US2597847A - Shipping container for eggs - Google Patents

Description

H. C- REESER SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR EGGS May 27, 1952 Filed Mar ch 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR i/P/P) ("X95558 BY g ATTORNEY y 27, 1952 H. c. REESER SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR EGGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1949 if M i m 1 m I? 7. m 7 s; "f 0 ii/ 1: 7 wk 5 My. 7 r L 7 2 n 2 g m A M INVENTOR R) Q fla s-3?, 5mm

ATTORNEY y 27, 1952 H. c. REESER SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR EGGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 1, 1949 ATTO R N EY Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR EGGS Harry G. Reeser, North Hollywood, Calif., 'a'ssignor to The Patent and Licensing Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts I Application March 1, 1949, Serial No. 79,017

2 Claims.

This invention relates to shipping containers and is'particularly concerned'with compartmented containers adapted for the shipment of eggs and made of corrugated or solid fiberboard, boxboard, or similar strong, lightweight ioldable sheetmaterial.

Shipping containers for eggs, and similar commodities which require relatively frequent inspection and are highly susceptible to injury by external impact, should not only effectively protect their contents from the hazards of shipment and handling, and be strong enough to sustain compression loading of superposed containers, but 'at the same time they should 'be adapted to be easily opened at frequent intervals and again securely closed. Further, it is highly desirable that such containers be capable of being shipped in the form of fiat blanks which maybe readily and quickly assembled by the prospective user. Egg shipping containers heretofore made of lightweight foldable material and devised in an effort to meet the above criteria have generally had one or more practical dis advantages. For example, they employ an inordinate amount of material in their construction, are diificult to manufacture or assemble, are bulky to ship when empty, or do not provide the desired protection for their contents.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved compartmented shipping container for eggs and the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a container of the character indicated which provides increased protection for the contents and has greater general efliciency anddesirabi-lity as comparedwith known containers.

It is :a still further object of the invention 'to provide a compartmented container which can be manufactured with minimum waste of material, which can be shipped in the form of flat or folded blanks and which can be easily and quickly assembled by the prospective user.

According to the invention, I provide a compartmented shipping container which may be readily assembled from three liat'blanks of lightweight -foldable sheet material designed to provide a double thickness of material on the bottom, side walls and 'end walls of "the container. This double thickness provides a shock absorbing cushion for the contents and reinforces and strengthens the container, thereby permitting it to withstand compression from any direction.

Briefly described, my container comprises a case having a bottom, side and end walls, a liner member having portions coextensive with the 2 bottom and end walls of the outer case and :providing cover elements for the container, and a partition member forming a double transversepartition which has extensions which "overlie the side walls .of the case. The combination of these three members provides a container which not only protects its contents from injury from external impact and is easily opened and closed, but also provides an effective load bearing surface which will withstand compression loading of .superposed containers. The cover members have tuck flaps which frictionally engage the partition member and hold the cover members securely closed.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is :a'perspective View of an embodiment oi the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan viewv of a blank from which maybe formed the center partition and side wall reinforcements for the container.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blank forming the bottom and end wall reinforcements and the cover members of the container,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which may be formed the bottom, side walls and end walls of the container, and

Fig. v6 is a perspective view showing the relationship of the set-up blanks.

Referring to the drawings "and particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and I5, there :are shown three substantially rectangular flat blanks which have been cut and scored to permit fabrication of a container embodying features of the present invention. These blanks may be formed'fromfiat sheets of corrugated fiberboard, solid fiberboard, boxboard or other similar foldable material which is light weight yet possesses adequate flexibility and strength for the purposes of the invention.

Shown in Fig. 5 is a substantially rectangular blank, designated generally by the numeral 16, adapted to form the body portion,. or case, of my container. Blank ['0 has been transversely scored to define rectangular side wall panels H and 12, adapted to form the sides of my container, an end wall panel I3 flexibly connected to the outer edge of side panel H along score line I4, and an end wall panel 15 positioned between side panels H and I2 and flexibly connected thereto along score lines It and I1, respectively. The bottom of my container "is formed by botend edge of panel 36.

3 tom flaps I8 and-l9, 25 and 2|, flexibly connected along longitudinal score line 22 to the lower edges of wall panels I I, l2, l3 and I5, respectively. A slot 26 extends collinearly from the lower end of score line M to the outer edge of blank Ill and separates bottom flaps I8 and 20, and slots 21 and 28 extending downwardly from the ends of score lines I6 and IT, respectively, separate bottom flap 2| from bottom flaps l8 and IS. A relatively narrow attaching flap 29 is flexibly connected to the outer edge of side wall panel l2 along score line 30. Cut-outs 3| and 32 in end wall panels l3 and I5, respectively, provide hand holes to facilitate carrying the container. While in the embodiment illustrated cut-outs 3| and 32 are trapezoidal in shape, they may in practice be of any convenient shape.

The cover elements and the bottom and end wall reinforcements for my container are formed by a single integral liner member. This liner member, shown in Fig. 4 and designated generally by the numeral 35, is formed from an elongated strip of sheet material suitably scored by transverse parallel score lines to define a central rectangular panel 36 and end liner panels 31 flexibly connected along score lines 38 to each Flexibly joined along score lines 39 to end liner panels 3'! are outwardly extending cover panels 40 and relatively narrow tuck flaps 4| are flexibly joined to the outer edges of cover panels 40 along score lines 42. Cut-outs 43 are formed in end liner panels 3'! and are so shaped and positioned that they will coincide with hand cut-outs 3| and 32 when the container is assembled.

The partition member of my container is designated generally by the numeral 46 and, as shown in Fig. 3, is formed from a rectangular flat blank of sheet material cut and scored to define two central partition panels 41 flexibly connected to each other along transverse score line 48. Slots 49, collinear with, and extending outwardly from, each end of score line 48 define side extensions 50 flexibly joined to each side of partition panels 41 along score lines The outer side edges of partition panels 41 are provided with relatively narrow flaps 52 joined thereto along score lines 53 and the outer side edges of the side extensions 50 are provided with similar flaps 54, joined thereto along score lines 55. Flaps 54 are separated from flaps 52 by slots ,56 extending from the outer edge of the blank to the ends of score lines 5|.

It will be observed that the blanks with which I form my container are all substantially rectangular and are free from small tabs and the like which might easily tear off in handling and add to the difficulty of manufacture and assembly. Further, my container blanks are made from a minimum amount of material and with minimum waste.

As previously indicated, the container may be shipped to the packer in the form of flat blanks which may be easily and quickly assembled.

To assemble the case of my container the blank I0 is bent inwardly along the transverse score lines I4, l6 and I1 into the form of a rectangular tube and the attaching strip 29, folded along score line 30, is secured, as by staples 58, or other convenient securing means, to end wall panel 13. The bottom flaps I8, I9, 20 and 2| are then folded inwardly along score line 22 and secured in position, as by an adhesive strip 59. If desired, the stapling operation whereby attaching strip 29 is secured to end wall panel I3 may be carried out by the manufacturer and the partly assembled case shipped in collapsed condition to the packer who can then readily set up the case and attach the adhesive strip 59. In this way, the advantage of shipment as a substantially flat blank is retained and the packer is saved the necessity of having to have stapling machinery. Referring to Fig. 6, the liner 35 is erected by bending the end liner panels 31 upwardly at right angles to central panel 36 and the liner is then inserted in the assembled case with the panel 31 coextensive with the bottom formed by bottom panels |8, I9, 20 and 2|. The partition member is assembled by folding partition panels 41 upwardly along score line 48, bending side extensions 50 outwardly along score lines 5| at right angles to partition panels 41, and then bending inwardly the flaps 52 and 54. The assembled partition member is then directed into position in the case with the free ends of panels 41 extending upwardly. It will be seen that the partition panels form a transverse recess adopted for the reception of tuck flaps 4|. When the container has been loaded, the covers 40 are directed into place. To close the container the tuck flaps 4| are inserted into the recess between the two partition panels 41 and are there firmly held in place by frictional engagement. The extension panels 50 bear against end liner panels 31 and end walls l3 and I5 and tend to force partition panels 4'! together. When the contents are to be inspected or removed the covers 40 may be readily folded back and then again securely closed. Separate covers, which are commonly employed with conventional egg cases, are easily misplaced or damaged in the course of the frequent opening and closing to which egg cases are commonly subjected, and in some cases fall off in the course of shipment. This disadvantage is completely eliminated in my container.

It will be observed that there is a double thickness of material along the bottom and along all four walls of my container. This not only provides a cushioning effect against external blows and impact but also reinforces the container against compression forces from any direction, thus imparting to the container a high degree of dimensional stability. The container will easily sustain compression loading of several tiers of egg cases with complete protection of its contents.

It will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A compartmented container for the shipment of eggs and the like which comprises, in combination, a substantially rectangular case having a bottom, side walls and end walls, an elongated liner member disposed interiorly of said case and having a portion coextensive with the bottom of said case, adjacent integral portions coextensive with the interior surface of said end walls, a cover member integral with each of said adjacent portions and flexibly connected to the upper edges thereof, tuck flaps on the ends of said cover members, and a double walled lateral partition member disposed centrally of said outer case, and dividing said case into two compartments, said partition member comprising two integral panels having their free ends extending upwardly in said case, said integral panels forming a recess adapted to receive the tuck flaps of said cover members, and said integral panels having extensions overlying the inner surfaces of said side walls and extending substantially to the end walls.

2. A compartmented container for the shipment of eggs and the like which comprises, in combination, a substantially rectangular case having a bottom, side walls and end walls, an elongated liner member disposed interiorly of said case and having a portion coextensive with the bottom of said case, adjacent integral portions coextensive with the interior surface of said end walls, a cover member integral with each of said adjacent portions and flexibly connected to the upper edges thereof, tuck flaps on the ends of said cover members, a double walled lateral partition member disposed centrally of said outer case and dividing said case into two compartments, said partition member comprising two integral panels having their free ends extending HARRY C. REESER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,081,419 Benschoter May 25, 1937 2,404,065 Hill July 16, 1946 2,404,704 Guyer July 23, 1946 2,427,397 Ferguson Sept. 16, 1947 2,450,419 Cassidy 1 Oct. 5, 1948 2,475,107 Newsom July 5, 1949

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