US2229355A - Container - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2l, 1941. J, R wATKlNs 2,229,355

CONTAINER Filed July 5, 1959 f 2 sheets-sheet 1 Jan. 2l, 1941. J. R. wA'rKlNs CONTAINER Filed July 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ---I Ir il-- 2 6 .5. W N m E o V W.. w Z f/Z E dA Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER James B. Watkins, Niles Center, 11i. v Application July 3, 1939, Serial N0. 282,631

5 Claims. (Cl. 229-23) 'I'his invention relates to containers. the par-l ticular type herein illustrated being adapted for use as a shipping container and is related in its specic embodiment to containers of the collapsible type which may be shipped when empty in collapsed condition, so as to occupy a minimum of space with resultant conservation in freight.

charges.

A container of this general type is exempiiiied invmy prior Patent. No. 1,955,107, issued April 17, 1934, and my present invention is concerned with an improvement upon this general type of container.

Many commercial articles adapted to be packaged and shipped in containers of this character are shipped in semi-knocked-down condition with one or more of the parts separated from the assembly. Heretofore such part or parts have been either shipped separately or have been tied or otherwise secured to the main article and shipped in the crate therewith. Unlessseparately wrapped, which adds to the shipping cost, the independent part is likely to become injured by scratching or marring in shipment and is likewise apt to scratch or mar the main enclosed article.

One of the purposes of my present invention is to provide a container which will be adapted to contain not only the main article being shipped but also to carry and protect any separated part or accessory against injury and without the necessity of separately wrapping it or of tying or otherwise securing it to the main article.

'Ihis purpose is accomplished in my presentinvention by providing the container with a pocket adapted to receive and contain the separated part or accessory, so that it may be shipped in the samecontainer with the main article but without danger of injury to either. I

Another purpose of my invention is to incorporate such an accessory pocket in the structure of a collapsible container in such a way thatit will not interfere with the complete collapsing of the container, but will in itself be capable of collapsing so as to lie ilat between the walls of the container body when in collapsed condition.

Still another purpose is to so construct an acinvention will be'readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible container embodying my invention Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View on the line 10 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the inner face of two adjacent side walls oi' the container body when collapsed into co-planer relation and with my novel pocket in collapsed condition attached 15 thereto Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through a collapsed container body showing the position o! the accessory pocket in collapsed condition.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing 20 the collapsible walls of the pocket folded outwardly. instead of inwardly as in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the outwardly folding walls illustrated in Fig. 6

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5, 25 but showing an outwardly folded wall exemplied in Figs. 6 and 7; i

Fig. 9 is a face view of the blank for forming the pocket of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive; and

Fig. 1o is a similar view of the biank for form- 30 ing the pocket oi Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, it will be observed that the tubular collapsible container constructed in accordance with my invention comprises the side walls II, I2, I3, and I4 formed 35 of suitable brous material such as fiber board, corrugated board, or the like, the walls II and I4 being integrally formed and hingedly connected at the corner I5 by scoring the ilber sheet along the corner line. 'I'he walls I2 and I3 are llke- 40 wise integrally formed and hingedly connected at the corner I6 by a similar score line. 'I'he walls II and I2 are connected at the corner I1 by by nailing or otherwise to the body cleats 22. The container thus formed is similar in general principles to that disclosed in my prior patent above referred to, and the position assumed by the parts when the tubular body is collapsed for empty shipment is illustrated in Fig. 5.

In such a container my present invention contemplates the incorporation of a pocket forthe reception of a detachable part or the accessory to be shipped with the main article to be enclosed in the container. This pocket may for convenience be referred to as an accessory pocket, although it should be obvious that any part or piece comprising a portion of or adapted to be used with the main article being shipped may be contained for shipment in this pocket.

While the pocket may be of any desired size, depending upon the character of the part or accessory to be shipped therein, and while the pocket may be located in any desired position within the container, I have shown herein for illustrative purposes a pocket which in practice will be substantially eighteen inches wide, twenty-four inches deep, and four inches in maximum expansion, adapted to receive a grill of slightly smaller dimensions. I'his pocket is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, and comprises an inner wall 25, a bottom wall 26, a side wal121, and an opposite side wail 28. 'Ihe bottom wall 26 is scored on its face at 29 and scored on its face at 3|, so as to fold inwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and to provide a flange or margin 32 which may be secured by stapling, gluing or other preferred manner of fastening to the inner face of the wall I3. The side wall 21 is likewise scored at 33 so as to fold inwardly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and is scored on its outer face at 34 toprovide a flange or margin 35 similarly attached by stapling, gluing or otherwise to the inner face of wall I3. The opposite side wall 28 is scored at 36, providing a ange or margin 31 secured in any desired manner to the inner face of wall I2. If desired, the pocket may be provided with a top wall or flap 38 to form a cover or closure for the pocket.

When the tubular body of the container is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 5, the pocket will automatically collapse into the position therein illustrated. When the body, however, is opened up into rectangular tubular shape, the movement of the wall I2 from a position substantially in alignment with wall I3 to a position at substantially right angles thereto will cause the pocket to expand or extend from collapsed position into,

the open position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the article or part to be received therein may be readily introduced.

In the form of the invention thus far described, the side wall 21 and the bottom wall 26 are adapted, as explained, to fold inwardly when the pocket is collapsed. This leaves the margins 35 and 32 exposed for attachment by stapling or otherwise to the body wall with the pocket in collapsed condition. This form is, therefore, quite lconvenient for commercial production. It follows, however, that an open space is left between the bottom wall 26 and the lower edge 39 articles this opening would be of no detriment, but, in instances Where such an opening would be detrimental, my pocket may be made so. as to eliminate this' opening by folding the side and bottom wall attached to body Wall I3 outwardly, instead of inwardly as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. In this instance, the bottom wall 26 is scored on its inner face, instead of on its outer face as indicated by 2|', and the side wall 21 is likewise scored on its inner face instead of its outer face as indicated at 33'. These walls, therefore, fold outwardly instead of inwardly, enabling the bottom wall 26 to be located contiguous to the bottom edge of the side wall, thereby leaving no opening between them. 'Ihe manner of folding when collapsed is illustrated in Fig. 8.

The blank from which the inwardly folding wall pocket of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, is made is shown in Fig. 9, and the blank from which the outwardly folding wall pocket of Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, is made is shown in Fig. 10.

It is believed that my invention, its construction, mode of operation and many advantages ,will be apparent from the foregoing, but it should be understood that the structural details illustrated and described may be varied within considerable limits without exceeding the scope of my invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A container Acomprising a tubular body having a plurality of hingedly connected side walls of fibrous materiaLend closures for said body, and a pocket of fibrous material comprising an inner wall, a bottom Wall and side walls connected respectively to two of said body side walls in proximity to the juncture thereof, the pocket side walls connected to said body walls and said bottom wall being collapsible to permit the pocket to collapse and lie flat against said body walls when the body walls are disposed in a common plane and to expand and open the pocket when said walls are disposed at an angle to each other.

2. A collapsible container comprising a tubular body formed of hingedly connected fibrous side walls, closures for the open ends of said body, and a pocket of fibrous material attached to the inner faces of two adjacent of said side walls, said pocket comprising an inner wall, a collapsible side wall and a collapsible bottom wall attached to one of the body walls and a side wall attached to another of the body walls, said bottom and side walls being constructed to assume a collapsed position when said body side walls are collapsed into a common plane and to assume an extended position to open the pocket when said body walls are swung into a relatively angular position upon theextension of said tubular body.

3. A collapsible container comprising a body composed of brous hingedly connected side walls collapsible into dat position and extensible into tubular form, said body being provided on its inner face with a pocket formed of fibrous material and comprising an inner wall, side walls and an end wall, one of said side walls and said end wall being attached to one wall of the body and the other side wall to an adjacent wall of the body, said attached walls of the pocket beingl scored so as to foldinto collapsed position to permit said inner wall to lie substantially fiat against the inner face of said body when said body is collapsed and to be extended to open the pocket upon extension of said body into tubular form. of the side wall 21. For the shipment of many 4. A collapsible container comprising a tubular body formed of hingedly connected side walls, and a collapsible pocket located within the body, said pocket comprising an inner wall spaced from one of the body side walls when the pocket is in open position, a collapsible pocket side wall and a collapsible pocket bottom wall both attached to said body side wall and means for attaching the end oi. said inner wall remote from said collapsible pocket side wall to an adjacent body side wall in proximity to the hinged connection between said last mentioned side wail and the side wall to which said collapsible bottom and pocket side wall are attached, whereby said pocket is automatically collapsed upon collapsing of said body and is automatically opened upon opening of said body.

5. The combination with a pair of hingedly connected side walls of a container, of a pocket consisting of an inner wall connected at one end to one of said side walls, a collapsible bottom wall and a collapsible side wall, said collapsible walls being both connected to the other of said hingedly connected container walls, all of said pocket walls being hingedly associated with said container walls to permit the pocket to collapse and 5 lie fiat against said container walls when the container walls are disposed in a common plane, said collapsible pocket walls being adapted to expand and open the pocket upon relative movement of the container walls from said common l0 plane to an angular position.

JAMES R. WATKINS.

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