US2431786A - Dispensing container - Google Patents

Description

D@ 2,1947. M. WILLIAMsoNN 2,431,786

nIsrEnsI'm; CONTAINER Filed July 29, 1943 5 SheetsfSheet jf'gl d n, ff f@ 2:# i fr, fg;

. 2g* 1 ,f/ I n Wu 6H' e 1 5 s 22s ,12 1f-az /Jf Lw 9 (j v M i ,2km/.f u 4/ l .rl d'. l j', 10 [17. la' fzs' l19' l f6 20 14 zz' Y INVENTOA llans/tall Zflmsan HTTORNEY M. 1. WILLIAMSQN 2,431,786

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed July 29. 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Armin/EY De@ 2, 1947. M. l. wlLuAMsoN 2,431,786

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed .my 29, 194s s sheets-sheet s INVE/vron 17ans/fall Milla/maan HTTOPNEY DC 2, 1947 n M. l. WILLIAMSON 2,431,786

DISFENSING CONTAINER Filed July 29, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 ,aYrS/mll [W7/MM50 www# LZ2 HTTORNEY Dec. 2, 1947.

M. l. WILLIAMSON DIsrENsING CONTAINER '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 29, 1943 INVENTOA Illa/111.5011

@www 21 HTTOPNEY Patented Dec. 2, 1947 DISPENSING CONTAINER Marshall I. Williamson, New Haven, Conn., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to National Folding Box Company, Incorporated, a corporation of Connecticut Application July 29, 1943, Serial No. 496,538

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to dispensing containers, and more particularly to containers which are adapted to be formed of paperboard or other suitable and readily available material for the packaging of powdered or granular substances and pills, pellets, or tablet-like articles such as are normally dispensed by the consumer from the container as needed.

In accordance with this invention va container is provided which is formed from a single blank of paperboard or other suitable material, which presents enclosing side and end walls, One of the enclosing side walls comprises an inner panel and an overlying outer panel. In the outer of these two panels an opening is provided and, directly beneath this opening, an area of the inner panel is adapted to be pierced, pressed in or removed by the consumer so as to form an opening or a group of openings in registry with the opening in the outer panel through which the contents of the container may be dispensed.

In the outer panel only, there is also provided, somewhat remote from the dispensing opening, an arcuate or substantially U-shaped slit, arranged transversely of the panel.

In forming the container, pursuant to this inventon. prior to the filling with its intended con tents. a flat, card-like closure member of suitable material` size and configuration, is inserted between the aforesaid overlying wall panels and positioned and arranged for snug, sliding movement therebetween.

A tab of suitable length extends from an edge of this closure member and projects through the aforesaid arcuate or U-shaped slit in the outer of the two overlying wall panels, so that it may readily be grasped from the outside and afford convenient linger operable means for sliding the member back and forth to alternately clear and close the registering dispensing openinfrs in the said overlying well panels of the container.

In certain forms of the invention, the container umay be so constructed as to prevent sifting loss of its powdered or granular contents. These siftproof forms of the container are provided with a pair of inner inturning flaps extending from each end side of the inner of the Said overlying wall panels. and a pair of outer inturning flaps extending from each corresponding end of the outer of said panels. The outer flaps are somewhat shorter than the inner flaps and overlie the latter when the container is sealed. This permits the end sealing flaps, which ultimately overlie the respectively adjacent inner and outer inturning flaps, to be adhesively secured to both` According to a preferred form of this invention, f

a folding box or carton is provided having three side walls of single thickness, a side wall of double thickness and end walls of multiple thickness, the double thickness side wall having an opening therein and a closure for said opening. The carton itself is formed from a single prepared flat blank of foldable sheet material such as paper boxboard and, except for the multi-thick end walls and the double-thick side wall, is of conventional end-scalable folding box style.

To provide the stated double-thick top wall of the carton, an inner or primary side wall forming panel is integrally and hingedly connected to the top edge of-one side wall of the carton and an outer or secondary side Wall forming panel is similarly connected to the top edge of the opposite side wall of the carton. At the ends of each of these two side wall forming panels which is opposite their respective thus-connected edges, there is similarly connected a relatively short securing flap. In first forming the carton from its flat blank into a collapsed tubular shell, as is normally required, the securing flap of the inner side wall panel is adhesively secured to the inside and adjacent the top edge of one side wall of the carton and, thereafter, the securing flap of the cuter side wall panel is adhesively secured to the outside and adjacent the top edge of the wall opposite said one side wall. By this arrange ment the outer or secondary side wall panel securely and closely overlies the inner or primary side wall panel without itself being adhesively secured thereto.

To provide the multi-thick end walls of the carton, an end wall supporting flap is integrally and hingedly connected to each end edge of the side wall of the carton opposite the double side Wall and an identical such ap is similarly con nected to each end edge of the inner side wall panel of the carton. These ilaps preferably are of such length that, when those associated with the side wall opposite the double side wall are turned inwardly toward those associated with the double side wall panel of the carton, their respective ends will meetand lie in substantially edge-to-edge abutting relationship. Similarly connected to each end of the outer side wall panel of the carton is another such iiap substantially 3 shorter but otherwise identical with and adapted, when similarly inturned, to overlie the flaps connected to the inner side wall panel. Also similarly connected to the ends of one of the remaining single thickness side walls of the carton is a sealing panel which, is adapted to overlie and be adhesively secured to the previously inturned end wall supporting flaps. Likewise connected to the ends edge of the remaining end wall of the carton is a substantially identical end wall sealing panel which, is adapted to fully overlie and be adhesively secured to the previously inturned end wall sealing panel, thus completing the formation of the stated multi-thick end walls of the carton. Both the inner and the outer side wall panes of the carton have formed therein, or are adapted to have formed therein, an aperture which may be of considerable size and extend from near the same lateral side of each such panel to aboutl the center thereof, the two apertures when formed being in substantial alignment or register so as to provide an opening in the side wall of the carton for access to or dispensing of the contents. Prior to sealing the multi-thick end walls this access or dispensing opening is provided with a closure in the form of a substantially T-shaped card-like member which is slidably arranged between the said inner and. outer side wall panels of the carton and is adapted for easy exterior manipulation by means of a tab portion which projects through a substantially U-shaped slit in the outer of the said side wall panels. This U- shaped slit has its legs directed toward and preferably terminating at that fold defined lateral edge of said outer end wall panel which is the more remote from the said aperture therein.

The T-shaped closure member comprises a rectangular main or body portion of a width substantially equal to the width of the carton side panel and a length substantially equal to onehalf the length of the carton end panel, and a narrower rectangular stem or tab portion integral with the body portion and adapted to enter and extend outwardly through the said U-shaped -slit in the outer side wall panel of the carton when the closure member is inserted between the inner and outer side wall panels thereof, the width of the said tab portion being substantially equal to that of the U-shaped slit and its length being substantially equal to that of the body portion of the closure member. In its sliding movement, the closure member is guided and frictionally restrained by the close t and confinement of its body portion between the inner and outer side wall panels of the carton, the parallel side edges of the body portion riding along the hinge-fold-connected front and back edges respectively of the said panels and the side edges of the tab portion riding along the parallel legs of the U-shaped slit, thus assuring a smooth and straight but frictionally retarded sliding movementl of the said closure member. The forward shoulder edges of the c'osure member, at either side of the tab portion, form abutment means for cooperation with the ends of the U-shaped-slit, and preferably also with the adjacent fold-dened lateral edge of the outer side wall panel of the carton, to limit the sliding movement of the closure member in that direction and prevent its complete withdrawal therefrom. The sliding movement of the closure member in the opposite direction is similarly limited by abutment of its rearward edge against the opposite fold-defined lateral edge of the outer side wall panel of the carton. Theroveralllength Of lill? 9.19Sure meinber preferably does not exceed the length of the inner side wall panel of the carton between its respective fold-defined lateral edges so that the closure member will lie entirely within the area thereof when in aperture closing position.

The box or carton so constructed is free from projections extending beyond its walls and thus, when collapsed, permits convenient packing and stacking without waste of space. The manually operable tab portion of the closure member is easily accessible by reason of the improved form of the slit in the shape of a U exposing a substantial length of the tab portion for gripping equal to the height of the U measured from the bottom of the U to the ends of its legs. The height, of the U does not limit the length of the longitudinal Y movement of the closure member in any way since the member maybe moved until its abutment edges reach the ends of the legs of the U-slit which preferably terminate at one edge of the outer top wall panel. In other words, the use of a U-shaped slit with a T-shaped closure member offers the advantage of a well accessible and exposed finger operable portion of the closure member without a limitation of the length of its longitudinal movement, thus permitting the use of an unusually large dispensing aperture.

The features of this invention may be incorporated in containers of Various shapes and forms by proper design and shaping of the container forming blank. l'Ihe container forming blank is so cui; and scored and its respective panels and naps are so arranged as to permit high speed gluing and folding assembly thereof into collapsed shell form on a standard strip gluing and folding machine. The blanks are further so shaped and formed that the collapsed shell assembled therefrom may be erected into container form and the opposite open ends or sides thereof closed and sealed on a standard end sealing machine, or by a simple hand operation. No special machinery therefore need be employed in the preparation of the blanks, or the assembly of the blanks in collapsed shell form, or the erection, closing and sealing of the shells. Cartons or containers made in accordance with this invention are therefore adapted for manufacture and assembly by high speed and yet standard container assembly machines at low cost without skilled labor to provide a packaging medium which is highly useful and serviceable in the packaging and merchandising of products of various types which have heretofore been packaged mainly in cans or boxes partially or wholiy formed of sheet metal.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the detailed description which follows accompanied by drawings showing, for the purpc-se of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of the invention which are believed to be novel will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, its objects and advantages, and the manner in whichit may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof in which: A

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the inside face of a prepared blank from which my improved dispensing container may be formed;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a prepared blank for the closure member;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the prepared container blank as it appears after having passed through the first glue wheel and folding operations;

Fig. 41s a perspective view of the prepared container blank as it appears after having passed through the second folding operation and as it is about to pass through the second glue wheel operation;

Fig. 5,is a perspective View of the prepared container blank as it appears after having passed through the second glue wheel and the third folding operations to provide a collapsed glued tubular shell;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the collapsed shell after expansion thereof into rectangular tubular' form, showing the end wall supporting flaps on one end of the container in the process of being brought into closed position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the partially assembled container showing one pair of side wall sealing panels folded outwardly in the position in which adhesive has been applied to their inner surfaces;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the partially assembled container showing the same pair of end wall sealing panels as they appear when brought' to substantially closed position;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the partially assembled container inverted from its previous position with one end fully closed and the closure member in the process of insertion, the container being ready to be filled with merchandise;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the partially assembled container, filled with merchandise, showing the closure member fully inserted and the merchandise receiving side in the rst stage of being closed and sealed;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the container showing the last pair of end wall sealing panels in outspread position after having adhesive applied thereto;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the iilled `container as it appears during the nnal sealing stage;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the fully assembled, iilled and sealed container showing the closure member drawn to dispensing position and A the removable po-rtion still in place;

Fig. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the fully assembled, nlled and sealed dispensing container as it appears when viewed along line I 4-l4 of Fig. 13, when the closure member is in operative closing position;

Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the fully assembled, filled and sealed dispensing container as it appears when viewed along line l5-l 5 of Fig. 13, with the closure member in operative closing position;

Fig. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the upper portion of the container and similar to the view shown in Fig. 14 except that the closure member has been drawn into dispensing position with the dispensing opening in the container fully exposed and the removable portion removed;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the inside face of a prepared blank from which a dispensing container of somewhat modified construction may be formed;

Fig. 18 is a plan view of a blank of a closure member for the container assembled from the blank shown in Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the container assembled from the blank shown in Fig. 17 with all sides closed save one end, this view also showing the closure member in process of being inserted;

Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the fully assembled and filled container formed from the blank shown in Fig. 17, this view showing the closure member drawn to dispensing position;

Fig. 21 is a plan view of the inside face of a prepared blank from which a dispensing container of further modified construction may be formed;

Fig. 22 is a plan View of a blank of a closure member for the lcontalnerassembled from the blank shown in Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. 21 as it appears after having passed through the i'lrst glue wheel and folding operations;

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. 23 as it appears after having passed through the second folding operation and is about to pass through the second glue wheel operation;

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. 24 after having passed through the second glue wheel and the third folding operations to provide a collapsed glued tubular shell;

Fig. 26 is a perspective view of the tubular shell after expansion or erection into rectangular form, this view showing the naps forming one end wall of the container in the process of being closed;

Fig. 27 is a perspective View of the partially assembled container showing one end wall fully closed:

Fig. 28 is a perspective view of the partially assembled container as shown in Fig. 27 in inverted position, one end Wall being closed and one end wall openand arranged in position to receive the contents, this view also showing the closure member in the process of being inserted;

Fig. 29 is a perspective view of the fully assembled modied container formed from the blank shown in Fig. 21 with the closure member drawn into dispensing position; and

Fig. 30 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view Y through the fully assembled container as it appears when viewed along line 30--30 of Fig. 29.

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

The blank A as shown in Fig. 1 is especially designed to form a dispensing container for powdered or granular products which normally have a tendency to sift through openings and spaces which are not fully and completely sealed. The blank A is especially designed to overcome such leakage difficulties andV provide a container which can bev economically manufactured and assembled on standard box assembling machines at a high production rate. It will be noted that the blank shown in Fig. 1 is substantially rectangular in outline, resulting in a minimum waste of material. The blank may be cut and scored in multiple from a large sheet or roll of paperboard or other suitable material on an automatic cutting and Ascoring machine. Only one side of the blank need be finished or imprinted since only one surface of the blank is presented as the outside face of the assembled container.

The blank A comprises a panel I, which for convenience in description may be called a side Wall panel. A-panel 2, which for convenience in description may be referred to as a rear wall panel, is hinged to the bottom wall panel l along the score line 4. An' opposite panel 3, which for convenience in description may be referred to as a front wall panel, is hinged to the oppo-V site edge of the side wall panel I along a score line 5 extending substantially parallel to the score line 4. An inner panel 6, which may for convenience in description be called an inner side wall panel, is hinged to the rear wall panel 2 along a score line 1 extending substantially parallel to score lines 4 and 5. A somewhat similar but slightly larger outer side wall panel 8 is hinged to the front wall panel 3 along score line 9 which extends substantially parallel to the score lines 4, 5 and 1. A securing ilap I0 is hinged to the inner side wall panel 6 along the score line I| extending substantially parallel to the score line 1. An opposite securing flap I2 is hinged at the oppositel end of the blank to the outer side wall panel 8 along the score line I3 extending substantially parallel to score line 9. It will be noted that score lines 4, 5, "I, II, 9 and I3 are substantially parallel and extend transversely across the blank.

The ends of the container are formed by pairs of inturning end wall supporting and end wall sealing flaps which are hingedly connected t the front, rear, side walls of the container. A pair of end wall supporting flaps I4 and I4' are connected to the side wall panel I by parallel score lines I5 and I5. Substantially similar end wall supporting flaps I6 and I6' are connected to the inner side wall panel 6 along parallel Ascore lines II and I'I' and another pair of inturning flaps I8 and I8 are connected to the outer side wall .panel 8 along parallelscore lines I9 and I9' respectively. It will be noted that the supporting flaps I4 and I6 and I4' and I6' are of substantially the same dimensions, while inturning flaps I8 and I8' are somewhat shorter. A pair of side wall sealing panels 28 and 20 are connected to the rear wall panel 2 along a pair of parallel score lines 2| and 2|', while a similar pair of side wall sealing panels 22 and 22 are connected to the front wall panel-3 along a pair of parallel score lines 23 and 23 respectively. Suitable minor variations in the dimensions and alignments of the various related panels and scores of the blank A' as shown in Fig. 1 may be necessary or desirable to facilitate square and uncrowded folding assembly thereof into container form, especially when the sheet material employed is of relatively heavy gauge.

The outer side wall panel 8 of the container is provided with a dispensing opening 25 while the inner top wall panel 6 may be provided with an-encircling line of perforations 21 defining an inner disc 26 which can be torn out to provide an opening 26' which aligns with opening 25 when the container is fully assembled (see Fig. 16). The outer side wall panel 8 is also provided with a U-shaped slit forming a tab or tongue 30 defined by a cut 28 and a curved cut 29 extending from the cut 28 at right angles thereto and terminating at the score line I9. The' tab or tongue 30 thus is free to hinge about the score line I9. The cuts 28 and 29 provide an opening through which a portion of the dispensing slide may extend, as will hereinafter be brought out.

A suitable form of blank for the closure member is shown in Fig. 2. It comprises a rectangular main or body portion 3| of a width substantially equal to the width of the carton side panel and a length substantially equal to one-half the length of the carton side panel. A narrower rectangular stern or tab portion 32 is integral with the body portion 3|. The body portion has adjacent edges 3|' adapted to be guided between the side walls of the carton. The stem or tab portion 32 has side edges 32' adapted to be guided between the edges of the U-slit in the carton. Forward shoulder edges 3| extend to either side from the stem or tab portion and provide abutment edges preventing a complete withdrawal of the closure member through the U-shaped slit in the carton. A score line 35 may be provided to facilitate grasping of the end 34 of the stem or tab portion.

The container forming blank A, as shown in Fig. 1, may be assembled into collapsed shell form on an automatic strip gluing and folding machine of standard design. This machine operates to apply a strip of adhesive to the outside face of the inner securing ap I0 and thereupon folds the inner side wall panel 6 about score line 'I so as to overlie the inside face of the rear wall panel 2, as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3. Next, the machine folds front wall panel 3 about score line 5 so as to overlie the inside face of the side wall pan-e1 I, the topeend of front wall panel 3 being pressed into lrm adhesive engagement with the securing ap Il). Thus partially assembled the blank appears as shown in Fig. 4. As the next step in the continuous machine operation, a strip of adhesive is applied to the inside face of the outer securing iiap I2, whereupon the said flap I2 is folded under to overlie and be pressed into rm .adhesive engagement with the outside face of the rear Wall panel 2, as indicated in Fig. 5. The blank, nat-folded and glued as shown in Fig. 5, provides a collapsed tubular shell, quantities of which can be packed together in close stacked relationship so as to require a minimum of space and packing material, and, so stacked and packed, may be shipped to the product manufacturer for further assembly, filling and sealing, with minimum risk of damage in handling or otherwise.

The product manufacturer assembles the co1- lapsed shells to form containers as needed. The assembly operations carried on by the product manufacturer may be performed on a standard forming, filling and sealing machine. The collapsed shell as shown in Fig. 5, when fed into such a machine, is first expanded into rectangular form as indicated in Fig. 6. the front wall panel 3, rear wall panel 2, side wall panel I, and the overlapping inner and outer tcp Wall panels 6 and 8 being firmly secured together as hereinbefore described to provide a tube of generally rectangular cross-section. The machine then operates to close and seal one of the open ends of the expanded shell by inwardly folding the supporting aps I4, I6 and I8 so that they extend substantially in alignment. It will here be noted by referring to Figs. 6 and '7 that the flaps I4 and I6 are substantially co-extensive, with their free edges :c substantially in abutment. The other inturning flap I8 is shorter than the inturning flap I6 which it overlies, as fully shown in Fig. 7. The machine then operates to turn outward and apply adhesive to the inside faces of the end wall sealing panels 20 and 22, covering substantially the entire inner surfaces thereof. When the end wall sealing panel 20 is folded to overlie the inturned flaps I4, I6 and I8, pressure is applied thereto so that the adhesive g will rmly adhere to and heal the side wall sealing panel 20 to the full surface area of the inturned supporting flap I4. vto the full surface area of the short inturned flap I8, and to that surface area of the inturned supporting flap I6 which extends beyond the ledge :c of the flap I 8. As the final operation, the companion end wall sealing panel 22 is then folded to overlie and be pressed into firm adhesive engagement with the outside face of the previously inturned end wall sealing panel 28, as illustrated in Fig. 8.

It will be noted that the outer side wall panel 8 has not been adhesively secured to the inner side wall panel 6, in order to permit a closure member to be inserted between these panels and slide snugly therebetween. It is therefore obvious that if the powdered or granular contents were permitted to leak between the inner and outer top wall panels 8 and 8 respectively, this material will eventually escape through the discharge opening 25 in the top wall panel even though the closure member is in its closed position. However, such leakage is effectively prevented by the novel arrangement of inturned flaps I4, I6 and I8, all of which are firmly secured across their full width by adhesive a to the inner end wall sealing panel 20. Leakage of the contents to the exterior of the container is further and finally prevented when the outer end wall sealing panel 22 is rmly adhesively secured to the inner end wall sealing panel 20.

With one of its ends thus closed and sealed, the partially assembled container is inverted, as shown in Fig. 9, and lled with contents through the open end thereof. This end may then be closed and sealed on the same machine or one very similar to that which closed and sealed the other end. Prior to such closing and sealing, however, the closure member B, as shown in Fig. 2, is inserted between the inner side wall panel 6 and the outer side wall panel 8, by spreading apart the respective inturning iiaps I6' and I8', as shown in Fig. 9. The tab portion 34 ofthe closure member is threaded through the U-shaped slit 28-29 in the outer wall panel 8, which is opened by depressing the tab or tongue 38, permitting the tab portion 34 to overlie the tab or tongue 38, as shown in Figs. 10, l1 and 12. When thus arranged the body section 3| of the closure member will fully cover the dispensing opening 25 in the outer wall panel 8, as shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12.

The sealing machine operates to fold the flaps I4' and I5 inwardly so as to extend substantially in alignment and the secondary flap I8 so as to overlie the flap I6. Adhesive is applied to the inside faces of the end wall sealing panels 28' and 22 whereupon end wall sealing panel 28 is folded inwardly and pressed into firm adhesive engagement with the exposed faces of the inturned flaps I4', I6 and I8. By following this method of sealing there is-no opportunity for the contents to sift between the supporting flap I6 and the inturned flap I8' and to escape between the inner top wall panel 6 and the outer top wall panel 8. This effective seal results from the fact that the exposed end portion I6 of the supporting flap I 6 is adhesively secured through its full width to the overlying side wall sealing panel as shown in Fig. 14. As the final sealing operation, side wall sealing panel 22 is folded over and pressed into firm adhesive engagement with the outside face of the previously inturned side wall `sealing panel 20. Thus assembled the carton aD- pears in cross-section in Figs. 14 and 15.

When access to the contents is desired, the end 34 of the tab portion 32 is grasped and pulled outwardly, exposing the inner sidev wall panel 5 through the aperture 25 in the outer top wall panel 8. The disc 26' defined by the line of perforation 21 in the inner top wall Apanel 6, may

lthen readily be punched out by the consumer,

permitting pouring or removal of the contents through the opening thus formed. It will be further noted that the abutment edges 3|" of the closure member limits the extent of its withdrawal and when the closure member has been drawn out to its full extent it will be noted that the edges 3I" will abut against the ends of the U-slit terminating at the hinged end of the inturned flap I8'. It will be further noted that the side edges 3|' of the body portion are substantially in abutting yet sliding contact with the inside face of thewall panel 3 and the outer securing flap I2, so that the closure member moves in a substantially straight line when sliding.

Fig. 17 illustrates a prepared blank A' of suitable material from which a dispensing container of somewhat modified construction may be formed. The blank A comprises enclosing vertical wall panels 4I, 42, 43, 44 and 45 hingedly connected along their side edges at score lines 48, 50, 5I and 52, respectively. When the container is assembled, panel 45 at one end of the blank forms van inner vertical wall panel and panel 4I at the other end of the blank forms an outer vertical wall panel which completely overlies vthe inner panel 45. An inner securing flap 46 is hingedly connected to a side edge of the inner panel 45 along score line 53, while at the other end of the blank an outer securing fiap 41 is hingedly connected along score line 48 to the outer panel 4I. It will be noted that score lines 48, 49, 50, 5I, 52 and 53 are substantially parallel and extend transversely across the blank.

A pair of end closure or sealing flaps 60 and 82 extend from the top ends of panels 42 and 44 and are hingedly connected thereto along score lines 6I and V53 respectively. A similar pair of end closure or sealing flaps and 62' extend from the bottom ends of panels 42 and 44 and are hingedly connected thereto along score lines 6I and 63' respectively. A pair of closure supporting flaps 54 and 56 extend from the` top ends of panels 43 and 45 and are hinged thereto along score lines -55 and51 respectively. Another pair of closure supporting flaps 54 and 5B' extend from the bottom ends of panels 43 and 45 and are hinged thereto along score lines 55' and 51'. A supplemental inturning flap 58 extends from the tab end of the outer sidewall panel 4I and is hinged thereto along score lines 58, and a similar supplemental inturning flap 58' extends from the bottom end of panel 4I and is hinged thereto along score line 59'. Suitable minor variations in the dimensions and alignments of the Various related panels and scores of the blank A', as shown in Fig. 17, may be necessary or desirable to facilitate square and uncrowded folding assembly thereof into container form, especially when the sheet material employed is of relatively heavy gauge.

The prepared blank A', as shown in Fig. 17, may be assembled in collapsed shell form in the same manner that the blank shown in Fig. l is assembled. This operation can be performed in a standard box folding and gluing machine which first operates to apply adhesive in strip form to the outside face of inner securing flap 46, folds the inner vertical wall panel 45 about score line 52 so as to overlie wallpanel 44 and folds panel 42 about score line 50 -so as to overlie panel 43 whereby that portion of enclosing panel 42 which is adjacent to score line 49 will become adhesively secured to the underlying inner securing flap 48. During further continued travel of the blank through the strip folding and gluing machine, outer securing flap 41 which overhangs the main body of the blank is then coated with adhesive and is folded into adhesive engagement with the enclosing panel 44 adjacent to score line 52. As thus assembled, a, collapsed tubular shell is presented which permits stacking, shipping and storage of large numbers of such collapsed shells in a limited space.

The product manufacturer, on receiving the collapsed shells, then proceeds either manually or mechanically, to expand them into tubular form and to close and seal one of the open ends thereof. If mechanically, this operation can be performed on readily available standard machine which, after automatically expanding each shell, operates next to turn inwardly the closure supporting flaps 54' and 56 so that they extend substantially in alignment and substantially simultaneously folds in the shorter inturning flap 58' so as to overlie the supporting flap 56. The flaps 54 and 56 preferably are of such length that, when thus inturned, they will meet in substantially edge-to-edge abutment. The machine operates to apply adhesive to the inside faces of the closure flaps 60 and 62', folds closure flap 60' into vfirm adhesive engagement with the substituting flap 54', and with the inturning closing flap 56. The container thus far assembled appears in Fig. 19, in which condition it is ready to receive contents.

It will be noted that outer vertical panel 4| is provided with a dispensing opening 66 and a tab or tongue 63 defined by a U-shaped slit comprising a cut 64 anda pair of spaced cuts 65. A closure member B' substantially in the shape of a T and formed from a single piece of suitable material, as more fully shown in Fig. 18, is provided which comprises a body section or covering portion 1| having laterally extending wing sections 12, providing shoulder portions 13 and forming head of the T. A finger grip portion 14 forming the leg of the T is hinged to the cover portion 1| along a transversely extending score line 15 and can be grasped when assembled with a container for the purpose of moving the closure member.

As shown in Fig. 19, the closure member B is inserted between the outer panel 4| and the inner panel 45 by spreading apart the primary inturning flap 56 and the secondary inturning flap 58. The finger grip portion 14 is threaded through the U-slit or opening formed by depressing the tab or tongue 63 in the outer panel 4|. When in normal assembled position the closure member covers the inner panel 45 so that it is not visible through the opening 66. When the closure member is dra-wn into dispensing position, as shown in Fig. 20, the inner panel 45 is clearly visible through the opening 66 and when the disc 61 circumscribed by the perforated line 68 in the inner panel 45 is punched out, a dispensing opening 6 I as shown in Fig. 17 is provided for dispensing of the contents.

When the product manufacturer has properly insertedthe closure member B in operative position and filled the partially assembled container, with contents, as shown in Fig. 19, the last remaining end of the container may be closed by infolding the flaps 56 and 54 so as to extend substantially in alignment, and substantially simultaneously infolding the secondary flap 58 so as to overlie the primary ap 56, leaving the end portion of iiap 56 exposed. As the next step, adhesive is applied to the inside face of the closure iiaps 60 and 62, closure flap 62 is folded and pressed into adhesive engagement with the inturned flapsA 54, 56 and 58, and finally closure 12 flap 60 is folded and pressed in adhesive engagement with the outside face of closure flap 62, providing a completed dispensing carton as shown in Fig. 20. The consumer can readily obtain access to the contents by drawing the closure member B to the position shown in Fig. 20 and punching out the disc 61 in the inner panel 45. It will be noted that the shoulder portion 13 of the closure member will abut against the material surrounding the ends 65 of the U-,slit 65, limiting further withdrawal of the closure,- member. The aligned dispensing openings 66 and 61 may readily be closed off by grasping the nger grip portion 14 and slidingthe closure member back into closed position so that the covering portion 1| thereof closes off the aligned openings 66 and 61.

The dispensing carton above described'and illustrated in Figs. 13 and 20, is substantially sift- I proof and is especially adapted for granular or powdered material. An effective seal which prevents the escape of the contents between the inner and outer panels which carry the dispensing openings, is effectively provided by the primary and secondary inturning flaps hinged to the respective ends of the inner and outer panels which are glue-sealed to the overlying closure flap to prevent the escape of the contents bet-Ween the primary and secondary inturned flaps.

In cases where a'y package for pills, pellets or tablet-shaped products is desired, it will be appreciated that the container need not be made siftproof. There is shown in Fig. 21 a prepared blank A" from which a dispensing container for such packaging uses may be formed. The blank as shown in Fig. 21 comprises enclosing panels 82, 83, 84, and 86, which are hingedly connected at their side edges along the respective score lines 89, 90, 9| and 92, providing in eiect a blank having five panels to form a four-sided enclosure. A securing ap 81 is hingedly connected along score line 93 to end panel 86, which for convenience may be designated the inner top panel. A further securing flap 8| is hingedly connected to the panel 82 along the score line 88. The score lines 88, 89, 90, 9| and 93 extend across the blank and substantially parallel so as to provide a container having substantially rectangularly shaped enclosing walls. A pair of closure panels 94, 94 are hingedly connected to the opposite ends of panel 82, which may also be referred to as the outer top panel, along parallel extending score lines 95 and 95. A pairy of tuck-in flaps 96 and 96' hinged to the opposite closure panels 94, 94' along parallel score lines 91 and 91', are tucked into the container when assembled to retain the closure panels 94 and 94 in closed position. A pair of closure supporting iiaps extend from the end of the side panel 85 along score lines 99 and 99'. A similar pair of closure aps |00 and |00' are hinged along parallel score lines |0| and |0| to the opposite ends of panel 83.

When a container is assembled from the blank A" shown in Fig. 21, the inner top panels 86 will underlie the outer top panel 82 to provide inner and outer panels, while the securing flap 81 will underlie the side wall panel 83. The dispensing slide B, formed from the blank asshown in Fig. 22, Will be received between the inner top panel 86 and the outer top panel 82. A dispensing opening |02 is provided in the outer top panel 82. The inner top panel 86 is provided with a line of perforations |03 which define a punch-out disc |04, which when punched out provides a dispensing opening |03 in registry with opening |02.

outer top panel'82 is also provided with a U-slit Thev 13 whose ends terminate at the score line 95 to define a, tongue |05.

The closure member B having substantially the form of a T may also be formed from a singie blank of suitable material comprising a body section or covering portion ||0 provided with wing sections ||I having abutment shoulders H2. A finger grip portion |I3 extends from the cov` ering portion I l 0.

The container forming bank A" may be assembled by the box maker into collapsed shell form on a strip gluing and folding machine at a high production rate. As shown inFig, 23, a strip of adhesive g is applied to the outside face of the securing flap 8l, whereupon the panel 86 is folded about score line 02 so as to overlie the panels 84 and 85. about score line 00 so as to overlie and adhesively engage the securing flap 81, as illustrated in Fig. 24. Adhesive is then applied to the inside face of the securing flap 8i which overhangs the remaining parts of the blank, as shown in Fig. 24, whereupon the nap 8l is folded about score line 88 and pressed into adhesive engagement with the outside face of the panel 85, forming a collapsed but assembled shell as shown in Fig. 25. The collapsed shell as shown in Fig. may be stacked, stored and shipped in a minimum space and held in stock by the product manufacturer until needed.

The product manufacturer can quickly assemble the collapsed shell as shown in Fig. 25 without the aid of any equipment. In assembling the collapsed shell into container form, the body of the blank is expanded into the form of an open tube, as shown in Fig. 26. Closure supporting flaps 98 and |00 are then turned inwardly as shown in Fig. 26, closure panel 94' folded thereover, and tuck-in flap 96' inserted into the eX- panded shell, as shown in Fig. 27. The closure member may then be inserted between the inner panel 85 and the outer panel 82, as shown in Fig. 28, and the finger grip portion I I3 thereof threaded through the U-sllt formed in the outer panel 82 by pressing down arcuate tongue |05, so that the linger grip portion I I3 overlies the tongue |05. The container may then be illed with the product, the closure supporting flaps 90 and |00 be turned inwardly, closure panel 84 folded thereover, and tuck-in flap 96 inserted into the container so as to lie adjacent the inside face of the third enclosing panel 84.

The consumer may readily obtain access to the contents by exerting thumb pressure on the finger grip portion ||3 and drawing the closure member outwardly as shown in Fig. 29. The closure can be readily moved since it lies flat between the adjacent smooth surface of the inner panel 86 and the outer panel 82 and is guided by the folded side edges of the latter. When the closure member has been drawn to the position shown in Fig. 29, the disc |03 may be punched out of the inner panel 8B by consumer to provide a dispensing opening |03' in the inner panel, which aligns with the dispensing opening |02 in the outer panel, as shown in Fig. 30. Reclosure of the carton may be effected by moving the closure member in the opposite direction. It will be noted that the closure member can only be moved a sufficient extent to expose the line of openings and when drawn to its full open position, the shoulder portion H2 thereof will abut ends of the U-slit.

It is obvious that in all the forms of containers hereinbefore described the closure member The panels 83 and 82 are then folded may be assembled with the container body while the tubular container blank is still in its co1- lapsed form. The assembly may therefore take place at the plant of the container manufacturer before shipment to the merchandisefmanufacturer of the collapsed blank. In this case the blank requires merely expansion and sealing but no assembly of loose parts at the merchandise manufacturers plant.

It is now seen that an eilicient attractive dispensing container is provided, the various forms of which are wholly formed from paperboard or similar material, and is adapted for the packaging of products which have heretofore been packaged to a large extent in cans or boxes, partially or wholly from'sheet metal. In one form of the invention the container is so constructed as to prevent sifting of the contents between the paperboard layers formed in the container and thus prevent escape or loss of the contents. The closure member may be formed from a nat blank of paperboard. whichy requires no folding or gluing, and its nat side surfaces slide smoothly between the inner and outer panels of the container. Containers made in accordance with this invention can be manufactured and lled on standard box assembly machines at a high production rate with the use of substantially no skilled labor, and can be shipped to and stored by the product manufacturer as collapsed shells effecting economics in shipping andstorage space, and thereafter can be quickly assembled by the product manufacturer.

A particular feature of the forms of containers hereinbefore described is that the container may repeatedly be opened and reclosed by the consumer without the use of any tool and without defacing the container.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims. it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing vfrom the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A box or carton comprising a multi-sided tubular body formed of side walls, and foldable flaps for closing its ends, one side wall consisting of an inner panel and an outer panel, said inner panel having a securing tab hinged thereon secured to the inner surface of the wall panel adjacent said outer panel, said outer panel having a securing tab hinged thereon secured to the outer surface of the wall panel adjacent said inner panel, said inner and outer panels lying unattached face to face, each panel having a dispensing aperture therein, the apertures being in registry, the outer panel having further a U-shaped slit therein; and a substantially T-shaped closure member inserted between said outer and inner panels with freedom to slide therebetween, said closure member having a finger operable portion extending through said slit, the ends of the slit extending to an edge of said outer panel, a side flap hinged to said outer panel along said edge. said side flap abutting an edge of said closure member in withdrawn position and forming a stop limiting the longitudinal movement of said closure member.

2. A box or carton comprising a multi-sided tubular body formed of side walls, and foldable flaps for closing its ends, one side wall consisting of an inner panel and an outer panel, said inner panel having a securing tab hinged thereon secured to the inner surface of the wall panel adjacent said outer panel, said outer panel having a securing tab hinged thereon secured to the outer surface of the wall panel adjacent said inner panel, said inner and outer panels lying unattached face to face, each panel having a dispensing aperture therein, the apertures being in registry, the outer panel having further a slit therein in the shape of a U closed towards said dispensing aperture, the legs of the U being substantially parallel; and a substantially T-shaped closure member inserted between said outer and inner panels with freedom to slidetherebetween, said closure member having a main body portion of a width substantially equal to the width of said inner panel, said body portion representing the head of the T, and a nger operable portion of a width substantially equal to the width of said U, said iinger operable portion extending through said slit and representing the leg of the T, the ends of the slit extending to an edge of said outer panel, a side nap hinged to said outer panel along said edge, said side flap abutting an edge of said closure member in withdrawn position and forming a stop limiting the longitudinal movement of said closure member.

3.-A box or carton comprising a multi-sided tubular body formed of side walls, and foldable flaps for closing its ends, one side wall consisting of an inner panel and an outer panel, said inner panel having a securing tab hinged thereon secured to the inner-surface of the wall panel adjacent said outer panel, said outer panel having a securing tab hinged thereon secured to the outer surface of the Wall panel adjacent said inner panel, said inner and outer panels lying unattached face to face, each panel having a dispensing aperture therein, the apertures being in registry, the outer panel having further a, slit therein in the shape of a U closed towards said dispensing aperture, the legs of the U being substantially parallel and terminating at a fold line dened edge of the outer panel; and a substantially T-shaped closure member inserted between said outer and inner panels with freedom to slide therebetweemsaid closure member having a main body portion of a width substantially equal to the width of said inner panel, said body portion representing the head of the T, and anger operable portion of a width substantially equal to the width of said U, said finger operable portion extending through said slit and representing the leg of the T, the ends of the slit and said fold line extending to an edge of said outer panel, a side nap hinged to said outer panel along said edge, said side ap abutting an edge of said closure member in withdrawn position and forming a stop limiting the longitudinal movement of said closure member.

4. A box or carton made from a. single blank of board comprising five side wall panels forming a tubular body having four side walls, one side wall being of double thickness and consisting of an inner and an outer panel in overlying relationship, opposite surfaces of said inner and outer panels being unattached, each panel having a dispensing aperture therein, the apertures being in registry, the outer panel having a slit therein; a slide member inserted between said inner and outer panels for sliding movement therebetween, said slide' member having a finger operable tongue extending thro`ugh said slit whereby said slide member may be moved to open and close said aperturesga pair of end flaps hingedly connected to opposite ends -of said inner and of said outer panel; a pair of 16 end flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the side wall panel opposite said double side wall,

-said endnaps being foldable into carton end forming position; and end panels hingedly connected to the ends of two of the remaining side walls, said end wall panels being adapted to be folded into carton end closing position over said end aps.

5. A boxor carton comprising a four sided tubular body formed of side walls, one side wall being of double thickness and consisting of an inner panel and an outer panel in overlying relationship, said inner panel having a hinged securing tab thereon secured to the inner surface of the wall panel adjacent said outer panel, said outer panel having a hinged securing tab thereon secured to the outer surface of the wall panel adjacent said inner panel, said inner and outer panels lying unattached face to face, each panel having a dispensing aperture therein, the apertures being in registry, the outer panel having a slit therein; a slide member inserted between said inner and outer panels for sliding movement therebetween, said slide member having a ringer operable tongue extending through said slit whereby said slide member may be moved to open and -close said apertures;v a pair of end flaps hingedly connected to opposite ends of said inner and of said outer panel, the end flaps on said outer panel being shorter than the end aps on said inner panel; a pair of end flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the side wall panel opposite said double side wall, said end iiaps being foldable into carton end forming position; and end panels hingedly connected to the ends of the two remaining side walls, said endwall panels being adapted to be folded into carton end closing position and to be adhesively secured to each other and the three underlying end flaps at each carton end.

6. A blank formed from a single piece of foldable sheet material for forming a four sided dispensing carton having a dispensing aperture in one side wall, the blank comprising five side wall forming panelsv hingedly connected along side fold lines, the lrst and last panel having dispensing apertures therein adapted to register when the blank is folded, one of said rst and last wall panels having further a slit therein in the shape of a U closed towards said aperture, the slit being adapted to accommodate the end of a dispensing slide, a securing tab hingedly connected to said first and last wall panels along a fold line parallel to said side fold lines, end flaps hingedly connected to the first, third and last wall panels along end fold lines, and end panels hingedly connected to the remaining two wall panels along end fold lines.

7. A blank formed from a single piece of foldable sheet material for forming a four sided dispensing carton having a dispensing aperture in one side wall, the blank comprising live side wall forming panels hingedly connected along side fold line, the first and last wall panels of the blank having dispensing apertures therein adapted to register when the blank is folded, one of the rst and last wall panels having further a slit therein in the shape of a U closed towards said aperture, the legs of the U being substantially parallel and terminating at a fold line bordering said last named wall panel, a securing tab hingedly connected to the end of each of said first and last wall panels, end flaps hingedly connected to the rst, third and last wall panels along end fold lines, the end naps connected to the wall 17 18 pgnei having the slit therein bein: shorter than Number Name Date the remaining end naps. and and panels hinledly 1,007,390 Robinson Oct. 81, 1911 connected to the remninini two will panels lions 561,112 Huffman June 2, 1896 end told lines. 940,634 Davis Nov. 1,6, 1909 MARSHALL I. WILLIAMSON. 5 1,803,612 Guyer May 5, 1931 2,093,143 Bonner Sept. 14, 1937 REFERENCES CITED 2,330,926 Rous Oct. 5, 1943 Th f 11 i f n re of record in the 1,998,862 .Caruso et al Apr. 23, 1935 me (ff ugztgeere ces 2,342,081 Kirkland Feb. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENTS w FOREIGN PATENTS Number Name Date Number Country Date 1,951,274 Denman Mar. 13, 1934 414,509 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1934

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