US2077173A - Container - Google Patents

Description

M. E. HOLY April 13, 1937.

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Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES CONTAINER MitchelE. Holy, Posen, Ill., assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application August 24, 1935, Serial No. 37,725

4 Claims.

This invention relates to containers adapted to be formed of paperboard and like material.

One object of the invention is to provide an effective but inexpensive container adapted to be .3 collapsed to a fiat condition for storage and shipment and capable of being readily set up.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container having a polygonal or multi-sided tubular body with cooperating top and bottom 10 closures adapted to be readily assembled with the tubular body.

A further object of the invention is to'provide a bottom closure which is provided with means cooperating with parts on the body member 1 whereby the bottom closure, when assembled with the body member, will be securely held in place without necessitating the use of securing means :7 ,her than the interlocking parts of the body and ,he bottom closure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a top closure which may be readily assembled with the body of the container so as to be removably interlocked to the body member.

To these and other ends the invention resides 25 in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

1n the drawing, showing a preferred embodi- 30 ment of the invention, the figure is a perspective View of the container with the top and bottom closure members shown in their proper relative positions with respect to the body member but somewhat removed from the ends thereof.

3;; The present invention, as illustrated, provides an inexpensive form of container for relatively light loads of small articles, such as, for example, individual ice cream cups or containers, where it is desired to facilitate the packaging as well as the dispensingof such small articles and at the same time avoid the use of separate closure securing means such as adhesive, gummed tape, rivets or staples.

The container in its preferred form is illus- 45 trated as comprising a tubular body portion I, a bottom closure 2, and a top closure 3. The body portion and top and bottom closures are preferably constructed of suitable sheet material, such as light solid fibre board which can be readily 50 scored or creased.

The tubular body member I, for purposes of illustration, has been shown as having eight'side walls indicated by numerals 4 to II inclusive. It is, however, to be understood that the contain- 55 er may be formed of other polygonal shapes having more than four sides of substantially equal width whereby the angles between the sides will be greater than right-angles. Containers having an even number of sides are preferably employed.

A glue flap 4a, as illustrated, is preferably provided to connect the walls 4 and I I in a well known manner.

The alternate side walls of the body member I at both top and bottom are preferably provided with short flaps I2, I2 and I3, I3 which cooperate respectively with the tabs I4, I4 and I5, I5 on the lower and upper closure members 2 and 3.

The tabs 'I4, I4 and I5, I5 are formed somewhat similar to each other except that the tabs I4, I4 are formed to provide a substantially permanent connection between thebottom" closure 2 and the body member, while the tabs I5, I5 are formed to provide a readily releasable connection between the top closure 3 and the body member.

For the purpose of securing the bottom closure 2 to the body member I, the tabs I4, I4 are formed with lateral extensions I6, I6 defined from the main tab portion by crease lines H, H so that the tab extensions I 6, I6 may be bent over at an angle to the face of the tab I4 when it is desired vto insert the tab I4 between two adjacent flaps I2, I 2.' When the tab I4 is thus inserted the extensions I,6, I6 thereon will spring back and engage over the upper surfaces of the flaps I2, I2,

these flaps having been bent to extend inwardly when the tubular body member is set up. After all of the tabs I4, I4 have been inserted between adjacent flaps I2, I2 in the mannerjust described it will be apparent that the tab extensions, by engaging on the upper surfaces of the flaps I2, I2, will cause the tabs to be securely locked with such flaps and the tabs may be removed intact only by very carefully bending the extensions I6, I6 from their positions over the flaps I2, I2.

It is not necessary that each of the tabs I4, I4

be provided with the score lines I1, I! between the tab proper and the extensions I6, I6. The majority of these tabs, however, are preferably so constructed to facilitate ready insertion of the tabs between the flaps I2, I2 in their bent-over positions to thus securely lock the bottom closure 2 to the tubular body member.

While the flaps I3, I3 are preferably of a width substantially equal to the width of their attached side walls, and the tabs. I4, I4 with the extensions thereon have an over-all width somewhat greater than the edges of the closure memher to which they are attached, these widths may be somewhat varied, it being essential, however, that the over-all width of tabs I4, I4 is somewhat greater than the maximum spacing between the adjacent flaps I3, I3 so that the extensions I6, I6 will overlap the flaps I2, I2 as pre-' viously explained.

In order tofacilitate the insertion of the tabs I4,

I 4 between adjacent flaps I2, I 2 the crease lines I1, I! in the tabs I4, I4 are preferably inclined so as to converge outwardly of .the tab thus'giving the tab a tapered shape. The tab extensions I6,

I6 are also preferably cut so as to be tapered to- The distance between the extremities of the shoulder portions on tabs I5, i5 is slightly greater than the maximum spacing between adjacent fiaps I3, I3 on the body member. In pressing the tab I5 into thespace between the edges of flaps I3, I3 there will be a slight deformation of the material at the extremities of the shoulders 20, 20 as well as the edges of the flaps I3, I3 which are contacted by these shoulders 20, 20. The tendency of the material, such as fibre board, to regain substantially its original shape after such distortion will cause the shoulders 20, 20 to rather firmly engage the flaps thus releasably locking the top closure 3 to the body'member.

The tabs I5, I5 are preferably provided with tapered edges 2|, 2| to facilitate insertion of the tabs between adjacent flaps I 3, I3.

In the utilization of the container of the present invention the tubular body member will be collapsed to flat condition for shipment and,

when it is desired to set up the container, it is only necessary to expand the body. member and fold over the flaps I2, I2 at the bottom of the body member. The bottom closure may then be secured in place by folding upward the tabs I4, I4 and I6, I6; then inserting the tabs between the flaps I2, I2 so that the tab extensions I 6 will engage on the upper surfaces of these flaps. The

container may then be filled with merchandise without the use of special equipmentand with a minimum of hand manipulation. The provision of short, interengaging flaps tends to greatly eliminate waste which occurs in the construction of many forms of containers, due to the fact that overlapping flaps are employed. By so forming the container as to provide shortinterlocking flaps and tabs, it is thus possible to form the container with only a negligibleamount of material being wasted in the blanking operation. lightweight edible merchandise, such as small ice cream containers, lightweight candles and similar goods, the present container is quite advantageous as it can bereadily set up, packed and For sealed, and, due to the convenient form of cover, the retailer is enabled to keep the contents of the container free from dust and dirt as the top closure may be easily removed and then replaced on the'container. When the container is empty,

it may, if desired, be collapsed flat for reuse by carefully removing the bottom, as previously explained, or the container may be readily discarded as waste paper. While the present description sets forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, certain changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired, that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the. foregoing description to indicatethe scope of the.

invention.

I claim: .1. A box member tom part with tabs on alternate sides and a side part in the form of a continuous band with creases dividing it into panels equal in number and width to the sides of said bottom part, said side part having tabs at the bottom of alternate panels, said bottom part tabs being wider than the panels and having the portions that extend past their panel narrow enough to admit the side tabs between them and the body portion of the bottom part.

2. A box member consisting of a bottom piece in the form of a many-sided polygon with an even number of sides and tabs on alternate sides and a side piece in the form of a continuous band with creases dividing it into panels equal in number 'and width to the sides of said bottom piece and consisting of a polygonal botbetween the bottom piece' tabsand the body pora side piece in the form of a continuous band' with creases dividing it into panels equal in numher and width tov the sides of said end piece'and having tabs on alternate panels, the end piece tabs being wider than the panels and having I notches in their inner marginsat the corners of the polygon, and the side tabs fitting in said notches.

Y 55 4. A box member consisting of an end piece in decreasing in width to the ends thereof so as tofiex readily without being creased.

MITCHEL E. HOLY.

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