US1499994A - Special textile-fabric package - Google Patents

Description

uy' l 1924.

L. MARX SPECIAL TEXTILE FABRIC PACKAGE Filed Deo. 1B, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VENTO/e Huff/V65 hm( TTORNE V5 my 1, 1924. www@ L. MARX SPECIAL TEXTILE FABRIC PACKAGE Filed Dec. 18 1922 2 Shees-Sheet 2 /N VENTO/e Huff/mf MAPA w Waff wflw A TTORNEY Patented July l, i924.

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LAURENCE MARX, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COHN-HALL-MARX C0., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

SPECIAL TEXTILE-FABRIC PACKGE.

To all lwlw/ml t may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURENCE MARX, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New Rochelle, in the county of Westches- 5 ter, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Special Textile-Fabric Packages, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a said package and method of packing, distributing and vending merchandise and especially textiles such as shirtings, dress oodsand other fabrics which are made an sold'in a great variety of styles, colors, grades or patterns.

Full size rolls or bolts of fabrics as produced at the mills, in accordance with the present method of distribution, are shipped to distributors or jobbers. The larger retail merchants order the fabrics from the jobbers in whole bolts and the volume of their business j ustiies the large investment necessary for the purchase of a suitable assort ment of these long pieces. Considerable loss is involved in the handling of the bolts since there is no adequate or convenient way of keeping the fabrics clean and they frequently become soiled, especially at the edges, in the repeated handling of the bolt as the material is sold in short pieces. The last few yards 3o wound close to the cloth-board are also usually very much crumpled or wrinkled and present a bad appearance even when clean. For these and other reasons a large number of ends or remnants accumulate which must be sold at reduced prices. The smaller retail merchants on account of the smaller volume of their business may buy a certain number of fullipiecesV but are not justified in the large investment required for a large assortment of the full pieces, and for this reason, especially in the more expensive fabrics, they frequently order short pieces Say from l0 to 20 yards, and the jobber or other distributor is required to take of from the bolts, measure and cut and reroll these short pieces with considerable risk of soiling or mussing them, and with a large labor cost and other overhead charges. rlhe handling of these small pieces or bolts by the retailer involves the same difficulties as in the case of the large bolts except for the smaller investment involved. The small pieces frequentl become soiled, remnants accumulate -and osses are involved as in the case of the larger merchants handling full bolts. Heretofore no satisfactory means or method has been proposed or adopted so far as l am aware to overcome the above and other diiiiculties and disadvantages in the present method of distribution, and sale of fabrics. My invention rovides a method which overcomesathese ifiiculties and has additional and noyel advantages as hereinafter set forth.

The general object of the invention is to provide a suitable package and a method by which a retail merchant may be furnished with a desirable variety of fabrics of a certain class so that he is enabled to suit the preferences of his customers without carrying in stock a corresponding number of full sized bolts of the fabric. Another object is to provide a package and a method which are adaptable to the direct supply of retail dealers and is equally adaptable to distribution through jobbers or wholesalers, and is in general adapted or adaptable to the pres ent trade customs in the textile industries.

To attain these and other objects the invention method comprises, in brief, the folding or rolling of textile fabrics, for example, shirtings or dress goods in small rolls or bolts, each bolt usually consisting of a piece much shorter than the full bolt length and the length of the piece usually being calcu-. lated to provide a predetermined number of dress or shirt patterns The small bolts are preferably thinand fiat so that they may e piled compactly :in flatwise relation. When desired, a cloth board, usually thinner than the ordinary board, may be used as a center for the small bolt, or this may be omitted.

A suitable number of the small pieces or bolts, usually of different patterns or grades to provide a desirable assortment, are placed together fiatwise forming a rectangular pile, and this pile of bolts is enclosed in a suitable container which is usually a display contain` er adapted when closed to completely cover and protect the goods from dust or dirt and also adapted to be readily opened to display the goods and usually having a movable cover and a drop front so that the container can be quickly and easily thrown open to display the goods to customers. vA num'ber of the containers, each enclosing a plurality of bolts, may be acked and shipped in one case, but more esirably each container filled as described is placed in an individual shipping case or carton in-which it is shipped direct to the retailer, or a plurality of `the individual packages Y are shipped to a wholesaler for distribution by him to retailers without the necessity for opening the containers when they are suitably marked toA indicate the nature of the contents.

In this way a retail dealer, and especially one doing a small business, is enabled to place before his customers a variety of goods which may be equal to that displayed in the larger stores without the necessity for a. large investment in full bolts or pieces of fabric, and loss and inconvenience resulting from soiling and the accumulation of rem- Eait ends incident to the handling of full o ts.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further suliiciently explained in connection with a detail description of the method with reference to the accompanying explanatory drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of suitable blanks for the production of an inner or display container in one form suitable for the present method.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container body.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the complete container properly filled with goods and opened for display.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the saine.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the container closed.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an outer container or shipping case open to receive an inner container.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the same closed and sealed.

Figure 8 is a section at 8-8, Figure 7.

Figure 4 shows a plurality of relatively short pieces of fabric, such as shirting, of different designs or patterns arranged in liat rolls or bolts B, these bolts being piled llatwise together and enclosed in a suitable display container C. The bolts may or may not be formed upon board centers b. When such boards7 are used they may be thinner than boards used for standard bolts. The material and design or construction of the container may vary greatly, but in a desired i form it comprises a main or body part 1 having a bottom 2, end walls 3, narrow front Walls 4, (which may be omitted in some cases), and a back wall 5, and having an open top and also having the main front portion open between the inward edges of the short front Wall 4. A top cover 6 is hingedly connected at the upper edge of the back wall 5 and desirably this top cover has a front flange 7 and end flanges 8. The front cover 9 is hingedly connected to the fron-t edge of the bottom 2, this front cover being arranged to fold up and close the front opening and to be secured by the front flange 7 of the top cover 6 as shown in Fig. 5. Desirably the short pieces or bolts are secured in the container or tied together with ribbons or tapes 10 although these may be omitted in some cases.

In one particular embodiment, the container may be of cardor liber-board of suitable grade and stiffness, and as shown in Fig. 1 the material for each container may be cut in the form of three originally separate blanks one of which includes the top-cover 6 with its flanges or flaps 7 and 8, another the bottom 2, back 5, endsv 3 and front wall members 4, and the other'blank constitutes the front wall 9; otherwise the blank may be originally cut as a unit and the parts then separated as also sufficiently indicated in Fig. 1. The back wall portion 5 may have skived or beveled end flaps 5tt which are folded and adhesively connected to end walls 3 when blank-section 1 is set up as shown in Fig. 2, producing substantially smooth inner end Wall surfaces. The top cover is then hingedly connected to back Wall 5, conveniently by means of strips 6a of fabric or paper,'and the front wall 9 is connected to the front edge of bottom 2 by similar hinge strips 9a. When desired, any or all of the outer or inner surfaces of the container may be covered with fabric or paper of suitable grade and finish, to strengthen the structure or for decorative effect. Straps or tapes 25 may be provided to support top 6 in open position.

When the container is closed, as shown in Fig. 5, the contents are completely covered and protected from soiling or other damage. A number of these filled containers may be packed and shipped together without individual coverings; but more desirably each filler container with its varied assortment of fabrics is placed in an outer container or shipping case S, Figures 6 to 8. These cases or cartons may vary greatly in construction but in one desirable form they may be of corrugated board as shown, arranged to open along one side or at one end, and specifically, as shown in the present example, the carton is provided at one end with pairs of opposite foldable flaps 15 and 16 which lare folded down after the inner container is inserted and secured in any suitable way, conveniently by means of strips of adhesive paper 17 and the carton may also be reinforced at other points or along other edges by additional adhesive strips such as 18 and 19. The shipping case reinforces and protects the inner container and especially prevents any soiling of the inner container which would render it unsuitable for display in the retail shop.

A label such as 20 may be placed on the outside of the shipping case when desired and this label; may be suitably marked to ages, containing any desired number of different goods assortments, is furnished to wholesalers or obbers, and when, as 1s preferred, each o the inner containers is enclosed in an outer container or shipping case S, itis unnecessary for the jobber to open the outer case orto otherwise handle the goods, but the packages may be handled and reship-ped as units to the retall dealer on his order without any possibility of soiling the fabrics while they are in the hands of the jobberand with a mimimum handling cost.

When one or more of Ithe units is received by the retailer the outer container is quickly and easily opened and the inner container with its contents may be placed on a shelf closed, or'it maybe placed on a shelf with the front side outward, with the ltop cover 6 closed and with the front cover 9 dro ped to disclosethe edges yof all the bol-ts for selection by purchasers, or the container may be placed on a counter or show-case top with the top cover 6 thrown back and the front cover dropped as shown in Figure 4.

One piece or bolt at a time may be easily slipped out from the pile of bolts B without disturbing the others, and for that purpose the narrow front lwalls 4 when provided are made outwardly bendable, and when a piece has been cut of the bolt may' be easily slipped back into the pile or placed on top. The assortment of fabrics is displayed in such a way that customers may easily make a selection without the necessity for much or any handling and soiling of the goods, and in addition the described method of arranging the assortment in display boxes permits a more attractive exhibition of the goods and permits morevvarieties yof fabrics to be displayed in reasonable space. and for a smaller investment than has heretofore been possible.

When a number of the display containers are placed on view in the store they may be easily closed in a very short time, for instance, when the store is being put in order for the night, by simply turning up the front covers and dropping the top covers in place, and the goods are then completely protected fro-m any damage until it is desired to again display them.

The retail merchant and especially' the small dealer, is therefore able for a given expenditure to place before his customers a much greater variety of fabrics than has Yheretofore been possible, and he is also relieved to a great extent from losses on account of soiling, crumpling, ends and remnants and in fact all the disadvantages of the present methods, pointed out above, are avoided.

The disadvantages to the jobber involved in established methods as also above pointed out, are avoided, with accompanying positive advantages also suliiciently explained above, and the importance of the invention to jobbers 'is emphasized by the fact that the majority of jobbers customers are small retailers so that the bulk of the jobbers output may be handled in accordance with the invention method, with corresponding profits and advantages.

The invention' is of great advantage to individual consumers, for it enables those who have access only to smaller retailers to select from a much greater variety of fabrics, and this in turn tends to retain local patronage for the small dealer.

l claim:

1. A textile fabric package comprising a' plurality of lengths of fabric each much shorter than the conventional bolt, each length Ifolded into a rectangular bolt of fabric, the respective bolts of fabric differing fron one another to provide a varied assortment and the bolts being piled one upon another to form a packagev of a size easily handled, and a dust proof casing normally enclosing and snugly fitting around the pile of bolts in which the latter are arranged lengthwise, said casing having a movable wall whereby when the same is moved to open position a longitudinal edge.

of each bolt of the pile of bolts will be exposed so that all of the fabrics may be readily inspected and a selection made and the selected bolt removed without removing the other bolts of the pile and whereby said movable wall may then be moved to closed position to protect the remaining bolts. I

2. A textile fabric package comprising a plurality of lengths of fabric each much shorter than the conventional bolt, eachY length folded into a rectan lar bolt of fabric, the respective bolts o fabric differing from one another to provide a varied assortment and the bolts being piled one upon another to form a package of a size easily handled, and a d ust proof casing normally enclosing and snugly fitting around the pile of bolts, in which the latter are arran ed lengthwise, said casing having a movab e wall whereby when the same is moved to open position a longitudinal edge of each bolt of the pile of bolts will be exposed so that all of the fabrics may be readily lnspected and a selection made and the 'selected bolt removed without removing the other bolts of the pile and whereby said movable wall may then be moved to closed position to protect the remaining bolts, and a removable outer container of stout material securely enclosing the display receptacle and its contents and adapted to protect the reoeptable and contents in-shipment.

3. A special package for displaying and merchandising fabrics put up in bolts of relatively short fabric lengths, affording a varied assortment of fabrics in compact and easily handled form, said package consisting of a relatively long and narrow receptacle of substantially theilength and width, and of a height adapted to contain a plurality of thin bolts, said receptacle containing a plurality of superposed short length bolts of -assorted textile fabrics arranged lengthwise therein, said receptacle having a closure member adapted to be moved to expose longitudinal edges of the said superposed bolts, and to provide an opening through which the bolts may be removed and replaced as desired, and also adapted when closed to protect the fabrics from soiling, the construction and arrangement being such that the entire package may ybe easily handled and moved from shelf to message@x Aarranged lengthwise, and closure means for the casing operable from a closed to an open position. and when in the latter position exposing an endmost bolt of thegroup and also exposing longitudinal edges of all the bolts, so that all of the fabrics may be readily inspected and a selection made and the selected bolt removed Without removing the other bolts and whereby said closure means may then be moved to closed position to protect the bolts.

5. A textile fabric package comprising a plurality of lengths of fabric, each fabriclength being much shorter than that of the conventional bolt, each length folded into a rectangular, flat bolt of fabric, the respective bolts of fabric differing from one another to provide a varied assortment and the bolts being arranged in flatwise contact to form a group of a size easily handled, and a display casing normally enclosin and snugly fitting around the pile of bo ts in which the latter are arranged lengthwise, the casing being constructed to display longitudinal edges of the bolts and having a closure operable to permit removal of a selected bolt.

Signed at city of New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 9th day of December, A. D. 1922.

A LAURENCE MARX.

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