US2617576A - Prelined container having multiple cells - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11, 1952 R. M. BERGSTEIN PEELENED CONTAINER HAVING MULTIPLE CELLS Filed Jan. 24, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l @www MN.

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Nov. 11, 1952 R. M. BERGsTl-:IN

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' A T To R N EYS GJZ Patented Nov. 11, r1952 PRELINED CONTAINER HAVING MULTIPLE CELLS Robert Morris Bergstein, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Robert Morris Bergstein and Frank David Bergstein, trustees Application January 24, 1945, Serial No. 574,384

6 Claims.

Folding cartons which are prelined either with bags or with tubes have come into widespread use in the packaging eld. In my Patent No. 2,099,257 dated November 16, 1937, I have shown and described a bagor tube-lined carton having four body Walls, and in Patent No. 2,250,249 dated July 22, 1941, I have shown a structure in which the carton has six body walls. My Reissue Patent No. Re. 20,789 dated July 12, 1938, relates to methods of making prelined cartons; and my Patent No. 2,166,388 dated July 18, 1939, relates to machinery for the purpose. Reference to these patents is made for details of structures, methods vand machines employed in part in connection with this invention.

My present invention provides cartons or containers in fiat folded or knocked down form each having a plurality of tubes or bag liners therein. It is thus an object of the invention to provide prelined containers having two or more individual cells or compartments therein, which may be employed either for the packaging of different increments of the same contents or for the packaging of contents of diverse characters, or of substances designed for ultimate combination but which must be maintained separate during storage and shipment. It is a further object of the invention to provide individual liners and cells which may be of different types of material Where specific protective characteristics are desired for differing products packed in the container.

Another object of the invention relates to the provision of structures in which the individual cells may be sealed, either separately or in a single operation so that each cell, or as many as desired, will in itself constitute an hermetic enclosure for its contents.

Anotherobject of the invention is the provision of a lined structure having multiple cells so constructed and arranged as to permit one cell at a time to be opened forthe removal of its contents Without disturbing the sealed condition of the remaining cells, so that the freshness 'of remaining increments is preserved. f Another object of theV invention is the pro- Vision of processes and mechanism whereby such multi-lined containers can be produced continuously at high speed and at low manufacturing and assembly cost.

' These and other objects of lthe invention which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications I accomplish by that construction and arrangementof parts, and by those methods and mechanisms of which I shall now describe cer. tain exemplary embodiments. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of apparatus for making a composite liner structure.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a structure so made.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views of various steps in closing one end ofthe tubes making up the liner structure; Y

Figure 7 is a representation of a carton blank of the so-called six sided form.

Figure 8 shows the carton blank tubed about the liner structure of Figure 2. i

Figures 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of the structure of Figure 8 respectively in the par-` tially and fully erected conditions.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the lined carton.

Figure -12 is a perspective view of another form of composite liner structure.

Figure 13 is a plan view of a four sided carton blank. f

-Figure 14 is a plan view of the'blank of Figure 13 tubed about the liner structure of Figuret12.`

Figures l5 and 16 are cross sectional views of the lined carton of Figure 12 respectively in the partially and fully erected conditions. t

Figure 17 is a diagrammatic elevational view of amechanism for making yet another formk of composite liner structure. Y

'Figure 18 is a perspective view of forming and gluing means which maybe used in connection with the mechanism of Figure 17.

Figures 19 and 20 are cross-sectional views of the composite liner structure formed by the mechanism of Figures 17`and 18 respectively in partially and fully expanded conditions.

Figure 21 is a perspective View of a lined carton showing an operation'in closing and sealing the composite liner.

Figures 1 to 11 deal with the :formationr of a triple-celled composite liner structure and the formation of a lined carton using such a structure. In Figure 1 I have shown diagrammatically an apparatus having a framework I on which are three backstands/Z, 3 and 4 supporting the rolls 5, 6 and 'I of suitable bagor tube-forming material in strip form, the strips being indicated at 8, 9 and l0. As the strips are drawn'forward, each has applied to it along'one edge'a strip of adhesive for a longitudinal seam.V Pans, and roll applicators .for the adhesive are indicated atll,l2andl3.

At the points marked i4, l5 and I6 I provide bag tube formers of ordinary type which tube the several strips individually and bring the edges of each strip into lapping relationship to form the longitudinal seams as will be readily understood.

The bag tubes, now indicated at 8a, 9a and 10a are superposed and led through a common pair f draw rolls Il and i8. After the formation of the bag tubes, however, and before they are superposed, areas of adhesive are printed upon two of them. For this purpose I have shown reservoirs I9 and 2U for adhesive together with rolls turning therein, and transfer means in the nature of rotary printing devices 2l and 22 which print upon the under surfaces of bag tubes 9a and Ito, areas of adhesive which are discontinuous longitudinally of the bag tubes and spaced inwardly of the side edges of the bag tubes.

Such areas of adhesive are shown at 23 and 24 in Figures 2 and 3, and they are so applied to the tubes as to be superposed when the tubes themselves are superposed. The stacked and adhesively secured bag tubesr are cut oif in desired lengths by a fly knife 25. The result, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 is a composite liner structure 26v made up of three longitudinally seamed bag tubes 8a, 9a and Ilia in superposed relationship and held together by adhesive areas 23 and 24 so that the structure may be handled as -a unit. Both the side edges and the end edges of the tubes are free as shown.

The composite liner structures 2t cut off by the fiy knife may be delivered by a conveyor 2l and feed rolls 23 and 29. toa second section of the machine comprising a conveyor 3l] (e. g. of the chain and pin type) traveling at right angles to the conveyor 21.

It is within the scope of my practice to print adhesive upon the strips 8, 9 and lil for the formation of transverse closures in the bag tubes and then so to cut off the composite liner structures 23 as to obtain the tubes 8a, 9a and Illa in the form of bags closed at one end. However, and especially where the bag forming strips are made of, coated with or lined with a heat sealable material, it is more convenient and preferable to effect closure of one end of the bag tubes after the formation of the composite structure 26; and this is readily accomplished because the ends of the bag tubes are free of each other as has been indicated.

Thus, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, an end of the upper bag tube Ita may be raised by a sword or deector 3l as the structure 26 is traveling upon conveyor 33, and closed and sealed in any suitable way, as by heated rollers 32. Further along, as in Figure 5, the end of tube 8a may be deflected downwardly by a sword 33 and sealed by rolls 34. yStill further along, as in Figure 6, while the ends of the upper and lower tubes are still deflected by the swords 3l and 33 the end of the intermediate tube 9a may be closed and sealed by rolls 35. It will be understood that the mechanisms described or shown for the making of the composite liner structure 26 require to be driven in timed relationship. The timing is preferably made adjustable so that, along with suitable changes in the adhesive printing devices and suitable changes in the tube formers as may be required, the mechanism may be set to produce composite structures 26 of Various sizes as may be appropriate for various sizes of cartons. The material for the bag forming strips 8, il` and ID is not a limitation upon the invention.

In Figure '7, I have shown a carton blank having body walls 36, 3l, 38 and 39 and a glue flap :it in articulation, To the ends of the body walls, or some of them, closure flaps are articulated. It will be understood that these closure ii-aps may take various forms appropriate for various uses. Sets of tuck end flaps have been shown in Figure 7. The body walls Sii and 38 of the carton, as well as their flaps, are shown traversed by longitudinal scores il and 42, making the carton a so-called six sided structure.

One of the composite structures 25 is superposed upon the blank of Figure 7 and the blank is tubed to form -aknocked down carton by bending it along the score lines di and s2. The resultant structure is illustrated in Figure 8. In the course of the tubing operation adhesive is applied to the carton blank so as to result in its interposition between the glue ap it and the outer edge of the wall t. Also the composite structure 23 is preferably adhered to opposite walls 3l and 39 of the carton blank which may be accomplished by applying adhesive either to the compositestructure 2o or to the said c-arton walls, illustrated at itl and l5 in Figures 9 and 10.

The composite structure 25 is chosen as to size in View of the size of the carton blank. Itr will be substantially longer than the length of the body walls of the carton, and long enough to permit not only the folding of sealed portions of the liner without rupture, but also the ultimate sealing of the uncl'osed ends of the bag tubes. It will benoted also that the width of the composite liner structure 2S is greater than the width of the carton walls to which it is secured. Figures 9 and l0 are cross-sectional views showing the carton in partially and fully squared up condition and it will be noted that the several bag tubes are of such cross-sectional dimensions that after iirst expanding bellowwise, they finally ll up the interior of the carton forming cell spaces marked A, B and C in Figure 10. The dimensions of the liner tubes making up the composite liner 26 are also preferably chosen to be full enough so that expanding contents will not rupture the bags within the carton.

Mechanism for depositing preformed liners upon carton blanks, tubing the blanks about the liners and adhering the liners to a pair of opposite carton walls has been set forth in one or more of my issued Letters Patent mentioned above and need not here be detailed.

Figure l1 is a perspective view of a lined` carton made in accordance with this invention in erected condition and closed upon one end. It shows open ends of liner bags Sa, 9a and Ita projecting at one end of the carto-n. These bags may now be filled and afterward the bags may 'be closed individually either simultaneously or successively by closing and sealing means such as those shown in my said patents. The ends of the liner bags are free of each other and are free of the carton. They may be sealed and individually folded as will be readily apparent. Also it will be clear that they may be individually opened for the use of portions of the contents of the carton, as may be required.

Referring to Figure 12, I have shown a somewhat different composite liner structure wherein two liner tubes e3 and lli are arranged in oifset relationship lapping each other partially and adhered together in the area of overlap as indicated at 45, the area of adhesive union stopping short of the ends of the composite liner.

In Figure 13 I have shown a carton blank having enclosing body walls 46, 41, 48 and 49 together with a glue flap 50 in articulation. A composite structure 43, 44 is shown superposed upon this carton blank overlying walls 41 and 48. The blank is tubed about the composite liner structure by bending it upon the score lines adjacent walls 46 and 49. the glue flap 50 being adhered to the outer edge of wall 46, giving the structure shown in Figure 14. The composite liner 43, 44 is also preferably adhered to the walls of the carton or to an opposite pair thereof by the application of adhesive either to the carton walls or to the liner structure. In Figure 13 I have shown glue stripes 16, 11, 18 and 19 applied to the-walls of the carton.

Figures 15 and 16 are cross-sectional views showing the carton of Figure 14 in partially and fully erected or squared up condition and it will benoted that the bag tubes or bags 43, 44 square up with the'carton to form interior cell spaces marked A and B.

The composite liner structure of Figure 12 may be made by the same type of apparatus as that shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the backstands, adhesive applying devices and formers being laterally displaced from each other. While I have shown a composite liner structure 26 in Figure Zand a composite liner structure 43, 44 in Figure 12 comprising respectively three and two tubes each, it will be understood -that either of them may be made with two or more tubes as desired, additional forming units being provided as additional tubes are required in the composite. The structure of Figure 12 may have its tubes sealed upon one end prior to the formation of the lined carton as has been explained in connection with Figures 4, and 6. But in the case of either composite, the closure and sealing of the ends of the bag tubes may be deferred until after the composite has been assembled to the car-ton blank.

In Figures 17 to 20 inclusive I have illustrated the formation of yet another type of liner composite. In the mechanism of Figure 17, and upon a frame 5i I have shown a backstand 52 supporting a roll 53 of bag forming material. Adhesive is applied to one edge of the strip 54 by a roll coater mechanism 55 or other suitable means. A former is located at 56 for tubing the strip 54 and the tubed strip is indicated at 54a. A roll coating mechanism 51 applies a continuous stripe of adhesive 51a to the under side of ythe tube 54a.

At another position in the mechanism 'I provide a second backstand 58 holding a roll 59 of bag forming material. 'Ihe strip 69 withdrawn from this roll is substantially wider than the strip 54. It is carried upwardly and adhesive Bla is applied along one edge of it by a roll coater device 6I or equivalent mechanism. Then the preformed and adhesive coated bag tube 54a is led against the center portion of the strip 66 as they pass together over .a roll 62. A second former is located in lthe machine at a pointA marked 63; and at this point the outer and wider strip is tubed over the preformed bag tube 54a, and is also adhered centrally to .the upper side of the previously formed tube.

To this end I employ, as shown in Figure 18, a bifurcated forming sword 64 having spaced portions 65 and 66 extending in the direction of motion of Ithe tubes. The preformed bag tube 54a passes beneath this forming sword. Adhesive 61a from a container 61 is applied by means of a series of rolls 68 to the upper side of the bag tube 54a. Thereafter by suitable forming means (not shown but of the usual type) the strip 60 is tubed about Ithe preformed tube 54a to form a bag tube 60a. drawn ahead by pinch rolls 69 and 10 and eut off into liner lengths by means of a fly knife arrangement 1l.

The result, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, is a liner composite in which a narrow bag tube 54a is enclosed within a wider bag tube 60a and is adhered to ittop and bottom by the lines of adhesive 51a and 61a narrower than the width of the flattened bag tube 54a.

Such a composite liner structure may be assembled to a liner blank which is tubed thereabout and to which it is adhered as explained above. When such a lined carton is squared up the bag tubes are likewise squared up, as shown in the cross-sectional view, Figure 20. Here the interior liner 54a, provides a cell A while the outer liner 60a forms with the inner liner outlying cells B and C.

Since in the composite structure last described the bag tubes are coterminous and one lies within the other, the liners are sealed as a unit as illustrated in Figure 21 Where the composite isv shown within a carton 12 and Ithe mouth of it is shown being sealed by heated rolls 13. Yet because the inner bag tube 54a is narrower than the outer bag tube 69a any of the cell spaces A, B or C may be opened independently in this structure and its contents used without affecting the seal of other cell spaces.

The composite structure of Figures 19 and 20 may be made to have more cell spaces if desired by including two or more preformed narrow bag tubes within an outer, wider one. more of the composite struc-tures illustrated may be used as a liner for a single outer container. Yet again, my composite liner structures are useful per se as multiple bag units, and without the outer cartons with which I have illustrated them. This is especially true of the type of composite shown in Figures 19 and 20 which used alone provides an outer bag containing one or more inner bags, the whole being divided into individual cell spaces. The outer bag may be made very strong to withstand the stresses of shipment and handling while the inner bag or bags may be of weaker material.

My invention is useful wherever it is desired to package a uniform material in various increments so that one or more increments may be used while the remaining increments are still sealed and protected from external conditions productive of loss of freshness, moisture, and chemical change and the like. But in the packaging of foodstuffs there are many instances where diverse materials must be kept separate from each other though packaged in the same outer container and intended for concurrent use. For example, it may be desired to package spaghetti or macaroni along with cheese or other substances to form a dressing therefor; or it may be desired to package noodles along with substances derived from chicken meat. these circumstances, bags or cells of diiferent material may be required to give specific protection to the individually differing substances as well as to keep them separate. One cell of a composite structure may require moistureproofness as a primary characteristic while another may require oilor grease-proofness. Thus my composite structures, whether used alone or as liners, maybe made in different parts of dif- The composite structure is Underl ferent materials as will. be readily apparent, the diierences lyingv in strength, substance or pro.- tective characteristics. Among the materials. which I mayuse, but without limitation thereto, I mention plain or treated papers, non-nbrous. films of cellulosic or hydrocarbon substances, and metal foils, these substances being used alone or in plied layers as may be desired'.

Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it. Having thus described my invention in various exemplary embodiments', what I claim as new and; desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A prelined container in nat-folded form comprising a tubed outer boxboard carton having enclosing body walls. and end closure flaps, said tubed cartonV having within it. a composite liner comprising a plurality of tubular liner structures formed' of material morel nexible than box-board. said tubular liner structures being substantiaily coextensive in length and longer thanv theY body walls of said carton so as to project beyond said` body walls at either end, said liner structures being securedV to each other in areas lying within the confines of said carton body walls with the outermost liner structures additionally secured to certain at least of the carton body Walls, the portions of the liner structures projecting beyond the ends of the carton being free of the carton body Walls, whereby on expansion of the carton the said liner structures will ibe concurrently exs panded, the combined cross sectional areas ci the expanded liner structures substantially equalling the cross sectional area of the expanded carton.

2. A prelined container in flat-folded form com-Y prisingan outer tubed paperboard carton having enclosing body walls and closure naps, said tubed carton having within it a composite liner structure comprising at least two individual tubu. lar liner members formed of material more ilexible than boxboard, said liner members being longer than the body walls of said carton so as to project beyond said body walls at either end, said liner members being in superposed relation and secured together within the confines of said carton in an area of less width than either liner member, the outermost liner members beingv additionally secured to opposite body Walls of said carton, Vthe portions of the liner members projecting beyond the ends of the carton body walls being free of each other and free of the carton walls, whereby said liner members may be both individually sealed and individually opened and on expansion of the carton the said linerk members will be concurrently expanded, the combined cross sectional areas of the expanded liner members substantially equalling the cross sectional area of the expanded carton.

3. A prelined container in flat-folded form comprising an outer tubed paperboard carton having enclosing body Walls and closure flaps, said carton being tubed by folding upon a pair of score lines which are located intermediate the edges of two opposite body Walls, said tubed carton havingwithin it a composite liner comprising at least two individual tubular liner struc tures formed of material more flexible than boxboard, said tubular liner structures being longer than the body Walls of said carton so as to project beyond Isaid body walls at either end, said liner structures being in superposed relation and secured together within the confines of said carton body walls in an area of less width than either liner structure. the outermost liner structures being additionally secured to opposite 8. body walls of said carton, the portions of the liner. structures. projecting beyond the ends of the car-.ton body walls being free` of eachother and free of the cartonwallsrwhereby said liner structures may be both individually sealedy and individuallyv opened and on expansion of the cerf ton the said. liner structures will be concurrently expanded, the combined cross. sectional areas ot the. expanded liner structures. substantially equalling the crosssectional area of;V the expanded cartoni 4. A prelined container in flat-folded form comprising an outer tubed boxboard. carton. having enclosing body walls and Closure eps., said. carton having withinV it a Composite liner comprisine an assembly of individual tubular liner structures formed o material more flexible than boxboard', said tubular liner structures being longer than the body walls of said Carton s o as to project beyond said body Wallsv at either end, said liner structures being lapped in parallel vbut oilset relation and secured to each other inthe area of lappingg the outer edges of said liner assembly being substantially coincident with folded edges of said outer carton, with the outermost liner structures secured to opposite enclosing body walls, said liner structures each being of a width, when dat, greater than the Width of said last mentioned opposite body Walls. said area of lapping being substantially equal to the width of said opposite enclosing body Walls, whereby when said carton is erected said liner structures are concurrently expanded, the coinbined cross sectional areas of the expanded liner structures substantially equalling the cross sec-` tional area of the expanded carton..

5. A prelined, container in flat-folded form comprising an outer tubed boxboard carton ,have ing enclosing body Walls and closure flaps,y said carton being tubed by folding upon a pair of score lines which are located intermediate the edges of two opposite body walls, said tubed carton having Within it a composite. liner structure comprising at least two individual tubular liner structures formedof material more nexible than boxboard, said tubular liner structures being substantially coextensive in length and longer than the body walls of said carton so as to project beyond said body walls at either end, one of said liner structures being relatively wide and the other relatively narrow with the relatively narrow liner structure contained Wholly within the outer and relatively Wider liner structures and secured thereto along lines in opposite faces of said structures but narrower than said faces, said outer liner structures being additionally Ysecured to a pair of opposite walls of said carton, the portions of the liner structures projecting beyond the ends of the carton being free of the. carton body Walls, whereby on expansion of the carton the said liner structure will be concurrently expanded.

6. A prelined container in nat-folded form comprising a tubed outer boxboard carton having enclosing body walls and end closure flaps, said tubed carton having within it a composite liner comprising a plurality of tubular liner structures formed of material more flexible than boxboard, said tubular liner structures being longer than the body walls of said carton so as to project beyond said body walls at either end, said liner structures being secured to each other in areas lying Within the connes of said carton body walls with the outermost liner structures additionally secured to certain at least of the 9 carton body walls, the portions of the liner structures projecting beyond the ends of the carton being free of the carton body walls, whereby on expansion of the carton the said liner structures will be concurrently expanded, the combined cross sectional area of the expanded liner structures substantially equaling the cross sectional area of the expanded carton.

ROBERT MORRIS BERGSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED Number I0 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bergstein July 12, 1938 Gurwich Mar. 8. 1932 Lupton Aug. 28, 1934 Johannsen July 30, 1935 Sodergren Oct. 1, 1935 Bergstein Nov. 16, 1937 Vogt Sept. 17, 1940 Bergstein July 22, 1941 Wheeler May 9, 1944 Arthur Aug. 7, 1945 Campagnano Mar. 4, 1947

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