US2007438A - Container - Google Patents

Description

July 9, 1935-v c. A. AGAR 2,007,438

CONTAINER Filed May 11, 1953 2 sheets-smet 1 ji* lNvrsN-roR Ya/wh .Ayar

BY v Q: .7AJM-m ATTORNEYS July 9,1935.l C, A AGAR. 2,007,438

CONTAINER Filed May ll, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r: .5. 24V 'ciw-gym lf/JIS -Lza if? l y J7 a JJ ya /9 J6 BY Q m M' M ATTQRNEYS w 1 4atentan. July-9,1935

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CONTAINER Calvin A. Agar, West Orange, N. J.` Application May 11, 1933, Serial No. "670,401 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-27) While the present invention is'not limited to I such use, it is particularly intended for convenient carrying of a half-dozen bottles of beer or other beverage. p

' An object of the invention is to provide a container for the above purpose, capable of completely enclosing the bottles in secure non-shifting relation and out of contact with each other, and which will distribute the strains due` to the weight of the contents when carried in suspended relation in such manner as to avoid injury to -the container, even though the latter be made of relatively weak and inexpensive stock.

Another object is to provide a containerof the above type, in the form of a carton, that may be kept in flat condition and that may be conveniently set up for use when required and will yet have substantially the strength of non-collapsible containers, and in which in particular, the strain is transmitted from the carrying handle to the bottom of the container without oblique or .other destructive strains on the cover and/or side walls of the container.

Another object is to provide a carton `of the above type, involving longitudinal and transverse partitions forming compartments for the individual bottles, and affording struts for reinforcing the outside of the container and for sustaining substantially the entire strain when the package is carried in suspended relation.

Another object is to provide a carton of the above type, made from a single blank maintained in set-up relation solely by interfolding of various parts thereof, to form the entire structure including the longitudinal and transverse partition members, cover members and carrying handle.

Another object is to provide a blank roughly rectangular in shape that may be prepared with but little waste of stock, and capable of being readily set up by interfolding to produce a carton structure of the above character.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the portable container, in closed condition,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig, 1,

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal cross-section, lengthwise of the carton,

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse cross-section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

The container `has cover elements 2l and Aand Fig. 5 is a plan view of the developed blank,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the blank in the process of being folded to produce the carton, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the carton a more advanced state of set-up. Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the container roughly comprises a rectangular bottom I 0, sidewalls I2 and I4 and end walls ij and I3. A longitudinal partition wall I5, I6 extends midway between the side walls I2 and III, through the-entire length and height of the container, and transverse partition members I1, I8, I9 and 2u subdivide the container illustratively into six compartments, for the individual bottles. 22, each of a Width substantially half the thickness of the container from between which protrudes upwardly a. handle structure 23, 24 unitary with the median longitudinal partition I5, I6.

The construction thus far described, substantially regardless how built, provides the advantage of transmitting the strain due to the weight of the contents resting on the bottom, substantially solely through the median partition I5, I6 to the carrying handle 23, 24. The partition being of uniform strength throughout its height below the handle, there is no region of weakening where it is apt to break or tear, and oblique or skew strains on the container wall are avoided, so that the parts may be of relatively weaker or lighter stock than constructions in which the strain is not as directly transmitted.

The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is preierably made of a blank shown developed in Fig. 5, and which will now be described.

The blank, preferably of a thin grade of stili, double-faced corrugated paper board is roughly rectangular in form, and accordingly-is made with but little waste of stock. The blank is longitudinally and transversely scored and longitudinally slit as shown and more fully set forth below. The blank includes four panels II, I2, I3 I4 joined at longitudinal score lines s in a lateral sequence with a tucking tongue 25 at the lateral edge of the blank. The panels I2 and I4 of greater wid-th determine the side walls of the carton and the narrower panels II and I3 the end walls thereof. The blank is longitudinally slit both at its upper and lower edges as at t inalignment with the score lines s between the respective panels.- The naps thus formed, which extend from that edge of the wall panel at the bottom of the set-up carton, are longer than said panels and said flaps are scored as at Cri CII

u parallel to the score line '0 between the panels andthe flaps, the area between said scores u and v being of a width substantially half the thickness of the finished carton and determining the bottom panels I and I0 of the carton. The slits w divide the flaps associated with the narrower panels II and I3 into identical laterally aligned transverse partition flaps and IB, and the flaps 2|) and I9 respectively. The foot 26 of each of the transverse partition flaps serves as the spacer from the corresponding end wall. v

The aps at the ends of the panels at the top of the set-up carton serve as the cover. The flaps 2| and 22 are scored at y to form tucking flaps 30, the distances between the score line determining the upper edge of the panel in the set-up carton, and the score y being each substantially half the thickness of the set-up carton. The corresponding flaps of the narrower panels and I3 are longitudinally slit at e in alinement with slits w, each to form two segments 3| and 32.

The narrower flap portions I8, I9 and 20 beyond score line u and associated with panels and I3, are preferably of a length equal to the heigh-t of said panels. The wider ap portions |5 and |B`associated with panels I2 and |4 are of greater length to determine handle aps 23 and 24 with hand holes 34 therein, said handle members being connected at corresponding score lines r aligned with the extremities of the lflaps I1, I8, I9 and 20.

The carton shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is set up, as required, from the blank of Fig. 5 just described, by an interfolding operation now to be set forth and illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7. In the set-up container, the bottom-forming narrower panels I0 and I0 of the blank are brought into abutment at their limiting score lines u, and the partition-forming panels I5 and I 6 with their handles 23 and 24 are brought into face to face engagement. The longitudinal slit w between flaps II and I8 is caused to straddle the superposed longitudinal partition members I5 and I6 so as to dispose the flaps I1 and I8 as transverse partitions extending on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition. The foot 26 of each of said transverse partition flaps is superposed over the corresponding bottom segments I0, I0', and determines the distance of said transverse partitions from the end wall. Similarly, the slit w between transverse partition flaps I9 and 20 is caused to straddle the superposed longitudinal partition members I5 and I6, and the foot 25 of each of said members determines the distance of said transverse partitions from the corresponding end wall of the carton. In the process of inter-folding the partition members set forth, the wall panels II, I2, I3 and I4 are folded into a rectangular enclosing structure and the tucking tongue 25 is then tucked into place.

The bottles or other articles may now be nserted into their individual compartments as shown in Fig. 2, and thereupon the respective flaps 3| and 32 may be folded in from the end walls to extend at opposite sides of the protruding handle members 23 and 24, and finally the cover flaps 2| and 22 may be folded down with their tongues 30 tucked in as first shown in Fig. 4 into face to face contact with the longitudinal partition members I6 and I5 respectively. The distance between the flaps 3| and 32 must be four times 'the thickness of the stock, since there is accommodated therebetween not only the double thickness of the longitudinal partition I5, I6, but the double thickness of the two tucking tongues 30. For this reason, -the slit z denning said tongues is of correspondingly greater width, as shown, than the remaining slits.

No auxiliary tools or appliances of any kind whatsoever are required to set up the carton, as required by the beer salesman, from the plain at blank. No staples. glue strip or other auxiliary holding means need be used.

When the complete carton is carried from the handle members 23, 24, the weight of the contents sustained on the bottom is transmitted substantially directly through the Width and height of the vertical longitudinal partition structure I5, I6. There is no weakened region in this carrying partition where rupture, under the weight of the package contents, would be apt to occur, since the partition is of uniform area at each horizontal cross-section below the hand hole 34, and is not weakened at any locality by tongues, slits or the like. The transverse carrying partition is connected at its base directly to the bottom l0, I0' at the median line of the latter, and is free from any direct mechanical connection to the lateral walls or top of the container. Thus, there is assurance that the stress is transmitted vertically and no destructivel oblique or skew strains on the walls of the carton or on its cover are incurred.

In the closed package, the transverse partitions I'I, I8, I9 and 20 maintain the longitudinal partition structure I5, I6 from hinging movement, and the bottles retain the transverse partitions in correct relation to separate the bottles from contact with each other.

The transverse partition members I1, I8, I9 and 20 also serve as struts reacting against the bottom, top, side walls and longitudinal partition to thus resist any tendency for the bottom segments to hinge upwardly under tension transmitted through partition I5, I6. The spacer feet 26 also act as struts to resist such hinging movement of the bottom segments, said spacer feet, the cover tabs 3|, 32, the cover naps 2|, 22, and the various partition members also operating jointly and severally as reinforcing struts to strengthen the lateral walls of the carton.

While the carton described is particularly convenient for carrying a half dozen bottles of beer or other beverage by the ultimate consumer from the retail store, it will be readily understood that four of these filled cartons may be readily packed, when shipping a case of beer, the two parts 23 and 24 of the handle member in that case being simply folded down to afford a plain rectangular container, convenient for shipping or packing.

Since the cover flaps are readily opened for access to the bottles, the package may be used for returning the empty bottles to the retail store and may be reused indefinitely.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described apparatus in which the several features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As manyhanges could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that al1 matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a hunting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Pat ent ofthe United States isz- 1. A container comprising joined side and end walls, the side walls each having an integral halfsize bottom flap, each having an extension forming an upstanding partition member in face-toface contact with the other and projecting above the top of the container, audeach end wall' having slotted aps integral therewith at the lower end thereof and resting on said bottom flaps, the body portion of each Aof said slotted flaps being of a length substantially equall to one-third the width of said side walls and each slotted flap having an upwardly extending terminal portion of the a with half-'size top flaps adapted to rest umn the upper ends of the extensions of said slotted flaps.

2. A container comprising joined side and end walls, the side walls each having an integral halfsize bottom ilap, each having an extension forming an upstanding partition member in face-toface contact with the other and projecting above the top of the container, and each end wall having slotted flaps integral therewith at the lower end thereof and resting on said bottom flaps, the body portion of each of said slotted iiaps being of a length substantially equal to one-third the width of said side walls and each slotted flap having an upwardly extending terminal portion of the full width of said bottom flaps and of the full height of said side walls, and each of said side walls at its upper end having integral therewith half-size top iaps adapted to rest upon the upper ends of the extensions of said slotted aps.

CALVIN A. AGAR'.

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