of weakness dimensioned to communicate with the line of weakness hinging such separator extension of the similar opposing structure when erected and said separaters arranged and adapted to interact together by one separater extension opposing the other or, interact together with another such separator extension adjacent and fixed to it at a substantially vertical line of fold, such that when each fold folded double is moved one toward the other and the sidewalls are moved apart the opposing said diagonal folds are opened to erect the bottom member panels flat and said interaction together will support the separaters at rightangles to the bottom.Where two articles are separated by one separater wall it is sufficient for two separater extensions of two bottom panels to interact by one opposing the other to form one separater wall but where there are four or more articles to be separated then such interaction additionally requires an adjacent separater extension from an adjacent bottom member panel to be joined to it at a substantially vertical line of fold.

The bottom is strengthened by the separators which provide stiffness and its security is improved wherein a separator part or a bottom member part or an extension of a bottom member part of one said similar opposing structure is secured to a separater part or bottom member part of the other similar opposing structure by a stitch of any material from one said part through the other said part.

Afurtherfeature of the invention provides for its use as a carrier for bottles and which require such separation at the heel and at the shoulder of the bottles which cannot economically be achieved by continuing the lower separaters upwardly. Accordingly the invention provides a carton having a bottom comprising two separate structures folding with a diagonal fold including stiffened upper separation for the contents and which may have a carrying opening therein and is provided by, one side wall but preferably at least two opposing side walls having a fifth vertical line of fold extending from substantially the highest point of the carton and in line with a line of desired separation in the erected carton to a low line of cut defining an upper edge of the side walls full width and an upper edge of an adjacent side wall's full width, said line of cut connecting with a line of sixth vertical fold extending to a carton wall upper edge and without meeting with any similar line of cut and said fifth and sixth lines of vertical fold having an outward carton corner and an inwardly folding stiffening corner the full depth of the carton upper part therebetween such that the carton material above the line of cut is inwardly reversable and able to meet with part of any said opposing side wall similarly reversable and forming said stiffened upper separation between the fifth vertical line of fold and the vertical inwardly folding corner or between the fifth and sixth vertical folds.

The present invention extends from the flat and glued blank for the carton so it also includes apparatus means for forming the carton for its use but only when used for erecting the carton according to the present inveniton and preparing it for commercial use by means provided for engaging and moving one side wall relative to another sidewall thereby opening each similar opposing structure and causing the relative adjacent bottom member panels joined by the said diagonal fold to draw apart and open the diagonal fold with the bottom members substantially flat between similar opposing structure side walls and cause the separaters depending from the bottom member panels to interact together and be supported at rightangles to the bottom.Further apparatus means may be provided for entering the carton an providing support for a part or parts ofthe inside of the bottom or separator to enable a locking action to be performed or a stitching action to be performed between the said similar opposing structures using paperboard or another material or any means for joining one similar opposing structure to the other.

The present invention also extends to a process when used for folding and gluing the carton according to the present invention including the stages, timed feeding of the blank through the gluing apparatus, prebending at least two vertical lines of fold of the blank, prebending the separator extendsion hinges with the bottom members and folding the bottom folds, imprinting glue on the surfaces to be fixed, folding over vertical lines of fold and inwardly folding any reverse vertical lines of fold, applying pressure while the glue fixes the carton and separater parts.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 shows a flat blank lower part providing a single separater.

Fig 2 shows the blank of Fig 1 glued together and being erected.

Fig 3 shows the blank of Fig 2 erected.

Fig 4 shows the blank of Fig 3 with a suitable erected upper separation complete.

Fig 5 shows a flat blank lower part using related glue laps.

Fig 6 shows the blank of Fig 5 glued together and being erected.

Fig 7 shows the blank of Fig 6 erected.

Fig 8 shows the blank of Fig 7 with two suitable upper separations, erected.

Fig 9 shows a flat blank lower part using disassociated glue laps.

Fig 10 demonstrates the gluing and folding of a complete carton with the lower separation shown by Fig9.

Fig 11 shows an elongated version of the blank shown by Fig 9 being erected.

Fig 12 shows the blank of Fig 11 erected.

Fig 13 shows the blank of Fig 12 with a suitable erected upper separation complete.

Fig 14 demonstrates the gluing and folding of a complete carton using related glue laps.

Fig 15 shows the lower separation of the blank of Fig 14 being erected.

Fig 16 shows the blank of Fig 15 erected.

Fig 17 shows the blank of Fig 16 with a suitable erected upper separation complete.

Fig 18 shows a flat blank complete including short separaters and handle.

Fig 19 shows the lower part of Fig 78 glued together and being erected.

Fig 20 shows the blank of Fig 19 erected and short separaters erect, also locking.

Fig 21 shows the blank of Fig 20 with a suitable erected upper separation complete.

Fig 22 shows a flat blank complete with lower and upper separation and stitch.

Fig 23 shows an underside view of the blank of Fig 22 glued and being erected.

Fig 24 shows part of the lower separaters of a flat blank with short separation.

Fig 25 shows the blank of Fig 24 erected seen from below and being acted upon.

Fig 26 shows the blank of Fig 25 from inside and being acted upon by apparatus.

Fig 27 shows the blank of Fig 26 having been acted upon by apparatus.

Fig 28 shows the blank of Fig 23 as a bottom elevation after erecting complete.

Fig 29 is a scrap view of the short separator and stitch of Fig 28 from inside.

Fig 30 shows a flat blank complete with lower separater stitching and upper separation for four articals.

Fig 31 shows the blank of Fig 30 as a bottom elevation after erecting complete.

Fig. 32 is a scrap view of the stitch of Fig 31 seen from inside the carton.

Fig 33 shows a flat blank with automatic stitching of the bottom when erected.

Fig 34 shows the glued blank of Fig 33 seen from below and being erected.

Fig 35 shows the main stages in the process of gluing the blank together.

Fig 36 shows the flat blank entering a folding device for preparing the invention.

Fig 37 shows a later stage following Fig 36 of prebending and folding.

Fig 38 shows a later stage following Fig 37 having prebent and further folding.

Fig 39 shows a later stage following Fig 38 opening the prebend and further folding.

Fig 40 shows a later stage following Fig 39 the glue laps folded with the bottom.

Fig 41 shows the blank bottom folded according to the invention and leaving.

Fig 42 shows apparatus means preparing the glued blank for its commercial use.

Fig 43 shows a flat blank complete with upper sep aration according to the invention.

Fig 44 shows the blank of Fig 43 erected as for travelling with bottles inside.

Fig 45 shows the blank of Fig 44 with its handle expanded for the customer to carry.

Fig 46 shows the flat blank of Fig 18 erected ready to hold six bottles or other.

Fig 47 shows the blank of Fig 46 with its handle expanded for the customer to carry.

Separators or dividers as they are sometimes cal led normally have to be added to the carton after it is made and erected and these vary from display cartons forsachets which require separation to prevent the sachets sliding about the floor of the carton, to carriers for articles such as glass bottle to prevent them abrading each other or breaking in which case the separation must be as deep as the bottle body.

However it is not necessary, in the case of most bottles, for the separaters to be full depth of the body because it is unnecessary and undesirable to have any separator between the bottle shoulder and the bottle heel otherwise the bottle label can be scuffed and damaged. Therefore one of the most economic and advantageous uses of the present invention is as a bottle carrier and, although it is not the only use for the invention and features of it, bottle carriers will be used as the example known to the inventor with some of its embodiments including lower and upper separation and each could be used alone to advantage as required. Unlike the known added separation the lower separation of the invention begins at and is integral with, the bottom of the carton.An advantage of the upper separation is that it uses only the mount of material required to surround the group of bottles in a rectangle on their sides only. The lower part of the invention begins with the known bottom which automatically erects similar to the embodiment shown by Fig 1 in which two diagonal folds 25 and 26 which divide the glue laps 9 and 10 from the bottom member panels 6 and 8 which are folded up to lie against the inside of side walls 2 and 4 respectively as the glue laps 9 and 10 are simultaneously folded back, the bottom member panels 5 and 7 are folded to lie against the inside of side walls 1 and 3 respectively, so that the glue laps 9 and 10 can fix to glue area 31 and 32 when side walls 1 and 4 are folded at the vertical lines of fold 11 and 13 inward to overlay respectively to form two similar opposing structures when glue lap 15 is glued and fixed to edge 35 of side wall 1.

This embodiment is also similar to the known lock-bottom in that when it is erected by moving the side walls such that vertical fold 11 and vertical fold 13 move one toward the other their adjacent bottom member panels 5, 6, 7, 8, will be pulled down to form a common floor of the carton and the two opposing edges 20 will be pushed one past the other and lock the bottom into place but only in the sense of the known manner and which prevents the return of the bottom folds to their collapsed form. The separator invention in Fig 1 is in its simplest form and it is required where the contents to be separated are only two using one separator between and as such it is required for large whisky bottles etc so it is important commercially.The saparaters 16 and 18 are hinged by lines of weakness 27 and 28 respectively so that as they are extensions of bottom members situated on opposing structures of the carton they will interact together by one separator opposing the other so that the lines of weakness 27 and 29 will bend as the carton bottom erects.

Fig 2 shows that whereas one separator extension will rotate toward the other in side elevation, the carton in plan view will change from flat, through rhomboidal, to rectangular and while it is rhomboiday the deeper extension 36 will engage in cut-away 37 and the deeper extension 38 will engage in cutaway 39 such that in elevation they, 16 and 18, will cross one over the other and establish that one cannot slip under the other. As the separator extensions slide together horizontally the parts 36 and 38 will fill cut-aways 37 and 39 with the separaters perpendiculay to the bottom as seen in Fig 3 erected.The glue application area is shown by broken shaded line because it is on the reverse side as seen in Fig 1, while the glue could be applied to either side of glue lap 15, which is attached at vertical line of fold 14, it is stronger as an external joint and glued on the side seen. Vertical lines of fold 12 and 14 are used when the carton is erected and they divide the two similar opposing structures each adjacent their respective vertical folds 11 and 13 for folding double. It will be understood that throughout the drawings of embodiments where two surfaces are fixed by gluing, either of the surfaces may carry the application of glue whereas only one is shown. Such glue is preferably wet-strength adhesive such as that known generically as P.V.A.Fig 4 shows the erected bottom with a suitable upper separator structure when used with bottles and with a carrying handle all erected ready for loading.

Fig 5 shows a blank which includes separaters which take support by their interaction together by one separator extension 17 and 19 opposing the other but because more than two articles have separaters between, the separaters 17 and 19 must have separaters 16 and 18 respectively fixed to them by glue laps 33 and 34 respectively.Therefore because they are fixed by gluing the shaded area, after folding 6 to overlay 2 and 9 to overlay 6, with 5 folded to overlay 1 to complete one structure adjacent vertical line of fold 11 when folded for 9 to come against and become fixed to 5 and for 33 to become fixed to 16, as above, all in the flat condition, the geometry of the invention therefore provides that when side walls 1 and 2 are opened the separator extensions 16 and 17 will interact together because they are fixed at a substantially vertical line of fold 36 causing them to remain parallel with the side walls 1 and 2 and so be automatically erected as separaters as the bottom is erected as seen in Fig 6 but where the other end of the long separator 17 is supported by interaction with separator 19 when erected and seen in Fig 7 which interaction is the same as the interaction by opposing separaters in the erected Fig 3.

Separater 19 is a member of the similar opposing structure seen in Fig 5 comprising similar members 8,4, 10,7,3, 18, 19,34 and 37 similarly folded and fixed together adjacent their respective vertical line of fold 13 when glue lap 15 is fixed to the free edge 35. Fig 6 shows the separaters 19 and 17 vertical but in practice the free end is not sufficiently influenced to fully bend its line of weakness and this done by 17 opposing 19 as seen in Fig 7. When used with bottles a suitable upper separator structure is shown by Fig 8. Fig 43 shows a similar blank but square.

Fig 9 shows a variation on Fig 5 where the glue laps 33 and 34 are not cut from the glue laps 9 and 10 but are disassociated and extend from different adj acent separator extensions 16 and 18 of each respec tive similar opposing structure, which are separated by vertical line of fold 12. The folding and gluing of lower separaters as shown by Fig 9 is seen in Fig 11 being erected but it is described again to show that the change of position does not affect the invention, also subsequent variations will demonstrate some of the many varying effects which may be obtained through embodiments of the invention where the elements are repositioned.

In Fig 10 similar opposing structures have been created adjacent vertical lines of fold 11 and 13 on each side of vertical line of fold 12. Therefore bottom member panels 6 and 8 are folded back to lie against the inside of walls 1 and 3 respectively while retaining glue laps 9 and 10 as the blank travels through the gluing machine (either by hooks or by the device 79 according to the present invention) bottom first in the known manner to lay in a "Z" fold with the carton inside facing outward at glue laps 9 and 10. Bottom members 5 and 7 are also folded back to lie against the inside of side walls 2 and 4 respectively and glue is added to member 5 or 9 and 7 or 10 also in the known mannerfortimed pattern gluing and shown shaded.The lower and upper separation shown by Fig 10 are new and the lower separaters are provided by bottom member panel separaters forming extensions 17 and 16 glued together by the contact of glued glue lap 33 with 17 and substantially vertical fold 36 at the point of attachment, also by bottom member panel separator forming extensions 18 and 19 glued together by the contact of glued glue lap 34 with 19 and substantially vertical fold 37 at the point of attachment, all in accordance with the directional arrows of Fig 10 when glue lap 15 is fixed to free edge 35.As shown by Fig 10 the side walls are of equal length but separaters 17 and 19 could be elongated to produce a carton bottom as shown by Figs 11,12 and 13 wherein the comments correspond with those relating to Figs 6,7 and 8 excepting that eight articles are accommodated. Therefore it will be understood that separater glue laps may be related or disassociated in any combination to achieve the greatest advantage Fig 14 the change of position of separator glue laps can be seen by comparing the folding and gluing demonstration drawing Fig 10 with the folding and gluing demonstration drawing Fig 14 which relates to Figs 5 and 43. The demonstration by Fig 14 will be apparent by comparing the reference figures of Fig 10 to those of Fig 14.Fig 12 shows the lower separation seen in Fig 11 after it has been erected but it should not be confused with Fig 7 which is constructed differently, apart from the number of articles contained. Fig 15 shows the blank demonstrated in Fig 14 being erected, Fig 16 shows the same blank erected such that the folded corners 36 and 37 will oppose and support each other, however the free ends of separaters 16, 17, 18, 19 do not have the support of opposition and it is necessary to cut the ends of lines of weakness 27,28,29,30 or prebend them as shown by Figs 35 to 41.

Fig 17 shows the lower separation of Figs 10,14, 15, 16 erected with suitable upper separation. Figs 7 and 12 show that the lower separation is incomplete and Figure 18 shows one of the ways for including a shot separator to complete the separation, it also shows one of the variations possible in the arrange ment of bottom extension separaters. The description and positions of references are as provided for in Fig 5 excepting that separater extensions 16and' 18 are substantially the full width of the parent bot- .

tom members 5 and 7 respectively, while the separater extensions 17 and 19 are shown one third of the length of their parent bottom members 6 and 8. The result of the completed bottom is seen being erected in Fig 19, Fig 20 shows the same bottom when erected and Fig 21 shows a suitable form of upper separator with it ready for loading as a carrier for bottles.

Figs 18,19, 20therefore showthe "H" form of separation and short separator means to complete it to separate six articles therefore the tabs 40 in Fig 18 are cut from glue laps 9 and 10 on each side and hinge at an upper line of fold and have a cut-out opening 41 positioned so that the tab 40 is below the cut-out when the blank is glued and when erected, as in Fig 20, the tab 40 can be rotated about its hinge to penetrate the cut-out 41 as a stitch through which will be supported by the cut-out 41 and separate bottles at their centre as a part of the invention.

Yet another stitch through is shown in Figs 18, 19, 20 and 22 and its object is to join the two similar opposing structures. It is a necessary part of the invention to join them because, as stated in the prior art description, the Crash-bottom is considered too weak for carrying a dense load such as bottles of liquor, therefore the present invention includes various means for providing a Stitch Through from one similar opposing structure through the other. Therefore in one embodiment of stitching there is provided a cut-out tab 43 hinged at the top and opposte 43 there is tab 44 hinged at the bottom from the opposing vertical separator, see Fig 19.

When the separaters are erect and one is opposing the other, the tab 44 is pushed through the space occupied by tab 43 which opens to accept tab 44 and retain it flat where it can be made to lock. Mechanism effecting such a stitch will enter the inside of the erected carton to press the bottom flat and support the surround of the tab 43 while a horizontal plunger will push tab 44 through cut-out 43.

Other mean of fixing according to the invention include wire stitching and gluing any part or tab of the similar opposing structure, or a tab extension of it, one to the other. It will be understood that the invention refers to any means fixing the one to the other and glue or hot melt adhesive are quite suitable at the point of erecting the carton before the bottom is fully forrned by a support means pressing the bottom flat because it is thereafter held by the content load until fixed. Fig 23 shows the underside of a bottom, constructed From a blank as shown in Fig 22 being erected before the bottom is fully formed and showing extensions 45 of the bottom memberpanels and so differing from those of known form as they continue beyond lines of fold 46 and which are the normal extent of Crash-bottom cartons as they are known. Fold lines 46 are not essential but they help bending of the extension in some cases.

Such extensions 45 as shown by Fig 23 are particularly suited to receive wire stitching as shown by Fig 24 where a flat wire stitch 47 if inserted for greater strength.

Figs 22 and 23 show a co-operating tab interaction which is both a locking stitch and a short separator.

The tab construction is shown by Fig 22 wherein broken lines are lines of fold and full lines are lines of cut. Fig 23 shows a suitable leading edge 48 which represents possibly the largest area allowable where edge 48 will become the outer bottom member 6 and 8, while bottom members 5 and 7 have leading edges as 49 because it is the interaction of leading edges 48/49, especially at the corner end which controls which bottom member is to be outside during and after erecting. The erect bottom blank of Figs 22 and 23 is shown at Fig 28 where outer tabs 50 have been pushed through the opening left by tabs 51 and tabs 51 have moved back to retain tab 50 which is shaped to lock as a locking stitch through 5 and 7 from 6 and 8.Tab 50 will thus remain erect inside as in Fig 29 until the articles being separated by it are inserted after which they remain vertical even when the carton is emptied and refilled.

Where the invention is embodied in a carrier for four articles there is no need for a short separator but a similar stitch can be usefully used and a suitable blank is shown including tabs 52 and 53 as seen Fig 30 and which correspond with tabs 50 and 51 of Fig 22. In Fig 30 broken lines are lines of fold and full lines are lines of cut. A difference however is that another opening 54 is needed due to the extra thickness of paperboard at the point of stitching and the fully erected bottom made from the blank shown in Fig 30 is shown with the stitching made operative in Fig 31 from the outside and in Fig 32 from the inside.

Such stitching is carried out very quickly and easily where machinery is used to complete the invention for use, such as shown by Fig 42, because the surround of the opening can be held firmly by support 59 which has entered the carton while a probe 60 or 61 from below will push the flaps 50/51 or 52/53 or any other stitch or short separator such as 55/56, from below so that they erect, preferably at one stroke, as seen in the scrap view detail of Fig 42 bottom right.

However it will be obvious from Fig 23 that the leading edge 48, being caused to pass over cut-out opening 51 could be made smaller than an opening at 51 and thus 48 would enter the opening where entry is sufficiently unobstructed as in the case of opening 58 of Figs 33 and 34. The blank is shown by Fig 33 and it is glued and folded as previously disclosed in describing Fig 5 and Fig 43 therefore the extensions 45 have a sythe-like action and will necessarily be offered to the opening 58 at an angle since that is the state of the bottom members 7 outer angled to bottom member 6 inner, also bottom member 5 outer angled to bottom member 8 inner, upon 45 meeting 58, see Fig 34. Therefore entry of 45 through 58 is unobstructed and as the bottom is almost erect and 45 has almost completed its stitch action it may be made to become tight or fixed within the opening.As shown the radial cuts 57 engage to co-operate and lock in a known manner with similar radial cuts of opening 58. Such a locking stitch provides an extremely strong bottom and it can similarly be used with such a carton carrying more than four articles but more security can be had by using a stitch of another material and having a separate short separator Fig 24 shows a suitable blank form wherein broken lines are lines of fold and continuous lines are lines of cut.Therefore to create a short separator at each carton bottom end there is provided tab 55 and tab 56 hinged at lines of fold 62 and 63 respecitvely and having notches 64 and 65 each able to engage the other when glued to the carton blank by the application of glue shown by the shaded area which will secure the bottom member panel 7 as close, as manufacturing tolerance will allow, to the folds 62 and 63. Said gluing is important because the hinges 62 and 63 should be fixed to a substrate and the opening left by tabs 55 and 56 should be repaired by the glue lap 10. Fig 25 shows the underside of the erected carton bottom where a flat wire stitch 47 has been inserted through outer extension 45, the glue lap 10 and carton bottom member 7. Fig 26 shows the carton inside entered by a support means 59 including an anvil for clenching the flat wire stitch.Such support may also support the bottom 7 each side of the hinges 62 and 63 while probe 61 enters the slot openings 66 and 67 to raise tabs 55 and 56 and engage their notches 64 and 65 to maintain their interaction together one with the other to provide short separaters as shown by Fig 27 with the inside of the wire stitch clenched and out of the way of any bottle base which is circular.

Fig 35 shows the elements of a process or machine system for gluing the automatically erecting bottom and separaters according to the invention and shown as stages. Stage references are; 71 infeed of a flat blank located with a flight for timing the process of the blank through gluing or special folding; 72 prebending of the vertical lines of fold 11111 A and 13/13A; 73 the bottom folded as Figs 36 to 41; 74 blank prepared for gluing; 75 glue imprinting cylinder with sterios surfaced with glue from glue pot and roller system, using sterios which may be made by the copolymerisation of plastics material selectively exposed to ultraviolet light (such as the known process of Asahi Chemical Industry Co) for imparting the intricate shape required without difficulty; 76 folding folds 11 and 13 and any reverse folds 11A and 1 3A using lifters for side walls 1 and 4 to overlay side walls 2 and 3 and glue lap 15 to join to edge 35; 77 the carton is pressed while glue fixes the carton blank. Figs 36 to 41 show a device for prebending the impressed lines of fold of the flat blank 27,28,29,30 so that such prepressed lines of fold become live hinges where the paperboard fibres are separated. If this is not done then the folds must be weakened by cuts through so that the separaters will erect easily and effectively. Other prepressed lines of fold normal to Crash-bottom cartons and which will be prepared by the device are 21, 22, 23, 24. The device is supported on a crossbar and there pivoted 78; 79 is the device with the special internal shape shown; 80 is a pivoted spring arm deflector.Fig 36 shows the device in the path of the flat blank moving bottom first and entering the shape of the device 79 while the glue laps of the blank 9 and 10 are prevented from rising by guide rail 81. Fig 37 shows the separaters 16,17, 18, 19 being deflected by deflector 80 and glue laps 9 and 10 bending back under the rail 81. Fig 38 shows the deflector itself deflected and 79 pivoted until vertical on 78 and 9 and 10 bent back still further. Fig 39 shows the device 79 moved to the far side of centre and the deflector regaining its posi tion, the folds 27 to 30 unfolding having been bent double, the glue laps 9 and 10 being bent double while the blank passes away below.Fig 40 shows the blank leaving the device which has pivoted to its furthest point, the folds 21 to 24 and 25 and 26 of the glue laps 9 and 10 all folded double. Fig 41 shows the blank having left the device and the folds doubled now pressed double under the rail 81 ready for gluing while the device 79 is about to be freed to swing back to the position shown by chain lines ready for receiving the next blank to begin again. Fig 42 shows the embodiment of the invention in a machine facilitating its erection for use by way of example only. It is divided into indexing station stages, erecting, locking, loading and ejecting.Erecting where the blank is drawn into the compartment between flight walls 91 and 92 by vacuum plate 82 on reciprocating arm 83 such that curved wall 84 will displace carton wall 2 until it is at rightangles to carton wall 3 whereupon the carton will enter between flight walls 91 and 92 and be retained erect as a consequence. The flight walls 91 and 92 will then index in the direction shown by the horizontal arrows until they are in the position shown occupied by flight walls 92 and 93 and arm 83 will remain in the position shown by the chain lines with the vacuum hold released until flight walls 91 and 100 are indexed and stopped with vacuum head 82 therebetween so that it can draw another blank from the stack of blanks maintaning a blank available to head 82 at each stroke of it.During which stroke the bottom support 59 will enter the inside of the carton and press on any part of the bottom or support a separator for stitching or securing one carton similar opposing structure to the other. Support 59 may support any part ofthe bottom while an action is performed on it or it can press the bottom against a spring supported plate 84 which will resist but be overcome by the support 59 exerting pressure beyond the normal level of the bottom whereby fixed probes 60 or 61 will pass through the carton bottom while it is so clamped, see Fig 42 bottom right hand corner scrap view shown related. Such probes may perform any action preparing the carton for its commercial use and may themselves be moved, or they may apply glue for fixing the opposing structures together.

Alternatively wire stitching heads may be activated against the carton bottom for instance as demonstrated by Figs 25 and 26. Preferably such stitching will be from a reel of wire rather than a magazine of preformed staples. The spring loaded resistance plate has the advantage of reducing the number of moving parts and will automatically eject the carton after the action leaving it level with the others. The support 59 then lifts clear of the carton as shown by the vertical arrows and the carton indexes to the next position so that flight walls 91 and 92 occupy the positions shown occupied by flight walls 93 and 94 where the articles for loading at 85 are loaded into the carton. If loading is done vertically and by gravity then the bottom of the carton will rest on a shock absorbing base 86 which may be spring supported.The carton will then index to the next position so that flight walls 91 and 92 will occupy the positions shown occupied by walls 94 and 95 and at this stage the loaded carton may be ejected from the apparatus readyforcommercial use.

Figs 8, 13, 17, 21 have been referred to and they disclose a variety of upper separation methods. Fig 13 and 21 include strips 105 joining stiff centre board separaters 106 to the side walls, such strips performing as separaters and of known form unlike the stiff central separator 106 shown in Fig 17 for instance and erected from a blank made according to Fig 10.

The carton of Fig 17 includes side walls divided by a first, second, third and fourth line of vertical fold refered to in the drawings as 11,12, 13 and 14 and in consideration of only two such side walls one has a fifth line of vertical fold 101 from the highest point of the carton and in line with a line of desired separation in the erected carton down to a line of cut 102 defining an upper edge ofthe side wall below which the side wall is full width. The line of cut 102 continued in effect horizontally beyond the corner of the carton to meet with a sixth line of vertical fold 103 extending to the carton top also.Between the fold 101 and 103 there is the outward corner of the carton 11, 12, 13 or 14 and an inwardly folding stiffening corner 11A, 12A, 13Aor 14A the full depth ofthe carton upper part. Itis necessary forthe cut 102 to join folds 101 and 103 without such cut meeting with any other similar cut 102 since if the above arrangement is repeated at each corner of the carton shown by Fig 17 and the cuts should meet then the upper part of the carton would be cut from the lower part but if, as according to the invention, the cut 102 cannot meet a similar cut then the upper and lower parts remain firmly attached.Where the above inwardly folding stiffening corner is repeated such that the paperboard corners will reverse one against the other in opposition and be glued one to the other as shown by blanks Figs 30 and 43 and the gluing and folding ofthem demonstrated by Figs 10 and 14, then a strong central separation is produced which may carry an opening 104for carrying the carton when loaded. It is not necessary for the cut 102 to be continuous in connecting fold 101 with fold 103 and it may be continued only in effect since it will be interrupted by folds 108 and additional cuts forming the separaters in the known manner as shown by Figs 21 and 18 where they have the reference 105, also seen in Fig 13. Figs 13 and 17 show the form of upper separation refered to above but variations of the same arrangement of stiff separator support are seen in Fig 8 where the cross represented by the separaters in plan view is displaced to accommodate' six articles instead of four and in Fig 13 where the cross is extended to accommodate eight articles.

From Fig 8 it is a short step to the form of the upper separation seen in Fig 21 where the vertical fold 103 is a continuation of the corner fold 13, or a continua tion of the similar opposing structure corner fold 11.

Therefore it will be understood that in Fig 21 the centre separator is a double panel 106 because the upper separation arrangement described is repeated as two similar opposing structures like the bottom end such similar upper separation structure is repeated adjacent each opposing fold folded double of the invention 11 and 13. The glue pattern required for the separation according to the invention shown by Fig 21 is shown in Fig 22. Fig 4 also shows such a central separator structure 106 with resulting side separaters 107.From the various examples it will be seen that they all have internal corners the full depth of the upper structure forming the separator which will necessarily impart stiffness needed for the present invention comprising the co-operation of the upper separation from the upper structures and the lower separation from the lower structures where each upper and lower structure is similar and opposing one to the other Such separation has the advantage that the full depth of the separator according to the prior arts, less the depth or the upper and lower separators of the present invention, is saved by the present invention. Other advantages are that the lower separator reaches right to the bottom of the carton, another is that they stiffen the carton floor and another is that the total blank is rectangular and requires very little paperboard to be cut to waste.

Where at least two opposing side walls are glued together to co-operate and to bend at rightangles it is not sufficient to simply superimpose the inside prepressed folding preparation one upon the outer one and it is necessary to have a special prepressed fold on the inside of the angle comprising a raised portion approximately 3 mm to each side of the intended fold by pressing the paperboard using creasing rules spaced apart on each side of a strip of hard material raised above the height of the other make-ready so providing a raised strip on the print face side of the board. The result when folded is that the paperboard raised strip will be nipped by hinging about the outside prepressed fold, produced by the normal process, and shown as 101 in Figs 21 and 22, so that the inside raised strip 12A or 14A will raise further and fold properly without undue resistance.

A further feature of the invention relates to the opening in the central separater for carrying the carton with separaters. A disadvantage of such cartons when used as carriers for bottles for instance is that the fingers must be pushed down among the crown closures in order to grasp the finger hole for carrying therefore a feature of the central separator is that it may have a carrying bar cut out of it, which due to the position of certain cuts and folds at each end of the carry bar, the carry bar can be raised above the normal height of the carton so that it is more inviting to the prospective purchaser.Fig 18 shows the blank for such upper separation for six bottles where broken lines are lines of fold and full lines are lines of cut, including a carrying opening 111 of Fig 47 wherein its upper edge shown 112 is the lower edge cut of a horizontal strip 113 forming a carrying bar continuous with connecting strips 114 depending from its each end, the connecting stips 114 defined by substantially vertical cuts 115 outer and 116 inner, each respective connecting strip 114 lower end surrouded by separating vertical cuts each side of it and the lower ends of the vertical separating cuts 118 being connected below the connecting strip lower end be a horizontal cut and the upper ends of the vertical separating cuts higher than the lower ends of the connecting strip 114 by an amount equal to half of the height by which the carry bar 113 is required to rise to form an opening 111 below the lower edge 112 of the carry bar 113 and facilitated to rise by horizontal lines of fold 119 outward from the lower end of each connecting strip to the respective vertical separating cuts 118 and inward folds 120 from the upper end of each respective separating cut 118 to the respective surrouding connecting strip 114 for providing a chain of linked panels 121 on each side of the carry bar 113 to enable it to be carried easily.

As shown Figs 18, 46, 47 for six bottles and in Figs 43,44,45 for four bottles two such carrying bar wall arrangements are superimposed and each have such horizontal fold lines 120 and 121 excepting that the horizontal fold lines 120 and 121 of one of the carry bar wall arrangements are displaced vertically relative to the arrangements opposing them, and the contacting surfaces above the highest folds 120 and below the lowest folds 119 are adhesively fixed together at the selectively applied glue are shown shaded as one side of the contacting surfaces whereby each panel 121 between the horizontal folds 119 and 120 will fold upward when the carry bar 113 is lifted and maintain the fixed together surfaces substantially parallel one to the other when the carry bar is raised. The strength of such an arrangement is made practical by the grain of the paperboard being arranged vertical in the carton and which is best suited to the whole invention.

Claims

1. A carton including separater means for separating its contents and having a bottom comprising bottom member panels depending from the bottom edges of each of four side walls by a horizontal line of fold, each side wall hinged by a line of vertical fold to the next side wall, and when the carton is folded into a flat condition two of the four said vertical folds lie between the two other vertical folds which are folded double each with members adjacent to it forming two similar opposing structures, the adjacent bottom members folded to lie against the inside of the adjacent side walls and a glue lap divided from one of the bottom members by a diagonal fold meeting with the vertical fold folded double and the horizontal lines of fold, the glue lap folded to lie against the adjacent bottom member and glued to it, characterised in that the upper edge of at least one bottom member of each one of said similar opposing structures carries a separator forming extension hinging with the bottom member at a line of weakness dimensioned to communicate with the line of weakness hinging such separator extension of the similar opposing structure when erected and said separaters arranged and adapted to interact together by one separator extension opposing the other or, interact together with another such separater extension adjacent and fixed to it at a substantially vertical line of fold, such that when each fold folded double is moved one toward the other and the sidewalls are moved apart the opposing said diagonal folds are opened to erect the bottom member panels flat and said interaction together will support the separaters at rightangles to the bottom.

2. A carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein a separater part or a bottom member part or an extension of a bottom member part of one said similar opposing structure is secured to a separator part or a bottom member part or an extension of a bottom member part of the other similar opposing structure by a stitch of any material from one said part through the other said part or any means for joining them.

3. A carton as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stitch comprises a tab cut from the free end of the outer bottom member panel of one similar opposing structure able to enter an opening made in the inner bottom member panel of the other similar opposing structure and the opening positioned to be in the path travelled by the tab during the erecting of the bottom and the tab secured in the opening when the bottom is erected.

4. A carton as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stitch comprises a tab cut out of a said part of one similar opposing structure and hinged to it by a line of foid for allowing the tab to be rotated through a cut-out in a said part of the other similar opposing structure and which may be retained perpendicular to the bottom and may be used for further separation in addition.

5. A carton having a bottom comprising two separate structures folding with a diagonal fold and including stiffened upper separation for the contents and which may have a carrying opening therein and is provided by, one side wall but preferably at least two opposing side walls having a fifth vertical line of fold extending from substantially the highest point of the carton and in line with a line of desired separation in the erected carton to a low line of cut defining an upper edge of the side wall's full width and an upper edge of an adjacent side wall's full width, said line of cut connecting with a line of sixth vertical fold extending to a carton wall upper edge and without meeting with any similar line of cut and said fifth and sixth lines of vertical fold having an outward carton corner and an inwardly folding stiffening corner the full depth of the carton upper part therebetween such that the carton material above the line of cut is inwardly reversable and able to meet with part of any said opposing side wall similarly reversable and forming said stiffened upper separation between the fifth vertical line of fold and the vertical inwardly folding corner or between the fifth and sixth vertical folds.

6. A carton as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inwardly folding corner is provided able to fold with reduced resistance from any fold of a said second opposing side wall which is adhesively fixed to it and provided so able by preforming said inward fold according to a method of production for such preforming, comprising two spaced apart creasing rule means of a carton cutting and creasing die and which are parallel and able to press the carton mater ial when it is between the creasing rules and a plat ten which has a strip of hard material raised above the height of other make-ready of the platten and narrower than the spaced apart distance of the creasing rules and positioned opposite such spacing to raise the carton material surface along the line of inward fold relative to its surrounding surface when, the cutting and creasing die and the platten close togetherto press the carton material in blank form priorto said adhesive fixing.

7. A carton as claimed in claim 5 including said carrying opening wherein its upper edge is the lower edge cut of a horizontal strip forming a carrying bar continuous with connecting strips depending from its each end the connecting strips defined by substantially vertical cuts, each respective connecting strip lower end surrounded by separating vertical cuts each side of it and the lower ends of the vertical separating cuts being connected below the connecting strip lower end by a horizontal cut and the upper ends of the vertical separating cuts higher than the lower ends of the connecting strip by an amount equal to half the height by which the carrying bar is required to rise to form an opening below the lower edge of the carrying bar and facilitated to rise by horizontal lines of fold outward from the lower end of each connecting strip to the respective vertical separating cuts and inward from the upper end of each respective separating cut to the respective surrounded connecting strip for providing a chain of linked panels on each side of the carry bar.

8. A carton as claimed in claim 7 wherein two such carrying bar wall arrangements are superimposed and each have such horizontal fold lines excepting that the horizontal fold lines of one of the carry bar wall arrangements are displaced vertically relative to the other and the contacting surfaces above and below the highest and the lowest said horizontal folds are adhesively fixed together whereby each panel between the horizontal folds will fold upward when the carry bar is lifted and maintain the fixed together surfaces substantially parallel one to the other.

9. A blank for a carton as claimed in claim 1 including separator means for separating its contents at least at the bottom, the blank comprising a substantially rectangular piece of sheet material such as paperboard divided into four side walls by three lines of vertical fold and each having a bottom member panel depending from its lower edge at a horizontal line of fold, the first and second bottom member panels adjacent a first line of vertical fold for forming a similar structure to that of the third and fourth bottom member panels adjacent a third line of vertical fold, a glue lap divided from one of the bottom member panels of each structure by a line of diagonal fold meeting with the adjacent vertical line of fold and the horizontal line of fold, the glue lap inner side able to fold to lie against and be adhesively fixed to the adjacent bottom member outer side, characterised in that at least one bottom member panel lower edge of each blank structure carries a separator forming extension hinging with the bottom member by a line of weakness dimensioned to communicate with the similar line of weakness of the other similar structure when erected and said separaters arranged and adapted to interact together by one separator extension opposing the other or, to interact together with a separater form- ing extension hinged form the adjacent bottom member by a line of weakness and fixable to it at a subtantiallyvertical line of fold, a glue lap hinged from the first or fourth side wall by an additional line of vertical fold and fixable with the other free vertical edge of the blank afterthe bottom member panels have been folded to lay against their adjacent side wall inner sides, and the said glue lap divided from one of the bottom member panels of each structure has been folded to lie with its inner side against the outer side of its adjacent bottom member panel and all glue laps have had glue applied to them, whereby on erecting such complete blank bottom said interaction will cause the said separaters to erect substantially perpendicular to the erected bottom.

10. A blank for a carton as claimed in claim 5 including separator means for separating its contents at least at their upper ends, the blank comprising a substantially rectangular piece of sheet material such as paperboard divided into four side walls by three lines of vertical fold and each having a bottom member panel depending from its lower edge at a horizontal line of fold, the first and second bottom member panels adjacent a first line of vertical fold forforming a similar structure to that of the third and fourth bottom member panels adjacent a third line of vertical fold, a glue lap divided from one of the bottom panels of each structure by a line of diagonal fold meeting with the adjacent vertical line of fold and the horizontal line of fold, the glue lap inner side able to fold to lie against and be adhesively fixed to the adjacent bottom member outer side after the bottom member panels have been folded to lie against the inner side of their respective side walls and the first line of vertical fold has been folded double for the first bottom member panel to overlie the second bottom member panel and the third line of vertical fold has been folded double for the fourth bottom member panel to overlie the third bottom member panel and the free edges ofthe third and fourth side walls have been joined together, characterised in that one side wall but preferably at least two opposing side walls have a fifth vertical line of fold extending from substantially the highest point of the carton and in line with a line of desired separation in the erected carton to a low line of cut defining an upper edge of the side wall's full width and an upper edge of an adjacent side wall's full width, said line of cut connecting with a line of sixth vertical fold extending to a carton wall upper edge and without meeting with any similar line of cut and said fifth and sixth lines of vertical fold having a first, second, third or fourth line of vertical fold which form an outward corner of the carton and a vertical inwardly foldable stiffening corner the full depth of the cartqn upper part therebetween, whereby a carton wall part is inwardly reversible and may be dimensioned to meet with any similar carton wall part of the blank and be selectively glued for fixing their selected contacting surface parts together.

11. A process when used for folding and glueing the carton according to any preceding claim including the stages, timed feeding ofthe blank through the apparatus, prebending at least two vertical lines of fold of the blank, prebending the separator extension hinges with the bottom members and folding the bottom folds, imprinting glue on the surfaces to be fixed, folding over vertical lines of fold and inwardly folding any revers vertical lines of fold, applying pressure while the glue fixes the carton and separator parts.

12. Apparatus when used for erecting the carton blank into the carton according to any preceding claim for its commercial use, wherein means is provided for engaging the carton blank and moving one side wall relative to another side wall thereby opening each similar opposing structure and causing the relative adjacent bottom member panels joined by the diagonal fold to draw apart and open the diagonal fold with the bottom members substantially flat between similar opposing structure side walls and cause the separaters depending from the bottom member panels to interact together and be supported at substantially rightangles to the bottom.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein means is provided for entering the carton and providing support for a part or parts of the inside of the bottom orsoparaterto enable a locking action to be performed or a stitching action to be performed between the said similar opposing structures using paperboard or another material.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein a probe means is provided for entering through the carton bottom for erecting a separator means formed buy a cut-out tab or tabs of the bottom or erecting a said locking means of the bottom.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 including means for retaining the carton and retaining the carton while loading it for its commercial use.