US1973956A

US1973956A - Pouring spout for bags

Info

Publication number: US1973956A
Application number: US639427A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Hickman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-10-25
Filing date: 1932-10-25
Publication date: 1934-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 1951-09-18

Description

Sept. 18, 1934 J. J. HICKMAN 3,

POURING SPOUT FOR BAGS Filed Got. 25, 1952 Patented Sept. 18,1934 3 UNITED STATES PATENT orslcs POURING SPOUT FOR-BAGS I John J. Hickman, Ocean Park, Calif. Application October 25, 1932, Serial No. 639,427 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-62) This invention relates to bags and like flexible containers, such as used by merchants for packaging various commodities, for instance, sugar,

coffee, cocoa, breakfast foods, granular tobacco,

jams, peanut butter, etc., and particularly to a bag which is constructed of Cellophane throughout and provided with a spout-like projection at its upper end.

Many industries realize the advantage of Cellophane as container material for their purposes but find the ordinary bag as generally used, not suitable. The present invention is an endeavor to supply a bag that will answer and make Cellophane available to them, and so largely increase the scope and use of such material for container purposes.

The object of the present invention is to gen erally improve and simplify the construction and operation of bags of the character described; 2 to provide a bag which may be constructed of Cellophane throughout; to provide a bag having a restricted upper end which terminates in a spout-like extension so that the con tents of the bag may be readily poured out or removed in small quantities as required; to provide a spout which is self-closing and normally flat but which may be readily opened by applying pressure to the opposite ends,

thereof; and further, to provide a bag having a spout of the character described which may be readily sealed in closed position.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the bag.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing a slightly different form of the bag.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the spout end of the bag.

on line IV-IV 4 is a cross section taken of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of the bag showing the manner in which it is folded to produce a spout-like projection.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the celluloid strips.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly Figs. 1 and 5, A indicates the bottom of the bag, which may be constructed in any suitable manner, 2 the sides of the bag, and 3 the ends thereof. a

The upper end of the bag is open and one of the features of the present invention is that of reducing the upper open end of the bag to form a spout-like projection thereon. This is accomplished, as shown in Fig. 5, by creasing the end walls of the bag along the lines indicated at 4-4, and then folding the material of the bag inwardly as shown. This reduces the upper open end of the bag and forms an extension having two exterior walls 5 and 6, and two intermediate flaps '7 and 8. After the bag has been folded in the manner described, two strips of celluloid are inserted, one of the strips being shown in Fig. 6. Each strip is rectangular in shape, one strip is inserted between the side wall5 and the flap 8, as indicated at 9, while the other celluloid strip is inserted between the side wall 6 and the flap 7, as indicated at 10; the celluloid strips, together with the flaps, being secured in position by employing an adhesive or any other suitable means. After the celluloid strips have been inserted a spout-like extension is formed and this is reinforced and strengthened by applying an exterior band 11, see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Due to the fact that the

celluloid strips

9 and 10, shown in Fig. 6, are flat and rectangular in shape, they will normally tend to'lie flat with relation to each other and as such will normally maintain the spout in a hat contracted position, such as shown in Fig. 5, but the spout may be readily expanded or opened, as shown in Fig. 3, by merely applying pressure to the ends indicated at 14 and 15. The moment, however, pressure is released the spout closes and will normally re main closed. If it is desired to temporarily or permanently retain the spout in a closed position a flap or tab, such as indicated at 16, may be employed. This may be applied to the spout of the bag before the reinforced band 11 is applied and as such is secured by the reinforcing band, and also by an adhesive medium if so desired. The free end of the flap, shown at 16a, may thus be folded over the spout and over the other side, and if the surface of the flap, indicated at 16b, is provided with an adhesive, or the like, it may be secured to the opposite side, of the spout, thus permanently retaining the spout closed and also sealing the same.

The bag as described above is preferably formed completely of Cellophane, with the exception of the

strips

9 and 10, which are formed of clear celluloid. The two substances closely resemble each other, having the common qualities of transparency and flexibility, so that to all appearances theentire bag is made of a single substance. This clearly enhances the appearance of the bag itself and makes it particularly desirable for the packing of such commodities as are more saleable when exposed to the view of the purchaser. The reinforcing band 11 will also be made of Cellophane and the tab 16 may similarly be made of Cellophane, but if preferred, fabric, paper, or like material, may be employed; in fact, the entire bag may be made of paper if desired, and if so made the only parts constructed of celluloid would be the

strips

9 and 10 forming the spout and possibly the tab 16. The ideal material, however, appears to be Cellophane as this is structurally tough and strong; it is transparent .so as to permit display of the commodity contained; and it is moisture-proof, and as such permits sealing of the package and thereby materially improving the keeping qualities of the contents. In Fig. 1, the infolded upper ends are indicated by the dotted lines 4-4 and the tabs by the numerals '7 and 8. In Fig. 2, the infolded ends extend to the bottom of the bag, as indicated at 4a, hence producing a bag which tapers throughout, the bag being widest at the bottom and terminating at the spout at the upper end; this type of bag being particularly intended for smaller packages, such as tobacco containers, confection, and so on, the type of bag shown in Fig. 1 being used for larger bags and commodities suitable therefor.

In actual use the bag or container will serve many purposes. When filled with jam, peanut butter, etc., it will serve as a substitute for cans or jars; when filled with tobacco it serves as a pouch; when filled with cocoa, coffee, and the like, the spout may be opened to permit insertion of a spoon for removal of the contents as required, and when filled with granular materials, such as sugar, the spout may bepartially opened to permit the contents to be poured.

While certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A device of the character described comprising a bag constructed of Cellophane, said bag having a bottom section and side and end sections, and said end sections being folded inwardly adjacent the top of the bag to form a reduced upper open end, a pair of fiat rectangular-shaped celluloid strips disposed in the reduced open end of the bag and secured therein, said strips forming a fiat normallyclosed spout-like extension on the bag and said spout adapted to be opened by applying pressure to the opposite ends of the strips, a reinforcing band encircling the exterior of the spout, and a tab secured to one side of the spout between the reinforcing band and the exterior surface of the bag, said tab having a free end foldable over the upper end of the spout to engage the other side of the spout, and said free end having an adhesive surface to seal the end of the spout.

2. In a bag having flat side walls and end walls folded in to form flaps between the side walls, a flexible strip secured along one side wall between said wall and one fiap, and a small strip secured along the other side wall between said other wall and the other flap, said strips being adjacent the open end of the bag and normally straight to form a closure and being adapted to be flexed to a bowed position to open the bag.

3. A bag having flat side walls and end walls folded in to form flaps between said side walls, a flexible normally straight strip adhesively secured to one side wall and to one flap and being therebetween, a similar strip adhesively secured to the other side wall and to the other flap and being therebetween, said strips being adjacent the bag opening to maintain the same normally closed and being adapted to be flexed to a bowed position to open the bag.

JOHN J. HICKMAN.