US2265618A

US2265618A - Collapsible container

Info

Publication number: US2265618A
Application number: US234849A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry T Adams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-10-13
Filing date: 1938-10-13
Publication date: 1941-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 1958-12-09

Description

Dec. 9, 1941.

H. T. ADAM? COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 'jzyerzz ar Dec..9, 1941. H. T. ADAMS ,6

COLLAPS IBLE CONTAINER Filed Oct, 15, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @Mlillll" mu mllllll fwerzz or.

1941- H. T. ADAMS I 2,265,618 COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 13, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 @Kwun Dec. 9, 1941. H. T. ADAMS 2,265,618

- COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 15, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 9, 1941 U N I TED STAT E S PATENT O F F 1 C E COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Henry'T. Adams, Chicago, Ill.

ApplicationOctobcr 13, 1938; Serial No. 234,849

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a collapsible centainer or box.

Collapsed paper or cardboard containers adapted to be erected into extended position :are unsatisfactory for the storing of papers, checks, files, etc., in that the material is injured .by moisture, insects, exposure to air, etc. It becomes progressively weaker with age and is used ordinarily but .once. There has been a demand for a stronger box formed of metal, but the cost of such a box has been so great as to prevent its use. An object of the present invention is to provide a metal boxof extremely simple construction which may be readily assembled by anyone without tools and which, when assembled, is extremely sturdy. A further object is to provide such a box which may be stored .in collapsed condition with the locking portions thereof protected from injury and-which, when it is desired to use the same, may be readily assembled into a box by an unskilled person without tools. A still further object is to provide a box of such a type in which .the locking features arelso simple and readily formed that the cost of the box is extremely low and approximately within the price range of paper containers of the same size. Other objects andadvantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container in erected position, a portion of the container being cut away to show the interior thereof and a portion of the cover being removed; Fig. 2, a I

perspective View of the top or cover; Fig. 3, a detailed enlarged sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a detail sectional View, the section being taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 3; Fig, 5, a perspective view of the inner side of the side wall; Fig. 6, a perspective view of the outer wall of the bottom; Fig. '7, a perspective view of the inside wall portion of the end used; Fig. 8, a broken perspective view of the side walls and end walls arranged in compact collapsed condition; Fig. 9, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10, a detailsectional view, the

'vide a-sturd-y and effectivecontainer. aztop or coveri'D may be employed. ,Asshown more; clearly-in Fig. 3,:the coveris provided with .spective viewofall the :parts brought together in a compact arrangement; Fig. 15, a transverse sec- ;tional.view,.the section being taken as indicated at line tfiof Fig. v14; and'Fig. 1'6, abroken detail sectional .view, the section being :taken as indicated at line '6 of Fig. .14.

'The container-or box consists ofa bottom .wall

.A, side walls B, en'd walls 0, and a cover-D.-

The bottomA, as shown-more clearly in Fig. 16, is provided withvertical side flanges =10 and end flanges ll. The end fianges-arecut away near then-ends toprovidea slot l=2. Adjacent the side flanges: l 0 and spaced inwardly therefrom is a row :of tongues :l3 which open towardthe flanges.

.Eachi cfthe' sidewalls B isprovidedat its lower side with a bottomxhorizontal flangel tand with .end flanges 1 L5 which are. turnedinwardly. Facing "the endifianges lfiv and spaced inwardly therefrom .a-re tongues 16.

It .w'illbenoted that the end flanges I5 and bottom flange M are .chamfered ,ortcut away attheir edge portions- .to provide a V-shaped notch or recess H.

.Thecnd wallsC are provided withside fianges 21.8 whichaareinwardly turned, and'a bottom'horizontal flange l9 which is also turned'toward the interior ;of the box.

.The structure as describedissufic-ientto pro- If. desired,

downwardly turned side flanges .20 and end .fla-nges 2|, and the fianges-are cut away, at: their ,cornersitop'rovide V+re.cesses;22. If desired, the

.covermayfibeomitted-or other types ofco'vers may be used.

.If desired, the, sidesB may be provided with tonguest2'3 -.on the outside thereof-for engaging thezoutsideof the bottom side flange I 0, as shown 'moreclearly in Fig.1. These lugs may; be .oflany desired number. They .addv rigidity to thestrucwithout lugs .23, it is. found that'the container assembled-asshown: in Fig. 1 and with the cover imp-lace, eventhough formed .of very thin .tin, is .suilicientlysturdy to support the weight of a man.

.The tongues Hand 23 may be formed in any desired manner. I have found the type .of tongue orzlatch'lug illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 to be particularly useful in this type of structure. The -tongue,.;as shown provided in section in Fig. 3, base-horizontal wall which is inwardly dished vor-madezconcave-at 24. Thisstructure is particularly useful .in that the concavity greatly strengthens the lug or tongue, and also because the inner convex portion of the tongue forms a curve gripping surface bearing against the flange of the wall to be joined.

It will be observed that the tongues 01' lugs [3, I6 and 23 are extremely short, thus providing a very sturdy structure and a structure which is hardly visible when the parts are assembled. It

will be observed, however, that longer tongues maybe employed if desired. The tongues I3 may be arranged in any suitable number or size. By reason of the short and sturdy character of the Lil tongues, it is found that a large number is unnecessary except where unsual strength isldemanded. l

Operation In the operation of the device, the Icontainer I may be assembled from its collapsedposition.

shown in Figs. 9 to 13 inclusive to the assembled position shown in- Fig. 1 in a. number of. ways.

Forexample, the flange I4 of, the side wall B .may: be brought into engagement with the tongues |3.,of,the bottom, either by inclining the flange Mso as to slip the, flange l4 laterally uncausing the outer tongue 23 to spring about the a,

vertical flange ll] of the bottom A.

With the two side walls. assembled as described,

they are locked rigidly in position by inserting the end walls C into position. In this operation,

the end wall C, asshown in Fig. '7, is simply i pressed downwardly so that the side flanges l8 slide under the tongues l6. w I

It will be noted that the side wallsB are firmly anchored between the flange l0 and the tongues 13 of the bottom A, and before the ends are inserted can be moved only: in one direction, namely inwardly or toward eachother. When the ends are :inserted, this latter movement is prevented so thatwthe' sides 3 areanchored .firmly'ini position. The ends C are also firmly fixed in position1by the interlocking engagement .of. flanges I8 with the tongues l6 and the end flanges l5 -of-sides.B. The horizontal flange l9 in Fig. 11. as in the other arrangements described, the lugs ture.

the parts may be stored in a bank or a company using the containers until it is desired to use them and then a clerk can readily assemble the necessary number of boxes. The container parts can be collapsed into a variety of arrangements. For example, the end walls C may be placed within the bottom wall A and then covered by the top wall D. The two side walls B may then be brought together in interlocking facing relation. Instead of the above arrangement, however, the ends C may be placed within one of the sides B and then another side may be telescoped therewith so as to house the ends C withv in the sides B. The latter arrangement is illutrated in Fig. 8. Under this arrangement, the top D is placed over the bottom A, as illustrated In this manner of collapsing, as well l3 and I6 are located always within the interior of the container and are not exposed. Thus the stacking. g In the arrangement described in which the ends C arelocated between the side walls B, as well as in. the arrangement wherethe ends are located between the bottom side A and top side D, thei lugs on the interior cooperatewiththe flanges-l 9 of the end wall C for limiting the sliding movement thereof inside the collapsed struc- The manner of assembling the various parts in collapsed arrangement is manifoldand no attempt. will be made here to described the various forms of collapsed arrangements, In the arrangement described and illustrate in Figs. 14, 15 and.16, all of the parts are assembled in one compact form or packet, the inturned tonguesbeing protected in every instance and being employed-for maintaining th parts in interlocked compact arrangement.

The lowermost memberis the top or cover D and in-thisis located the bottom member A. The two end pieces C are then placed within the bottom A withthe flange sides thereof facing downwardly; The two sides then foldin telescoping relation above the ends, as shown -more clearly in Figs. 14, 15 and 16. The parts thus compactly arranged occupy less than onetenth the space occupied by the boxer-container when erected. The arrangement further is such that they can be assembled by an lunskilled operator with a modicum of effor't. l

of the end walls provides a rigid reinforcement for the end wall against bending.

It will be .observed that the structure is reduced to its simplest form, there being few parts and these being readily brought together by inexperienced persons and readily assembled into a rigid strong container. In forming the parts,

the simplest of dies are employed. For example,

in forming the tongues 23 with the concave reinforcement, it is found that a single one-part die, which is employed in striking out the tongue and which has a concave face, forms the concavity of the wall 24, no opposing die being found necessary. Because of the reduction of the structure to the extremely simple form, it is found that a'metal containerlcan be produced cheaply enough to compete directly with paper contain- BI'S.

Y Figs.v 9 to 13 illustrate the parts already deto two simple packs of extreme thinness. Thus,

'While in the foregoingspecification, Ihave set forth onespecific structurefor the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that'theinvention disclosed may be employed-in many different forms embodying the spirit of the invention. V V V The foregoing detailed description has-been given forclearnessfof understanding only,- and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be -tom provided with side'flangesand end flanges extending upwardly at right angles thereto,

tongues struck upwardly from said bottom and being open toward saidside flanges, sidewalls having inwardly-turned right angle flanges eng'aging said tongues' and having; their vertical walls engaging 'said}.side-flanges, said side walls being also provide'd with inwardly-turnedright angle end flan es LT and 1 with inwardly-struck tongues opening toward said end flanges, and end walls equipped with inwardly-turned right angle flanges lying parallel with and against said side walls and engaging the tongues thereof, said end walls being pressed rearwardly by the side flanges thereof against the end flanges of said side walls.

2. In a metal box of the class described, a bottom provided with side flanges and end flanges extending upwardly at right angles thereto, tongues struck upwardly from said bottom and being open toward said side flanges, side walls having inwardly-turned right angle flanges engaging said tongues and having their vertical walls engaging said side flanges, said side walls being also provided with inwardly-turned right angle end flanges and with inwardly-struck tongues opening toward said end flanges, and end walls equipped with inwardly-turned right angle flanges lying parallel with and against said side walls and engaging the tongues thereof, said end walls being pressed rearwardly by the side flanges thereof against the end flanges of said side walls and said end walls being also provided with an inwardly-turned right angle bottom flange adapted to rest against said bottom.

3. In a metal box of the class described, a bottom provided with side flanges and end flanges extending upwardly at right angles thereto, inwardly-joined tongues struck upwardly from said bottom and being open toward said side flanges, side Walls having inwardly-turned right angle flanges engaging said tongues and having their vertical walls engaging said side flanges, said side walls being also provided with inwardlyturned right angle end flanges and with inwardly-struck concave tongues opening toward said end flanges, and end walls equipped with inwardly-turned right angle flanges lying parallel with and against said side walls and engaging the tongues thereof, said end walls being pressed rearwardly by the side flanges thereof against the end flanges of said side walls.

HENRY T. ADAMS.