US2437114A

US2437114A - Container

Info

Publication number: US2437114A
Application number: US468502A
Authority: US
Inventors: Moore George Arlington
Original assignee: Nat Biscuit Co
Current assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC
Priority date: 1942-12-10
Filing date: 1942-12-10
Publication date: 1948-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 1965-03-02

Description

G. A. MOORE March 2, 1948.

CONTAINER Filed Dec. 10, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. I 0945 Axum 7o Mme;

c. A. MOORE March 2, 194a.

CONTAINER 6 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed De'O. 10, 1942 INVENTOR.

G. A. MOORE CONTAINER Filed Dec. 10, 1942 March 2, 194a.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3 11v VENTOR I .ATTORNEY 650F651 flea/warm maolvs.

a. A. MO'ORE March 2, 1948.

CONTAINER Filed Dec. 10, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. EJ/ 65017675. AWL/Inga moa'na 7 .7fm My March'z, 1948. MOORE 2,437,114

' conflqnnn I Filed Dec. 10, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN V EN TOR.

42-047 5 Adam/ 71a Moafi'di BY I ma F775". 48 I 5. 4M

I Patented Man- 2, 1948 CONTAINER George Arlington Moore, New York, N. Y., assign.-

or to National Biscuit Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 10, 1942, Serial No. 468,502

2 Claims. (01. 229-53) This invention relates to containers and more particularly to containers adapted for packaging a wide variety of products including those heretofore exclusively packaged in tin and glass and to. methods of fabricating such containers and the component partsthereof.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel container which is-impervious to moisture and hermetically sealed.

Another object is to provide a method of fabricating' the above container whereby the latter may be formed from non-metallic sheet materials which are readily available and arenot subject to war time priorities.

A further object is to providea novel container which is non-metallic and non-cylindrical and a novel method of forming said container whereby presently available container fabricating equipment may be utilized therefor with little or no structural revision.

. having novel closure means for obtaining a hermetical seal.

Another object is to provide a container closure of the above type'which embodies novel means for reclosing the container to protect the contents thereof after the hermetic seal is broken, for example, to permit removal of a portion of the content.

A further object is to provide a novel con-.

tainer which is capable of withstanding shipping and handling abuses. v

Still another object is to provide a novel container having a closure with angular corners and a novel method of forming said container whereby sturdy and tight cornersare obtained for the closure.

A further object is to provide a novel sheet material from which a container may be fabricated,

said material having-fibre board as a chief constituent thereof. p

The above and other objects and novel features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description of the invention when the latter is readin connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a, definition of the limits of the invention, reference for this latter purpose being had primarily to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the body of a container embodying the present invention may be formed;

Fig.2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a sheet of material from which the blank of Fig. 1. and other component parts of the con tainer may be formed; e

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of another type of sheet material from which the container may be fabricated;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the blank of Fig. 1, with parts broken away and a part shown in section, the section being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of one form of apparatus for applying adhesive to the body blank, a portion of the latter being shown in end elevation;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a method of forming the body blank;

' pleted body portion of the container;

Fig, 10 is a top plan view of a blank from which an end closure member for the body may be formed;

Fig. 11 is a .sectional view taken substantially along line ll-ll of- Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view illustrating a step in the method of forming the closure member and apparatus suitable for carrying out the step, the section through the blank being taken along line I2 l2 of Fig. '13;

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of a partially formed blank;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a method of operatively positioning the closure member in the end of body portion wherein a block or mandrel is employed;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of an apparatus for carrying out the step of operatively securing the 4 closure member in the end of the formed body to seal the latter; 1

Fig. 16 is a sectional view through a closed end of the container, the section being taken on a plane indicated by line i6|6 of Fig. 15; V

Fig. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a sheet material from which the container closure may be fabricated;

Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are fragmentary sectional views illustrating the successive steps of operatively positioning and securing the end closure member to the body member;

Fig. 21 is a top plan view of a a top closure or head member may be formed;

blank from which I Fig. 22 is a top plan view of a blank adapted to constitute a component part of the top closure member formed from the, blank of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a view, partly in sectionand partly in elevation of the upper end of a container showing the top closure member secured in position;

Fig. 24 is a view similar to Fig. 23 illustrating the novel construction of the top closure member whereby the latter may be opened to permit removal of the containercontent;

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the completed container;

Fig. 26 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of a blank from which a modified embodiment of the container may be formed;

Fig. 27 is a sectional view illustrating a step in the formation of the container from the blank of Fig. 26;

Fig. 23 is a sectional view showing one apparatus and method for applying and sealing the end closures to the container body;

Fig. 29 is a fragmentary sectional view of the sealed container end;

Fig. 30 is a perspective view ofthe completed container;

Fig. 31 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of the container showing the closure at one end thereof opened for filling or removal of the contents;

Fig. 32 is a fragmentary sectional view of the sheet material constituting the container blank;

Fig. 33 is a vertical sectional view of an alternate form of apparatus for applying adhesive to the body blank;

Figs. 34, 35 and 36 are fragmentary sectional views of successive steps in one method of forming a closure blank;

Fig. 37 is a perspective view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of an apparatus for simultaneously heat-sealing closures of a plurality of containers;

Fig. 38 is a' perspective view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 37 showing means for reinforcing the olosure flanges during the heat-seal ing thereof;

Fig. 39 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a container having a reinforced bottom closure;

Fig. 40 is 'a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a container top embodying novel means for reinforcing the top closure; r

Fig. 41 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4|-4I of Fig. 39;

Fig. 42 is a fragmentary sectional view, the section being taken substantially along line 42 42-of F 41;

Fig. 43 is a top plan view of a blank from whichthe body of still another, modification of the container is formed;

Fig. 44 is a top plan view of a blank from which the closure for said container may be formed;

Fig. 45 is a perspective view of a container body formed from the blanket Fig. 43;

Fig. 46 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of one end of the container having the closure member operatively positioned therein prior to heat-sealing; v

Fig. 4'7 is a sectional view showing the closure being heat-sealed to the body member;

Fig. 48 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a portion of the sheet material of Fig. 43; and,

Fig. 49 is a perspective view of the completed container.

A flexible sheet of fibre board laminated with coated glassine, parchment, Cellophane, Pliofilm, aluminum foil or the like pellicle, preferably constitutes the basic element of the material from which the containers embodying the present invention can be formed. For economy, fibre board is preferred because of its greater availability and its comparatively low cost. The fibre board may consist of jute, manila, news, chip, or other like substances or any suitable combination of these substances, and the texture thereof should be such that it will not crack when folded. As shown in Fig. 2, a sheet of fibre board St has a coating 52 of heat responsive adhesive, as for example thermoplastic lacquer, provided thereon at least on part or all of the surface thereof adapted to be on the inside of the container formed therefrom. A cellulose formulated lacquer, such as the ethyl cellulose lacquer No. 017561W or the nitrocellulose lacquer No. 017578 manufactured by the Beckwith-Chandler Co.,- is preferably used for this purpose. It is desirable to apply two coats of the thermoplastic com-. pound to the fibrous sheet to best adapt the latter for fabrication into the container. On the thermoplastic layer there is preferably added a lamination or coating 53 of a resinous wax compound, such as the resinous wax No. 3719 of Mitchell-Rand C0., said compound being applied in a heated liquid condition. It sets quickly and has excellent resistance to moisture and gas penetration and is not brittle so that it can be readily worked. A moisture vapor resistance test recently made of this coating combination disclosed a moisture vapor transmission of only onetenth of a gram over one hundred square inches of material in twenty-four hours. i

' In Fig. 3, there is shown another type of sheet material from which the container may be fabricated, said material comprising a lamination of fibre board 54 strengthened by a lamination of paper or similar thin sheet material 55. These laminations are adhesively-secured to each other by a suitable laminating agent 56. The paper lamination 55 has the outer surface thereof coated with a thermoplastic lacquer 51, as for example one of the two above named lacquers of the Beckwith-Chandler Co., which is preferably applied thereto prior to its adhesion to fibre board 54. This laminated arrangement of the material from which the blanks for the component parts of the container are formed is useful, for example, when the fibre board which is to constitute the base for the material does not have sufficient strength to be utilized by itself on the type of composite sheet shown in Fig. 2.

ficiently strong to be fabricated into a container in accordance with the present invention. The inner paper. lamination with its lacquer flim or coating provides an excellent internal surface for the container. rt is to be understood that a "coating or film, for example of the resinous wax No. 3719, may be provided on lacquer coating II to render the interior surfaces of the container impervious to moisture, vapor and gas transmission.

The novel container structure comprehended by the present invention is adapted for fabrication not only from readily available materials not subject to priorities but with machinery and equipment now commonly used throughout the packing industry. The folding box and the tin can or metal container industries, for example, have an abundance of, machinery and equipment which could be used for the fabrication of the container. This is also true of existing machinery in packer plants which is being used to flll and seal various containers and particularly so of machines that are now in extended use for sealing metal containers. The machines which are not fully suitable for utility in the formation,

outer unooated surface of panel II, are adhesively secured together. To accomplish this, pressure and heat may be applied to said panels, the pressure bringing said surfaces into close encasement with each other and the heat activating the thermoplastic coating on the inner surface of the outer panel, i. e., panel ll, whereby said thermoplastic will set and harden to adhesively secure said panels to each other. However, because container fabricating machinery ingeneral use at present does not embody heating means and in order to adapt said machinery for making body portion 84, it is preferable to apply an adhesive of the resinot'shot melt variety, such as No. 21769 filling and sealing of the novel container can be readily converted for such use.

The body portion of a container embodying the invention may be formed from a rectangular blank 50 (Fig. 1) constituted preferably of one of the above-described types of materials, said blank being divided lengthwise into flve sections or panels of substantially-equal width, 1. e., two

end sections

58 and 59 and three intermediate sections 60, by a slit or cut 6| forming a line of separation between end section 58 and one of sections 60 and three scores or embossed grooves 62 parallel to said slit and'to the shorter edges of said blank. Slit BI is cut into the external side of said blank, 1. e., the side thereof adapted to become the exterior of the container, through only a portion of the thickness of said blank and extends lengthwise substantially across the entire width of the blank. Future reference herein to the inner and outer sides of the blanks and the materials from which the container parts are made is to be understood to refer to the sides which become the interior and exterior, respectively, of the container. Grooves or scores 62 are preferably pressed into the blank from the external side thereof (Fi 4) and each terminates a short distance from the longedges of said blank. Between the ends of said scores and the marginal portion of the blank, there/are provided a series of cuts 53 also in the external side of said blank whereby sharp apexes for the comers of the body member are provided.

Blanks 50 may be formed in any well-known manner and one high speed method of formation consists in providing a roll of the container material of the desired width and scoring and cutting the latter as it is unwound from saidroll, for example, by running the stock through pattem rolls. Cut and scored blanks of proper length are thereafter severed fromthe roll. Another method consists in sumultaneousiy making the cuts and scores for a plurality of blanks on large sheets of container material and thereafter severing the blanks from said sheets.

To form a body member 64 (Fig. 9), which is substantially square in. transverse cross-section, (end panel is is caused to overlap panel I! (Figs. 6 to 8) and the engaging surfaces of said panels,

1. e., the inner coated surface of panel" and the Hotmeld made by Beckwith-Chandler 00.. to at least one of the engaging surfaces of overlapping

end panels

58 and 59, said adhesive being preferably applied to the outer, uncoated surface, 1. e., to the outer surface of panel 58. This application is made immediately prior to the overlapping and a suitable apparatus therefor, shown in Fig.

5, comprises a conventional roll-fountain 85 having a drum or roll 68 rotatably mounted therein, said roll being provided along one end thereof with a radially extending flange 61. A doctor blade 68 is mounted in said roll-fountain in operative relation to said drum and the latter is partially immersed in a pool of the resinous hot melt, adhesive 69 which is adapted to coat the surfaces of said drum and said flange. Suitable heating means III of the electrical type are embodied in said roll-fountain whereby the heat necessary to melt the adhesive and maintain it in a melted condition is provided. The outer surface of panel 59 is adapted to engage the peripheral surface of drum 88 to have the adhesive applied thereto and the outer edge of said panel preferably bears against flange 61, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby a layer ll of said adhesive is applied to said edge. It may be preferable, in some instances, to apply wax layer II by means of a wick arrangement, such as shown in my U. S. Patent No. 2,275,063.

To securely bond the end panels to each other, the entire area of the outer surface of panel 59 may be. coated with adhesive 68, but it has been determined to be satisfactory and more economical, when panels of larger area are involved, to provide a plurality of stripes 12 of said adhesive on said engaging surface of panel 59, portions of two such stripes being indicated in Fig. 1. In order to apply the adhesive to panel 59 in stripes. a roll-fountain 8541 (Fig. 33) may be utilized. said roll fountain, as shown, comprising a pair of laterally spaced rotating drums a partially immersed in a, pool of adhesive 69a and having the capillary and siphon action from said receptacle and in order to insure a satisfactory coating on the edge of said panel, asufllcient quantity of wax is delivered to said wick to cause the latter to continuously drip. To recover this excess material, a drip pan collector H2 is preferably provided. When stripes I! of hot -melt adhesive 69, which is preferably applied at a temperature of 300 1". or higher, are pressed into engagement with the lacquered or wax coating on panel 50,

which borders the latter panel.

the latter coating is activated, producing an exthereby adapting this method of fabrication for machinery operating at high speeds.

One method of folding blank 50 to cause

panels

58 and 59 to overlap as desired is shown in Fig. 6 wherein panel 59 and the adjoining panel 80 are first folded as a unit inwardly along the middle one of grooves 82 through 180 and thereafter panel 58 is folded along line or slit 8! also through substantially 180. A blank folded in this manner can have a groove or score, such as groove 62, provided therein instead of cut line 6i. According to the method illustrated in Fig. '7, panel 59 is first folded through 180 along the groove 62 which separates the latter panel from adjoining panel 68 and then panel 58 and the panel 80 adjacent thereto are folded as a unit through substantially 180 about the groove 82 Pressure is preferably applied to overlapping

panels

58 and 59 after either of the above folding operations is completed to insure a good bond between the engaging surfaces of said panels. In the method of Fig. 8, an arbor or mandrel 13 is provided on which blank 56 is wrapped so that

panels

59 and 58 overlap on a flat surface of said mandrel and may, if desired, be pressed into engagement with each other by a heated member adapted to activate the adhesive on the inner surface of panel 58. In the latter event it is possible to eliminate the step of applying hot melt adhesive 89 to the outer surface of panel 59. The method wherein mandrel 18 is used is particularly adaptable for-forming containers in the event extreme accuracy in the dimensions of the containers is desired.

In completed body member 84 of the container, each of

panels

58, 59 and 60 is disposed at a right angle to its adjoining panel or panels being bent along one of scores 82 or slit 8!. Slits 83, as substantial continuations of scores 82, are adjacent the upper and lower ends of said container and insure a sharp angle of junction at each of said corners whereby a fluid-tight seal between the container closures to be hereinafter described and the ends of said body may be obtained. Slit 6| acts also to provide a sharp right angle'between panel 58 and the adjoining panel 60 and, accordingly, coated edge H of panel 59 is in good engagement with the inner surface of said panel 69. As a result, an additional seal between these surfaces is obtained and, moreover,

8 can be laminated with a waxy compound 11 of such character that the latter will. upon the application of heat and pressure to the surfaces of the laminated sheet, exude from the ends of said sheet to cover the edges and render the latter impervious. This exudation also corrects for surface inequalities which may tend to prevent the attainment of a hermetic closure. The laminated sheet may have an outer layer or coating 18 of the thermoplastic lacquer.

Blank (Fig. 10) comprises a central, substantially square panel or base 19 from each edge of which there extends a portion 80 comprising a pair of rectangular sections al, 82 connected to each other along the long edges thereof by an intermediate flared section 83. The side edges of adjacent sections BI and 82 are substantially per- I pendicular to each other while side edges of adthe layer 1i of adhesive serves to prevent absorption by the fibre board component of blank 50 of the contents of the container. It is possible to ship body members 64 after formation by collapsing the same, for example, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, whereby a considerable saving in shipping space may be attained and a wider distribution of the container to packers is possible for a given shipping cost.

In order to hermetically seal each end of body jacent sections 83 are substantially parallel to each other so that when two-ply flanges are formed from each of portions 80, as hereinafter described, adjoining edges of said flanges are in close contact with each other and completely cover the corners of the container to-which the closure is applied. Panel 19 is adapted to constitute the bottom of the closure member and is scored along the edges thereof to provide grooves 84 for facilitating upward bending of portions relative to said panel. Sections 83 (Fig. 11) are in the form of scores or grooves, preferably facing in the opposite directions to grooves 84 whereby outer sections 82 can be bent through an angle of 180 to sections 8| to extend substantially parallel to the latter sections. These head or closure blanks can be cut and embossed in much the same manner as heads for tin cans or metal containers by the same presses and machinery used for the latter purpose. It is also possible to use the cutting and creasing machinery of the folding box industry.

In the first step of closure fabrication. a press comprising a pair of cooperating members or dies 85, 85 (Fig. 12) preforms blank 15 by bending each section 8| upward at a angle to the plane of central panel 19 and causing each of sections 83 to be turned through over the upper edge of member 86. Sections 82 of each'of portions 80, accordingly, extend downward substantially parallel to the plane of sections 8! of each of said portions. This formation takes place without the application of heat and at the completion thereof a partially formed closure member 81 (Fig. 13) is provided having a central indentation in the shape of panel 19 and equal in depth to the width of section 8i. Closure member 81 is operatively positioned in body member by suitable means, such as a block 88, on the end of whichsaid-closure member is mounted (Fig. 14), and by which suitable means are provided for applying heat and pressureto closure member 81 whereby the latter is pressed into engagement with the-walls of container body 84 and is adhesively secured in fluid-tight relation thereto. For this purpose, a pressure member or sealing block 89 may be acs'mu used, said block embodying a heating element 90 and being provided with a square recess or groove fluid-tight bond when the activated adhesive sets.

The temperature at which the sealing operation is carried out will dependon the time in which it is desired to accomplish the sealing and on the density and conductivity of the materials from which the component parts of the container are being fabricated.

when sections It," and I9 of closure "are pressed into engagementwith the side and edge walls of container body 94 during the above closon application to form a plurality of two-ply v flanges in adhesive enga ment with said body, the edges or said flanges abut against each other.

In order to insure a hermetical seal at these edge junctions in the event a layer of wax is not a component of the container material, it is preferable to coat said edges with a layer of thermoplastic lacquer, the latter being activated by the heat generated byelement 99 to form the (le sired seals between said abutting edges. It is to be understood, however, that this application to the edges of said sections is-not essential since the heat applied during closure fabrication softens the coating surface while the pressure causes the latter to exude, and cover the edges and also to fill the interstices or spaces which may form at closure junctions or between adjoining surfaces of the closure andbody members. exudation or extrusion of the softened coating material acts also to form flllets'at points where contact between junction surfaces terminates and is particularly effective whena layer of wax is a component. of the coating material for the blanks.

It is to be understood that closures 81 may be used for sealing both ends of container body 84, being applied to each end in the above-described manner. However, in order to permit the closure This seal to be readily broken and a part of the container content to be removed while the remainder is protected against contamination, novel closure means 92, 33 (Figs, 23 and 24) may be provided for the head or top of the container. As shown, said means comprises an element 92 which, except as hereinafter described, is similar to closure 81 and is applied to container body 64 in the same manner as said closure. Element 92 is formed from blank 15 (Fig. 21) and there is added to panel 19 a diagonal groove 95 and a pair of scores 99, the latter forming two sides of a triangle having said groove as a base. Scores 98 are provided for receiving andguiding the cutting edge of a suitable tool adapted to cut through closure element 92 to thereby form a triangular flap 95, 99 (Fig. 24), groove 95 constituting the hinge about which said flap may be folded back to provide an opening in said element.

It is preferable to provide

closure member

92, 93 with suitable means whereby

flap

95, 96, after being cut out, may be readily opened to permit adapted to coincide with groove when mounted on element 92, .Element 93 has a portion of the area thereof coated with a suitable adhesive, such as a thermoplastic, and is adhesively secured tothe outer 'face of panel [9, preferably to the half of said panel which does not include flap 9!, 99 being bonded to said panel by the application of heat and pressure. A central rectangular section of element 99 has three sides severed from said element and the fourth side 98 scored to constitute a hinge thereby forming a tongue 99 in said element. Tongue 99 has a portion thereof 'raisedabove the surface of element 93, as shown in Figs. 23 and 25, whereby said tongue may be readily gripped and pivoted about groove 91 to cause triangular flap or cover 95, 96 to open (Fig. 24). Itis" to be noted .that element 93 has the edges thereof extending beyond the edges of flap 9!, 99, i. e., beyond scores 99, and this extending marginal portion acts as a shoulder to limit the movement of the movable portion of said element. The latter is adapted to close the opening by forcing

flap

95, 99 back into the triangular recess. Element 93 preferably ilts snugly into element 92 and is adapted to have the edge thereof in frictional engagement with the latter element when in closed position, being firmly held inplace by this engagement.

A modification of the above-described container structure, including a novel arrangement for insuring that a hermetical seal is obtained at the closures, is shown in Figs. 26 to 33. In this embodiment, the body and closures of the container are formed from a unitary blank comprising a body portion 591: and a pair of closure portions 15a (Fig. 26) only one being shown in the drawings, which are preferably shaped, cut and scored like blanks Ill and 15, respectively, except that a rectangular section 8la integrally connects one edge of central panel 19a of portion 15a to the edge ofcentral panel 60a of portion 50a. In the formation of the container, portion 50a may be folded, as shown in Fig. 27, so that

panels

59a and 59a overlap, the latter being secured to each other by strips of hot melt resinous adhesive 12a to produce container body 64a (Figs. 29 to 31). Thereafter, each of blank portions 15a is formed and operatively positioned relative to the mar two-ply flanges I92 (Figs. 28 and 30) secured to the body a in the same manner as all the flanges 8|, 82 of, closures 81 are secured to body 64, while the fourth flange or side I93 is integral with the upper edge of one of panels 60a and forms a two-ply seal with said panel, as shown in-Fig. 29. When closure 81 is opened to permit removal of the contents of the container, the

same remains integrally hinged to body 640 (Fig.

31) and is thus adapted to be repositioned in over. ative relation to the endoffsaid body 84a to protect the remaining'contents.

removal of the container contents and for this .75 In order to insure a hermetical seal between closures 87a and body 64a, a sealing fillet Hit of impervious plastic material is provided at the junction of the bottom edge of each ofsaid closures and the internal wall of said body (Figs. 28 and 29) andacts as a gasket to render the closure engagement with the body fluid-tight. To provide fillet IM, a longitudinal stripe I05 (Fig. 26) of resinous wax compound is provided adjacent and parallel to the side of blank portion 50a, said stripe being separated from said side a distance substantially equal to the distance which closure 81a is adapted to extend into body member 64a when operatlvely positioned therein. Accordingly, when said closure is operatively positioned in said body member, the-base or lower edge thereof engages said stripe and when sealing member I applies heat to the closure during the sealing operation, stripe m is rendered at least partially fluid and fills all the interstices and spaces at the junction of said body and closure. Gasket or fillet N14 is formed when said stripe is solidified. It is possible to obtain gasket I04 by applying the stripe of resinous wax along the edge of the closure base, i. e., on scores 84a of blank portion iiia, or in some instances, as for example when larger containers are bein sealed, it may be desirable to apply stripes of wax to both the body blank and the closure blank. When this novel sealing arrangement is to be utilized, it is preferable for reasons of economy to coat the sheet material used for the container only with a thermoplastic. There is shown in Fig. 32 a fragmentary section of a container material suitable for use when gaskets I04 are provided, said material having a base of fibre board or Piiofllm I06 to which two coats of thermoplastic lacquer Ili'i, such as Nos. 017561W and 017578 of Beckwith-Chandler Co., are applied as well as stripe I05 of the resinous wax compound, which may be the wax sold by Mitchell-Rand Co. as No. 3719. Stripe Hi5, while preferably of resinous wax, may be of gelatin, Vinylite or other resinous substances, depending on the commodity to be packed in the container.

In the formation of closure member 8'7 (Fig. 13), it may be undesirable or impractical to score and out said blank by the conventional folding box methods, as for example, when the material used for blank 15 comprises heavy fibre board of marked density or a board which is tough and hard, or a plurality of relatively dense laminations. Accordingly, novel die means may be employed for embossing and drawing blank 15 to preform closure 81, which means do not require the initial scoring of said blank. Suitable die means for this purpose comprise an upper die consisting of an inner die member H3 and an outer die member i M adapted for axial movement relative to each other and normally held against relative movement by a spring H5 which is interposed between shoulders on said members and presses member ll i into engagement with a stop collar or flange H6 (Fig. 36) on member H3. A cooperating lower die is formed by an outer die member iii and an inner die member I E8. the latter being movable relative to each other and held by suitable resilient means (not shown) against such movement.

' In operation, blank i5 is first suitably positioned between dies H3, H4 and H1, H8 (Fig. 34) and then said dies are moved relative to each other, preferably by applying a downward force to die member am. Descent of die H3, ii l causes panel 79 to become engaged by and held between members M3 and H8 (Fig. 35), said members cooperating to provide score 86 in the borders of said panel. Engagement of member i 18 with panel 19 opposes further movement of member H3 whereby member lid is caused to move relative to member I 13. This elative movement of member H4 folds section Bi downward along a vertical side surface of member H8 and forms one ply of the closure flange. At a subsequent point in the descent of member H5, section 83 is pressed between a concave shoulder in member H8 and the lower edge of member H4 and causes section 82 to bend upward. Thereafter, die members H3, H4 and H8 move as a unit relative to member ill to form section 82 of the panel into a second ply of the closure flange (Fig. 36), thereby completing the formation of closure member. Bl.

It is preferable in the above method of fabrication to have upper die H3, lid warm, i. e., heated to a temperature that will not activate the thermoplastic but will soften the coating or film on the base material. It is also desirable in the event closures 8? are to be rehandled by hand or magazine after formation to preform the latter so that the closure shape is retained by the blank after removal from the dies. This may be accomplished by retaining the blank in lower die Ill, H8 until it cools, thereby permitting the same to set in its deformed shape. The board material may be treated as by impregnation in order to assist this setting operation. If the closures are drawn and elected from the forming dies directly into the container bodies, then this setting operation may be eliminated.

Instead of utilizing the press means shown in Figs. 15 and 28 for singly sealing the container ends, novel mechanism may be employed whereby the ends of a plurality ofcontainers are continuously and simultaneously sealed in two operations. In the form illustrated in Fig. 37, said mechanism comprises means for supporting and guiding a plurality of unsealed bodies 66 or containers sealed at one end in side by side relation, said means having a flanged bottom support I20 and a pair ofparallel side members I28 for maintaining the side faces of the containers in coplanar relation. Container bodies 66 have unsealed closures 81 positioned in the upper ends thereof and are pushed or otherwise conveyed, as by conveyor belts or chains (not shown) past a pair of parallel heating rails i122, the latter being disposed parallel to members Hi and positioned so as to engage and press the outer plies 82 (Fig. 38) of opposite flanges of closure 8? into engagement with the corresponding marginal portions of body member 64 and to cause the inner faces of said portions to be pressed into engagement with inner plies 8!. Rails I22 are of suitable length in relation to the speed of travel of container bodies 64 to remain in engagement with the closure flanges for a sumcient time to activate the thermoplastic lacquer on the surfaces of the piles constituting said flanges. After activation of the adhesive, it is necessary to dissipate the heat, preferably while maintaining the parts under pressure to insure a good bond, and in order to expediently accomplish this, a pair of cooling rails W3 are mounted in end to end relation with rails E22.

Accordingly, rails I23 contact the heated flanges as the containers move beyond the ends of rails I22 and absorb the heat therefrom, for example, by having a cooling medium, such as water, circulating therethrough. After the formation in this manner of closure seams on a pair of op- In order to prevent inward deformation.-

or sagging of the closure flanges during the above operation as might occur when the containers are made from boards which are relatively soft and lack rigidity, a block III is temporarily inserted into each of-the closures and engages the inner walls of the closure flanges toreinforce the latter. Accordingly, a substantial inward pressure may be exerted by rails I22, in without in- I ward deformation of the flanges to which the pressure is applied. Still. another method of reinforcing the closure to minimize inward sagging, during sealing isto insert a flat member I 26 (Fig. 39) of board or other material into closure 81 for engagement with central panel. 19 thereof, said member being shaped to conform to said panel and have the edges thereof in engagement with the internal walls of the closure flanges. Member I26 is adhesively or otherwise permanently secured to panel 19 so as to providea per-- manent reinforcement for the closure and is preferably used for the bottom closure. A secondary cover I27 (Fig. 40) having a flange I28 is preferably inserted into the upper closure 81 to engage central panel It and the inner and upper surfaces of the closure flanges and, in addition to serving as a reinforcing member, may be utilized to re close the container after said upper closure is cut open to dispense a portion of the container content.

Another form of container structure embodyingtheinvention is shown-in Figs. 43 to 49 wherein the adhesive layer or layers forming the seal at the closure flanges may be independent of the material constituting theinternal surface or lining for the container. In this modification. container body is (Fig. 45) may be formed from a.

bla-nk il: which has a groove 62 adjoining panel Il instead of a. cut-ll, and which has a suitable coating or lining ill extending length-- wisei'roin coated edge H to a point justbeyond the groove t2? which adioins panel '9. Accordingly, when body "6 is formed there is a sumcient width of coating "it on panel 5'81 adjoining groove 62 for engagement with coated edge ll. Coating i301 extends intermediate the longitudinal edges of blank 51 and is separated from each of said edges by a. distance substantially equal. to the depth to which closures Mb (Fig. 46) are adapted to. extend into each end of body Nb. Accordingly, when the latter is formed from blank 50, lim there isa. strip adJ'oining each end thereof which is free of plastic lining ill.

Closure lib may be formed from a blank (Fig. 44) and aplastic lining ill, which is preferably of a similar material to lining ill, coats the internal surface of panel I! of said blank. I As a result, when said closure is preformed. and positioned in body 84b (Fig. 461-, lining iii covers the bottom of the closure and has the edges thereof adjoining the edges of lining It. When sealing members in (Fig. 47): engage the opposite faces of the closure flange to cause the two plies of said flange to be pressed intoengagement with the marginal portion of'container hotly Nb and apply heat to said flange, the adhesive coatings on the internal surfaces of blanks l5 and 50 are moisture impervious coating on the internal surfaces of the container. a

In the formation of container 64b, 81b (Fig. 49), blanks 50 may be formed from a sheet material comprising a flbre board base I33 having a coating of thermoplastic lacquer I on the internal. surface thereof, lining I30 being provided on. said lacquer coating. Blank II may be formed from a similar material.

" There is thus provided a novel container of the type having a polygonal body member wherein a closure for said member has a plurality of separate flanges adapted to be secured to the marginal edges: of said. body member to form a continuous hermetical seal around the entire end of said container. This novel arrangement results in many advantages, particularly over the containers of the typehaving a cylindrical body to which a round flanged closure is applied. In the fabrication of the novel container embodying the instant invention, there is no lateral. displacement or deformation of the flanges when the latter are formed or are secured to the marginal portions of the body of the container sothat'there is no problem of allowing for displaced or concentrated masses of materials. This is however, a. serious problem when a round closure is crimped on the end of a cylindrical body. While itmay be possible to obtain hermetical seals by the latter method of closure application when metals are used, it is extremely difllcult to obtain hermetical. seals with fibrous materials. The latter do not react in the same manner as metal and when crimped form spaces and interstices which vitiate,

the hermetical seal.

Bycoatlng the sheet material from which the container is formed with superposed layers of thermoplastic substances, such as a thermoplasticlacquer and a non-thermoplastic compound, suchv as rminous wax, seams are provided at the sealed junctions of component parts of the container which are impervious to moisture vapor and the penetration of gases. During the formation of the seems, the heat applied thereto melts the waxy fllm so that the latter permeates the thermoplastic lacquer but does not diminish the capacity of the lacquer to form a strong union between the bonded surfaces. This permeation of the waxy film into the thermoplastic nevertheless causes the .seam formed therefrom to be impervious to the penetration of moisture vapors as well as sharp impacts, are strongly resisted by and; create a. fluid-tight bond between the claws and the container body. The heat the closure and impacts of sumcient strength to deform the marginal edges of the container will displace the laminations constituting the seal as a unit and will not vitiate the sealing effect. The base and the flanges of the closure serve to reinadditionally activates at least the edges of linings force and brace the container body and, in addi- 15 tion to forming durable and strong closures, provide a pleasing finish to the container ends. Ac cording to the present invention, hermetical seals are insured between component parts of the container by roviding a suficient quantity of coatfor efiecting a fluid-tight seal between the closure and the body of a container whereby an impervious gasket is produced in the junction between said container parts. Novel means are also provided for simply and expediently sealing the closures of a plurality oi containers in a continuous operation.

Although only several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in rectangular shape, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto. For example, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that the containers may be of any polygonal shape, such as triangular, hexagonal, or octagonal. Various other changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. For a definition of the invention, ref.. erence is had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container having an open ended rectangular body formed from a single piece blank of fibrous material having transverse score lines to provide five panels, two of which overlap to form one side wall, a cover made of fibrous material having a rectangular base set in from an end of the body and fitting against the four walls, four upturned. flanges extending from the four sides of the base to the end of the body walls and. in contact therewith, an outer flange joined to each of the four upturned flanges by an intermediate flared section and lying against the outside of the body walls, said intermediate flared sections contacting the edges of the body and the edges of adjoining flared sections abutting, all abutting edges and surfaces of said body and cover bein coated, bound together and waterproofed by a heat sealed thermo plastic coating.

2. A container having an open ended rectangular body formed from a single piece blank of fibrous material having transverse score lines to provide five panels, two of which overlap to form One side wall, the fibrous material being out part way through on its outer surface at the ends of the score lines so as to provide square corners at the ends of the body, a cover made of fibrous material having a rectangular base set in from an end oi. the body and fitting against the four walls, four upturned flanges extending from the four sides of the base to the end of the body walls and in contact therewith, an outer flange joined to each of the four upturned flanges by an intermediate fiared section and lying against the outside of the body walls, said intermediate flared sections contacting the edges of the body and the edges of adjoining flared sections abutting, all abutting edges and surfaces of said body and cover being coated, bound together and waterproofed by a heat sealed thermoplastic coating.

GEORGE ARLINGTON MOORE.

, REFERENEES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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