US2089728A - Package and packaging container - Google Patents

Description

1937. ,E. M. BROGDEN 2,089,728

PACKAGE AND PACKAGING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1937- N E. M. BROGDEN 2,089,728

PACKAGE AND PACKAGING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 741 l [26 Ernesi' MBro g'den 1937. E. M. BROGDEN 2,089,728

PACKAGE AND PACKAGING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ErneslMBfo o'dezi Aug. 10, 1937. E. M. BROGDEN PACKAGE AND PACKAGING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 14, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 E172 esi/ILBm W m 1 E. M. BROGDEN ,728

PACKAGE AND PACKAGING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 14, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ErnesZ' MBroga en Patented Aug. 10, 1 937 PaGKAGE AND 2,089,123 PACKAGING comma Ernest 1th Brogden, New Haven, Conn. Application February 14, 1935, Serial No. 6,585

25 Claims.

This inventionrelates to packages and packaging containers; and it relates more particularly to containers and the combination thereof with contained articles to form complete packages, 5 both the containers and the packages possessing novel and desirable characteristics that render them peculiarly fitted to meet practical trade requirements not satisfactorily met heretofore. More particularly, the invention has to do with consumer-unit containers and packages ofv a type permitting articles of generally globular form and substantial size, especially fresh fruitand vegetables, to be displayed to purchasers and inspected by them; and, most desirably, also suited for use in shipping or transporting such articles in the course of distribution from the producer to the consumer, while affording them effective protection against mechanical injury.

The invention finds applicability in various fields, but is particularly useful in connection with thedistribution and sale of fresh fruits and vegetables that are more or less globular in form and of such substantial size as commonly to. be sold to consumers in unit number, such as a dozen, or any convenient multiple or fraction of such unit number. The invention is also applicable, however, where such articles are sold in weight units instead of number units. Among fruits and vegetables in connection with whose distribution and sale the novel container and package of the invention offer particular advantages may be mentioned citrus. fruits, including oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and lemons; deciduous fruits such as apples, pears, peaches and plums; and vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, and pota,

toes. While such fruits and vegetables vary considerably in specific contour, they are of generally globular shape or form. Moreover, in commercial practice,-most of them are customarilysuch perishable food articles 0 commodities that the invention finds its greatest present utility.

This specific'use of the invention willtherefore be more particularly referred to hereinafter in disclosing the underlying principles involved; but 55 it is to be understood that this is only for purposes of ready explanationandillustration and is not to be construed as limiting in effect.

- In attempting to provide a consumer unit container or receptacle andpackage for commercial distribution and marketing of fruits and vegetables of the character referred to, numerous fac-- tors of vital. importance have to be considered.- In the first place, the cost of manufacture should be relatively small, since otherwise the complete package cannot profitably be sold to a consumer at an attractively low price. The container should also possess sufficient strength and stillne'ss to be self-sustaining and to prevent the package beingbroken and its contents injured under ordinary handling conditions which, especially if the articles are to be shipped or transported'in the container a substantial distance, may often be somewhat severe. Moreover, the. containershould hold the articles snugly enough to prevent substantial relative movement thereof within the containersuch as would result in undue chafing or rubbing during transportation. It is also desirable that it be possible for a purchaser easily -to inspect the articles in a consumer-unit package as to their quality or grade and condition; and it is equally desirable that the dealer be able to display to advantage the articles contained in such packages. Moreover, it is of great importance that the general appearance of the'consumer unit package as a whole be attractive; and, in non-delivery retail trade especially, that the package be of such shape and contour as to be easily handled and carried by the customer. Heretofore no container and package of theconsumer-unit type has been available in the art that would satisfactorily meet all the various practical requirements and possess the advantageous characteristics above mentioned, notwithstanding the fact that much thought and research has been put upon the problem.

40 As will be pointed out in detail hereinafter, the

best embodiment of the invention, the package is provided with elastic fastening or securing means operative automatically to restore it to its normal condition after such inspection is completed. The novel container also automatically accommodates itself to reasonable variations from the intended mean or average standard size and departure from normal globular'form,

' of the articles composing the unit to be held therein, whether the articles happen 'to be somewhat oversize or undersize. mains snuggly filled even where the oranges (e. g.) it contains may shrink to some extent after orig- ,inally beingplaced therein, due to the moderate witheringor wilting often undergone by fresh fruit and vegetables duringthe distributing and marketing period.

Another important.advantage aflorded by the invention is that any of the various types of the novel containers may be provided in a definite series so systematically graduated in size or capacity, that the component containers of the .given series correspond to the entire range of standard or established trade sizes of a, given class of articles, such as oranges, thereby permitting the distribution and sale of all sizes within the established range, each size'in unit containers of the particular capacity and proportioningadapted to accommodate the desired consumer unit of articles of that size to best advantage.

Most desirably, the novelcontainer is structurally strong and self-sustaining and, in its best embodiments, will withstand the application of substantial external force without deformation;

the consumer normally has to pay for the same quantity under conditions at present prevailing in the trade.

Generally described, the container or receptacle of .the present invention comprises a bowl or tray portion constituting the lower part or-body.

' To the upper edge or periphery of the body are 'hinged cover flaps of such configuration that when they are moved or swung over the tray section they only partly cover the same, leaving a central portion of the top open to expose the contents. Furthermore in the best embodiments of the invention, these flaps are hinged attheir bases to the container at spaced localities; that is, there are'spaces or gaps left between the flap bases where they are hinged to the container body. Moreover, the flaps are of such shape that they do'not overlap when moved inwardly into their normal covering position and, most desirably, they do not even contact with each other Thus the container renovel container filled with fruit, such as when the container is iilled' with its unit quota of globular articles of the normal mean standard size or sizes contemplated. Consequently,

in this preferred embodiment of the invention,

the complete package is open not only centrally but at spaced peripheral localities as well; and

; since in the best form of the package the major portion of the articles composing the contained unit are in such arrangement that they project above the upper edge of the bowl or tray section of the container, the majority of the containedarticles are prominently visible through the central and peripheral openings left uncovered by the cooperating cover flaps.

The novel container may be constructed of any suitable material; but-ordinarily it is most desirable that the material employed be of such character that both the tray or body portion and the cover flaps hinged thereto are structurally rigid individually and resistant to deforming stresses of substantial magnitude. Fibrous material such as box-board (e. g. fiber-board) or ticing the invention is fibrous pulp, such as wood pulp, from whichcontainers embodying the invention may be molded complete in one integral piece by methods and apparatus generally well known in the pulp moldingart. In further explaining the principles of the invention, such a container will be described hereinafter by way of illustrative example; but it is to be understood that the new container may be made of various I materials other than pulp, as has been hereinaboveindicated, and by methods other than molding. I i

In the accompanying drawingsfwhich illustrate certain practical embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 shows in perspective-one form of the oranges, to form a complete package; 1

Figs. 2 and 3 are side and end elevations, re-

spectively, and Figs. 4 and 5 are a top plan and bottom view, respectively of the complete package shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a top plan of the container with the cover flaps swung back out of covering or closing position, with the proper. arrangement of the globular articles therein shown more or less diagrammatically;

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical sections on the lines l-'l and 88, respectivelymf Fig. 6, the arrangement of the contained articles being again shown more or less diagrammatically;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the container on the diagonal line 99 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing how a number of the containers 'can be nested for shipment or storage;

Fig. 11' is a top plan of another package emboding the principles ofthe invention, the container being generally similar to that shown in I comer view of the same, and a vertical section of the container or box only on the line l--l5 of Fig. 13;

Figs. 16, 17 and 18 illustrate still another form which the container and package of the invention may take, the figures being, respectively, a top plan, side elevation, and end view looking in I the direction of the longer axis; and

Fig. 19 is a vertical section through the con-.

tainer'on the line l9l9'of Fig. 16.

Referring first to that form of the consumerunit container and package illustrated in Figs. 1-9 inclusive, I0 is the bottom, and II and I! are the side walls, of the tray or bowl member constituting the 'bodyproper of the container which isgenerally polygonal in plan, in this 'in-" stance rectangular with walls. ll slightly longer peripherally.than walls l2.

In this particular instance, the side walls are shown inclined or flared outwardly toward the top for the purpose, among others, of enabling the empty containers to be nested closely together. Two pairs of partcover flaps, l3 and M, are hingedly united along their bases to the side walls II and I2, respectively. These cover flaps, intheir operative c0v-' ering position shown in Fig. 1,-for example, partly cover the top or open side of the container body,

leaving a relatively large central opening I5, however, and comer openings 16 between adjacent flapbases, each of which openings in this instance is connected to the large central opening by a narrow opening i'l, between the' curved end edges of adjacent flaps.

- Fastening or securing means, which may take any one of numerous available forms, is provided to hold the cover flaps in their closing position shown wherein they contact the upper group of globular articles I8, such as oranges, with which the container is snugly filled, holding them against substantial relative movement one to the v other, and also preventing them from being spilled out of the container. Most desirably, the

said fastening or securing means is elastic or resilient and sufficiently yielding to permit any or all of the cover'flaps to be swung back to permit more complete inspection of the package units; said resilient means acting, upon release of the flaps, to return them automatically to their normal closing position. In the present .example, stout rubber bands or elastics l9 serve admirably as such resilient securing or fastening .means and are found to be especially advantageous and practical for the purposes in view;

but it. is to be understood that other resilient means of widely difieringform and character may be employed in their place. Recesses or grooves 20, provided -i n the under portion of the container body .are of assistance in retaining the rubber bands in their desired operative position shown and preventing accidental -dislodgment. The use of rubber bands or other resilient fastening means, although affording particularly im- ,portant advantages, is not essential to the practice of the invention in itsbroader aspects. Ordinary twine or cord, for example, provides effectiv'e but far less convenient fastening means.

In the embodiment here illustrated, the container is made from a commercial grade of wood pulp, the complete container, comprising the tray or body portionjand its cover flaps hinged thereto at spaced localities along itsmargin, being molded integrally in one continuous piece having a wall thickness so substantial as to render both the body and the cover flaps structin-ally strong, rigid and resistant to'deformation under all reasonable or normal handling conditions. While the'thickness of the molded pulp material may vary considerably in the practice of the invention, and is not necessarily uniform throughoutall parts of thebox, it may be'on the order of %th to fiths of an inch in' container body may advantageously be provided with a marginal or peripheral stiffening bead 24.

. In practice, this highly desirable rounded con-.

touring of the box body and cover flaps, as well I as the provision of the stiffening bead 2|, is accomplished in the pulp-molding operation by a which the box is formed, the parts being left stiff and rigid after the wet molded pulp has thoroughly dried out'in the course of the manufacturing operations. In addition to stiffening and strengthening the box, the rounded contouring of the box body and cover flaps, taken in conjunction with the proportioning of the containerdimensions as a whole relative to the consumer-unit of globular articles it is intended to contain, has the further desirable function of enabling the contained articles to be held snugly within the container in such manner as to permit little or no relative movement of the articles one to another. This aspect of the invention will be referred to more fully hereinafter.

In the broader aspects of the invention, the

cover flaps may be hinged or flexibly united to 'the container body in any desired manner. In-

stead of being molded integral with the tray member or body of the container, the flaps may be secured thereto by specialhinge members such as fabric stripsglued in proper position. But forming the flaps integral with the body, while at the same time providing a suitably flexible hinging joint between them, particularly when molding the container from wood pulp or the like, has special advantages, including economy of manufacture, and this is therefore recommended in practice.

The manner of forming satisfactory hingejoints between each cover flap and the container.

body, when molding the container from amateriallike wood pulp, presents some difficulties which, however, are overcome in the present box orcontainer structure. In the molding operation, a recess 25 is formed in the upper part of the bead 2 by asuitably projecting portion of the mold or die, which at the same timeiorms a relatively sharp external shoulder or oifset 26 at the base of the cover flap. By this arrangement the thickness of the material at the line of hinging is virtually the same as that of the container walls and flaps; so that in actual use the flaps can be swung back and forth about the hinge many times, if necessary, without breaking off. It will be noted, moreover, that when the flap is bent or swung outwardly (e. g. as in Fig. 0), the shoulder 26 is received into the recess 25 in the stiffening bead until; in the limiting position, the under edge of the shoulder abuts and is stopped by the wall of the recess, thus greatly lessening the chances of breaking the material of omy in transportion of the empty containers to place of use requires that they be nestable, of course.

It is to be noted that provision of the stiffening bead 24 is not essential to proper formation of the cover flap hinge in accordance with the invention, although it adds materially to the strength of the, container as a whole and serves, furthermore,v to protect the hinge shoulder 26 from injury in nesting the containers, as will ,be

seen from Fig. 10. It is also useful as a limiting stop to prevent such close nesting as might render it difiicult to separate the nested containers one from another.

Pursuant to one of the more specific objects of the invention, the novel container is so dimensioned and proportioned as to hold snugly, in predetermined systematic arrangement, a convenient consumer-unit number or approximate predetermined weight of globular articles, such as citrus fruit, of one uniform standard size, or of a limited range of more than one standard size. The type of container illustrated in Figs. 1 to 12 is particularly well adapted for the distribution and sale of oranges, for example, in consumer units of, say, a dozen, or a dozen and a half. The specific container of this type here illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10 is designed to hold one dozen oranges, all of one standard size or divided equally into oranges ofthat standard size and the standard size next smaller. Also, since oranges and other globular fruits are never perfectly spherical, varying from the truly spherical in difierent varieties and to some extent also in the same variety, and since there is also some unavoidable slight variation in any standard size due to inherent limitations of the mechanical sizing methods employed or, sometimes, to withering and shrinkage, it is essential that,

. while thepackage shall always hold with reasonable snugness and-relative immobility the component standard sized articles of theconsumer unit it isdesigned to contain, nevertheless a reasonable variation above and below the normal average size' must be permissible practically,

Through the provision of the hinged part-cover flaps and the resilient or elastic securing means which yieldingly hold them in their operative partially closing and retaining position, and by so limiting the capacity of the body portion of the container that a substantial part of its intended consumer-unit content of standard sized articles must protrudabeyond the open side or face thereof, the novel packaging container of the invention is self-adjusting as to capacity, within reasonable limits, to take care of' this inevitable variation. i Y Y In the package bf thetype illustrated in Fig. l, the globular articles (e. g. oranges) are arranged, broadly speaking, in two groups constituting a' minor proportionfand'a major proportion, .respectively; of the total number of globular articles comprised in the given consumer unit. The minor or smaller group occupies the normally lower part of the container, resting I directly upon the bottom and being arranged in two rows extending longitudinally (i. e. parallel to the longer walls ll) of the container body,

larger group of articles is always chara lel to' the two rows of the-lower group n l wer r up row. These outer longitud rows of-the upper group are spaced apart bythe mainder of the unit is located as a'wh'ole above the minor group,'-all the globular articles comprised therein projecting above theupper edge (i. e. beyond the'open face) of thetray member or body of the container and, in the best embodiment of the invention, therefore all being visible to a'greater-orlessextent evenwhen the cover flaps are in normal closing position, and being substantially wholly exposed to view when the flaps are lifted orswungffbaiik; rangement or position-pattern offthe u 'p in this specific illustrativee'rnbodi'nient invention, by two outer longitudinal containingone more articletha'n the"cor're remaining articles of the lli pr groupwhich may 'or may not also contact with articles of the lower group.

Where the contained unit is a dozen globular articles, the arrangement which has just been described generally is specifically as' illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 6, '7 and 8. It will be seen that the minor or lower group consists of four articles in tivo longitudinal rows, while'the .upper or larger group consists of eight articles arranged in two outer longitudinal rows of three each which are spaced apart by a single longitudinal row of two articles, these two articles contacting also withthe articles in the lower group and projecting somewhat higher than the remaining articles of the upper group. This gives a slightly rounded general contour to the top of the contained unit number of globular articles which is a desirable feature for purposes of display by dealers. The arrangement as a whole presents a pleasing and attractive appearance, permitting a prospective purchaser to see eight out of the twelve articles, such as oranges;

without even having to lift the cover fiapsp-and upon the cover flaps being lifted, these eight articles are very easily still more fully exposed to view. The package is then restored to its original partly covered condition simply by releasing the cover flaps which, through the action of the tensioned rubber band securing means,

automatically resume their closing position and press firmly against the protruding articles to hold the whole consumer-unit firmly and snugly within the container;

As a result of the described arrangement of the articles within the container, a space 28 is left unoccupied at each end of the central longitudinal row of articles in the upper group.

This has important advantages. The more or less diagrammatic arrangement here illustrated is,;of course, based on the assumption that the articles are' truly spherical. But, as mentioned hereinabove, oranges or other fruits are never truly spherical and frequently depart rather widely from an ideal sphere. The existence of the end spaces 28 provides a means of taking care of these more or less wide variations from true sphericity in packing the particular unit numr ber (e. g. a dozen) of oranges or pears, for ex'- ample, into the container,- it being possible to turn the corner articles and'center-row' articles, for example, of the upper or larger group in such 2,089,728 a way that irregular projections can extend into these end spaces.

It will be observed that, although such a large portion of the top of the package is left open to expose the contents to view, the arrangement of the cover flaps enables them to cooperate not only in sufliciently confining the fruit peripherally but also centrally, in such manner that even the oranges in the central row will not spill out of the container when the package is inverted.

The rubber bands l9, although holding the cover flaps yieldingly, are under such tension and of such strength that the closing force they exert upon the flaps is not overcome by the weight of the fruit when the containerfis inverted. More specifically, it will be seen that, for the greater part of its length parallel to its hinge, each cover flap, when in operative closing position, extends inwardly over the container body beyond the center of any peripheral orange of the upper group; and that at least two of the cover flaps, in this instance the shorter or end flaps l4, extend far enough toward the center to contact the two oranges of the center row. Because these center-row oranges are disposed in the cups formed between the spaced outer rows, and are also thus contacted by the end flaps I4, they are consequently locked in place and cannot fall out of the container unless the end flaps are opened up; and even then, they cannot easily fall out if the rubber bands l9 are in their normal cen-' tral position.

By leaving spaces at the corners of the box between the bases or hinging lines f adjacent cover flaps, and by giving the cover flaps a generally trapezoidal shape with rounded ends 29, certain desirable and important results are achieved. Cover flaps of this desirable general shape, which may be also broadly designated as segmental, leave corner oranges or other globular articles exposed to a substantial extent when the flaps are in their normal closing and retaining positions, thus extending the view of the fruit afforded by the substantially rectangular large central opening bounded by the free inner edges 30 of 'the flaps. Moreover, the flaps do not overlap when exercising their closing and retaining function; and in what may be termed their normal or mean closing position, adjacent flaps do not even touch, as is evident from the drawings. If the fruit of a given standard size which the box or container is designed to hold happens to run a little over-size it can nevertheless be accommodated because in that case the flaps simply occupy a little higher position, with somewhat greater distance between their edges at the point 11. On the other hand, if the globular articles run somewhat under-size, or in cases where half may be of the next smaller standard size, its aggregate volume is somewhat less and the flaps move farther down in attaining their clos- 'ing position, thus contracting the effective holdflaps, such abutment is positive and produces what is virtually an arching efiect in the cover construction, rendering it stiff and strong and resistant 'to a considerable downward thrust.

Due to this fact, and to the fact that the tray member. or body of the container is also relatively stifi and strong, it is entirely feasible in practice to stack the filled containers -='one. upon another to a considerable height without crushing the lowermost container or containers in the stack or injuring the contents thereof. This remains true whether the containers be stacked' one upon another in upright position or tilted on their flat sides as may be desirable in some cases.

The structural rigidity of the covr attained when the limiting closing position of the flaps is attained, i. e. with adjacent flaps actually contacting, is especially marked when the ends of the flaps are curved, as here shown. When thus curved, the edges of adiacent flaps abut or con tact over only a relatively small portion of their periphery corresponding to the theoretically unique point of tangency between the curves'in which the edges are formed. This makes for more perfect distribution among the cover flaps of the thrust they take up. and transmit to the container side walls, due to weight'superimposed upon the package, than would be attained if the abutting edges were not curved, or if neither of them was curved.

The ability to stack the containers one upon another, either in normally upright position or tilted, is very important from a transportation standpoint whether the fruit, for example, be placed in the containers at the point of production and shipped to distant markets in freight cars, for example, or whether it be shipped to market in bulk and then packaged and distributed by truck to dealers in a given marketing center.

or district. Moreover, due to the large proportion of the top of the container left uncovered by the cover flaps, ample ventilation of fresh fruit shipped in this manner, so necessary for its continued well-being, is always assured, since it is impossible to so stack or stow the packages together as to avoid leaving channels between themior air circulation. Moreover, the bottom and side walls ofthe container may be provided with apertures, if desired, as a further means of insuring adequate ventilation. This is ordinarily quite an unnecessary precaution to observe, however, with containers of the type herein described.

Whenthe dealer displays the packaged fruit, for example, to customers, he can do this effectively either by placing the package in its normal upright position, or by tilting it so that it rests on one of its relatively broad sides ll, l2,

as a base. The tilted position is sometimes prefg erable in the case of window displays, for example. In either position of the box, a customer can get a fairly complete view of two-thirds of the contained fruit even without moving the cover flaps; but if more thorough inspection is desired, this can be made rapidly and easily merely by swinging the flaps outwardly, the package being then instantly restored to its original covered condition merely by letting them snap back into place through the action of the elastic or resilient flap-securing means, in this instance the rubber retaining or fastening bands which are particularly desirable.

Another example of the same general type of two-group package described hereinabove, but adapted to contain more than a single unit quantity of articles, is illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. In the specific form here illustrated, the package contains one and one-half dozen oranges of a given standard size, the minor or lower group consisting of six oranges arranged in two longitudinal rows of three each, and the major or upper group consisting of twelve arranged in two outer longitudinal rows of four each and a cenyielding material, such as strong (e. g. kraft)- paper, snugly looped around the package afiixed to the end cover 'flaps 33, extending longitudinally over the middle or key row of oranges and thus effectively holding them and the rest of the oranges against dislodgment; A rubber band at extending around the package transversely may be employed to hold the side flaps 35 in.place, thus these side flaps can be swung outwardly for better inspection of the fruit if desired; the whole group, again consisting of two-thirds of the contained'unit, being sufficiently visible without having to move the end flaps.

But, when'the tape 32 is an endless'loo-p not fastened to the end flaps, these latter can be readily freed for movement merely by sliding the tape loop laterally off the package, Said tape may advantageously carry advertising matter.

Incidentally, it should be noted-that designations of size or grade, trade marks or other insignia, and the like, can be molded'in the pulp material of which any of the novel containers may be and most desirably are made; and any desired suitable coloring matter may be incorporated importantly in certain respects from the containers and packages that have been described in detail hereinabove. One outstanding difference is that, although the contained unit of globular articles in each case is arranged in a shingle layer or group resting on the container bottom, the body or tray portion of the container is so shallow that in these cases also the articles project well above its upper edge.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 13-15, the polygonal box or container therein illustrated is A triangular in general plan, and in this instance is designed to contain half a dozen oranges, for example. The tray or body portion is formed by the bottom 36 and three side walls 3? which flare upwardly and outwardly and are connected to each other by rounded vertices or corner portions 38. Three cover flaps 39 of equal length (the box being here shown substantially in the form of an equilateral triangle in plan), are hingedly united to the side walls. Means for holding the cover flaps in closing p sition is here shown as comprising one rubber band 40 crosslooped around two comers only of the package, which amply sufiices to hold these flaps in position, at the same time ensuring that the rubber band will not slip ofi accidentally. Obviously one or more rubber bands or other iasten g mass a'osavzs with the side wall to which it is hinged forms virtually a hollow half-cylinder, the package and container as a whole being thus of generally articles as to preventsubstantial relative movement thereof one to another. It is not essential, of course, that this semi-cylindrical peripheral contour of the container and package be strictly circular in cross-section, although an approximation thereto is generally desirable especially where the container is to hold fruit approximating the spherical in shape.

It is apparent that this embodiment of the invention, like the others hereinabove described, also possesses the desirable characteristic of permitting most of the contained articles,'in this particular instance all of them, to be seen while the cover flaps are in closing position, while at the same time permitting opening of the flaps for more complete inspection of the package contents and providing for their automatic return to closing position when released. More- .over, a package of this form, besides being of pleasing and attractive appearance, is especially convenient to carry in the hand or on the arm. It is also well suited for transportation in stacks or piles for distances either long or short, with assurance of ample opportunity for air to circulate between and through the stacked packages, which evidently cannot be so placed as to prevent this.

The embodiment of the inventionillustrated in Figs. 16-19, which. is of generallydiamond shape in plan, is likewise of the shallow tray or body type, with the contained globular articles arranged in a single group or layer. In this instance, the container is designed especially to carry four grapefruit, for example; which fraction of the dozen unit is particularly suited for consumer packages of grapefruit.

This container comprises a. bottom ll and four side walls 42, parallel in pairs and symmetrically disposed about unequal longitudinal and transverse axes, the junctions or intersections of the sides being most desirably curved, as here shown, to form rounded corners or vertices 43. Four segmental cover flaps M are hinged to the sides and spaced apart at the base by the rounded corners, much as in the other embodiments of semi-cylindrical contour peripherally and thus vantages of which have already been fully pointed out.

A very desirable and important characteristic common to all the specific embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings and hereinabove described is that, while the capacity of any given container is automatically adjustable within somewhat narrow limits to accommodate the slight size and shape variations from normal in standard sized globular articles, often encountered in commercial practice, nevertheless there is, in accordanc with the principles of the in vention, such relation or coordination between any container of given type and'capacity, and the corresponding unit of definitely sized globular fruit (e. g.) it is intended to contain, that said unit can be placed in said container in only one way, that is in accordance with the particular arrangement or pattern intended for that type of container. This greatly facilitates rapid and accurate packing or filling of the containers.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the invention is of broad scope and that its principles.

may be embodied in containers differing widely in specific form and proportioning, and in mode and materials of construction, as well as in combinations of the containers with properly coordinated units of definitely sized. articles in complete packages which likewise difier widely among themselves in specific characteristics.

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging container comprising a body portion, in combination with cover members each flexibly joined thereto for movement into and out of covering position thereover, said members being spaced apart at their bases and of such width transversely thereto that, when cooperating in such covering position, they are effective to retain articles within the container but leave 40 the container open centrally and also at spaced peripheral localities.

2. A packaging container comprising a body portion, and a plurality of cover members curved to present concave innerfaces, said cover mem- 45 bers being secured to said body portion and movable into and out of cooperating covering position thereover. i

3. A packaging container comprising a polygonal body portion, a plurality of segmental cover 50 flaps curved to present concave inner faces and hinged at their bases to said body portion at spaced localities along the periphery thereof for movement into. and out of cooperating covering position thereover, said flaps being so shaped and proportioned that when in covering position they cooperate without overlapping to form a part cover which leaves the container uncovered centrally and also peripherally between the flap bases. 1

5. A packaging container comprising a .body' 7 portion and a plurality of segmental cover flaps 4. A packaging container comprising a body each hinged at its base to said body portion for movement into and out of covering position, each flap being arcuate in cross-section transversely of its base to present a concave inner face and being so limited in transverse width that, when the flaps are moved into covering position, they leave a central portion of the container uncovered.

6. A packaging container comprising a body of generally polygonal shape with rounded corners, and a plurality of cooperating cover members hinged to said body at localities intermed a e said rounded corners and spaced apart thereby, said cover members being so shaped that when they are in coverin'gposition they leave the body uncovered at said rounded corners.

7. A packaging container comprising a body of generally polygonal shape with rounded corners, and a plurality of cooperating cover members hinged to said body at localities intermediate said rounded corners and spaced apart thereby, said cover members being curved transversely to the line of hinging to present concave inner faces.

8. A package of globular articles comprising, in combination with a consumer-unit plurality of definitely sized globular articles, a container having a substantially stifl and self-sustaining body portion provided with upwardly flaring walls and generally polygonal in plan. within which said articles are placed in predetermined arrangement, said walls being of such limited height that the majority of said articles project thereabove, and a plurality of cover flaps hinged to said body portion at spaced localities for move- I ment into and out of cooperating covering position thereover, and resilient means yieldingly holding said cover flaps in place, said cover flaps being curved to present concave inner faces and being so proportioned and arranged that they do not overlap in covering position and that they leave the upper part of the package partially uncovered both centrally and peripherally.

9. A package of globular articles comprising in combination with a plurality of such globular articles arranged in a single tier or layer, a tray member holding said articles and having 'side walls curving outward and upward to a height less than that of said articles, and curved segmental cover fiaps hinged to said tray alongi'ts upper margin, the curvature of the tray side walls and cover flaps conforming approximately to the curvature of the contained articles, whereby the fiaps cooperate with the adjacent portions of the tray side walls to render the package approximately semi-cylindrical peripherally.

10. A package of globular articles comprising, in combination with a consumer-unit plurality of definitely sized globular articles, a container holding said plurality snugly in predetermined arrangement. said container comprising a body portion,-and cover members each flexibly joined thereto for movement into and out of covering position thereover, said cover members being so shaped and arranged thatfin closing position, they cooperate in assisting to retain said globular articles in said predetermined arrangement within the container, while leaving the container open centrally and also at spaced peripheral localities to expose the contents.

11. A package of globular articles as defined in claim 10, further comprising elastic securing means engaging and exerting pressure upon said cover members, thereby holding them yieldingly in covering position and in contact with certain of said globular articles.

12. A package of globular articles, as defined in claim 10, which is generally polygonal in plan, with rounded corners. l

13. A package of globular articles, as defined in claim lQ, which is generally triangular in plan.

14. A package of globular articles as defined in claim 10, having in. plan substantially the shape of an equi-lateral triangle.

15. A package of globular articles, as defined in claim 10, which is generally diamond-shaped in plan.

16. A package of globular articles as defined in claim 10, having in plan substantially the shapeof an equi-lateral triangle, and further comprising elastic band means looped around the container to engage-and exert pressure upon said cover members, thereby holding them yielding ly in covering position and in contact with certain of said globular articles.

17. A package of globular articles comprising,

in combination with a consumer-unit plurality of definitely sized globular articles, a container holding said articles in predetermined arrangement, said container comprising a body portion having an open side and a holding capacity so limited that some of said globular articles protrude beyond said body portion on that side, a

plurality of cover members flexibly joined to 'said body portion for movement into and out of posi- 0 tion to contact with such protruding articles,

said cover members being so limited in transverse width that, when moved into such position, they leave a central portion of the container uncovered, and elastic securing means engaging and exerting pressure upon said cover members which is transmitted to said articles, thereby retaining them snugly in their aforesaid predetermined arrangement within the container, ,said elastic securing means being yieldable to permit the 0 cover members to be moved out of such retaining position in order to permit inspection of said articles, but acting automatically, upon release of a cover member so moved, to return the same to retaining position. r 18. A packaging container as defined in claim 1, 0 provided with resilient means arranged to hold said cover members normally in cooperating covering position but yieldable to permit one or more of them to be moved out of said position, said resilient means acting automatically, upon release of any cover member so moved,'to return the same to covering position.

19. A packaging container as defined in claim 2, provided with resilient means arranged to hold H said cover members normally in cooperating covportion and a plurality of cooperating cover members hingedly united thereto and transversely curved to present concave inner faces, both said body portion and cover members being molded 20. A packaging container comprising a body from fibrous pulp and having such thickness as to render them substantially rigid and deformation-resisting.

21. A packaging container comprising a body portion, and a plurality of cover members curved to present concave inner faces, said cover members being secured to said body portion and movable into and out of cooperating covering position thereover, said container as a whole being molded integrally from fibrous pulp material.

22. A nestable container, formed in one integral structure from fibrous pulp material, comprising a relatively rigid tray member or body polygonal in plan and having a bottom and inclined side walls connected by rounded corner portions, together with part-cover flaps eachvhingedly united to one of said side walls, the bases of said flaps being spaced apart by said rounded corner portions, and each flap being adapted and movable to extend inwardly therefrom and provide, in cooperation with the other flaps, a part cover forthe container while leaving a central portion thereof open.

23. A container of the character described, formed integrally from fibrous pulp material, comprising a fiat bottom, side walls rigidly joined to said bottom and to each other by rounded corner portions to form a tray member or body, and cover flaps each fiexibly joined at its base to one of said sides for bendinginwardly over said body, said cover flaps having their bases spaced apart by said rounded corner portions and being of such extent and configuration that, when so bent inwardly, they cooperate to cover said body partially, while leaving a substantial portion thereof open for inspection of the contents, the wall thickness of said container being such as to render it stifi and strong enough to be not only self-sustaining but also to resist deformation by applied force of substantial magnitude.

24. A container, molded in one integral structure from fibrous pulp. material, comprising a hold the globular articles against substantial relative movement therewithin, said container being molded from pulp material to a wall thickness adequate to give substantial structural stiffness and ruggedness, and comprising a body portion and cover means hinged thereto for movement into and out of covering position, together with resilient means tending to hold said cover means in covering position, said cover means, as well. as a substantial part of said body portion, being of rounded contour.

ERNEST M. BROGDEN.

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