US2153122A - Container construction - Google Patents

Description

April 1939- H. K. POWELL CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec 1, 1937 ive/22272": Hera/ 7 in ever, as in the case of various perishable food ing formingapart of this specificat on, a here- Patented Apr. 4, 1939 g a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Henry K. Powell, Chicago, 111., assignor to Morris Paper Mills, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illino s Application December 1, 1937, Serial No. 177,437

13 Claims. (Cl. 229-5.?)

This invention pertains to containers for the a disassembled or knocked-down condition and Packing or packaging of materials and relates et-up or a se b d by him easilyparticularly to closures for such containers. Other and further objects of the invention will It is customary to package various food combe pointed out or indicated hereinafter, or will 5 modities, and other materials, in bulk packages be apparent from the following explanation or in 5 for the purpose of shipment and sale,.an-d for actual use of a container embodying the inventhis purpose it is important that the containers tion. have closures which are securely retained in place r e purpos of aiding in a explanation of and which close the containers tightly. Howthe inven i n I sh w n e a m y wcommodities which are customarily kept in cold in ter d s one form in which the v storage, it is necessary that the closure be re- ,tiOn y e embodied- It is to be understood, movable with facility in order to permit periodic however, that this is presented merely for purinspection by health authorities, etc., during the p e of illustration and is not to be construed in time that the package is retained in storage and y fashion for the p p of limiting the p- 15 prior to the time that it is delivered to the'conpended claims short of the true and most com sumer. It is likewise important that after reprehensive scope of the invention in the art.

moval on such occasions, the closure be suscep- In said drawing, tible of being replaced on the container quickly Fi 1 s a p sp t v v w f the u p p rand with facility, and that it continue to function t on o a conta n embodying the invention; 20

as a tight closure. Such ease of removability and Fig. 2 is a detail in the nature of a vertical secreplacement is likewise of advantage when the U011 0 approximately 1111B Of gpackage is in the hands of the consumer, in that Fig. 3 is a detail in the nature of a section simit facilitates the dispensing of portions of the ilar to Fig. 2 but with the f t nin m niber in contents from time to time. cast-01f position and the cover removed; 25

For purposes of economy, it is desirable to em- Fig. 4 is a detail of a section similar to Fig. 3 ploy in the packaging of various commodities conbut showing the fastening element in another tainers which are made for the most part of paper p s n:

, board or similar material and, for economy in Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a fastening shipment, it is desirable that such containers be element; I

of collapsible or knockdown character, so that a Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the inner side large number of them may be packaged and of such element; and

shipped in a comparatively .small cubic space. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the same.

The present invention provides a closure which The nature of the invention will be most quickmeets these various requirements and which can ly ascertained from a description of the illustra- 35 be supplied at relatively little cost. tive embodiment shown in the drawing. The ref- A general object of the invention is the proerence numeral l0 designates the body portion vision of an improved container construction inof the receptacle and is here shown as of cylincluding a removable closure or cover which may drical form, it being understood, of course, that beplficed on and removed from the container rethe invention may be employed in containers hav- 40 'peatedly without involving mutilation of either, ing bodies of other forms, such as conic or various together with holding or securing means for faspolyhedral shapes. The body member may also tening the cover on the container in such fashion be of collapsible character, but it is to be underthat it forms a tight closure therefor, the sepurstood that the invention is not limited to use in ing means being susceptible of operation with containers of that or any other specific type. 5 facility to release the cover, so that it may be At a short distance below its upper margin the removed, and to again fasten it in place after it body member is provided with an outwardly exhas been restored to position on the container. tending peripheral shoulder H, which is most Another object is the provision of such a conclearly illustrated in Fig. 4. This may be formed st ruction which is particularly adapted to use in by scoring the body material at a slight distance 50 containers having body portions of paper board below its upper margin and bending the upper or similar material. portion l2 outwardly and downwardly into con- Yet another object is the provision of such a tact with the peripheral surface of the body,

construction which is of simple character and of and securing it by an adhesive or other suitable such nature that it may be supplied to the user in fastening. This shoulder I l affords one of the 55 elements for holding an anchor ring I4 in place on the body member. This anchor ring is a hoop-like member made of sheet metal, of size such as to embrace closely the strip I2. Its up per portion is formed as an inwardly-turned flange or channel I5 wide enough to receive and fit closely upon the upper margin of the body member, and the lower end of the anchor ring is formed with an inwardly directed lip or flange I6 positioned so as to engage under the shoulder II. Due to the slightly flexible character of the paper board body member, this anchor ring may be applied to it by the user.

The cover comprises a hoop member I1 and a closure disk I 8. The hoop member II preferably is formed of sheet metal and is of such size as to flt the periphery of the anchor ring I4, and preferably is slightly flared at its bottom portion, as illustrated at I'Ia, to facilitate the entry of the latter within it. Its upper portion is bent inwardly and downwardly to form a bead I5 which overhangs the marginal portion of the closure disk I8. The closure disk may be made of paper board, and is of'such diameter as to flt snugly within the member I'I so that the inner margin of the bead I9 engages it at some disstance from its'margin. Accordingly, when the cover is in place on the container, the closure disk I8 seats upon the arcuate crown of the flange I5, and the inner margin of the cover hoop bead I9 engages the upper surface of the closure disk approximately over the crown ofthe flange I5.

As a means for securing the cover on the container, I employ, in conjunction with the anchor ring I4, a plurality of fastening elements such as the clip illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. This clip is made of resilient sheet metal with a web portion 20 which, adjacent its upper end, is bowed outward slightly as at 2|, and thence curved upwardly and inwardly to form a hook portion 22, which then continues downwardly as a catch portion 24, and thence upwardly as a nose portion 25. A downwardly protruding hump or embossment 26 is formed in the hook portion between its highest part and the-catch portion 24. At its lower end. the web portion 20 is continued as a laterally directed flange 21- which terminates in an upwardly and obliquely-directed anchor flange 28. The straight line distance between the bottom of the detent 2B and the upper margin of the anchor flange 28 is slightly less than the distance between the crown of the channel flange I5 and the bottom of the lip I 6 of the anchor ring. The width of the flange 21 is slightly greater than the width of the lip 26 plus the thickness of the closure hoop I I, and the distance between the top of the flange 21 and the under surface of the highest portion of the hook 22 is slightly greater than the total height of the anchor ring plus the thickness of the closure disk I8 plus the height of the bead A plurality of these clips are attached to the container by engaging the hook portion 22 of each over the crown of the anchor ring flange I5, then pressing downwardly on top of the hook portion 22 so as to spring the hook sufficiently to permit the anchor flange 28 to be pressed inwardly past the inner margin of the lip I6. Then when pressure on top of the hook portion 22 is released, the hook portion springs up to its original form, and moves the anchor flange 28 upwardly inside the lip I6, to a position approximately as illustrated in Fig. 4. The clip is then pressed upwardly so that the anchor flange 28 is forced in between the strip I2 and the side wall of the container body to a position approximately as illustrated in Fig. 21 The clip is then swung outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3,

which movement is accommodated by the flexibility of the wall of the body member, as illustrated in exaggerated proportion in that figure. It will be observed that in both the positions illustrated in Figs. 4 and 3 the clip is retained against falling oif of the anchor ring.

A plurality of the clips are thus applied to the anchor ring at suitable intervals about its cir-. cumference. When the clips are in the outwardly swung position illustrated in Fig. 3, the cover may be applied to the anchor ring by telescoping the hoop I1 thereover, an operation which is facilitated by the inwardly sloping form of the flange I 5 and the slightly flared form of the lower portion Ila of the hoop. The cover is pressed down until the closure disk I8 seats on the crown of the flange I5, and then the clips are swung upwardly and pressed inwardly so that their noses 25 are cammed over the arcuate bead I9, thus swinging the hooks upwardly until the detents 26 snap over the crown of the bead I9 and engagesaid bead inwardly from its crown.- In such position the clip remains under some elastic stress or tension between its point of bearing on lip I6 .of the anchor ring and the point of bearing of the detent 26 on the bead I9 of the cover hoop. Accordingly, this spring tension of the clips exercises a continuous force which,

through the instrumentality of the bead I9, presses the closure disk I8 tightly against the crown of the anchor ring flange I5. As the actual bearing area between the arcuate flange I5 and the closure disk is very narrow. a very tight closure is effected along said line of contact.

The cover may be removed when desired by pressing the clips outwardly to disengage them from the cover hoop and then lifting the cover off of the anchor ring. After such removal, the cover may be put back on and secured in place as above described.

It will be observed that although veryeasily operated for opening and closing the container, this closure construction fastens the cover in place on the container very securely. It will be observed, moreover, that this is accomplished without subjecting the container body to stresses,

hence giving the construction particular utility in containers having bodies made of paper board or similar material. The clamping pressure which holds the cover in place is assumed entirely by the clamping ring, cover hoop, and clips. Another feature of distinct advantage resides in the fact that the entire closure structure may be assembled with facility by the user, hence permitting the container to be shipped in knocked-down condition. In such assembly, the anchoring is first applied to the body member by inserting the upper margin of the latter within the lip I 6 and thence into the channel of the flange I5, whereupon the strip I2 and its shoulder II are pressed outwardly over the lip I6, and then mounting the desired number of clips on the anchor ring as above described.

The construction has thefurther advantage that containers embodying it may be supplied to users at a cost sufficiently low to warrant the containers being discarded after a single use.

What I claim is:

1. A container construction comprising the combination with the body member, of ananchor ring secured to the body member and exand clips interengaged withthe anchor ring and movable outwardly relative to the body member;

while attached to said ring, to positions where they clear the closure, said clips having portions for engaging over the closure and holding it un- -der resilient pressure against the anchor ring.

3. In a container, the combination with the body member, of an anchor ring encompassing the body member at its upper end, a closure seating on the" anchor ring, and resilient clips hooked to the anchor ring and engaging over the closure, said clips adapted to be swung out- -wardly on the anchor ring, without distortion,

to positions clear of the closure while they remain attached to the anchor ring.

4. In a ,fcontainer, the combination with the body member, of an anchor ring encompassing and aiiixed ;to the upper end portion of the body member,a closure seating on said anchor ring and having an upstanding bead adjacent its margin, and clips hooked at their lower ends to said anchor ring so that their upper ends may be swung inwardly and outwardly relative to the closure, said clips having resilient catch portions for engagement over the upstanding bead of the closure.

5. In a container, a. structure as specified in claim ,4 and wherein said upstanding bead is arched transversely and said clips have detent portions for engagementwith said bead inwardly beyond its crown.

6. In a container, the combination of a body member having an outwardly projecting shoulder adjacent its upper end, an anchor ring encompassing the body member adjacent its upper end and engaged under said shoulder, a removable cover for the body member, and clips having rocking attachment at their lower ends to the anchor ring so that their upper ends maybe swung inwardly and outwardly relative to the body member without distortion of the clips, said clips having resilient portions engageable over portions of the cover to secure it on the body member.

'7. In a container, the combination specified in claim 6 and wherein the anchor ringhas at its .lower end an inwardly extending lip engaging under the shoulder of the body member and the clips are hooked at their lower ends to said lip.

8. In acontainer, in combination,

abody member of flexible material, an anchor ring encompassing the bodymember adjacent its upper end and holding said end in shape, a. removable cover for the body member, and a plurality of clips hinged to the anchor ring for swinging movement inwardly and outwardly and having resiliently movable detents adapted to snap over portions of the cover to retain the clips in their inward position and hold the cover on the body member.

9. In a container, the combination specified in claim 8 and wherein the cover has a portion encompassing the anchor ring and a portion seating on top of the anchor ring.

10. In a container, the combination specified in claim 8 and wherein the body member has portions cooperating with the clips to restrain them in their outwardly swung position clear of the cover.

11. In a container, in combination, a body member, an anchor ring encompassing and secured to the upper end thereof, an end closure member. seating on the anchor ring, a hoop encompassing the end closure member and fitting telescopically over the anchor ring, said hoop having a marginal bead upstanding from the end closure member, and a plurality of clips hinged on the anchor ring so as to swing inwardly and outwardly, said clips having resilient catch portionsjengageable over said upstanding ,bead to clampthe end closure on the body member.

12. In a container, the combination specified in claim 11 and wherein the body member and end closure member are of paper board and the anchor ring and cover hoop and clips are of metal, and the anchor ring enshrouds the upper margin of the body member and the upstanding bead of the closure hoop overlaps the upper surface of the end closure member over the upper margin of the body member.

13. In a container, in combination, a body member having an outwardly jutting shoulder adjacent its upper margin, an anchor ring encompassing the upper end of the body member and having an inwardly extending lip engaging under said shoulder and an inwardly extending channel-shaped flange enshrouding the upper margin of the body member, a clip having at its lower end an upwardly extending hook engaged of the body member, said clip having at its upper end an inwardly extending catch portion affording a detent which is spaced from the upper edge 04 said hook by a distance less than the height of the anchor ring, and a cover adapted to seat on the anchor ring, said clip adapted to be swung on the anchor ring outwardly to a position clear of the cover and inwardly to a position wherein said detent engages over a portion of the cover.

HENRY K. POWELL.

between said lip of the anchor ring and the side

Images