US1711991A - Paper box - Google Patents

Description

May 7, 1929. E. w. LABQMBARDE 1,711,991

PAPER` B ox Filed Dec. 50, 1925 gf W/MJ Patented May 7, 1929. l

UNITED STATES ELIE W. LABOMBARDE, F NASHUA, HAMPSHIRE.

PAPER BOX.

Application led December 30,4925. Serial No. 78,440.

This invention relates to the production of paper boxes which can be manufactured complete and stored or shippedto users in flat condition, and which can then be set up to container foi-1n bythe users without the employment of any adhesive, certain overlapping liap portions of the blanks being 1nterlocked when set up.

Boxes of the general type above described are quite well known but have not been as satisfactory as glued set up boxes for several reasons, one being that the operation of securing the proper inter-relation of the flaps to lock them together has not been easy to perform, andanother being that the boxes, after being set up and locked, are not as strong as the usual glued set up boxes.

One of the obiects of my present invention is to provide boxes of the type referred'to,

' 20 the blanks for which bear visual indications of the proper way to convert them to interlocked condition.

Anotherv object is to provide boxes of said type with the interlocking portions of such form, and` so located, as to result in their possessing the utmost strength when set up.

With the above mentioned objects in view, the invention consists in the blank and the box substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention as embodied in a box suitable for containing confectionery Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from the side which presents the outer surface when set up to box form.

Figure 2 represents a section on line 2--2 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the blank partly set up and just before reaching interlocked condition.

Figure 4 is an end view of the box set u and closed.

Figure 5 represents a section on line '5-.5 of Figure 4 on an enlarged scale.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts or features in all of the views.

The material of which the boxes are made is'cut and creased to provide blanks such as illustrated by Figure 1. Each blank comprises a bottom section 12, a front wall section 13, and a rear wall section 14 from which a cover section 15 having a tucking iiap 16 extends. The section 12 has end flaps 17, the section 14 has end flaps 18, and the section 13 has end iaps 19 the latter having ornamental set up tabs 20. No novelty is claimed for a box or blank as so far described.

'Each fiap 18 has a straight inclined slit a extending from the crease line which defines the connection of said flap with the rear wall section 14. This location of the slit a close to the rear wall section is important for a reason that will be presently explained.

llach flap 19 is recessed as at b Aand is formed with a rounded tongue c, and has a short straight slit ,al extendinr in fromvits outer edge, the two slits (Z being exactly parallel with the two slits a. Slits d also may be provided.

As best illust-rated by Figure 2, the material at the upper edge of each slit al is bent or deflected as indicated at e to expose the lower edge of said slit, for a purpose presently explained. Such bending or deflection is easily effected by suitably formed portions of the dies which cut and crease the blanks, as will be readily understood. Of course the upper edge of the slit might be left iiatand the lower edgeinstead be bent or deflected so as to expose it for tucking as presently dcscribed.

The iaps 18 and19 bear printed portions of a design, the said portions being so located Qn the flaps that when the blank is set up to box form the design will be complete (see Figure 4). In other words, each flap has a blank area and a printed area and by itself is so incomplete as to indicate nothing. A showing of the complete design can be effected only by a correct concealing of the tongue c behind the iap 18 and the concealing of the blank portion of the flap 18 behind the Hap 19, and to eiect such concealment the tongue c -must be tucked into the slit a Figure 3) and the ap 19 then pushed way own (Figs. 4 and 5) at which time the slits a and d automatically interlock. The bending or dellection of the edge of the slit a at e enables the edge of the tongue c to be easily inserted into-the slit a.

It will now be understood that the incomplete designs borne by the flaps which are to be interlocked cooperate with the blank areas of said flaps and with the slits on and d d indicating to anyone the correct method of folding the blanks to set up form with the flaps interlocked, beca-use only by such correct folding and interlocking will the ends of the box illustrate the complete design. In practice, words or legends may be printed, partly on the flaps 18 and partly on the flaps 19. Thether designs, or words, or both, are employed, a person will readily see that to set up the-blank to box form so that the ends will look finished, he must so fold the blank that, at each end, all of lap 19 except its tongue c will be outside of the i'lap 1S, and that to conceal the blank tongue c and not hide any party of the design on flap 18, he must tuck the tongue into the slit o and push it completely down, at which time the edgesof the slits a and d will be in interlocking positions. Owing to the slits a and (Z being straight and parallel, their edges will interlock or abut for the full length of the slit i and consequently the interlocking is strong and positive. This is largely due also to the fact that the inter-engagement is close to the rear wall 14 as illustrated by Figures 3 and 4, which rear -Wall connects the two end flaps 18 and so holds the edges ot' the' slits in opposition as illustrated by Figure 5. The iiaps can not be unlocked unless by a very careful manipulation of a thin instrument inserted between the flaps 18 and 19 and slid along between them as far as the rear Wall of the box will permit. y

A particular advantage ofthe construction with the slits (L in the flaps whieh'extend from the4 rear Wall section and said slits extending close to lthe creases at the ends of said rearl Wall section, While the slits d extend in from the edge of the front Wall section, is that the location of the interlocking portions is close to the rear Wall of the box. Thereforev when the lid or cover of the box is raised and pushed back to give full access to the. contents of the box there is little or no tendency to cause an unlocking ot the flaps such as would exist if the interlocking members were located adjacent to the front wall of the box.

As illustrated by Figures 1, 3 and 4, the design lprinted on the flaps 1S and' 19 is such that when the box is in set up condition thc presence of the interlocking portions, or the existence thereof, is camouflaged. This is because the slits a and d and the edge of the cut away portion Z) are close to and parallel with some of the edges of the printed design portions, so that said slits and the edge of the recess Z) are not readily noticeable.

It is to be understood, of course, that I do not limit myself to the specific shape or proportions of the box illustrated, as the invention is adapted to many different shapes or sizes of boxes.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

A paper box blank havingaps provided with slits in locations to provide` interlocks when the box is in set up condition, each'of lsaid iaps bearing an incomplete portion of a design which is completed when the box isset up, the margins of said incomplete design portions corresponding with the slits' of the flaps, whereby said incomplete designs and slits not only cooperate to indicate the correct method of folding the blank to set up `form but also serve to camouflage the presence of the slits in the completed box.

In testimony whereof I have atHxed my signature. i

ELIE W. LABOMBARDE.

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