US2511189A - Drip tray - Google Patents

Description

Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT O F F [CE I 2,511,1sa

DRIP TRAY William W. Woodward, Baltimore, Ohio, assignor' to The Fail-field Paper and: Eontainer Company, Baltimore, Ohio, alcorporationof Ohio Application- August 23, 1949, Serial No. 111-;941

5' Claims. 1

My invention relates toa drip tray. It has to do, more particularly, with a shallow tray made from paperboard or corrugated board which is particularly suitable: tor use under a car in agarage so that any oil dripping therefrom will be: received. and retained by the tray.

As is well known, a small amoimt of oil will drip from the crank case of a car and if some meansv is not provided; for collecting it, will produce an unsightly pool on. the floor which will also be a safety hazard. It has been common to provide metal trays for collecting the oil drip. I-lowever;v these trays are quite expensive andv they become unsightly and must be cleaned from time to time.

It is' the object of my invention to provide a drip tray formed of paperboard, corrugated board or similar board, which will effectively collect the oil drip but which is inexpensive and can, therefore, be discarded whenever it be comes unsightly o-r saturated with oil.

Still another object of my invention isto proride a drip-tray of paperboard which is norm-ally in knock-downer flat condition so that shipping thereof in large groups is facilitated.

A further'oblject of my invention is toprovide a tray formed of paperboard or the like which can be set upeasily without the use or staples or similar fastening devices.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a tray of the type indicated which is provided with members whichlock the end. walls and side walls; in upright position when the tray is. set up. such members being also formed of the same material as the body of the tray.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tray wherein the locking members also serve to reinforce the tray to provide a relatively rigid structure.

Still another object of my invention is to provide locking members of the type indicated above which not only serve the locking function but which are so shaped and arranged when the tray is set up that such members can bear advertising dataor other indicia.

Another object of my invention is to provide locking members which are in flat condition be fore the tray is set up and can, therefore, have the advertising data printed thereon by usual simple printing processes.

Various other objects will be apparent.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure. l is a perspective view of a tray made according. to my invention showing it after it has been set up.

Figure 2 is a detail in perspective illustrating a corner of "the tray as the adjacent side wall and endwall are being brought together.

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating how a locking member is used tolock the side wall and: end wall together.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the main blank used in form ng the body of the tray.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a blank of the type usedin forming the end locking members.

With reference to the drawing; in Figure 4, I have illustrated a blank 6: which is scored and slit the" proper manner to form the body to (Figure: 11) of the tray; blank isa. flat sheet of paperboard or the like of rectangular form. The blank is provided with the side score lines t, the end score: lines 8', and with slots 9 at each of each score line 8 and in alignment therewith. Slots 9 extend inwardly toscore lines 1. This slotting and scoring produces the side walls l9 and the end walls H. In each end of each end wall H, a slot It is provided in alignment with the score line k. The slots l2 donot extend the full depth of the end-walls: H. An additiona1 slot I3 is provided in each end oi eachend wall ft, the slot. 13 being: of the same depth as slot I22: and being parallel therewith. Another slot 5:4, identical with sl'ot I3, is formed in each end of each side wall l0 and is spaced from: the adjacent slot 9 being parallel therewith. The slot is: is spaced from the end: of the side wall ts.- or slots a distance equal to the distancebetween 11118 slot t3 and the adjacent end of the end wall H". When blank 6 folded along score lines I: and It, the walls hi and it will be upstanding? from the flat bottom.

For cooperating with the blank ofFi-gure 4, I provide a pair of end locking members Ifia.

these members is formed from a blank 45- of the: type shown in Figure: 5-. This blank comprises a fiat elongated rectangular sheet of paperboard or the like. which. is provided with a pair of score lines t6 running the entire length thereof being parallel with each other and being spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of the slots l2 and I 3 of blank 6. At the ends Ofi the blank I5, the opposed slots I1 and I8 are formed in the side edges and are extended inwardly towards each other. These slots are of the same depth as the slots [2, I3 and M of the main blank 6 and are adapted to cooperate therewith, as will later appear. The slots I1 and I8 are in alignment with each other and are spaced from the end of the blank I5 being parallel therewith. The distance between the two slots l1 and the two slots I8 corresponds to the distance between score lines 1 of blank 6 or in other words, the distance between side walls [0. When the blank is folded along the score lines IE, it will include the top wall l9 and the depending vertical walls 20.

To set up the tray, the blank 6 is folded alon the score lines I and 8 to produce the upstanding side walls It and end walls I I. Each end of each end wall II is bent along the slot I2 to form an inwardly extending locking tab 2!, as shown in Figure 2. The tab 2| is slipped inside the side wall 19 and the slot 13 therein will align with the slot 14 in the side wall when the side wall and end wall are brought into complete vertical position. To look the side and end walls in vertical position, the locking member I 5a, is positioned thereon. The blank I5 is folded along the score lines I6, as previously indicated. The member Isa is positioned just inside end wall ll and then each end of the locking member is slipped into position over the adjacent side wall iii and the tab 2| which are in face contact, as shown in Figure 3. The inner vertical wall 29 of the locking member Ilia will slip down into the aligning slots l3 and Id and the locking slot ll will interlock with the uncut portions of tab 2| and wall 19 at the lower end of slots l3 and M, while the aligning slots 13 and I4 will interlock with the uncut upper portion of wall 29 at the upper end of slot ll. Similarly, the outer Wall 29 of the locking member i511 will slip down into the slot l2 with such slot interlocking with the uncut joint between tab 2| and wall I I at the bottom of slot 12, while the slot l2 will interlock with the upper uncut portion of wall at the upper end of slot is. Thus, an interlocking structure is provided which joins the end walls and side walls together. The members l5a, not only serve as looking members but also as reinforcing members to give rigidity to the ends of the tray. It will be noted that the ends of members 15a project slightly beyond the side walls 10.

The blank l5 may be printed with any suitable advertising or other indicia while it is in flat condition. For example, such indicia may be on the inside vertical wall 29, as illustrated in Figure 1, and may be of luminous ink so as to show up at night when a cars lights are cast on it.

The drip tray of this invention is extremely simple and inexpensive. Because of its low cost, it can be discarded whenever it becomes soaked with oil or unsightly. It may be disposed of by burning. Shipping of the tray in large numbers is facilitated because it is originally in knockdown condition. However, it can be set up with ease.

Although I have described this tray as being useful as a drip tray, it should be understood that it could be used for other purposes. For example, it could be placed on the seat of a car -when a mechanic is working thereon so that 4 he can put greasy tools or rags thereon. Other uses are possible.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: r

1. A drip tray or the like formed from paperboard or similar material comprising a flat bottom having upstanding peripheral walls disposed in angular relationship, adjacent walls being provided with overlapping portions at their corners, and a separate locking member extending along one of the adjacent walls, said locking member having a portion at each end which interlocks with the overlapping corner portions of two adjacent walls to connect them together and hold them in upstanding position.

2. A drip tray or the like formed from paperboard or similar material comprising a flat bottom having upstanding peripheral walls, and locking member extending along two opposed walls of the tray, said locking members being formed of paperboard or similar material and each having an upper wall and depending walls, the adjacent peripheral walls at each corner of the tray including a tab on one wall Which overlaps the other wall, said tab and peripheral wall and the depending walls of the locking member having interlocking slots formed therein.

3. A drip tray or the like formed from paperboard or similar material comprising a flat bottom having upstanding side and end walls, and locking members formed from paperboard or similar material disposed at the ends of the tray and extending transversely thereof along the end Walls of the tray, said locking members having portions at their ends which interlock with the side and end walls to connect them together and hold them in upstanding position.

4. A tray according to claim 3 wherein the end walls have locking tabs thereon which overlap the side walls, said locking members having an upper wall and a pair of depending parallel walls, said tabs and adjacent side walls having slots formed therein which interlock with slots formed in the depending walls of said locking members.

5. A tray according to claim 4 wherein the locking tabs and adjacent side walls each have a pair of upwardly opening slots aligning with each other, said slots being spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the top wall of the locking member, and wherein the ends of the locking members have downwardly opening slots in the side walls thereof which interlock with the slots in said tabs and side walls.

WILLIAM W. WOODVVARD.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,329,577 Boyd Feb. 3, 1920 1,559,240 Fox Oct. 27, 1925 1,997,909 Luce Apr. 16, 1935 1,999,361 James et al Apr. 30, 1935

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