US1445480A - Fruit container - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 13, 1923.

E. C. BRYAN.

FRUIT CONTAINER.

FILED DEC. 24,1921

Fig. Z,

n stood after reference to up container. l Figure 3 shows a section along the longi`-` Ylmeteir'ted Feb. "i3, i923.,

EUGENE eoEnEnr entran, 0E ErssnunEE, FLORIDA.

FRUIT CONTAINER.

Application filed December 24, 1921. Serial No. 524,651.

tion of the invention, such as will enabley Vothers skilled in the art to which tains to make and use the same.

` My present invention relates to improveit apperments in fruit containers, and it is `intended to provide a container for grapefruit cr other fruit in which the fruitwill be protected against being bruised or injured in any way, and may be properly ventilated and may be inspected as to condition, preservation or the like without tampering with the package; and in which the package may be efl'ectually sealed and kept sealed until it is desired to open same at the place of delivery. n

My invention is especially intended to provide a. cheap, simple and efficient container which may be used in shipping fruitv in small packages by parcel post, or eX- press, and which packages may be made cheap enough to be thrown away after the same have been delivered, or may be returned for further luse if desired.

My present invention relates more especially to an improvement onor modification of the arrangement shown in my earlier application filed October 12, 1921, Ser. No. 507193, and entitled Improvements in fruit container. i

My invention will be more fully underthe accompanying drawings, in which like 'parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the' several views, and in which Figure l is a plan view of the blank which constitutes the container bodyI when laid down in a fiat condition.

Figure Qis a perspective view of the set-` tudinal axis vof the container; and

the fastening plates detached.

, A represents the container body which is' shown in Figure l in the form of a flat blank which may be made of wood veneer, cardboard, sti leather, or any other suit# able light and flexible material. which blank Figure flis a detail view showing one of is provided near its opposite ends with perforations ct and a adapted to receive fastening wires or strings. Since strings or cords made of textile material are apt to stretch and get loose, I prefer to use as a fastening means light metal wire, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

B and B represent two disks preferably made of wood or cardboard, or other light material sufliciently rigid to give the requisite stiffness to the package when the parts are in the `assembled relation.

D and D represent two fastening plates to whichthe loops of the longitudinal fastening wires are adapted tobe connected. These plates are preferably made of thin resilient metal, and have oppositely disposed clips or prongs fl and d stamped out thereof. These prongs are preferably cut away at their bases, as at d", not only to facilitate the springing of the prong outward, but also to afford notches to engage the fastening wire.

The fastening'wires for holding in the heads comprise two double loops E and E which are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the container whichthe parts are in the assembled relation. Each loop `has one of its endsas e fastened to the prong of the corresponding' plate, and the free end e is then rove through the perfora tions a and a and back again throueh the adjacentperforations. and is secured tothe same prong as the ende.

The other wire E. has its ends preferably fastened to the opposite prongal of the same plate D in a similar way, and its loop is adapted to engagethe prong cllof the plate D, so that when the two wire loops and the corresponding fastening plates and heads are in the assembled relation, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the fastening plates hold the wires tautl and hold the heads in place 'against outward displacement. The. contents of the package take care of any in ner movementof the heads. 4 i

As va further 4fastening means I attach one or more circumferential wires F, having their ends twisted together, as at f, which tightly engage the package circumferentially and prevent the body portion from being extended outwardly. These circumferent-ial wires add stiffness and strength to the package.

.In assembling the parts, the body member 'or 'circumferential shell of tbe package is shaped around the disks B and B', prefer-y ably leaving an opening between the adjacent edges of the body portion, as shown at G, through which the f ruit H, or other con-- tents of the package, may be seen when the package is sealed, but Without breaking the package. The circumferential binding, such as F, is then applied; The loops E and E and the corresponding plates may be previously attached to the body portion, or may be subsequently att-ached, as desired.

l? or `purposes of filling, one of the heads may be taken out and the package filled, the missing head is ,then inserted and the corre-` spending fastening plate put in place, and the loop of the opposite longitudinal Wire slipped over the free prong of the said plate, thus effectual-ly holding both heads in place and closing the package.

If desired a seahind-icated in dotted lines at l, may be ,attached to the heads so 4that the package can not be surreptitiou'sly opened Without the fact being knoiyn.

ln `order to open the package, break the yseal and pry out the Wire loop yfrom the corresponding prong of one of the fastening plates, remore said plate and slip out lthe adjacent head `and one end of the package will be completely opened. lt will be seen that the parts may be .replaced as lbefore and thel package yused lover again in the assem-A bled relation, or the' pack-age may be knocked down and re-sh-i-p-ped for further use.

`It will .be obvious `that various mod-ifications might be made in the herein described construction and in the combination and arrangement 'ofV parts which could ybe used Without departing from the spirit of my invention-f; and l do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed ont in :th .cl-aims.

ln the claims lEl iave used the .terni Wires `for brevity, meaning thereby any `flexible fastening means such as steel or l`brass fwire, cord or string :of any kind, Which -is suitable -for Vthe purpose of lproviding a flexible fastening m'eans lto engage `the exterior of :the ycontainer and to hold `the same against lateral 'expansion andv also `to hold Ethe `heads in place.

. Having thus described my invention What 1l claim and ydesire 1to secure .by Letters Pat ent eef the 4United states is si;-

1. A container 'Comprising abody member 'in the forniof a blank adapted :to be rolled finto substantially Vcylindrical for-1n, said `body porton being perforated to permit the insertion of a fastening Wire 'or string, stiffeniiig heads in the form .of circular disks enclosed in said body member near the ends thereof, Wires rove through said fholes and forming double loops extending laxially of said odiati/ailier and fon lltl'ije .exto/rer thereof, and f g plateshavingfoppositely idis- `iaiaizio posed resilient clips stamped. therefrom, said clips being adapted to engage the loops in said wires, substantially as described.

2. A container comprising a body menr ber in the forni of a blank adapted to be rolled into substantially cylindrical. form, said body portion being perforated to permit the insertion of a fastening Wire or string, stilfening heads in the form of circular disks enclosed in said body member near the ends thereof, Wiresrove through said holes and forming double loops extending axially of said container and on the exterior thereof, and fastening plates having oppositely disposed resilient clips stamped therefrom, said clips being adapted to4 engage the loops in said Wires, with Wires secured circumferentially over said container` and holding the body member against expansion laterally, substantially .as described,

3. A container comprising a body member in the form of a blank adapted to be rolled into substantially cylindrical form, said body portion being perforated to permit the insertion of a fastening Wire or string, Wires rove through said holes and forming double loopsV extending axially of said container and on the exterior thereof, and fastening plates having oppositely disposed resilient clips stamped therefrom, said clips being ladapted to engage the loops in. said Wires, substantially as described;

Ll. A container comprising a body inember in the form of a blank adapted to be rolled into substantially cylindrical form, said body portion being perforated to permit the insertion of a fasten-ing Wire or string, Wires -roye through said holes and forming double loops extending axially of said container and on ythe exterior thereof, and fastening plates having oppositely disposed resilient clips stamped therefrom., said clips being adapted to engage the loops in. said Wires, with Wires secured circumferentially over said container, and holding the body member against expansion laterally, substantially `as described.

5. A container comprising a body inem- )ber in the form lof a blank adapted to be rolled into substantially cylindrical forni, said body portion being .perforated to permit the insertion of a fastening Wire or str-ing, stiening heads in the form of cir- @said "container, and Vholding A.the body member against expansion laterally, snbstentielly as described.

6. A container comprising n. body member in the form el. e blank lMlepted to be rolled into substantially cylindrical form, said body portion being perforated to permit the insertion of e fastening Wire or string', stjflenng heads in the form of crcnler disks enclosed in seid body member neer the ends thereof, Wires rove through seid holes and forming donble loops extending1 axially of seid container and on the eX- teror thereof, end Ineens 'For deteenebly connecting' the adjacent loops et eeeh end of the package, substantially es described.

7. A container comprising a body member in the form, of e blank adapted te he rolled into snbstmntielly oyl'indrcrd torni, seid body portion being perforated to permit the `insertion of e :fastening Wire or string, stilening heads in the form of circuler disks enclosed in seid body member neer the ends thereof, wires rove through seid holes end forming double loops extending axially of sind cmntene1 end on the exterior thereof, end means for deteehebly connecting' the adjacent loops et eneh end of the package. with Wires seenred crclnnercntelly over seid container7 end holding the body member against expansion laterally, substantially as described.

EUGENE COLBERT BRYAN.

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