US1904019A - Metal bottle carrier - Google Patents

Description

April 18, 1933. V|GNO$ I 1,904,019

METAL BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Dec. 30, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l 9 I Snventor P1401 V/6/VO5 I f1 .4

(lttomegs I April 18, 1933. P. VIGNQS METAL BO' ITLE CARRIER 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30

3nnentor PA U L V/6/V05 Gttornegs April 18, 1933. P. VIGNOS METAL BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Dec.

.3 Sheets-Sheet I5 ZSnnentor B 01 V/E/VOS (lttornegs Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

OF CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO mAL BOTTLE CARRIER Application filed December 30, 1932. Serial No. 643,493.

This invention relates to carriers for glass bottles and the like and is particularly concerned with such carriers constructed of sheet metal. I

Heretofore carriers for glass bottles and the like have been constructed of wood, usually in the shape of boxes, and sometimr 3 provided with covers and other times having open tops. Separators'of various types have been employed, including wire racks or cardboard partitions. These wooden carriers occupy considerable "space, require frequent cleaning, but even then cannot be preserved in a fully sanitary condition, particularly after the contents of one or more of the bottles has been spilled in the carrier, as often occurs due to breakage of the bottles. If the wooden carriers are once stained they retain the stain permanently. Moreover, these wooden carriers are held together with nails and usually with thin narrow binding strips of metal tacked or nailed in place. When covers are used, the hinges are held on by tacks or nails. Handling such carriers loosens the nails and tacks and wears through the metal binding strips so that the maintenance costs are high and there is the attendant danger of injury, such as cuts and the like to those handling the carriers.

Eflorts have been made to replace these wooden carriers with carriers composed of fiberboard and the like, as well as by sheet metal. The berboard carriers were not entirely acceptable because they could not be used to return the empty bottles which thus accumulated in the hands of the purchaser.

The sheet metal carriers proposed and tried were made of heavy metal, so that they weighed considerably more than the wooden carriers, were of much the same volume, and while free from the heavy maintenance costs of the wooden carriers were unsatisfactory because of the large amount of breakage of bottles incurred when they were used. They were more costly to make and increased the freight charges.

According to the present invention. I have provided a carrier for bottles and like containers which are liable to breakage in transit, which carrier is of greater strength. and

occupies at least 23% less space than the wooden carriers, is lighter than a wooden carrier of the same strength, can be kept clean and sanitary, requires little, if any, maintenance cost, and is capable of transporting glass bottles and similar fragile containers with a breakage loss favorably comparable with that of the wooden carriers.

My invention briefly comprehends a sheetmetal carrier which may be provided with a cover if desired, and which has indented flexible portions preferably in the side, end and bottom walls which afl'ord fiat surfaces disposed to contact with the sides and bottoms of the bottles or similar containers. These portions being flexible, absorb in a large measure exteriorly applied shocks, so that the shocks are not transmitted directly to the bottles and in this manner breakage is largely prevented. Where covers are provided for the carriers, outwardly bent flexible portions may be provided adjacent to the tops of the bottles, since the bottle top will be cushioned against shocks by reason of the cap and the gasket. The carrier may be stiffened and strengthened as will be hereinafter pointed out, so that relatively thin sheet metal may be used in constructiong the carrier without sacrifice of strength and with attendant lightness of weight.

Still other advantages of the invention and the invention itself-will become more apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof which, together with the accompanying drawings, form a. part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a bottle carrier of my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken-from a plane on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the lid in a raised position;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a stamping used to form the side walls and bottom of the carrier of my invention;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a stamping used to form the end wall thereof;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a stamping used to form the lid;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 88, Figure 1, showing the carrier with the position taken by itscontents indicated by dotted lines;

Figure 9 is a vertical medial sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 2;

Figure 10 is an elevational view of the latch used; and

Figure 11 is a plan view of the device with the lid in an open position.

As best shown in Figure 5 the side walls and bottom may be formed of a single sheet of metal which may be a stamping. It is provided with suitable marginal portions such as 3 and 5 which may be later folded as indicated by the dotted lines 6 and 7 to provide the ultimate box-like structure. The sheet material is formed to provide a plurality. of panels 8 on the side walls and bottom and which, when the sides are folded into their ultimate form, extend inwardly from the surfaces of the container as illustrated in Figure 8. The panels are'preferably arranged in spaced parallel relation to each other extending vertically on the sides 10 and transversely across the bottom 11.

Suitable apertures may be provided in the bottom of the container for drainage purposes.

An end wall 12 is likewise provided, and has panels of a. similar nature. The stamping is provided with marginal portions 13 and 14 along the top and sides respectively.

The portion 13 may be folded along the dotted lines 15 for forming the angular top reinforcement. The portions 14 are also folded at 15' to form an angular portion which may be finally secured in place inside the side walls by spot welding.

The margin portions 5 on the side walls and bottom 10 and 11 are adapted to be folded along the dotted lines 7 at right angles to form portions which overlap a portion of the end wall and are secured thereto by spot welding or the like.

The upper marginal portions 3 and 13 of the side and end walls are folded, as indicated by the dotted lines 7 and 15, backward upon themselves (Figure 3) to provide a continuous angular reinforcing member 21 along the entire free edge of the container. The corners being welded at 21' to form an integral construction all around the free upper edge of the container.

A lid (Figure 7) may be provided for the container and is formed by stamping in a manner similar to that described for the sides and ends; It is adapted to be secured to the side of the container by a piano type hinge 23 which permits the lid to lie close upon the top edges of the container and to swing downward against the side when open. Downwardly extending continuous flanges 24 and 25 are formed, during the stamping, on the side and ends of the lid and are adapted to encompass the top edge of the container. The lid is provided with a large inwardly extending rectangular panel 28 which panel in turn is provided with outwardly extending panels 26. The large panel '3 28 provides an annular channel 29 extending around the lid adjacent the edge adapted to confine the free angular edge 21 of the container when closed. Ihe panels 26 also extend transversely across the lid and are adapted to engage the tops of the bottles which are thus allowed to extend above the surface of the large panel 28 but still remain slightly below the border portion 29 which surrounds the large panel 28 as best shown in Figure 3.

A locking and sealing means is provided for lockingthe lid of the container and sealing the same and comprises generally a latch and keeper secured to the side wa l and lid respectively. The latch includes a generally U shaped member having legs 30 and 31 and an angular guide 32 provided with an aperture 33 through which the leg 31 may extend. The leg 31 is formed near its end to provide a latch 34. The guide 32 is secured to the side wall by spot welding and is provided with reversely turned lugs 32 which are folded about and embrace the leg 30 of the latch at the notched portions 30 to securely hold the same.

The leg 31 is provided with shoulders 31 adapted to engage the underside of the guide 32 so that when pressure of the keeper against the latch is exerted, such as an attempt to open the box without releasing the latch, the pressure set up is not transmitted to the spring to consequently deform the same but is absorbed by the shoulders impinging against the guide and is transmitted thereto.

The keeper which is adapted to cooperate with the latch may be spot welded to the lid and comprises an angular member 36 having a downwardly extending keeper 37 adapte for en agement with the latch 34. The lid is provi ed with a depressed longitudinal zone 40, as best shown in Figures 4 and 7, and has a pair of apertures 41 and 42 formed therein. The ends of the zone 40 curve upward at 43 and 44 to gradually merge with the surface of the panel portion 28. The keeper 36 is provided with a tongue 45 which extends upward through the aperture 41 and is itself provided with an aperture 46 which is in substantially axial alignment with the axis of the zone 40. The latch 34 is provided with an angular operating portion 47 adapted to extend through the aperture 42 in the zone 40 when the lid is closed. An aperture 48 is also provided in the latch which is in axial alignment with the zone 40 and aperture 46 of the tongue 45.

One side of the containermay be provided to receive a suitable advertising label, em ossing, or the like. The end walls may be provided with hand holes 17 formed by punching apertures in the end walls and rolling the free edges of the material as shown in Figure 9 or by forming the same about a suitable reinforcing wire to provide a smooth surface which permits the carrier to be readily handled without cutting the fingers.

The inwardly extending panels on the sides, ends and bottoms are so designed and positioned relative to each other that bottles,

when placed in the container (Figure 8) may stand upon the transverse bottom panels and the outer row of bottles contact the vert1cal side panels. The corner bottles being engaged by the inwardly projecting panels 8 on the side and the inwardly pro ecting panels 9 on the ends. A suitable separator, of. corrugated paper or the like 50, may be provided to space the bottles, 51, om each other.

In operation when bottles or the like are placed in the carrier, the bottles of the outer row are adapted to be engaged by the inwardly depressed panels. The bottles intermediate the outer rows and the bottles in the outer rows are supported in spaced relation to each other by a suitable fiber or corrugated paper spacing means, or the like, as shown in Figure 8. The tops of the bottles are adapted to contact with the upwardly projected panels 26of the lid when the lid is closed.

In closing the lidthe keeper 37 engages the end 47 of the latch member exerting a camming action thereon and springs the latch member laterally to the left as shown in Figure 4 until the keeper falls below the latch portion 34 and is engaged thereby. In this position the lid of the container islocked, but

may be released by pressing the end 47 of the latch member to the left, as viewed in Figures 3 and 4, to disengage the latch 34 from the keeper 37. It is to be noted that the operating portion 47 of the latch and the tongue 45 of the keeper do not extend above the surface of the lid surrounding the depressed zone, thus providing a means for opening the box from the outside but at the same time not presenting any surfaces which are liable to catch upon extraneous objects and permitting the carriers to be readily stacked.

The position and operation of the latch is such that the latch may be released and the lid opened in one movement by grasping the latch and lid between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. This makesit unnecessary to release the latch with one hand and open the lid with the other. e

The depressed zone is so formed that the longitudinal axes of the zone and the apertures in the tongue of the keeper and in the end of the latch are all in axial alignment with each other. This rmits a sealing wire to be quickly and readily apertures to seal the latch if so desired to prevent the container from being opened without breaking the seal.

The panel construction of the sides and bottom provides a plurality of resilient surfaces upon and against which the bottles rest and being'inwardly disposed resiliently support the bottles against shock. The panels lying below the exterior surface also are less liable to contact with extraneous objects; contact with extraneous objects being by the material of the carrier intermediate the panels.

Although the embodiment shown and described contemplates a lid it is also within the purview of the invention to provide cases ofthis construction without lids and it is not the applicants intention to so limit the device.

Havin thus described my invention so that others skllled in the art may be able to practice the same, what I desire to secure by Let ters Patent is defined in what is'claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like, comprising an enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedly secured to the container, a lock for said lid comprising a spring latch secured to the side wall and a keeper secured to the lid, said lid being formed to provide an aperture therein above the keeper, said latch having a tongue adapted to extend through the aperture to permit release of the latch.

2. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising an enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedly secured to the container, a lock for said lid including a spring latch secured to the side wall and a keeper secured to the lid, said lid guided through thebeing formed to provide an opening in the lid above the keeper, said latch provided with a tongue adapted to extend through the openin for releasing the latch and means in said 1i and latch to permit the same to be sealed.

3. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising an'enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedly secured to the container, a lock for said lid, a spring latch secured to a wall, a keeper on the lid; said lid formed to provide an inwardly depressed zone adjacent the latch and keeper, and openings in the bottom of said zone; a tongue on the latch adapted to extend through said opening and below the surface of the lid surrounding the zone for releasing the latch.

4. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like, comprising a rectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedly secured to the container, a lock for said lid including a spring latch secured to a wall, a keeper on the lid for said latch said lid formed to provide an inwardly depressed zone adjacent the keeper and openings above the keeper;'said keeper having an apertured tongue extending through one of the openings into the depressed zone, an apertured tongue on the latch for releasing the latch, the apertures in the latch and keeper being aligned to permit the same to be sealed.

5. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising a rectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, a lid hingedly secured to the container, means to lock and seal said lid comprising a spring .latch secured to the container wall, a keeper for the latch secured to the lid; said lid being formed to provide a longitudinally depressed zone with a plurality of apertures therein above the keeper; said keeper provided with an apertured tongue extendingthrough one of said apertures into said zone below the surface of the lid surrounding said zone, said latch being provided with an apertured extension adapted to extend through another aperture into said depressed zone below the surface surrounding the zone in alignment with the keeper tongue and adapted to permit the lat' h to be sealed to the keeper tongue.

6. A sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like, comprising an "enclosure having side and end walls and a bottom, a lid for the enclosure hingedly secured thereto, means for locking and sealing the lid of the container comprising a metallic latch of U shaped conformation having one leg of the U adapted to be secured to the container wall, the other le of the latch extending upwardly and provided with a latching member, a keeper for engagement with the latching member; said lid being formed to provide a longitudinal inwardly depressed zone with apertures therein, said keeper being secured to the lid at said zone and being provided with an apertured tongue extending through the lid in axial alignment with said zone below the surface of the lid surrounding the zone, said latching member provided wit-h an apertured extension extending through the other aperture in said zone in axial alignment with the keeper tongue and below the surface of the lid surrounding the zone and adapted to be sealed to the tongue of the keeper. p

7. In a sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising a rectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls,

the material of said walls being formed to provide a plurality of regularly spaced inwardly depressed resilient panels adapted to contact with the contents of the container, the space adjacent said panels adapted to contact with objects exteriorly of the container; a lid for the container hingedly secured thereto and provided with a plurality of outwardly displaced resilient panels adapted for contact with the contents of the container, said free edges of the side walls terminatmg in an angular reinforcement formed by folding the free edge backward upon itself; a lock for locking and sealing the lid of the container sheet comprising a U shaped latch having one le welded to the container wall and the other ree leg extending upwardly and provided with a catch, a keeper for the catch secured to the lid; said lid being formed to provide an inwardly depressed longitudinal zone having a plurality of apertures being disposed above the keeper and latch; said keeper having an apertured tongue extending through one of said apertures into said zone and below the surface of the lid surrounding said zone, said aperture being in axial alignment with said zone, said latch being provided with an apertured extension extending through the other aperture in alignment with said tongue and adapted to release or provide means whereby said latch may be sealed shut.

8. In a sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising a rectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls,

the material of said walls being formed to provide a plurality of regularly spaced inwardly depressed resilient panels adapted to contact with the contents of the container, the space adjacent said panels adapted to contact with objects exteriorly of the container; a lid for the container hingedly secured thereto and provided with a plurality of outwardly displaced resilient panels adapted for contact with the contents of the container, said free edges of the side walls terminating in an angular reinforcement formed by folding the free edge backward upon itself, a lock for locking and sealing the lid of the container comprising a U shaped latch having one leg welded to the container wall and the other free leg extending upwardly and provided with a catch, a keeper for the catch secured to the lid; said lid being formed to provide an inwardly depressed longitudinal zone having a plurality of apertures and being disposed above the keeper and latch; said keeper having an apertured tongue extending through .one of said apertures into said zone and below the surface of the lid surrounding said zone, said aperture being in axial align ment with said zone, said latch being rovided with an apertured extension exten ing through the other aperture in alignment with said tongue; said zone adapted to provide a guideway whereby a sealing means may be easily inserted through the apertures in said tongue and latch to seal the container sheet.

9. In a sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising a rectangular enclosure having side, end and bottom walls, the material of said walls being indented to form a plurality of regularly spaced fiat cushioning surfaces adapted to contact with the bottles in the container, a portion intermediate the indented portion lying fiush with the surface of the container and adapted for contact with extraneous .objects, a lid for the container hingedly secured thereto and being formed to provide a channeled portion adjacent the edge thereof adapted to embrace the free edge ofthe container when in a closed position.

10. In a sheet metal container for glass bottles or the like comprising a rectangular enclosure having side. end and bottom walls,the material of said walls being formed to provide a plurality of regularly spaced inwardly depressed resilient panels adapted to contact with the contents of the container, the space adjacent said panels adapted to contact with objects exteriorly of the container; a'lid for the container hingedly secured thereto and provided with a plurality of outwardly displaced resilient panels adapted for-contact with the contents of the container, and an annular channel adjacent the edge, said free edges of the side walls terminating in an angular reinforcement formed by folding the free edge backward upon itself and adapted to be embraced by said annular channel, a lock for locking and sealing thelid of the container comprising a U shaped latch having one leg welded to the container wall and thezone and below the surface of the lid sur-- rounding said zone, said aperture being in axial alignment with said zone, said latch being provided with an apertured extenslon extending through the other apertures in alignment with said tongue; said zone adapts ed to provide a guideway whereby a sealing means may be easily inserted through the apertures in said tongue and latch to seal the container sheet.

11. A light weight, substantially non-racking sheet metal shipping case for glass bottles and the like comprising connected side, end and bottom walls and provided with stiffening means extending around the open end of the case, and a cover for the case overlapping- 1y engaging the walls, the bottom wall having indented cushioning panels extending thereacross and formed with flat resilient surfaces,

. each positioned to contact with the bottoms of a row of bottles in the case, the side and end walls having panels formed with resilient surfaces positioned to contact with the bottles in the case.

12. A light weight substantially non-racking sheet metal shipping case for glass bottles and the like comprising connected side, end and bottom walls provided with stiffening formed with flat resilient surfaces positioned to contact each with the side of a bottle in the case, and the cover having indented panels extending thereacross and each positioned out of normal contact with bottles resting on the said flat surfaces of the bottom wall.

13. A light weight substantially non-racking sheet metal shipping case for glass bottles and the like comprising connected side,

end and bottom walls provided with stiflening means extending around the open end of 'the case, and a cover hinged to one wall of the case and overlappingly engaging opposite sides of the stiffening means at the open end of the case, the bottom wall having indented cushioning panels extending thereacross and formed with flat resilient surfaces, each positioned tocontact with the bottoms of a row of bottles in the case, the side and end walls having indented vertical cushioning panels formed with fiat resilient surfaces positioned to contact each with the side of a bottle in the case, and the cover having indented panels extending thereacross and each positioned out of normal contact with bottles resting on the said fiat surfaces of the bottom wa 14. A light weight substantially non-racking sheet metal shipping case for glass bottles and the like including side,'end and bottom walls, stiffening means extending around the open end of said case and a cover for the case formed to provide a channeled portion adjacent the edge of the cover adapted to engage the side and end walls, said bottom wall having indented cushioning panels extending thereacross and formed with fiat resilient surfaces positioned to contact with the bottoms of rows of bottles in the case, the side and end walls having cushioning panels positioned to contact with the bottles in the case.

15. A light weight, substantially non-racking, sheet metal shipping case for glass bottles and the like including side, end and bottom walls, stiffening means extending around the case at its open end, a cover for the case having a wall adapted to engage the inner periphery of substantially the entire open end of the case, a flange on three sides of the cover to engage the outside of the case, a hinge member on the outside of the fourth side of the case extending substantially the entire length of said side and hinged to the cover, said bottom wall having cushioning panels extending thereacross and formed with flat resilient surfaces positioned to contact with the bottoms of rows of bottles in the case, the side and end walls having cushioning panels, formed with flat surfaces positioned to contact with the outer rows of bottles in the case. 5 In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 20th day of December, 1932.

PAUL VIGNOS.

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