US1821059A - Interfitting lock for containers - Google Patents

Description

, P 1931- H. H. HONIGBAUM 1,821,059

INTERF'ITTING LOCK FOR CONTAINERS Filed March 28. 1928 R/VEYS.

Patented Sept. 1 1 931 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES i HARRY H. HONIGBAUM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

,INTERFITTING LOCK ron CONTAINERS Application filed March 28, 1928. Serial No. 265,352.

ed to be used in connection with paper or cardboard receptacles wherein the receptacle is made from a blank folded in any suitable.

mannerand relatively movable parts secured together by a lock of the character under consideration, 7

Thus, theinvention primarily consists in a lock and the particular use to which the lock to suit conditions in the sevis put will vary eral arts.

Speaking generally, the lock of this invention embodies a tongue associated with one movable part and the other movable part being provided with a slot. "The slot may be of different shapes as will be hereinafter more fully explained, but its length is fixed and predetermined. The tongue Wl'llCll' cooperates with the slot in the preferred embodi-' ment oft-he invention is so shaped that the part on which the tongue is mounted must be tilted with respect to the otherpart in ord'e to introduce the tongue into the slot.

The lateral edges of the tongue are cut in such manner that'when such part is tilted as specified, the tongue may be .partially introduced and the tilted part thereupon straightened with respect to the other part to cause the tongue to wholly enter the slot. As the tongue enters the slot, the partsare moved with relation to one another in a'lateral direction to shift the tongue longitudinally of the slot. 1' p In the preferred form of the invention, the

tongue is formed so that its width at the point into the slot and by a reversal ofthese operations can be removed therefrom, but if it is attempted toremovethe tongue from the slot by a straight pull, the maximum width of the tongue will be presented to the relatively narrow slot, so that the tongue cannot be withdrawn and constitutes with the slot a dependable lock against inadvertent disengagement of the parts.

The present invention contemplates the use of a tongue whichlies flat and forms a sub stantial continuation of the part on which it is formed, but aside from this the invention also contemplates the formation of the slot in such manner as to bring about a bending of the tongue as it is introduced into the slot and to form said tongue into a hookshaped locking element as hereinafter more fully explaine Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions therein shown are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a lock embodying the present invention associated with an ordinary pasteboard box and utilized in this connection to secure the end flaps of the box in closed locked condition. I

Figures 2 and 3 show the manner of introducing the tongue into the slot in a construction such as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of the invention, the modification being more particularly with reference to the shape of the slot.

Figures 5 and 6 show further modified forms of the invention. a

In considering this invention, I wish'it understood that the present lock is adapted for general uses in connection with any kind of container, but, for the purpose of detailed description, I have chosen to show it as forming part of a pasteboard box. In this manner, the invention may be more readily ex-i plained and easily understood. Thus, in

igure 1, 1 designates a pasteboard box p vided at the end shown with flaps 2 and 3, which flaps overlap one another and constitute the relatively movable parts which it is desired to secure together against inadvertent release.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that the part 3 is provided with a slot 4, which extends transversely of said part and is shown as straight. On the part2 is formed a tongue 5. This tongue is adapted to be passed thru the slot 4 to form the lock.

The lateral edges of the tongue, however, are

shaped as shown to provide a relatively deep re-entrant notch 6 at one edge and a relatively shallow re-entrant notch 7 at the other edge.

These notches extend to the. base of' the,

tongue at said lateral edges. The lateral edges are moreover cut away as shown at '8 and-9. Thus when the tongue is introduced into-the slot 4 as shown in Figure 2 and the I 2 is now shifted slightly to the left, the tongue will be so disposed that a straight pull in a direction to remove it from the slot will bringsa-id tongue into the dot and dash line position shown in Figure 3, wherein it will be noted that the increased width of the tongue below the apices of the reentral t portions 6" and 7 will be presented to the slot in such manner as to preclude withdrawal of the tongue through the slot exceptbyareversal of the steps of assembly hereinb-efore explained, Th a g m hown in F gis v y similar to that exhibited in Figs, 2 and 3 except that the slot 4a which corresponds to theslot 4 is so shaped as to provide at one of its sides a tab 11, so that when the tongue is positioned in the slot in the manner hereinbefore described, the tab 11 will overlie the inner face of the tongue and hold it in face ab ng re ie to the nn e of t pa V In other words, it will hold the tongue ti against the bending inwardly of the contains er and will maintain all the parts substantially flat. In Figure 4, the tongue 11 is formed by curving a central portion of the slot downwardly as shown at 12. The arrangement may, however, be reversed so that the central portion of the slot is curved up: wardly to form an upwardly extending tongue 1 1a as illustrated in Figures 5 and r 6,. With this arrangement, however, it will be apparent that instead of maintaining the eng e n substantial el n ment w th he Pa t Letters Patent is 5.

2, the positioning of the tab as shown in Fig ures 5 and 6 will cause the tongue to bend hoo'ked from the slot lbwith which it is as sociated.

The cutting away of the lateral edges of the tongue to provide re-entrant portions for the purpose of producing a lock against the raight pu l as de r ed ney b a r e o n th ar g ment of Fie -v 5 an 6 h h it i t e selut ly e senti h re, s n e he tongue is bent back upon itself to form a hook which, of itself, will preclude inadvertent disengagement from the slot. I

. Thus in Figure 5 the tongue is shown'as having straight lateraledges althoughthe reentrant edges shown in the previous figures of the drawingsmay be utilized here also. I

The tongues shown in the drawings as having cut away lateral edges as specified show these edges as having substantially straight line cuts, 'In practice, however, these edges may be curved withoutdeparting from the invention. a. I call particular attention to the'fact in connection with the structures shown in Figures l to 4; that the distance maximum width of the tab designated w is materially greater than the length of the slot, while'the distance 9 from the apex of the reeentrant cut 6 to the point 10 is substantially equal to the width of the length of the slot, This proportion of the parts makes it possible to introduce the tQI gT Q in the manner described, but when-the tongue is straightened out as illustratedin Figure 3, it is impossible to removethe tongue by a straight pull In orderto remove it, it must be manipulated so as toreverse the assembling operations. The arrangement shown therefore constitutes a positive lock against inadvertent disengagement :of the tongue from the slot.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical form and its use in conjunction'wi'th cardboard boxes, but I wish it understood" that the invention is adapted for general application in' the arts generally and that itmaybe constructed of'rnaterial other than cardboard. The invention is therefore to, be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims. 7

Having thus fully described the. invention, what I claim as new and desire-to secure by 1. Aninterfittinglock for containers embodying two relatively movable parts, one e hi as ther in e 101; hi h is ef ected to form a tab of appreciably less width than the length of the slot, and the other of which is provided with a flat tongue, all parts of which are of the same thickness and occupy the same plane, the slot extending in the direction of the length of the tongue and the tongue being of greater overall length than the length of the slot and provided at its opposite edges with re-entrant cut outs to permit the tongue to be introduced into the slot by zigzag edgewise manipulation of the tongue relative to the slot while all parts of the tongue remain unbent andcontinue to occupy the same plane.

3. An interfitting lock for containers embodying two relatively movable parts, one of which has therein a slot which is downwardly curved for a distance intermediate its ends to form a tab of appreciably less width than the length of the slot, and the other of which is provided with a fiat tongue, all parts of which are of the same thickness and occupy the same plane, the slot extending in the direction of the length of the tongue and the tongue being of greater overall length than the length of the slot and provided at its opposite edges with re-entrant cuts outs to permit the tongue to be introduced into the slot by zigzag edgewise manipulation of the tongue relative to the slot, one of said reentrant cut outs being deeper than the other to permit maximum difference in dimension between the maximum length of the tongue and the length of the slot.

4. An interfitting lock for containers embodying two relatively movable parts, one of which is provided thereinwith a slot and the other of which is provided with a flat tongue, all parts of which are of the same thickness and occupy the same plane, the slot extending in the direction of the length of the tongue and the tongue being of greater overall length than the length of the slot and provided at its opposite lateral edges with re-entrant cut outs so shaped as to permit the tongue to be introduced into the slot by zigzag edgewise manipulation of the tongue relative to the slot without bending of any part of the tongue, and while all parts of the V tongue remain in the same plane, the edges of both of said re-entrant cut outs'extending laterally beyond the opposite ends of the slot, after the tongue has been fully inserted in flat condition, to engage with the opposite ends of the slot and thus lock the tongue against inadvertent disengagement from the slot.

5. An interfitting lock for containers embodying two relatively movable parts, one of which is provided therein with a slot and the other of which is provided with a flat tongue, all parts of which are of the same thickness and occupy the same plane, the slot extending in the direction of the length of the tongue and the tongue being of greater overall length than the length of the slot and provided at its opposite lateral edges with reentrant cut outs so shaped as to permit the tongue to be introduced into the slot by zigzag edgewise manipulation of the tongue relative to the slot without bending of any part of the tongue and while all parts of the tongue remain in the same plane, one of said reentrant cut-outs being deeper than the other to permit maximum diiference in dimension between the maximum length of the tongue and the length of the slot, and the edges of both of said re-entrant cut outs extending laterally beyond the opposite ends of the slot, after the tongue has been fully inserted in flat condition, to engage with the opposite ends of the slot and thus lock the tongue algainst inadvertent disengagement from the s ot.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

HARRY H. HONIGBAUM.

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