US2244940A - Container - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1941. H, A, CA RUTH 2,244,940

CDONTAINER 7 Filed Aug. 13, 1956 2 Sfigets-Sheet 1 3 1 a r 7 l 7 ATTORNEY Ju ne 10, 1941. H. A. CARRUTH CONTAINER Filed Aug. 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v m u I n I u a a u I I I l NV EN TO R 7 1767711011 19 far/ail;

ATTO R N EY Patented June 10, 1941 CONTAINER Hermann. Carruth, Mount Carmel, (loan, as-

signor to National Folding Box Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 13, 1936, Serial No. 95,785

3 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and method of making same, and more particularly to a container adapted to be shipped and stored in collapsed knockdown condition and thereafter assembled by the user as needed.

Substantial economies can be effected in the packaging of bulky products, such as ice cream by using containers which can be formed by the box manufacturer and thereafter shipped in collapsed stacked position to the merchandise manufacturer, who can thereafter assemble the container as needed. Since such containers are generally thrown away after a single use, it is important that they be low in cost and yet strong and durable in use and so constructed that they can be quickly assembled by the user with a minimum of effort and expense. Where powdered, granular, liquid or semi-liquid substances or materials are to be packed therein, it is also highly desirable that the container as assembled by the user be substantially leak and siftproof.

In accordance with this invention, a tubular body member is provided having diametrically opposed fold lines extending longitudinally across the side wall-forming portion thereof which permits substantially flat collapse of the body member. The body member may be either formed from a single blank of paperboard material, the side edges of which are suitably secured together to provide a tubular body, or if desired, the body may be formed from spiral wound paperboard formed on a mandrel designed for this purpose. When the body member is formed from spiral wound paperboard, the diametrically opposed fold lines are applied thereto after the body member has been formed. -When the body member is formed from a fiat blank the fold lines may be applied to the blank before it is shaped into tubular form. A bottom end member, also formed from relatively stiff, strong paperboard, is shaped to close and seal one end of the tubular body member. Either the body member or the bottom end member or both may be provided with tab or flange portions by means of which the bottom end member may be secured to the body member. A strip of latex'adhesive is applied around the outer periphery of the bottom end member either on the inside face or the outside face thereof. A strip of latex adhesive is likewise applied either to the inside face or outside face of the tab or flange portions extending from the lower edge of the body member. Where the latex adhesive is'applied to the inside face of the tab or flange portions, the tab portions are preferably folded inwardly to overlie the inside face of the side wall portion of the body member so as to avoid and prevent the possibility of adjacent latex-coated surfaces from coming into adhering contact when the body members are stacked in collapsed flat position. Where the latex adhesive is applied to the outside face of the tab portions, the body members are stacked so that the bottom tab portions rest on the uncoated portion of the adjacent body member, so that there is no possibility of two latex coating surfaces coming into adhering contact. The body members as thus formed can be stacked and assembled in a convenient package and thereafter shipped to the user and stored until needed. Since the bottom end members have latex adhesive applied to only, one face thereof, they also can be laterally stacked one upon the other without danger that adjacent latex coated areas will come into adhering contact. The stacked bottom end members may also be assembled into convenient packages by the manufacturer and thereafter shipped to the user and stored until needed.

When the user needs a container he expands the body member into open tubular form, applies the bottom end member and permanently secures the bottom end member to the body end member by applying pressure to the adjacent overlapping latex coated portions of the bottom member and body end member. The quick applica tion of pressure is all that is needed to firmly bind and secure the bottom end member to the body member, providing a strong, durable and highly satisfactory container. The latex adhesive is water repellent and is not deleteriously affected by contact with moisture. Thus, liquid or'semi-liquid products, such as ice cream and frozen fruit juices, may be packaged therein without danger that the container will become in any material degree weakened thereby. The latex layer interleaved between the overlapping portions of the body member and bottom end member serve to caulk the bottom of the container and thus prevent leakage of liquid or semi-liquid contents or the sifting of granular materials packaged therein.

My improved container can be formed substantially entirely by automatic machinery substantially without waste of material and can be manufactured and assembled with a minimum of labor, substantially entirely by automatic machinery, providing a highly serviceable and sat isfactory container at a cost considerably less than containers heretofore used in the packaging of comparatively heavy bulky products which are liquid, semi-liquid or granular in nature.

object of this invention is to provide an improved container adapted to be shipped and strong and durable in service, which is moisture resistant, and which is substantially leak and siftproof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for assembling my improved container quickly, economically and expeditiously.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention.

Fig. l is a face view of an extended paperboard blank from which the tubular body of the container may be made;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the body-forming blank showing particularly latex adhesive applied to one of the securing flaps;

Fig. 3.is a face view of a paperboard blank which may form the bottom end member of the container;

Fig. 4 shows a stack of the collapsed containerforming bodies;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a container body partially expanded and about to be assembled into container form;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fully assembled container having the bottom end member permanently applied to the container body, certain parts being broken away to illustrate certain features of the construction;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of an assembled container of somewhat modified form, this container having the bottom-forming end member positioned within the tubular body;

Fig.8 shows a stack of collapsed bodies constructed in accordance with the container body shown in Fig. '7

Fig. 9 is a face view of a body-forming blank of somewhat modified form;

Fig. 10'is a face view of a bottom-forming end member adapted to be associated with a body member formed from the blank shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a container assembled from the body-forming blank shown in Fig. 9 and the bottom-forming blank shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 shows a stack of collapsed container bodies formed from the blank shown in Fig. 9;

and

Fig. 13 shows a stack of the bottom-forming end members illustrated in Fig. 10.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings and specification.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the container comprises generally a body member A' formed from relatively still, strong paperboard material, and a bottom end member B which also may be formed of relatively stiff paperboard material having sufficient strength to adequately support the contents and resist shock due; to v rough handling.' The body member A may be formed from a single blank of paperboard material, such as shown in Fig. 1, comprising a container side wall-forming portion I having a flap 2 at one edge thereof which may be suitably secured to the opposite free edge of the body-forming blank so as to provide a tubular body. The upper edge ofthe body-forming portion I is preferably provided with a flange portion 3 which may be folded downwardly over the outside face of the side wall-forming portion I by bending along the transversely extending score line 4. The lower edge of the side wall portion I may be provided with a plurality of tabs 5 adapted to be bent inwardly to provide .a flange to which the bottom end member may be attached and upon which it may be supported. An outwardly offset creased portion 5 defines the tabs 5 from the side wall-forming portion I, the"crease 6 permitting the tab portions 5 to be turned inwardly in the manner shownin Fig. 6.

The outside face of the tab portions 5 are coated with latex adhesive L, which can easily be done by running the blank through an automatic glue applicator which applies the latex adhesive in a continuous strip thereto, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A strip of latex adhesive can likewise be applied to the flange portion 3 and the adjacent section of the side wall-forming portion I in the form of a continuous strip and during the same operation in which the latex adhesive is applied to the tab portions 5. It is also understood that if desired a glue adhesive may be applied to the flange portion 3, while the latex adhesive Lris applied to the tab portions 5 along the opposite edge of the blank.

Latex adhesive possesses peculiar properties which differ greatly from the ordinary glue ad-' hesives. Latex adhesive while in a semi-liquid or fluid state will adhere to a dry paperboard surface. When the latex adhesive has become dry, due to the escape ofits volatile constituents, it will continue to adhere to the surface to which it has been previously applied but will not adhere to a paperboard surface which has not been coated with the liquid latex adhesive. When two surfaces having dry latex applied thereto are pressed together, however, they become tenaciously and firmly bonded together by the coaction of the adjacent dry latex layers, which forms a bond which exceeds in strength the strongest glue adhesive. For convenience of description, I refer to a single latex layer with the designation L and two superimposed latex layers binding together the parts to which they are applied, with the designation LL.

Following the application of the adhesive to the blank, the body member is ready to be assembled. In assembling the body member, the flange portion 3 is turned downwardly so as to overlie the side wall-forming portion I and is preferably secured thereto as by the adhesive strip applied thereto as above described. The body-forming blank is then bent into tubular form and the securing flap 2 to which adhesive has previously been applied is secured to the free edge of the side wall-forming portion I. There is shown for purposes of illustration, latex adhesive L applied to the securing fiap 2 and the'opposite side of the side wall-forming portion I, but other securing, means, such as staples, stitching, or adhesive glue may be here used, if'desired.

The body-forming blank is provided with a.

pair of longitudinally extending diametrically opposed fold lines "I which permit the tubular body member to be collapsed in substantially flat condition as shown in Fig. 4. The flange portion 3 may be provided with V-shaped cutouts 8 adjacent the ends of the fold lines I so that the flange portion 3 will not interfere or hinder the col-.

lapsing movement of the body member. The collapsed body members may be stacked as shown in Fig. 4 with the tab portions 5, to which latex adhesive L has been applied, arranged in the stack in alternate relationship. As thus arranged, it will be noted that there are no latexcoated surfaces in contact and the stack of collapsed bodies can be readily transported and handled without danger that they will adhere to one another.

The bottom-forming end member B may comprise a disc ll) of relatively stiff, strong paperboard material which has adhesive L applied in a strip around the inside face thereof. The latex adhesive L is applied to only one face of the end member-B and consequently the end members may readily be stacked one upon the other without danger that they will adhere to one another during shipment, storage and handling.

The collapsed tubular bodies are stackedv as shown in Fig. 4 and tied together to form a convenient bundle. The end wall-forming members B, having latex adhesive applied only to one surface thereof, are likewise stacked and the stack assembly then tied together in a convenient bundle. The bundled collapsed bodies and bundled end wall-forming members may be shipped to the user and stored by the user until needed.

When a container 'is needed to contain the merchandise a body member is lifted off from the stack shown in Fig. 4 and pressure applied to same so as to expand it outwardly into generally tubular form. This may be done, if desired, by telescoping the body member over a suitablemandrel or forming core. If a generally cylindrical container is desired it is preferable to provide the body-forming blank shown in Fig. 1 with a plurality of parallel extending scores or offset portions 9 which permit the body member to be easily shaped. Where the body member is formed from spiral wound paperboard then, of course, the shape-forming scores or ofiset portions a may be unnecessary and only the collapsing fold lines I need be provided. When the body member has been opened into extended tubular form the tab portions 5 are bent inwardly and the bottom end member it applied thereto. The latex L applied to the outside surface of the tab portions 5 will contact the strip of latex L applied to the inside face of the bottom end member it and by the application of suitable pressure to the tab portions 5 and the end member it, the end member it will become firmly and permanently secured to the body member by the latex layer LL interposed therebetween;

The adhering qualities of the latex layer LL shown inFig. 6 are such that heavy bulky materials can be packed within the container Without danger that the adhesive will give way and permit separation of the bottom end member from the body member. The container thus formed is admirably adapted for the packaging of ice cream and the container may be formed in the convenient 2 or 5 gallon size. The latex layer LL is resistant to moisture and a container formed as above described is substantially liquidtight, which permits packing of the liquid cream a or fruit juices therein after which it is frozen and delivered to the customer. The latex adhesive is not affected by the freezing action and permanently retains its strong adhesive quality. The multiple offset score portions 9 permit outward expansion of the body member during freezing. The container is also adapted for the packing of numerous other products either in a powdered, granular, dry, semi-dry, or substantially liquid state. The flange portion 3 provides a shape-maintaining rim over which a suitable cover member may be telescoped and secured.

There is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 a body member which may be formed from a blank similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except that the latex adhesive L is applied to the inside face of the tab portions 5. In this form the bottom end member ID is provided with a strip of latex adhesive L applied to the outside face thereof. In assembling this container the bottom end member l0, preferably of slightly oversize dimensions, is telescoped into the expanded tubular body member until it comes to rest within the outwardly offset scored portion 6, which provides in effect an inside groove l I which receives the outer edge of the end member ID. The tab portions 5 are then turned inwardly and pressed against the outside face of the bottom end member I0 so as to caus the adjacent layers of latex adhesive to firmly adhere together so as to form a bonding layer of latex adhesive LL interleaved between the tabs 5 and the end member ID.

The body member forming part of the container shown in Fig. 7 may be shipped and stacked in collapsed condition by turning the tab portions 5 inwardly and upwardly as shown in Fig. 8 so that the latex-coated inside surface thereof will rest against the unooated inside surface of the side wall-forming portion I of .the body member. The dry latex adhesive layer L applied to the inside face of the tab portions 5 will not adhere to the body member and the collapsed body members may be safely stacked without danger that any portion of the stacked body members will adhere together. When a body member is lifted from the stack and expanded into tubular form, the natural resiliency of the paperboard will cause the tab portions 5 to flare inwardly and outwardly away from the inside face of the side wall portion i and the end wall-forming member it may be quickly telescoped into the body member and pressed into adhering contact with the tab portions 5.

There is shown in Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, a container of further modified form which is also adapted to be shipped and stored in collapsed, knockdown condition and thereafter set up by the user as needed. In the construction here shown, the bottom end member B comprises a bottomiorming portion i5 which has a series of tab poriions it extending around the periphery thereof and secured thereto by an outwardly offset portion ll? which extends around the periphery of the bottom portion 65. The inside face of the tab portions it are preferably coated with latex adhesive. The body-forming blank A shown in Fig. 9 is similar to the body-forming blank A shown in Fig. 1. except that the tab portions 5 associated'with the blank shown in Fig. 1 are eliminated. A strip of latex adhesive L, as shown in Figs. 9, 11 and 12 is applied to the outside face of the side wall-forming portion l along the bottom edge thereof. The body-forming blank is assembled as heretofore described by folding the fiange portion 3 downwardly over the outside other suitable securing means. The tubular body members may be collapsed into flat condition along diametrically opposed score lines 1 and then stacked intoalternately arranged relationship, as shown in Fi 12. As thus arranged it will be noted that there are no latex-coated surfaces in contact, and the stacked collapsed body members may be bundled together into asuitable package and thereafter shipped and stored without danger that the body members will adhere to one another. The end wall-forming members B shown in Fig. 10 may likewise be stacked one upon the other, as shown in Fig. 13, without danger that adjacent latex-coated surfaces will adhere.

When the container is to be assembled, a body member A is lifted from the stack shown in Fig. 12 and expanded into tubular form by means of a suitable mandrel. The bottom end member B is then applied to the bottom end of the body member A and so arranged that the bottom end of the body member will seat within the groove I8 formed by the offset portion II. The tab portions I6 are then turned at right angles to the bottom portion I and pressed into adhering contact with'the latex-coated outside face of the side wall portion I of the body member. The tab portions I6 and the adjacent side wall portion I of the body member are then pressed into firm adhering engagement so that a bonding layer of latex adhesive LL is interleaved between. the tab portions I6 and the side wall-forming portion I. The tab portions I6 are preferably so shaped that when folded into adhering contact with the body portion they will provide a smooth, continuous iim, as shown in Fig. 11, so as to provide a strong and serviceable container of attractive appearance. The bonding quality of the latex layer LL is such as to securely hold the bottom end member B to the body member A, and the container as thus constructed will support heavy, bulky products.

In certain instances, and particularly in the formation of relatively small containers for ice cream, it may be desirable to ship to the user the body blanks as shown in Fig. 9, the user being provided with a suitable mandrel to form the body into tubular form. In such event the creases I may be eliminated and latex adhesive applied to the securing flap 2 and also to the opposite end of the body blank. Such a container may have a shipped and thereafter assembled in tubular formby the user as needed.

The body member and. the bottom end member maybe formed of any desired material but preferably are formed of tough, strong paperboard which is relatively rigid to adequately support the contents packed therein. A suitable waterproof coating may be applied to the paperaffected by moisture whereas glue adhesive is decidedly weakened by contact with moisture. Latex adhesive further prevents the leakage of liquid or semi-liquid contents packed within the container. The latex adhesive serves to caulk and close any openings which might otherwise cxist'or appear. The container is thus rendered substantially liquid-tight.

The body member may, if desired, be formed from spiral wound paperboard which is formed by winding a plurality of layers of tough, strong paper about a mandrel to form a body member of generally tubular shape. Such spiral wound body members may thereafter be longitudinally scored to permit fiat collapse thereof. The container herein described may be formed and assembled substantially entirely by automatic machinery and at very low cost. Where the body member is made from separate blanks, the blanks may be cut and scored from largerolls of paperboard by automatic machinery and substantially without hand operation. The bottom end member' forming blanks may likewise be cut, and also scored where desired, by automatic machinery. It will be noted that the latex adhesive is applied in strips to one side of the body-forming blank and bottom-forming blank only, which permits the blanks to be run through automatic gluers and the latex adhesive thus applied automatically at low cost. The collapsed bodies and bottom-forming blanks may be stacked in compact layers requiring a minimum of space and thus greatly economizing on shipping and storage costs, particularly where containers having considerable bulk capacity are desired. The tubular bodies may be quickly set up substantially by automatic machinery, if desired, which may be relatively simple in construction. The user can thus assemble the container as and when needed, so that storage space can be economized on. The

latex adhesive will not deteriorate under normal conditions of storage. The bottom end member will become permanently and fixedly secured to the body member by the substantially instan taneousapplication of pressure applied to the adjacent latex-coated parts thereof. A strong and rigid container adapted to support and contain contents of substantial weight and bulk is thus provided.

The container. herein described is admirably adapted for the packaging of ice cream and fruit juices wherein the ice cream or juice in substantially" liquid condition is poured into the assembled container to be thereafter frozen therein. The container herein described can be constructed and assembled at less cost than collapsible paperboard containers now used in the packaging of ice cream. Thus definite economies in the packaging of ice cream can be realized. The container is also adaptable for the packaging of other bulky or heavy products and articles or products which;are either powdered or granular or liquid, semi-liquid or substantially dry in character.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it willbe understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departboard so as to make the container resistant to moisture. Latex adhesive possesses several advantages over glue adhesive normally used in assembling paperboard containers. For example, the strength of the latex adhesive is in no way ing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A paperboard container adapted to be shipped and stored in collapsed knockdown condition and set up by the user including, a tubular body member having diametrically opposed score lines permitting substantially flat collapse thereof, said body member having bottom-attaching portions extending from one end thereof, a separate bottom member adapted to be assembled by the user to the expanded tubular body member, said bottom-attaching portions having a layer of latex adhesive applied to the inside face thereof only, and a strip of latex adhesive applied to the outside face portions of said bottom end member only juxtaposed against said bottom-attaching portions, said bottom-attaching portions being folded inwardly so that the latex adhesive coated face thereof lies in non-adhering juxtaposition to the inside non-adhesive face of said tubular body member permitting collapsed aligned separate stacking of a plurality of said body members and said bottom members, said bottom member being insertable into said body member when expanded so that the latex adhesive layer applied to the bottom-attaching portions will contact and adhere to the adhesive coated face of said bottom member.

2. A tubular body member for knockdown containers adapted to be shipped and stored in collapsed condition and set up by the user including, a tubular side wall portion having diametrically opposed score lines permitting substantially flat collapse thereof, bottom-supporting portions extending from said side wall portion, and latex adhesive applied to said bottom-supporting portions on the inside face thereof only, said bottomsupporting portions being folded inwardly and juxtaposed substantially in surface contact with the inside face of said side wall portion when said side wall portion is in collapsed position permitting collapsed aligned stacking of a plurality of said body members.

3. A- tubular body member adapted to be shipped in substantially collapsed flat position and thereafter set up by the user as needed, said body member having a tubular side wall portion, means permitting said side wall portion to collapse into substantially flat collapsed position, bottom-supporting tabs extending from said side wall portion, and a latex adhesive coating applied to the inside face of said tabs only, said tabs being foldable inwardly and juxtaposed substantially in surface contact with the inside face of said side wall portion when said body member is in collapsed position to thus prevent latex-' coated areas from coming into adhering contact when a plurality of said body members are arranged in collapsed aligned stack relationship. HERMAN A. CARRUI'H.

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