US2622785A

US2622785A - Container

Info

Publication number: US2622785A
Application number: US90195A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert M Kieckhefer
Original assignee: KIECKHEFER CONTAINER Co
Current assignee: KIECKHEFER CONTAINER Co
Priority date: 1949-04-28
Filing date: 1949-04-28
Publication date: 1952-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 1969-12-23

Description

Dec. 23, 1952 H. M. KlEcKHEr-ER CONTAINER Filed April 28, 1949 Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED E S NT 2,622,585

., CONTAINER Herbert MfKieckliefer, 4Riverton? Ni Jvaiassignor 'l N. Jr., acorporationfo'f Delaware Application :April 28,. 19,49, .Serial N 0.110395 (iCl. 229-144) l Claims.

` 1 This invention relates to boxlike'cont'ainers and more particularlyto returnable containers of the type lwhich are commonly us'edto encase beveragebottles, milk. cartons, andlike articles. Such containers are commonly formed'o'f heavy cardboard, and they are used repeatedly and are therefore subjected to considerable .wear and tear. A common form 'of such containers comprises an `open-top boX-'likestructura and apair'of 'cover naps hinged to the opposed side vwalls-fof f said structure.

' Prior containers/of this1` type have.` notibeen entirely satisfactory: for a numberfotreasons A common .faultof' such a. container is that the cover flaps tend to fly open 'when thefcontainer is roughly handled.. as is frequently the case. Another objection to'some prior containers is l .that some ofV thefedges are `left unprotected against wear, particularly where the'edges come together'when the cover flaps are closed, and. such 'edges tend towear very rapidly'particularly when the container is roughly handled. A common form of such containers is one having depending flanges along the free edgeso'f' the cover flaps, which flanges extend through slotsin theend panels of the container whenthefcove'r flapsare closed. The 'slotting of theend panels weakens them, and. when the. container isvcarriedmwith one hand, the'lowermostend panel issubjected to l the weight of the contentsand "may lfold or collapse, particularly ifV the'coverg'opens or if the "small ange breaks so that the fend'panel isjunsupported. Still anotherobjection isinherent in a'container of the characterabove-mentioned.

Where it is desiredto have: an vodd number of rows ofthe encased articles' such as bottles ln a container-as is` the.- case-where bottles are arranged in three longitudinal rows each having our bottles-the "cover flaps must `be of unequal width, since otherwise the* depending flanges would strike thetops'ofthe,bottlesin the center row. -This is objectionable,A particularly from .the

`standpoint of filling the open containers `on conveyors. It is desirable toy have a minimum amount of clearance on both sides of a conveyor which '.carries the containers with the* cover flaps open.

However, if one flap is wider .than the. other, it is necessary to provide greaterrclearancev on one side of the conveyor than'on-the other side.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a container which is free of the abovementioned objections of prior containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container which is strong and durable, and which is capable of withstanding the handling to which such containers are subjected.

f-:Another-'-objectof? the inventionis to provide f acontainerwhich isA simple iny constructionaand which'. is "capable 1of "low` cost-'f manufacture.

mOther objects and featureswill VVVbe apparent from the. following detailed descriptionwithfreference to'the' accompanyingdrawing wherein:

' Fig. 1'is a` perspective vviewiof a container-coni structedf according tor the present invention-,- 'with i 'i certainporti'onsfbroken4l awayv 'for Ythe* purpose.: of

illustration;

""Figl' 2'is a fragmentarysectional view taken if Fig'. 34 is afragmentary"perspective"VieWilOf @i another"'embodiment of the invention;

" Fig'. 4 is afragmentary-sectional'view ,taken TRefe'rring rst' to-Fgs'. l and 2,there is'shown a containerv comprising an '-'operr-topbox-like :structuredesignated generallyV by 4reference* character"|0", and al pairiof lcover flaps Il and` l2 hinged respectively to two opposed walls of said structure. In its preferred form the container I4, and end walls I5 and I6, the-cover-flapsfbeing hingedto the side Walls.

InfaccordanceV with the presentinventioneach i coveriflap iswformed Vso lthat it has vdepending .'.zfl'anges ITand l 8 'onlyat its/ends,A the l unhinged longitudinal edge yof the flap being free of any depending'angef A` rod* l9,-p`referably formed "of metal andy having substantial stiffness; .but being somewhatresilient; is secured-to the under- .side of the "cover flap adj acen-tV the longitudinal L 'edge thereof; and this rrodV has bent end vportions `ZIland 2l Yassociatedwith"'the endflanges I1 and l'and securedftheretof*Preferably -thefrod I9 is secured to'the'cover flap and to itsendfflanges vvv"thecoverfllaps by means of inwardly turned portions 22;` andl23, which are stapled as at 24 and 25. This'arrangement. adds greatly tothe stiffness and strength of 'terrpted upper edge and has a recess'or aperture 1""26 in' spaced relation to said edge and adapted to v.receivethe e'ndsioffthe` rods.` "As shown-inFig. 2,

the upper portion'ofieach end wall isof double thickness, the wall-having a' down-turnedextension`21 .which is Vstapledal' 28.. A lingerv slot 29 is provided in each end wallgand a'llap-Sll is turned inwardly from said slotinto" engagement with the extension"2l."The "aperture 26' is pronumber of advantages are obtained. The rods support the end panels when the cover flaps are closed, and prevent either end panel from folding or collapsing when the container is carried with one hand, even if the flanges are turned away from the end panels. Since the unhinged longitudinal edges of the cover flaps are free of depending flanges, the fiapsmay be of the same width even where it is desired that the container shall encase an odd number of rows of bottles or like articles. Moreover, the said longitudinal edges of the cover flaps, as well as the end flanges thereof, are strengthened and rigidied by the rods. Further still, the structure provides for positive interlocking of the cover flaps with the end walls, and there is no tendency for the flaps to fly open even when the container is roughly handled. Further still, the structure leaves no unreinforced edges which are subject to wear. In this connection it will be noted that the upper edges of the end walls are reinforced by virtue of the double thickness, as are also the upper edges of the finger openings 29 where lifting force is applied.

In Figs. 3 and 4 there is illustrated another embodiment of the invention wherein the end wall structure is somewhat different than in the previously described embodiment. In this instance each end wall has a down-turned flange 32 which engages the inside of the wall proper, and a portion 33 of said extension extends through the finger slot 34 and is formed to provide a guard 35 over the associated end portions of the rods. As may be seen in Fig. 3, the ends of the guard 35 are stapled at 38. In this instance, the detent end portion of each rod extends substantially below the cover flange, as may be seen in Fig. 4, and the guard 35 prevents contact with the end portions of the rods during handling of the container with the cover flaps spaced relation to the upper edge, a pair of cover closed. Aside from the differences mentioned, A

the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 is similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be seen that the invention provides a container which is free of the various objections understood that the invention is not limited,

thereto but is capable of various other embodiments.

I claim:

1. A container comprising side and end walls and a bottom forming an open-top box-like struc# ture, each of said end walls having an uninterrupted upper edge and having a recess in spaced relation to the upper edge, a pair of cover flaps hinged respectively to said side walls, each cover flap having flanges only at its ends, and a member carried by each cover flap and extending completely along the underside of the cover flap adjacent the free longitudinal edge thereof and along the inside of said flanges and serving to reinforce the cover flap, the end portions of each flaps hinged respectively tc said side walls, each cover flap having flanges only at its ends, and a rod carried by each cover flap and extending completely along the underside of the cover flap adjacent the free longitudinal edge thereof and along the inside of said flanges and serving to reinforce the cover flap, the end portions of each rod being shaped to provide detent elements removably seatable in the recesses in said end walls to effect snap latching of each cover flap in closed position and to permit opening of each cover flap.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein each o-f said rods is held by looped extensions on the associated cover flap and its end flanges.

4. A container comprising side and end walls and a bottom forming an open-top box-like structure, each of said end walls having a downturned extension at the upper part thereof providing double thickness cf said part, and also having a slot opening in the outside of said part, a pair of cover flaps hinged respectively to said side walls, each cover flap having flanges only at its ends, :and a reinforcing rod carried by each cover flap and extending completely along the underside of the cover flap adjacent the free longitudinal edge thereof and along the inside of said flanges, the end portions of each rod being shaped to provide detent elements removably seatable in the slot openings in said end walls to effect snap latching of each cover ap in closed position and to permit opening of each cover flap.

5. A container according to claim 4, wherein each of said end walls has a finger slot therein below the first-mentioned slot opening, and a flap is turned inwardly from said finger slot into' engagement with the aforementioned downturned extension.

6. A container according to claim 4, wherein each of said end walls has a linger slot therein below the first-mentioned slot opening, and each of said down-turned extensions has a portion projecting through the associated finger slot and forming a cover guard for the associated end portions of said rods.

HERBERT M. KIECKHEFER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS