US2540067A

US2540067A - Carrier for bottles, cans, or similar articles

Info

Publication number: US2540067A
Application number: US84339A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marshall I Williamson
Original assignee: NAT FOLDING BOX Co Inc
Current assignee: NAT FOLDING BOX Co Inc; NATIONAL FOLDING BOX COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1949-03-30
Filing date: 1949-03-30
Publication date: 1951-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-30

Description

I M. l. WILLIAMSON CARRIER FOR .soamss, CANS 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March so, 1949 I Jan. 3-0, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 30, 1951 M. l. WILLIAMSON 2,540,057

CARRIER FOR BOTTLES, CANS 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed Maich 30, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

1951 M. l. W|L LIAMSON 2,540,067

CARRIER FOR BOTTLES, ems 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March so, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ha. UM .5 m

Jan. 30, 1951 M. WILLIAMSON CARRIER FOR BOTTLES, CANS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 30, 1949 INVENTOR.

Mir-WW v M. I. WILLIAMSON 2,540,067

CARRIER FOR BOTTLES, CANS 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES FiTed March 50, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Anni INVEN TOR.

commonly established types of machines.

Patented Jan. 30, 1951 CLES Marshall I. Williamson, New Haven, Conn., as-

signor to National Folding Box Company, Inc., New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application March 30, 1949, Serial No. 84,339

9 Claims. (01. 224-45) This invention relates to improvements in carriers made from foldable sheet material, for example, paperboard, for packaging a plurality of bottles, cans, jars, or similar articles as a unit which may easily be ,carried by the consumer and which, in addition, provides protection for the packaged articles.

In the mass packaging in carriers of goods contained in bottles, cans. and jars, it is essential that the carrier is suited for handling on existing Taking a bottle carrier as a specific example, it is necessary for a carrier, in order to be commercially acceptable, that it can 'be loaded on the machines which are in established use for loading cases partitioned for individual bottles, so that such cases, as well as cases designed to contain carriers may interchangeably be loaded by the same machine.

A modern bottle carrier should desirably be so constructed that it can be produced and shipped by a paper box manufacturer to the bottler or packer in flat, collapsed condition, that it be suited for erection into hollow carrier form by hand or on relatively simple and inexpensive machinery, and that the carrier after erection will tion of elements 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 which it may be carried out may be better understood by referring to'the description which follows taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings forming a part of it in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a flat blank from which a carrier body embodying the present invention may be made;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank shown in Figure 1 after an initial folding operation, gluing at this stage being optional;

Figure 3 is a' perspective view of the blank shown in Figure 2 in the process of formation 2 of its cellular top structure;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the formed carrier body viewed upside down to show its bottom construction;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a wire handle for use in connection with the carrier of Figure 4;

remain in erected position without a tendency to recollapse or distort. This feature is important for the bottler since it facilitates handling of the erected empty carrier and its loading at the bottling plant, and it is important for the consumer, who removes filled bottles and inserts empty ones, either one by one or all at one time, and who should not be expected to re-erect a partially or entirely collapsed carrier.

There are other features which are desirable, for example, the ability of the carrier safely to support a partial or unequal load, for example, two or three bottles on one side of a central handle and none on the other without danger of dumping the bottles when the carrier is lifted up. Various other features and desirable points will be mentioned as the description proceeds.

The invention provides a carrier for bottles, jars, cans and similar articles which meets the specifications heretofore set forth and, in addition, provides numerous other features which make the carrier desirable for the trade.

The various features, objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the detailed description which follows accompanied by drawings showing, for the purpose of illustra tion, a preferred embodiment of the invention. The invention also consists in certain new and original features ofconstruction and combinaset apart by fold or crease lines.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the carrier of Figure 4 turned right side up in the process of insertion of the wire handle;

a Figure 7 shows the carrier of Figure 6 with the wire handle fully inserted, the carrier being ready for loading; and

Figure 8 is an end view of the carrier of Figure 7 loaded with bottles.

In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience. The names, however, are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit. Corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The blank A shown'in Figure 1 may be cut and scored in multiple from large rolls or sheetsof foldable sheet material, for example, paperboard, on automatic cutting and scoring machines. The blank is shown with its unfinished back side facing the observer.

The several constituent parts of the blank are The blank comprises a center panel II, a bottom panel I2, an outer side wall panel ill, a top panel I, a furthere outer side wall panel IS, a further bottom panel 16 and a further center panel ll. These panels are hingedly interconnected along fold lines l8, i9, 20, 2|, 22, and 23.

Auxiliary fold lines

24 and 25 may extend across the bottom panels I2 and I5, respectively. to perm t convenient folding of the blank and collapsing of the glued blank into fiat condition, as will later appear.

Glue flaps 26 and 21 are hingedly connected to the center panels II and I1 along fold lines 26 and 29, respectively. Recesses 36 of somewhat complex configuration are cut into the end of the blank at which the glue flaps 26 lie. All waste material cut from the blank is conveniently removable from the edge of the blank by a stripping operation. The cuts 36 form points 3| on the blank which serve to hold apart the piles of the double thickness webs during assembly of the carrier, as will later appear. There are, in. addition, tongues 32 which assist in the assembly and retention of a wire handle in the carrier body. There are further relatively large cut away portions 33 permitting insertion of the bottom portion of the handle, and finally there is a pair of smaller recesses 34 to accommodate the legs of the handle to be combined with the carrier body. All of these functions will become apparent from the description of the assembly of the carrier which follows the description of the blank.

At the other end of the blank a pair of similar recesses 35 is found. These recesses are somewhat simpler in configuration and comprise small cut away portions 34 registering in the assembled carrier with the recesses 34 for guiding the wire handle as will later appear.

.Pairs of

lock flaps

36 and 31 are cut from the stock of the panels II, I2, and I6, II, respectively. These look flaps are foldable about

hinge line

38 and 39 extending substantially at right angles with respect to the transverse fold lines [6 and 23. The hinge lines 39, preferably are spaced apart slightly wider than the hinge lines 36 to facilitate folding of the lock flaps one on top of the other in the assembled carrier. The difference in spacing is preferably equal to twice the thickness of the blank. The lock flaps 36 and 61 have peripheral notches 46 and 4| lying approximately in line with the fold lines I6 and 26. These notches serve to engage the erected center panels in the assembled carrier, as will become apparent from the description dealing with the assembly of the blank.

The center portion of the fold lines I6 and 23 terminates short of the

fold lines

66 and 66 and arcuate cuts 42 and 43 extend from the ends of the central portions of the fold lines I6 and 23 to the

hinge lines

38 and 39 and

form extension tabs

44 and 45 on the bottom panels I2.

The top panel I4 and adjoining portions of the side wall panels I3 and I5 are cut and scored to provide a cellular web structure. Cuts 46, 41, and 48 extend normal to fold lines 26 and 2|. These cuts separate the stock into webs 49. 66. 6| and 52, which, after appropriate folding form article receiving cells, as will later appear. The

webs are foldable at a plurality of fold lines.

These fold lines include diagonal or oblique fold diagonal fold lines as, so. 6|, :2, es and u extend from the other ends of the

cuts

46, 41 and 46 to the transverse fold line 2| and preferably include between one another the same angles as the fold lines 53, 54, 55, 56, 51 and 56.

The webs 4s and s2 constitute terminal webs,

' since they lie at the outer edges of the blank.

The

webs

66 and 6| constitute intermediate webs. These intermediate webs comprise

ridge fold lines

65 and 66 to provide for double thickness of the intermediate webs by folding of the stock back upon itself along the ridge fold lines as will later appear.

Apertures 61 and 66 are cut at the center of the

web panels

50 and 5| for insertion of a portion of the handle therethrough as will later become apparent. I

The assembly of a carrier body from the blank A may proceed as follows:

As a first operation, adhesive a is applied to the finished surface of the glue flaps 26 and adhesive may also be applied to the unfinished surface of the flaps 21, the latter application being optional. In the position in which the blank is shown in Figure 1 adhesive would be applied to the under surface of flaps 26 and to the top surface of flaps 21 facing the observer. The adhesive may be conventional glue or may be a heat scalable plastic o other bonding agent.

The blank is then folded about the collapsing

creases

24 and 25 to bring the flaps 26 into engagement with the center panel I1 and to bring the flaps 21 into engagement with the center panel II. In the event glue is used, the bonding is completed at this time. In the event a thermoplastic adhesive is employed the actual bonding of the blank portions may be deferred until after the setting 'up of the-carrier body.

The folded blank is shown in Figure 2. It constitutes a fiat collapsed tubular structure a which is ready forsetting up as a hollow carrier body. Tubular blanks A may be stored and shipped to the user in fiat condition. They require a minimum of space and may be set up into hollow carrier form by performance of a few folding and assembly operations which may be carried out at the plant of the packer or bottler. These assembly operations will now be described.

The blank A is first expanded into hollow shape and, preferably simultaneously, the top panel I4 is converted into a cellular web structure. This may be done in a variety of ways, either manually, semi-automatically, or fully automatically. Figure 3 illustrates two substantially vertically movable plungers 69 and III which extend through the apertures formed by the

cuts

66 and 35 and engage the top panel along the

ridge fold lines

65 and 66. The surface on which the blank rests is preferably provided with three wedge-shaped projections which engage the blank along the cuts 46, 41' and 48 tending to open up the cuts under the pressure of the plungers as shown in Figure 3. The wedges are not shownin the drawing since they would partially obscure the intermediate v'

bs

50 and 5|. As the

webs

59, 5| and 52 are fc.ded into roof shape as shown in Figure 3 the s...e walls I3 and I5 automatically begin to erect themselves by reason of the connection of the webs to the side walls along the zig-zag shaped end fold lines 53 to 64.

By hand or by mechanical means the side walls I3 and Il may now be folded into upright position with respect to the top structure. This causes the webs 49 to 52 to continue folding into the final shape which they assume in the completed body illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

During the forming and folding of the top and side portions of the carrier body, the center panels I I and. I1 are infolded by bending the blank along the fold lines 26 and 29 which are in substantial coincidence. As the bottom panels I2 and I6 move into final position, the center panels H and I1 assume a back-to-back position and the ridge .28 of the center structure enters between the

webs

48, 58, 5| and 82.

Referring for a moment to Figure 6, it will be seen that the webs 48 and 52 form straps of single thickness connecting the side walls i3 and I5. These straps extend past the outer edges of the center panels H, II. I The

intermediate webs

58 and 5| forming double thickness straps connecting the side walls 13 and I5 extendthrough the recesses in the center panels formed by the

cuts

38 and 35. It is apparent that the points 3| within the recesses 38 enter between the two thicknesses of the

intermediate webs

58 and 5|, tending to hold them apart slightly at the bottom edges.

Returning now to Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that the

extension tabs

44 and 45 remain in the plane of the bottom panels I2 and it. These extension panels overlap, as is apparent ,from Figure 4 and also from Figure 8 showing the finished carrier body in side view.

The lock flaps 85 and 31 may then be folded upright with respect to the bottom panels i2 and I6 about their

respective fold lines

38 and 39. This causes the peripheral notches 40 and 4| to slide along the arcuate cut edges 42 and 43, thus locking the two center panels II and 11 together when the lock flaps 38 and 31 assume an upright position with respect to the bottom panels.

In erected position the lock flaps 36 and 3! lie in the same plane as the

intermediate webs

58 and 5| and serve, in addition to their function as locking means, as a separator between the bottoms of bottles inserted into the carrier body to prevent glass-to-glass contact between the botties. Locking of the center panels H and H by the lock flaps 36 and 31 completes the setting up operation of the carrier which now appears as shown in Figures 4 and 5 and is ready for installation of a handle.

In the event the glue flaps 28 and 21 were not yet adhesively secured to the respective center panels I! and I, as might be the case it a thermoplastic adhesive is used, the bond may now be completed by application of heat and pressure to either'side of the top portion of the center walls H, H at, and slightly below, the top fold line 28 of the center wall.

In the completed carrier body A'" each of the

webs

49, 58, 5| and 52 is seen to comprise two substantially triangular end portions which are folded back against the side walls I: and I5, respectively from which they were formed. These end portions lie on the inside of the cells and assist, in combination with the slightly downwardly and inwardly flaring

intermediate webs

58 and 5|, in guiding bottles, cans, or jars into seating position within the cells, much in the manner of a funnel.

The webs extend at right angles with respect to the side walls I3 and I5. The

outermost webs

49 and 52 are of single thickness and the

intermediate webs

58 and 5| are of double thickness since the latter webs are formed by folding the stock back upon itself along the ridge fold lines 85 and. 66. In assembled position the handle apertures 61 and 88 lie at the points of intersection of the intermediate webs with the center wall H, H.

A suitable i'orm of handle for the carrier is shown in Figure 5. The. handle 1| comprises a central grip portion 12 from which a pair of shank portions 18 and 14 extend downwardly. The shank portions 13 and 14 may be offset at 15 and 18 to form an upper pair of shoulders adapted to rest on the ridge 28 or the center wall vof the carrier for purpose of limiting the downward movement of the handle. A pair of substantially horizontal

lower shoulder portions

11 and 18 extend outwardly. These lower shoulder portions serve to engage the carrier at the fold line 29.

End portions

19 and 88 extend from the shoulder portions H and I8 first downwardly and then inwardly andupwardly to lie substantially parallel to the shank portions 13 and 14. The ends 8| and 82 of the wire preferably, but not necessarily, extend a slight distance above the

upper shoulders

15 and 16. All t e portions of the handle preferably lie in the same plane.

The handle II is assembledwith the carrier body by inserting its lowermost triangular portions to either side of the

intermediate webs

58 and 5| into the apertures produced by the cuts 30. For insertion the handle is held slightly at an angle with respect to the center wall II, II. The bottom end of the handle slides easily into the space between the center walls II and H due to the relatively large apertures 33 cut into the center panel IT. The tongues 32 assist in the insertion since they lie approximately in line with the inner upwardly extending

end portions

19 and 88 of the handle. The handle is depressed until its upper ends BI and 82 move underneath the bottom edges of the

webs

58 and 5|. At this moment the ends 8| and 82 of the handle wire move slightly towards each other by spring action and enter the space between the two plies of the

webs

58 and 5| as the handle is being pulled upwardly. The ends 8| and 82 engage the apertures 68 and 61, respectively, in the intermediate webs and thus fix the center wall H, I! with respect to the webs 49-, 58, 51 and 52.

As it is apparent from Figure 5 that the shanks 13 and 14 of the handle flare slightly downwardly and outwardly. This causes the shanks to be spaced a shorter distance immediately below the upper shoulders 75 and I6 than they are immediately above the

lower shoulders

11 and 18. This peculiarity of shape causes the shanks '13 and 14 to engage the recesses 34 in the center portion when the handle is fully depressed, .so that, as the handle is pulled up, the shanks are guided between the center walls I and H by these recesses 34.

The. body of the completed carrier is quite rigid and will not recollapse. Resistance to recollapsing is a very desirable feature, since it causes the cells of the carrier to remain properly squared at all times without external restraint.

The dimensions of the handle Ii are so se- 80 lected that the handle can be depressed be ow the tops of the bottles. This is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. In Figure 7 the handle is shown in solid lines in extended position and in dash-dot lines in depressed position. In Figure 8 the handleis 86 shown in solid lines in depressed position and in on top of the other. It is a practice customary in the beverage industry to stack the carriers so that the bottom of the top-most carrier rests on the tops of the bottles of the carrier underneath.

It is easily apparent that the carrier shown in Figure 7 has great rigidity and strength'end that Its construction permits safe carrying of uneven loads. Fcr example,.three bottles or less may be carried on one side and none on the other without danger of distortion of the carrier and resultant dumping ofthe bottles. Shifting of the side walls l3 and I5 with their connecting

webs

49, 50, 5| and 52 relatively to the center wall H, I! is prevented by the engagement of the handle and portions with the apertures 61 and 68 in the

webs

50 and 5|.

Referring nw.to Figure 8, it is seen that the carrier body engages the bottles underneath the neck portion of the bottles, approximately at the area of greatest diameter, whereby the bottles of adjacent carriers, as well as the bottles within each carrier, are protected against glass-to-glass contact. The center wall H, II spaces the two rows of bottles from each other. The webs 50 and at the top and the lock flaps 36 and 31 at the bottom separate the bottles within each row.

Experience has indicated the desirability of making the center wall [1 slightly taller than the side walls I3 and I5. Also it is advantageous to make the top structure somewhat narrower than the combined widths of the bottom panels |2, Hi. This unequality in the dimensions of the panels requires the present of the auxiliary collapsing creases 24 and 25, since obviously the tubular blank could not be folded flat with

creases

28 and 29 in register if the collapsing

creases

24 and 25 were absent.

When bottles, jars, or cans are loaded into the carrier the bottom creases '22 and I9 are broken automatically, since the distance between the fold lines 24 and I8 as well as the distance between the fold lines 25 and 23 is not suiiicient to accommodate the bottoms of the bottles. The bottles, therefore, automatically cause the blank to crease at the bottom fold lines |9 and 22 when the bottles are dropped into the carrier.

When the carrier is lifted up by the handle its center wall H, I! moves slightly upwardly until the bottom edges of the

intermediate webs

50 and 5| come to rest in the bottoms of the cut away

portions

30 and 35. Referring briefly to Figure 1 the apex 83 of the cut-55 and the two apexes 84 to either side of the points 3| provide support for the lower edges of the

intermediate webs

50 and 5|. Since the intermediate webs extend in a substantially vertical plane and are of substantial width they act as supporting beams for the outer side walls l3 and I5 and aid in supporting a portion of the load carried by the outer side walls.

In order to provide forgreater strength at the point where the webs meet the side walls it is preferable to score the board by a single continuous curved scoring rule at the points where the fold lines 54, 55, 55, 51 meet the fold line 20 and at the points where the fold lines 50, GI, 62 and 63 meet the fold line 2|. This causes the board to curve at a rounded peak rather than to break at a point, whereby the strength of the carrier at the junction of the webs with the side walls is materially increased. The rounded scores produced by the curved scoring knives are indicated in Figure 1 at 85, 85, 51 and 88.

The invention thus provides a sturdy and eflicient carrier for bottles, cans, jars and other forms of merchandise. The carrier is attractive and requires a minimum of stock. Its folding and setting up operations are relatively simple and its strength is great, so that it will serve a number of round trips between the bottling plant and the consumer. The carrier is very resistant to distortion and lends itself admirably to automatic loading on established types of loading machinery now in use for loading partitioned wooden and metal cases.

What is claimed is:

1. A carrier for a plurality of bottles, cans, or

similar articles arranged in two rows, the carrier consisting of foldable sheet material creased alon fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts of the carrier, the carrier comprising, a pair of outer side wall panels; a center partition panel; a bottom connected to said side wall panels and said partition panel; and a cellular top structure dividing the space between the partition panel and the side wall panels into individual article receiving cells, said top structure comprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending at substantially right angles to the side wall. panels from one side wall panel to the other, and transverse to, said partition, said webs hingedly extending from said side wall panels along diagonal fold lines, the end portions of the webs being folded back upon said side wall panels along said diagonal fold lines, said top structure including terminal webs lying at the ends of the structure and intermediate webs lying between the terminal webs, the intermediate webs being of double thickness, the two thicknesses being folded back-to-back about a crease line forming the ridge of the web.

2. A cellular carton for a plurality of bottles, cans, or other articles arranged in two rows, the carton consisting of foldable sheet material creased along fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts of the carton, the carton comprising, a pair of outer side wall panels; a pair of center panels lying back-to-back and forming a two-ply partition between the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedly extending from said side wall panels and from said center panels, respectively; and a cellular top structure dividing the space to either side of the center panels into individual article receiving cells. said top structure comprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending at substantially right angles to the side wall panels from one side wall panel to the other and transverse to, and across, said center panels, said webs extending from said side wall panels along fold lines, the endmost webs being of single-ply thickness, the intermediate webs being of double-ply thickness, all webs being of length' substantially equal to the distance between said side wall panels, whereby the same webs form cells on either side of said partition, the webs of double thickness being formed of stock folded backto-back about a crease line forming the ridge of the double thickness webs.

3. A cellular carton for a plurality of bottles, cans, or other articles arranged in two rows, the carton consisting of foldable sheet material creased along fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts of the carton, the carton comprising, a pair of outer side wall panels; a pair of center panels lying backeto-back and forming a two-ply partition between the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedly extending from said side wall panels and from said center panels. respectively; and a cellular top structure dividing the space to either side of the center panels into individual article receiving cells, said top structure comprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending at substanll tially right angles to the side wall panels from one side wall panel to the other and transverse to, and across, said center panels, said webs extending from said side wall panels along fold lines, the endmost webs being of single-ply thickness, the intermediate webs being of double-ply thickness, all webs being of a length substantially equal to the distance between said side wall panels, whereby the same webs form cells on either side of said partition, the webs of double thickness being formed of stock folded back-to" back about a crease line forming the ridge of the double thickness webs, said two-ply partition having notches extending into it from its top edge through which notches said intermediate webs extend.

4. A carrier for bottles, cans, or similar articles arranged in two rows, the carrier consisting of a single blank of foldable sheet material creased along fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts of the carrier, the ends of the blank being attached together so that the blank is of tubular construction, the constituent parts of the carrier comprising a pair of outer side wall panels; a pair of center panels folded back-toback about a top fold line, said center panels forming a partition between the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedly connected to said side wall panels and said center panels, respectively; and cellular top structure dividing the spaced to either side of the center panels into individual article receiving cells, said top structure comprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending at substantially right angles to the side wall panels from one side wall panel to the other and transverse to, and across, said center panels, said webs extending from said side wall panels along diagonal fold lines, the end portions of the webs being folded back upon said side wall panels along said diagonal fold lines, said webs having a central portion intermediate said end portions, the central portion being of a length substantially equal to the distance between said side wall panels, whereby the same webs form cells on either side of said partition, said center panels having notches extending into them from the top fold line in line with certain of said webs, said certain webs extending through said notches.

5. A carrier as set forth in claim 4 in which the blank is provided with terminal glue flaps hingedly extending from one center panel along said top fold line, foldable over and adhesively securable to the other center panel.

6. A carrier for bottles, cans; or similar articles arranged in two rows, the carrier consistin of a single blank of foldable sheet material creased along fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts of the carrier, the ends of the blank being attached together so that the blank is of tubular construction,- the constituent parts of the carrier comprising a pair of outer side wall panels; a pair of center panels folded back-toback about a top fold line, said center panels forming a partition between the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedly connected to said side wall panels and said center panels, respectively; a cellular top structure dividing the space to either side of the center panels into individual article receiving cells, said top structure comprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending at substantially right angles to the side wall panels from one side wall panel to the other and transverse to, and across, said center panels, said webs extending from said side wall panels along diagonal fold lines.

the end portions of the webs being folded back upon said side wall panels along said diagonal fold lines, said webs having a central portion intermediate said end portions, the central portion being of a length substantially equal to the distance between said side wall panels, whereby the same webs form cells on either side of said partition, said webs including terminal webs lying at the ends of the structure and intermediate webs lying between the terminal webs, the intermediate webs being of double thickness, the two thicknesses being folded back about a crease line forming the ridge of the web, said center panels having notches extending into them from the top fold line in line with said intermediate webs, said intermediate, webs extending through said notches, certain of said intermediate webs having handle engagingapertures in the ridge at the point of intersection with said center panel; and a wire handle comprising a central handle portion from which two legs depend, the legs including substantially horizontal shoulder portions supporting the carrier at the intermediate webs and upwardly extending end portions extending through said ridge apertures and centering said center panels with respect to said outer side walls. 7

'I. A carrier for bottles, cans, or similar articles arranged in two rows, the carrier consisting of a single blank of foldable sheet material creased along fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts of the carrier, the constituent parts of the carrier comprising a pair of outer side wall panels; a pair of center panels folded back-toback about a top fold line, said center panels forming a partition between the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedly connected to said side wall panels and said center panels, respectively along inner bottom fold lines, a lock flap being cut out from the stock of at least one bottom panel and the center panel integral therewith, said lock flap being hingedly connected to the remainder of said last named center panel and of said last named bottom panel along a fold line substantially normal to said bottom fold lines, said lock flap having a notch in itsouter edge adapted to engage the two thicknesses of the center panels within it to lock said center panel together when said lock flap is folded upright with respect to the bottom panels; and a cellular top structure dividing the space to either side of the center panels into individual article receiving cells, said top structure comprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending at substantially right angles to the side wall panels from one sidewall panel to the other and transverse to, and across, said center panels, said webs extending from said side wall panels along diagonal fold lines, the end portions of the webs being folded back upon said side wall panels along said diagonal fold lines, said webs having a central portion intermediate .said end portions, the central portion being of a length substantially equal to the distance between said side wall panels, whereby the same webs form cells on either side of said partition.

8. A bottle carrier blank cut and creased to provide a plurality of panels set apart by parallel crease lines and comprising from one end of the blank to the other, a center panel, a bottom panel, a sidewall panel, a top panel, a further side panel, a further bottom panel, and a further center panel, the width of the top panel measured between its bordering crease lines being substantially equal to the added width of the bottom panels, the top me! having a plurality of parallel cuts through it normal to said crease lines to provide web forming strips, said cuts extending beyond the body of thetop panel into the body of the-adjoining side wall panels, said side wall 5 panels having oblique told lines extending from the ends of the cuts to the crease lines bordering said top panel.

9. A bottle carrier blank as set forth in'claim 8 in which, in addition terminal securing flaps are 7 prointegral with, and hingedly connected to, the ends of the center panels about fold lines parallel tosaidcreaselines,saidsecuringflapsbeingattechable to the center panels with which they are not integral to provide a tubular blankstructure. V MARSHALL I. WIILIAMSON.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Nurnber Lowey et a1 July 25, 1944