US2638212A - Package of flat articles with adjustable filler pad - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1953 F. o. ROBERTSON ,6

PACKAGE OF FLAT ARTICLES WITH ADJUSTABLE FILLER PAD Filed Dec. 5, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

F aw 027052275015,

Patented May 12,1953

PACKAGE OF FLAT ARTICLES WITH ADJUSTABLE FILLER PAD Fred 0. Robertson, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 3, 1951, Serial No. 259,633

, 2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a shipping carton and filler pad therefor and is primarily concerned with a means for utilizing a standard size box or package for the packaging and shipment of hand saws, or the like, of varying lengths.

Hand saws are made in various lengths ranging from those having a blade approximately twenty inches long to those having a blade approximately twenty-six inches long, the latter being the most popular. Because of the greater number of boxes required for packaging the longer saws, even though larger, such boxes are substantially less in cost than the boxes now used for packaging the shorter saws. It is a primary purpose of this invention, therefore, to provide a means whereby the longer boxes may be used for the packaging of the shorter saws as well as the more popular longer varieties, while yet preventing such shorter saws from shifting about, with consequent damage to each other, during shipment and handling of the packages.

A further object of this invention is to construct the means which makes this utilization possible, in such a manner that it can be used, also, as a display stand for showing the saws to the public.

While saws are illustrated herein, and specifically mentioned in the description, it will be apparent that the basic concept of the present invention is equally applicable to many other products, including, but not limited to, knives, chisels and other relatively flat, elongated devices made and offered in various lengths.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a pictorial view showing the manner in which a hand saw is placed in an envelope prior to packaging;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a carton, partially broken away, used in shipping such saws and showing a pair of such saws placed in the carton;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the filler pad constituting an element of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the carton of Fig. 2 showing the manner in which the pad of Fig. 3 is used therein; and

Fig. 5 is a pictorial view showing the manner in which the pad of Fig. 3 is used as a display stand.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in Fig. 1 I have shown a hand saw l0. Prior to packaging for shipment, such saws are placed in envelopes II to prevent damage, primarily, to the handles 12 thereof.

Heretofore, boxes of various lengths have been required for packaging each different length of saw manufactured. The most popular saw now in use is that havinga blade length of approximately twenty-six inches. Including the additional length due to the saw handle, such a saw requires a box having ,a length of approximately thirty inches plus. This particular length of saw comprises to of the present market in hand saws. Theremaining 10% to 20% of the market is composed of saws of shorter lengths. Boxes for these shorter lengths are, therefore, more or less custom made.

Since the boxes for the longer saws can be purchased in large volume, they cost about 60% of the cost of the shorter boxes. Obviously therefore, it becomes desirable that some means be devised whereby the larger boxes can be utilized in packaging the shorter saws.

If the shorter saws are placed in the longer boxes, end for end, as is common practice, the saws, during shipment, are jostled from one end of the box to the other, resulting, more often than not, in damage. The saws sometimes break through the ends of the boxes themselves, but more often, they merely break through the protective envelope ll exposing the saw teeth. The teeth, thus exposed, then gouge through the envelope surrounding an adjacent saw handle and scratch and mar the handle to the point that it is rendered unsalable.

To counteract this difliculty, I have provided a filler pad or spacer element referred to generally by the reference numeral l3. Pad l3 comprises an elongated planar member having, in its extended form, overall dimensions approximately equal to the interior dimensions of the shipping box I4. Near one end, pad I3 is provided with a transverse score 16, defining a wing or flap l5, and of the well-known type which will permit said flap to be turned readily in either direction out of the plane of the midportion 2| of the pad. At intervals which, in the present instance, are two inches apart, the flap I5 is provided with further scores "5a and 16b. It will be obvious, of course, that any desired number of such ad? ditional scores may be provided. Near its opposite end, and preferably spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to the spacing of score 16 from the first-named end of the pad, the pad is provided with another transverse score line 18 having the characteristics of the score l5 and defining a flap or wing l1. Additional scores la and [8b, similar in character and in spacing to the scores Ito and "lb, traverse the flap l1.

The usual form of shipp n box ll comprises a bottom portion 19 and a top or lid portion 28. The saws. it, in their protective envelopes H, are usually stacked in groups of one or more saws, with handles 52 abutting one end of bottom portion H). A second such group is then placed in the box in overlapping relation to the first group and with the handles abutting the other box end. Where the saws are substantially the same length as the box, no diiliculty arises. But where the saws are of a shorter length than the boxes, diiiiculties occur as set forth above.

Wherever, in the present specification or in the claims appended thereto, I refer to a group of saws Or the like, it will be understood that that term is used in the sense in which it is used above, to include one element or a plurality of like elements.

To overcome these difficulties, the pad, i3 is folded about the line iii so that wing ililies substantially parallel to the central portion 2%. Wing 55 is then hooked under the blade end of the first group or stack of saws placed in the as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and the pad 13 i moved to the right, as viewed in 4, until the ends of the saws are tight against the inner side of the fold along line it. The top group or stack is then placed in the box with the handles abutting the other end of the box. and with the blades of this groupoverlapping the blades of the. first. group, but separated by the central portion 2i oi pad E3. The wing l? of pad i3 is then folded back over the ends of the second group along the fold line it.

This procedure is followed when -inch saws are being packed, as in the present drawings. 1" 22-inch saws are to be packed, the wings it an it will be folded, instead, about the score. lines its. and its, or if 24-inch saws are to be packed, the wings will be folded about score lines iiib, and ltb.

Alternatively, the supplementary score lines might be four inches apart; in which case, wing it would 'be folded about line it and wing ll folded about line Eda for ZZ-inch saws; and wing it? would be folded about line its and wing it about line {to for 24-inch saws.

As; will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 4 such an arrangement holds the two groups oi saws tightly against their respective ends of the box. At the same time, the central portion 2% is disposed between the two groups, thereby eliminating all possibility of the teeth of one saw breaking through its protective covering and gouging the handle or another Where the saws being packed, are of the. longest or most popular length, they 1: l the entire length of, the bar; and the filler pad may simply be placed between the two groups of, saws without folding, due to its being of substantially the same length as the box. It could, of course, be entirely eliminated, in this instance, but I have designed the pad to serve a twofold purpose, the second of which I shall now describe.

Along a common edge 22 of pad 13, I have provided, near each end thereof, a pair of notches. Notches 2t and 2d are formed in wing it and notches 2t and 26 are formed in wing i1, all notches being substantially perpendicular to edge 22; Notch 23 is spaced from fold line 55 a distance equal to the distance between notch 25 and fold line it, and notch is spaced from notch 23 a distance equal to the distance of notch 26 from notch 25.

After the carton, with the saws therein, has reached its retail outlet, the pad i3 is removed from the box. Wing 15 is placed at approximately right angles to central portion 2i and wing ii is turned in the same direction about the fold, line 8. The pad thus folded, is placed with the, notches opening upwardly and one of the saws la is slipped into notches 23 and 25, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. A display poster 2? may be arranged in the notches 24 and Thus arranged, pad it becomes a rigid and substantial display rack upon which the saws may be shown to the public. Appropriate advertising may be printed upon the face 28 of the central portion 2i, as Well as along the folded end portions 15 and H.

I claim as my invention:

1. A universal shipping carton for use in packaging relatively fiat. articles of variable lengths comprising a box having a width slightly greater than the width of one of said articles and a length slightly greater than that of the longest of said articles to be packed but substantially greater than that of the shortest of said articles to be packed, a lid for said box, and a filler pad comprising an elongated planar member having a fold li e. spaced from one end thereof transverse to the length of said member and a plurality of fold lines successively spaced from the other end of said member, transverse to the length thereof, a first group of articles being stacked in. said box with a first end thereof abutting one end or said box and a second group of articles. being stacked in said box with the corresponding end thereof abutting the other end-of said box and with an extending portion including a second end remote from said first end of said second, group. overlapping the similarly extendin portion including a, second end remote. from said, first end of said first group, said i""ci pad being disposed in said box with a central portion of said pad located between the overlapping portions of said two groups, the end of pad adjacent the second end of said group of; articles being folded about its fold line and turned back under the said second end of said first group to lie between said second end of said first group, and the. bottom of said box in substantial parallelism, with the central portion of said filler pad, with said second end of said first group engaging the fold, and the other end or" said member being folded about that one of plurality of fold lines nearest the second end or second group and being turned back over said second end of said second group to lie between said second group extending portion and said lid, when the latter is in place, in substantial parallelism with the central portion of said filler pad.

2. The carton oi claim 1 in which the length of said filler padis substantially equal to the length of said box.

FRED O. ROBERTSON References, Cited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,481,333 Agar Jan. 22, 1924 1,755,234 Westerfield Apr. 1930 1,968,880 Ebert Aug. 1934 2,097,757 Deike Nov. 1937. 23%.118; Brogden l- June 11, 1940 2,331, 93 Muhlhauser Get. 12, 1943

Images