US2105953A - Container - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 18, 1938.

A. OUELLETTE CONTAINER Filed Sept. 18, 1936 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ALPHOHSE OUELLETIE Q 0%7ml% ATTORNEY A. OUELLETT'E CONTAINER Jan. 18, 1938.

Filed Sept. 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N TOR ALPHOHSE ousums BY Z flfirmw EXT T0 RNEY Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED ST'lES CONTAINER Application September 18, 1936, Serial No. 101,485 In Canada August 22, 1936 1 Claim.

This invention relates to containers made by creasing and folding a single blank of cardboard or similar flexible material and particularly to containers of this type which are adapted to be expanded to form a display tray or basket for displaying food products and other merchandise.

More particularly, the present invention consists in the provision of a container constructed so that it may be readily converted from a substantially square box-like structure into an octagonal display basket or tray of increased capacity which is useful for displaying fruits, vegetables, and other merchandise.

Proceeding now to a more detailed description reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. l is a plan view of the blank from which my improved container is constructed.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the blank partly folded.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container produced by appropriate folding of the blank shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this view one of the auxiliary side wall sections of the container is shown in raised position to disclose parts that would otherwise be hidden from view.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container in partly erected condition.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the complete container as it appears prior to being expanded to form a display tray or basket.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the container as it appears in its expanded condition.

Fig. 7 is av sectional view taken substantially along the line 'll of Fig. 6.

The blank from which my improved display container is made is shown to advantage in Figs. 1 and 2. This blank is creased to define a square bottom wall II having its sides integrally joined to four main side wall sections designated l2 and Ill. The sections l2 are hingedly connected to diametrically opposite sides of the bottom wall along suitable crease lines Ila. while the sections I3 are similarly connected to the remaining sides of the bottom wall along the crease lines Ho. The main side wall sections l2 are provided with auxiliary side wall sections l2a. J'oined thereto along the crease lines lZb. These auxiliary side wall sections lZa. are foldable on the crease lines IN) to overlie the inner sides of the main sections l2 and are provided with extensions I20 adapted to be engaged in slots IZd provided in the bottom wall ll adjacent the crease lines I la. The auxiliary side wall sections IM are of the same length and width as the main sections l2 to which they are attached.

The main side wall sections I3 are also provided with auxiliary side wall sections I3d joined thereto along the crease lines I312. The auxiliary side wall sections I3a. are foldable on the crease lines l3b to lie against the inner sides of the main sections l3, it being noted that the auxiliary sections l3a. are narrower than the main sections l3 but of substantially the same length.

Each main side wall section It is also provided with integral terminal extensions I4 Which are free of attachment to the main side wall sections l2. Each extension M is a trapezium figure presenting four angularly related sides designated Ma, Mb, Me and Md. The side Md is hingedly connected to one end of section l3 and lies at right angles to the side Mb which is of equal length. The side Mb is a continuation of that longitudinal edge of section l3 which is hinged to the bottom wall ll along the crease line Ill). The side Mb thus constitutes the lower edge of the extension M and is adapted to rest on the bottom wall II when said extension occupies the position shown in Fig. 3. The two remaining sides Me and Md of each extension M are of equal length with respect to each other but somewhat shorter than the sides Ma and lib. These sides Mo and Md are inclined so that, when the wall section I3 is in an upright position, the side Mc slopes downwardly from the horizontal plane containing the upper edge of said section l3 while the side Md slopes downwardly at a somewhat sharper angle from the lower end of the side Me to the corner where the side Md joins the side Mb. It will also be noted that each extension M- is divided by a diagonal crease line I5 into, a pair of fold-ably related triangular sections l6 and ii. The crease line l5 extends across the extension M from the juncture of the sides Ma and Mb to the juncture of the remaining sides Mo and Md.

Each auxiliary side wall section I3d is also provided with terminal extensions ll! of trapezium form defined by the four angularly related side walls lBa, I82), I80 and lBd. The side I819 is a continuation of the free longitudinal edge I30 of the wall section l3a. and forms the lower edge of the extension l3 when the wall sections l3 and I301. are disposed in an upright position with the wall section l3 (see Fig. 4). The side Ida of each extension I8 lies at right angles to the side I81) and is integrally joined to one end of the wall section l3a. The side l8c of each extension I8 is inclined so that it coincides with the side Me of one of the extensions I4 when the auxiliary wall section I30. is folded to lie against the main section I3. This is shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6. The remaining side I811 of each section I8 is inclined so that, with the parts arranged as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it is projected beyond the side I402 of the adjacent extension M. It will also be noted that each extension I 8 is divided by a diagonal crease line I9 into two foldably related sections and 2| of substantially triangular form. When the auxiliary side wall sections Ita are folded to lie against the inner sides of the main sections I3 the crease lines of the extensions I9 coincide with the crease lines I5 of the extensions I4.

In setting up my improved container the auxiliary side wall sections I3 are first folded on the crease lines I3b to lie against the inner sides of the main side wall sections I3. The extensions I8 of the auxiliary wall sections I 3 are thus super posed on the extensions M of the wall sections I3 as shown to advantage in Fig. 2. In this position of the connected wall sections I3 and I3a the crease lines I9 of the extensions I8 are disposed to coincide with the crease lines I5 of the extensions I I. The wall sections I3 are next bent along the crease lines III) to the upright position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The several extensions I4 and I8 are then bent inwardly as shown more particularly in Fig. 4 to lie against the inner surfaces of the side walls I2 which are bent upwardly along the crease lines I la. The auxiliary side wall sections In are then folded down Wardly on the crease lines I2b to overlie the adjacent folded extensions I4 and I8 of the side wall sections I3 and I3a. The side wall sections IZa are secured in their downwardly folded position by inserting the tongues I20 in the slots I2d formed in the bottom wall II. This method of folding the blank results in the production of a square box of the type shown in Fig. 5 but one in which the side wall sections I3 are capable of being swung from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In the latter position the extensions I4 and I8 at each corner of the container are partially withdrawn from between the adjacent wall sections I2 and I2a to increase the capacity of the container by changing the side wall structure from a square to an octagonal structure. In this connection it will be noted that, with the parts positioned as shown in Fig. 3, there is sufficient clearance above the sloping sides I40 and I80 of the extensions I4 and I8 to permit the triangular sections I6 and Zii of these extensions to move outwardly with the side wall sections I3 and I 3a from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Figs. 6 and 7. It will also be noted that this withdrawal of the corner flap sections I6 and 20 from between the adjacent wall sections I2 and I2a results in the sloping edges I8d of the flap sections I8 being brought into engagement with the folded material joining the upper edges of said sections I2 and I2a. so that these edges I8d serve as stops which limit the outward movement of the side Wall sections I3 with respect to the ends of the side wall sections I2.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

A container of the character described comprising a square bottom wall, side walls extending upwardly from two of the opposite edges of the bottom wall, each of said side walls comprising an outer wall section having its lower edge hinged to the bottom wall and an inner wall section having its upper edge hinged to the outer Wall section and its lower edge releasably secured to said bottom wall and two additional side walls hingedly connected to the remaining sides of the bottom wall, each of said additional side walls comprising inner and outer sections provided with integral terminal extensions hingedly connected thereto, said terminal extensions being slidably fitted between the inner and outer wall sections of the first-mentioned side walls and being creased so that portions thereof are capable of assuming an angular position with respect to the first-mentioned side walls when partly withdrawn therefrom.

ALPHONSE OUELLETTE.

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