GB2147559A

GB2147559A - Lifting devices for groups of assembled containers

Info

Publication number: GB2147559A
Application number: GB08424729A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Shilcock
Original assignee: WADDINGTON Ltd J
Current assignee: WADDINGTON Ltd J
Priority date: 1983-10-07
Filing date: 1984-10-01
Publication date: 1985-05-15
Also published as: IT8423046A0; DK478384A; ZA847757B; DE3436666A1; ES289609U; GB8424729D0; AU3384084A; DK478384D0; IT8423046A1; GB8326830D0; FR2553065A1; ES289609Y; NL8403048A; BE900763A; JPS6099868A; IT1176891B

Abstract

A lifting device comprises a cut and creased blank foldable in two about a line (12) of symmetry and having a pair of spaced tongues (16) at each of a pair of opposed edges each tongue (16) being provided with a foldable flap (18). When the device is folded about the line (12) of symmetry, the tongues come face to face. To mount the device on a group of assembled containers, the flaps are folded back onto the outside of the tongues and the folded flaps and tongues are inserted in spaced apertures in a holding device holding a number of containers together. The flaps spring out and engage under the holding device, enabling the group of containers to be lifted by the device. Engagement of the flaps with the containers and/or holding device limits their movement so that they cannot spring back by more than 90 DEG . <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lifting device This invention relates to devices for use in connection with the lifting of groups of six or more cylindrical containers, typically cans which are held together by means of particular holding devices. The particular holding devices are for example either (i) clips of plastics material each provided with a hole, and each arranged centrally of and clipping together four of the group of containers with, the two central containers being engaged by both clips of adjacent clips, or (ii) webs of plastics material having apertures therein and in which apertures the containers are frictionally and resiliently held.

The holes in the clips and additional holes in the plastics webs provide an insertion means for a finger or thumb to enable the group of containers to be lifted and transported.

A group of containers held together by such holding devices can be lifted by hand either by gripping of the device with the fingers, or by lifting one can of the group, so that all are lifted. Such holding devices will be referred to herein and in the claims as holding devices of the type set forth.

Also, in the interests of simplicity, reference will be made only to groups of six containers, but it will be appreciated that the invention can be applied to groups of six or more provided that there are sufficient containers to define two holes in the clips or two additional holes in the plastics web.

The present invention aims at providing such means which enables the group of containers to be lifted in a positive and effective manner and also forms in addition a display for advertising material or the like.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a lifting device comprising a flat blank of cut and creased sheet material, such device being foldable into a position adapting it to engage a holding device of the type set forth holding a group of cylindrical containers together, said lifting device providing a handle and also being adapted so as to engage the holding device so that the group of containers can be lifted by the lifting device acting through the holding device; said lifting device in the folded condition defining two pairs of side by side tongues which are for insertion through the respective holes of the holding device clips or the additional apertures of the plastics material web and a catching flap means on each tongue, which flap means are hingedly connected to the tongues and are for folding onto the outsides of the tongues whilst the tongues are inserted through said holes, and the flap means can spring back and engage under the holding device, said flap means being of such size in relation to the aperture and containers held by the holding device that the flap means cannot spring back by more than 90" before coming to rest against the containers.

To apply the lifting device according to the invention to a holding device of the type set forth holding a group of six containers, the said holding flaps may be folded to a flat condition and the tongues and folded flaps passed through the said holes.

Release of the holding flaps enables them to spring outwards to a position whereby they will catch the underside of the holding device clips or web enabling the lifting of the groups of containers by the device according to the invention to provide a means enabling the group of containers to be lifted, through the intermediary of the holding device. By having four of said flaps (one on each tongue) the loading on the lifting device during transporting of same will be balanced.

The flaps may be foldable about lines which are angled relative to the direction of insertion of the tongues in said holes, so that top edges of the flaps when under the holding device will be angled upwardly to perform an effective hooking function.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank forming a lifting device according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the device of Fig. 1 ready to be inserted into operative relationship with a pack of six cans; Figure 3 shows in respective elevation the arrangement of Fig. 2 with the device according to the invention in position; Figure 4 is a plan view of a blank for forming a device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 shows the blank of Fig. 4 is a first stage of erection; Figure 6 shows a group of containers held together by a plastics web holding device and to which is fitted the lifting device of Fig. 5; and Figure 7 is a side view illustrating how the holding device shown in Fig. 5 is applied to the group of containers.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the blank 10 of Fig. 1 is symmetrical about a fold line 12, about which the blank is folded in use, and to each side of the fold 1 2 is a trapezium shaped lifting panel 14, to the opposite edges of which are extensions or tongues 16, spaced as shown, and each tongue is provided with fold back flap 18, hinge geable about fold line 20, which lies transversely in relation to the line 1 2. One edge of each flap 1 8 is provided with a shoulder 22, and the opposing edges of the tongues 1 6 are curved as shown at 24.

To use the device shown in Fig. 1, it is folded about line 1 2 (which may be partly defined by a cut through the material) and then the flaps 1 8 are folded upwardly by 180 onto the outsides of the respective tongues 16 as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

Because the blank shown in Fig. 1 is symmetrical, the tongues 1 6 become face to face in pairs as shown in Fig. 2 when the blank is folded.

In the condition shown in Fig. 2, the blank is ready for application to a pack of six cylindrical containers 30 arranged as shown in Fig. 2 in two rows each of three containers, and the containers are clipped together by means of a pair of similar clip members 34 of generally cross-shape having clips 36 at the ends of the arms, and each having a central hole or aperture 38. It can be seen that each clip member 34 is positioned at the top and centrally of four of the groups of containers, and the two clip members 34 are each connected to the central container of each row of containers, whereby the six containers are held together in a pack.

The spacing between the tongues 1 6 is designed to be equal to the spacing between the holes 38 of the respective clips 34, so that the tongues and the folded over flaps as shown in Fig. 2 can be inserted in the holes 38, as shown in Fig. 3. To insert the tongues and folded over flaps, they are held in the folded condition by suitable insertion equipment, and when insertion has been completed, the flaps 1 8 spring outwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, whereby the top edges of the flaps 18, in particular shown at 22 engage under the clips 34, and the device 10 cannot be detached from the pack of containers without destruction of same.

Thereby the device 10 is connected to the pack of containers 30 and the portions 14 can be gripped by the fingers and the pack of containers can be lifted by the lifting device.

The panels 14 can be used for the display of advertising or other material. If the pack of containers with the lifting device 10 attached is to be shrink wrapped, the panels 14 can be folded downwardly so as to lie flat on the container tops, to this end, the blank 10 may be provided with additional fold lines 26 between the tongues 1 6 and the panels 14, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The curved edges 24 of the tongues 1 6 permit easier insertion of the tongues with folded over flaps, but the device cannot be connected to the pack of containers unless the flaps 1 8 are folded to the position shown in Fig. 2.

When the device is inserted as shown in Fig. 3, the tongues 18 spring back to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, in which the flaps 1 8 rest against the walls of the containers and/or the clip members 34, and lie at an angle of less than 90 relative to the tongues to which they are hinged.

An embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 4 to 6 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, but is for use in connection with a holding device for containers which is in the form of a plastics material web with apertures therein, and in which apertures the containers are frictionally and resiliently held. Such construction can be best explained by referring to Fig. 6, which shows six cans, typically beer cans 40, which are held together by the plastic web 42 in known manner. In the web are additional holes 44, which are located centrally of the web so that each hole is equidistant from a group of containers, as shown. The device 46 according to the invention is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and in position in operative engagement with the web 42.

It is now convenient to refer to Fig. 4 to describe the features of the device, which is in the form of a blank 46 symmetrical about hinge line 48, and as in the previous embodiment provided at the free edge of eacth half with tongues 50. The tongues are spaced equal to the spaceing between the lifting holes 44 of the plastic web shown in Fig. 6, and connected to each of the tongues 50 by means of a hinge in the form of a crease line 51 is a hooking flap 52. The hinge line 50 on each tongue is inclined significantly to the central hinge line 48, for a purpose to be explained, and finally each of the halves of the blank is provided with a fold line 54 which is parallel to the fold line 48. The blank is cut away at 54A and 54B to clear the tops of the containers held together by the holding devices. or the like.

To apply the device shown in Fig. 4 to a container as shown in Fig. 6, the device is first of all folded about a fold line 48 so that the position indicated in Fig. 5 is reached, and next the flaps 52 are folded about the fold line 51 to the position shown in Fig. 7, in which the top edges 56 of the said flaps 52 incline upwardly as shown in Fig. 7. This is achieved by inclining the fold lines 51 as shown in Fig. 4. The flaps 52 are folded by 180 on to the tongues 50, and the groups of tongues and flaps are passed through the apertures 44 in the web 42. The tongues and flaps are designed so that they will pass neatly through the apertures 44, and when through the apertures, the flaps 52 spring to the positions shown in Fig. 6 in which they lie under the web 42 and in fact hook under the web whereby the device cannot be retracted, and when the device is lifted, lifting of the group of containers is effected.

The devices according to the invention can be used in connection with groups of more than six cans or indeed less than six cans provided that there are two apertures for receiving the groups of tongues and flaps. The flaps are designed so that when they spring outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6, the extent to which they can spring is limited to less than 90 relative to the tongues 50 by the containers and/or the holding device.

It is to be noted that in the embodiments of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the shoulders 22 of the Fig. 1 embodiment have been deleted. This is because of the nature of the holding device in relation to which the device according to the invention is to be used.

The hinge lines 54 enable the main portions of the lifting device to be folded down on to the tops of the cans when the device is in the Fig. 6 position.

Claims

1. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a lifting device comprising a flat blank of cut and creased sheet material, such device being foldable into a position adapting it to engage a holding device of the type set forth holding a group of cylindrical containers together, said lifting device providing a handle and also being adapted so as to engage the holding device so that the group of containers can be lifted by the lifting device acting through the holding device; said lifting device in the folded condition defining two pairs of side by side tongues which are for insertion through the respective holes of the holding device clips or the additional apertures of the plastics material web and a catching flap means on each tongue, which flap means are hingedly connected to the tongues and are for folding onto the outsides of the tongues whilst the tongues are inserted through said holes, and the flap means can spring back and engage under the holding device, said flap means being of such size in relation to the aperture and containers held by the holding device that the flap means cannot spring back by more than 90" before coming to rest against the containers.

2. A lifting device according to claim 1, wherein each tongue has a single flap hinged thereto

3. A lifting device according to claim 2, wherein the the flap is hinged to the outer edge of the tongue

4. A lifting device according to claim 3, wherein the inner edge of each tongue is curved to facilitate insertion of the tongue and its folded flap into the holes or apertures.

5. A lifting device according to claim 2, 3, or 4, wherein the hinge line between each tongue and its flap is inclined relative to the line about which the device is foldable

6. A lifting device according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the edges of the tongue which engage under the holding device are stepped

7. A lifting device according to any preceding claim wherein the device is symmetrical about a fold line about which the device is foldable

8. A lifting device according to claim 7 wherein the device comprising two main portions lying to opposite sides of the fold line and said tongues comprise two spaced on the free edge of each main portion remote from said fold line

9. A lifting device substantially as herein before described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings

10. A package comprising containers held together by a holding device of the type set forth and a lifting device according to any preceding claim