US1821307A - Box - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1, 1931. c, D HOWLAND 1,821,307

BOX

Filed March 51., 1930 2 Sheets-Shegt l p 1931- c. D. HOWLAND 1,821,307

BOX

Filed March 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept 1 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARROLD D. HOWLAND, OF PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS BOX Application filed March 31, 1930. Serial No. 440,322.

.1 equivalent of either a quarteror a half-bar- These boxes are cleated to strengthen rel. them; contain many nails; their material and construction render them relatively heavy and expensive; ventilating openings in their sides so expose the contents as to invite tampering; and these openings cannot readily be closed to guard the contents against freezing. Such boxes cannot easily be opened, either for temporary inspection of the berries or to permit their sale.

This invention has for an object the provision of a box which, while amply strong, will be inexpensive and light; which will prevent the contained fruit from gathering moisture without its being exposed to view;

which, if desired, may be arranged to prevent the circulation of air at freezing temperatures; and which may be effectively closed and secured, yet may be opened with little effort. In the attainment of this object,

my improved box has an outer and an inner polygonal wall, the inner wall including a greater number of sides than the outer. By

placing the inner wall in contact with the outer, the structure is strengthened, and by extending the sides of the inner wall across the apices of the outer, air-spaces are formed, openings through both the walls into the spaces giving ventilation to the berries without rendering them accessible or readily seen. If, on the other hand, it is desired to guard the contents of the box against freezing, the openings may be closed, as by labels or other pieces of sheet-material. Outer and the box, the outer head being flanged to receive the outer wall, and the inner head lying within the inner wall. By this arrangement, the walls are held against displacement inwardly and outwardly; leakage of the juice inner heads may be applied to both ends of from the berries to the outside of the package is prevented; and when the contents should be insulated against temperatLire-changes, this is facilitated by the double structure. A desirable material from which to construct 65 the box, wholly or in part, is cellular pasteboard, which is strong, light, inexpensive and contains insulating air-spaces. Since it may be convenient to fill the box through one end and remove the contents through the other,

the opposite heads are preferably made separable from the box-wall and have means for releasably locking them in place. I have herein illustrated, and this may be applied to a head at one end of the box only as well as to both heads, engaging shoulders, furnished by lapped portions of the wall and the head-flange and provided with means to force the flange toward the Wall to insure the locking engagement. For this purpose, I have shown connections between adjacent flange-portions at the sides of a head, these connecting members also securing the flangeportions to one another, and also means encircling the head, as between the flange and the lap. The last of these flange-forcing means is made accessible through a space in the flange, and may have a force applied so it is caused to cut through the box-material and divide the lap from the flange, thus freeing- 8 the head for removal.

In the accompanying drawings, in which appears an illustravtieembodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 shows the principal elements of my 8 improved box in perspective and separated from one another;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the box;

Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional detail through adjacent portions of the walls and heads; and

Figs. 4 and 5, details in perspective of the securing means for the head.

The external wall 10 of the box is polygonal in horizontal section, it being preferably in the form of a hexagonal prism. It may conveniently consist of a single rectangular blank of pasteboard, creased at the apices 12 of the polygon, the ends being secured by some such means as an overlapping stay 14 glued in place, or by staples. A wall of this character may be knocked down for shipment and storage, with its opposite sides in contact, 5 takinglittle room and being readily set up for the formation of the box. Because of its lightness, resistance to rupturing stresses and its insulating properties, I find suitable for this purpose the double-faced cellular board consisting of a corrugated layer between opposite outer sheets. It is referably so cut that the longitudinal axes of the corrugations lie transversely of the wall. This material may be utilized throughout the box-structure, being, in each instance, of such weight as to give the required strength. At each extremity, the wall 10 is lapped upon itself at 16 to furnish a shoulder 18.

To separably close each end of the wall, a 20 head 20 is provided, the blank from which the head is formed being hexagonal, of cellular or other board, with a flange 22 projecting from each side of the hexagon, this flange being in sections corresponding to the sides of the hexagon, and the adjacent edges of these flange-sections being so spaced in the blank that they will be in substantial contact when the head is set up. Each flangesection is of sufficient length and outward extension to not only provide for proper extension over the box-wall, but also for a lap 24 to be bent back at a crease 26. Thus, when the flange-sections are turned at right angles to the head in the set-up relation, a continuous shoulder 28 is formed by the laps. This shoulder and the corresponding shoulder 18 of the wall 10 extend substantially at right angles to the wall and are so related that, when the two box-elements are assembled, they spring over each other and interlook, as appears 1n Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawmgs.

To hold the abutting edges of the flanges after a head has been set up, straps 30 of sheet-metal extend across the apices of the hexagon, and from each section of this angular strip, prongs 32 are struck up in the metal, these prongs being forced through the head-flanges and upset on the inside. The flanges may be urged in toward the wall 10, and the engagement of the shoulders 18 and 28 thereby rendered more complete, by devices formed in the straps. At the bend of each strap which registers with the meeting line of the flange-edges I have shown a projection 34, furnlshed by two connecting arms bent outwardly from the body of the strap and converging to a meeting line (see Fig. 4 of the drawings). The straps may be left in this shape, retaining the flanges in their positions at right angles to the body of the head until the wall and head are assembled. Then the projections 34 maybe seized with pliers, their opposite sides pressed together to draw the flange-edges toward each other,

.instance, twelve.

and then bent to one side, as appears in Figs. 1 and 5, to lock the parts against separation.

Any fullness in the head-flanges remaining after the straps 30 have been tightened may be taken up by a wire or other flexible member 36 encircling the entire sectional flange. This wire is seated at the junction of the flange and its lap, and at a point in these portions a space 38 is cut away, through which space the ends 40 of the wire are brought. Before the flange-laps are turned in, the wire is put in place and the ends given a preliminary twist at 40 to hold them in place. After the head has been put upon the wall, the ends are further twisted together and thus draw the entire flange toward the wall 10. On account of the location of the wire at the outer edge of the flange, it very effectively forces said flange in against the wall and locks the head-shoulder 28 beneath the co-operating wallshoulder 18. This having been accomplished, the twisted ends may be tucked into the space 38, so they are substantially hidden and opening of the package by unauthorized persons is not invited. To unlock the head for removal, the wire is engaged at the space 38 by an implement upon which a force is exerted in the direction of the opposite extremity of the wall. This causes the wire to cut through the board, completely severing the lap from the flange and leaving the head free.- To facilitate this division of the lap from the flange, the crease between the two portions may be indented or perforated, as is indicated at 41 in Fig. 3.

Within the wall 10 is a second, preferably polygonal wall 42. This has a greater number of sides than the outer, in the present, Its material, height and manner of setting-up may be the same as the outer wall. In this case, however, the axes of the corrugations in the board may extend circumferentially. The dimensions of the sides of the dodecagonal prism furnishing the inner wall are such that, while one of the sides rests against the inside of the wall 10, the two adjacent sides bridge across the corresponding apex of the hexagon to form spaces at 44 extending from head to head. Into each space are ventilating openings joining the interior of the box with the outer air. Openings 46 in the wall 10 appear as sector-shaped, though this is not es-.

sential to my invention, these being near the corners of each side, thus leaving the greater portion free for the application of labels. Openings 48 in the bridging sides of the wall 42 may be arranged in staggered.

one another that it is difiicult for one lOOliform and function,

ing through the openings 46 to see the contents of the box, and these are practically inaccessible. The circulation of air maintained through these openings and the intermediate spaceprevents injury to the box by the accumulation ofunoisture known as sweating. Because of the projection of the outer walland head-flanges beyond the surfaces of the walls 10, there is always a space left over the openings 46. no matter how closely the boxes are placed. Therefore, access'of air to the contents will not be interfered with. In cold weather it maybe desirable to exclude outside air from the box for shipment. In that case, labels or other sheets may be applied over the openings 46, and the openings 48 also covered. There is, then, a dead-air space of considerable capacity created between the walls 10a11d42, which, with the spaces in the cellular material of the double wall of the box, is very effective 1n preventing the contents from f1 eezing.

After the assembling of the two walls upon one of the outer heads, an inner head'50 of the cellular board, having the same form as the inner wall in horizontal section and of such dimensions as to fit therein, is dropped through the top of said inner wall to rest upon the inner face of the outer head. This gives, as at the outer portion of the wall between the spaces 44, a double thickness of board, greatly strengthening the head, increasing the insulating effect, and better'absorbing moisture. edge of this inner head holds the wall 42 against inward displacement and stifl'ens the entire structure.

With the box set up as-above described, there is preferably placed uponthe center of the head 50 a strut or reinforcing member 52, which is shown as tubular and closed at the bottom; The upper extremity lies just below the plane of the upper edge of the wall 42, giving space to apply the upper inner head 50, this being the same, as to material,

as the head 50 already described. The member 52 holds rigidly spaced from each other the ends of the box, and guards against crushing of the contents by the application of heavy external forces.

The member 52 may be a measure or container of definite capacity, so when the box is opened, as for sale of the contents,'this member which served as a'support between the heads may be utilized for dispensing the berries.

The box is now ready for filling, and, this having been done, the upper inner head 50 is laid on the top, resting upon the end of the tube 52 and contacting at its periphery with the innerwall 42. Application of the upper outer head 20 and its securing by the straps 30 and the wire 36 complete the closure. As already described, the box is opened by cutting the locking lap 24 ofone head from the Moreover, contact of the head-flange 22 with the wire 36, leaving the opened for inspection or sale of the contents and thoroughly secured against accidental opening and against tampering. It protects its contents against atmospheric effects, and may be adapted in this respect to different conditions; and furnishes a readily handled and stacked package, which receives labels well and is generally attractive for the purposes of store-display.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A box comprising an outer polygonal wall, and an inner polygonal wall having a greater number of sides than the outer wall, a side of the inner wall extending across an apex of the outer wall to form a space.

2. A box comprising an outer polygonal wall, and an inner polygonal wall having a greater number of sides than the outer wall, alternate sides of the inner wall lying in contact-with sides of the outer wall and the intermediatesides of the inner wall respectively extending across apices of the outer wall.

3. A box comprising an outer polygonal wall, and an inner polygonal wall having a greater number of sides than the outer wall, a side of the inner wall extending across an apex of the outer wall to form a space, there being openings into the space in each of the inner walls bounding it and openings into said space through the outer wall at opposite sides of the correspondmg apex.

4. A box comprising a polygonal wall furnished by a flat blank of cellular pasteboard creased at the apices of the polygon and with the ends secured to each other, said wall beingfoldable to fiat form, a head of cellular pasteboard closing each end of the wall and provided with a flange within which said wall is received and by which it is held in its set-up relation, and a continuous polygonal inner wall of cellular pasteboard extending from head to head in contact with the outer walland spaced therefrom at the apices of the polygon.

5. A box comprising a wall, a head for closing the wall at one end and having a flange to extend over the wall, the flange and wall being provided with overlapping shoulders, and a member secured to adjacent flanges across an apexan'd having a portion arranged for manipulation to draw the flanges toward the wall.

' 6. A box comprising a wall, a head for closing the wall at one end and having an interrupted flange to extend over the wall, and a strap secured to the flange at each side of the space and provided with a projection converging outwardly and arranged to be closed to draw the flange toward the wall.

7. A box comprising a wall with its edge lapped outwardly to furnish a shoulder, a head provided with a flange lapped inwardly to form a shoulder for locking engagement with that of the wall, there being a space in the flange, and a wire extending about the flange at the juncture with its lap and having ends accessible through the space.

8. A box comprising a wall with its edge lapped outwardly to furnish a shoulder, a

head provided with a flange lapped inward-,

ly to form a shoulder for locking engagement with that of the wall, and a wire extending about the flange at the juncture with its lap, there being an opening in the flange and lap through which the wire is accessible.

9. A box comprising a wall with its edge lapped outwardly to furnish a shoulder, a

head provided with an interrupted flange lapped inwardly to form a shoulder for locking engagement with that of the wall, a wire extending about the flange at the juncture with its lap, and a strap secured to the flange at each side of the space in thefiange and provided with a projection converging outwardly and arranged to be closed to draw the flange toward the wall.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARRULD D. HOWLAND;

Images