US2664235A - Carrier carton - Google Patents

Description

Dec, 29, 1953 c. L. cHAMPLlN ET AL 2,664,235

CARRIER CARTON Filed Deo. 1l. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l o 9 Y Fg. A a

( /z /f- -/f /J e ff s a 5 J/ 6 -z J- 7 BY Y, I"

ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1953 c. L. cHAMPLlN ET AL 2,664,235

' CARRIER CARTON Filed Dec. 1l, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, 1953 CARRIER CARTON Charles L. Champlin, Ransom C. Ellsworth, and Robert J. Hickin, Rittman, Ohio, assignors to The Ohio Boxboard Company, Rittman, Ohio,

a, corporation of Ohio Application December 11, 1951, Serial No. 260,994

5 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) This invention relates to carrier cartons, and particularly to such cartons for packaging and transporting salable units of a predetermined number of bottles of beverages such as beer.

One object of the invention is to provide a carrier carton which may be shipped to the user in flat-folded condition, to thus economize in shipping space, and is capable of being erected to set-up, usable condition by automatic machines which may form a part of a production or packaging line installation such as would, for reasons of economy, be mandatory in a large bottling plant of the type employed for bottling at the source as is customary at breweries. A carton of the type provided by the invention therefore has advantages of facility and economy in handling for packaging over somewhat similar cartons which require manual setting-up operations.

A paperboard carton for bottled goods must have a strong bottom and a strong handle, and it must also provide a cellular structure by which the bottles are protected against breakage. In fact, shipping regulations covering the transportation by common carriers of bottles such as are used for beer require that the separators forming such cells must have a thickness of not less than 40 points .040"). Carrier cartons produced in accordance with the present inven tion meet this requirement and also provide for the requisite strength of bottom and handle member while at the same time effecting an economy in material.

Moreover, due to certain structural refinements of the carton of the invention, its erection to set-up condition for use is greatly facilitated and its adaptability to automatic, machine erection for packaging line production is enhanced, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and iinally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating thel invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

Fig. l is a plan View of the blank for forming the body and longitudinal partition member of the carton in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view oi the blank for the transverse partition member of the carton,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the body blank of Fig. 1 folded and secured in flat-folded tubular condition, l

Fig. Li is a plan view of the carton body squared up from the condition shown in Fig. 3, and with its parts in position to be erected to set-up condition,

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the transverse partition member (Fig. 2) in set-up condition,

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the carton body as shown squared-up in Fig. 4, and showing the transverse partition member (Fig. 5) in one approved mode of association therewith to cornplete the assembly of the elements of the carton for erection to set-up, usable condition,

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6, but showing another approved mode of association of the transverse partition member with the body,

Fig. 8 is an end view showing the associated parts of the carton in partially erected condition,

Fig. 9 is an end View showing the carton fully set up,

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the carton in fully set-up condition,

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the carton in fully set-up condition, and

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional elevation of the set up carton taken on the line l-i of Fig. 10, the association of bottles therewith being shown in broken lines.

Having reference particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the unitary body with longitudinal partition member of the carton of the invention is formed from an integral paperboard blank having appropriate cuts and folding scores delining a bottom wall l bounded at its side edges by the folding scores 2 and 3 and at its end edges by the folding scores 4 and 5. Olistanding from the side edges of the bottom wall i are side walls verse folding scores 9, 9.

6 and l defined by the longitudinal folding scores 2 and 3 and transverse folding scores d, 8 and 9, 9 in substantially direct alignment with the end edge scores i and 5, respectively, of the bot# tom wall.

Joined to the side walls t and l on their end edges at the transverse folding scores 8, S are end Wall members It and H each of substantially one-half the full width of the set-up carton end walls, and similar end wall members i2 and t3 are joined to the opposite end edges of the slde Walls and 1, respectively, at their trans- Connected to the pairs of end Wall members lli, H and l2, i3 on folding scores Ill, I4 and I5, I5, respectively, are collapsibly foldable web members i6, il, respectively, which are also connected with the end edges of the bottom Wall upon the folding scores fl and 5, respectively, and these web members are furnished with diagonal, or gusset, folding scores I3 and I9, respectively.

Connected with the free edges of the end wall members I0 and H defined by the foldingscores 2d and 2i, respectively, are longitudinal partition members 22 and 23 adapted, when the carton is erected, to lie in face-tc-face contact, and these partition members are provided, respectively, with pairs of mating, complemental slits 2d having special characteristics hereinafter pointed out. These partition members are also provided, respectively, with mating, complemental hand holes 2% furnished with conventional bendable naps 26 which provide a suitable handle bearing or grip. One of the partition members, the member 23 as shown, carries at its outer (upper) edge a securing flap 2 bendable upon the folding score 28.

yThe end wall members i2 and I3 at the opposite edges of the side wall members 5 and l are provided at their free edges with attaching flaps 2S bendable upon folding scores Bil.

The transverse partition member, Figs. 2 and 5, comprises a blank of paperboard material of a width substantially equal to the width of the bottom wall of the body and provided with transverse folding scores 3i spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the slits 2li of the longitudinal partition members 22, 23, to provide U-legs 32 and a connection 33 between these legs. It will be noted, here, that the U-legs are of a height sufficient to completely separate the bodies of the packaged bottles (Fig. l2) up to their neck portions, and that the slits 2li in the longitudinal partition members extend outwardly (upwardly) from the inner edges of such partition members a distance at least equal to the height of such U-legs. rlChus, in assembling and erecting the carton, effective cooperation and association of the two partition members can be obtained without any customary complemental partial slitting of the U-legs of the transverse partition member, whereby support is provided in accordance with the invention for the full height of the U-legs and automatic, mechanical assembly and erection of the carton is facilitated.

As delivered to the carton user or customer, for example a brewer or bottler, the body blank is folded upon the folding scores Si), 36 to bring the naps 2e flat against the inner surfaces of the end wall members i2 and I3, and adhesive is preferably applied to the exposed surfaces of these flaps, and it is also folded upon the folding scores 8, 8 so that the thus folded parts of the blank will be in juxtaposition and the free edges of the longitudinal partition members 22, 23 will overlie and be adhesively secured to the flaps 29 to assemble the carton body in flat, tubular form, as shown in Fig. 3. Of course, a plurality of the flat blanks for the transverse partition members, Fig. 2, will be furnished to conform to the number of carton bodies.

1n the packaging line, whether the cartons are erected by mechanical means or manually, but preferably by mechanical means, the bodies are iirst squared up as shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7, and the transverse partition members are bent upon their folding scores 3i to the form shown in Fig. 5, and then associated with the squared-up bodies in either of the modes shown in Figs. 6 and '7, respectively. rlhereafter, as shown in 8, the side walls 6 and l are bent upwardly and inwardly toward each other until the longitudinal partition members 22 and 23 are brought into face-to-face contact, the webs it and il meanwhile folding inwardly upon their diagonal gusset folding scores i8 and i9, respectively, into flatfolded condition against the bottom wall l ad- `jacent to its ends.` Atthe same time, the transy verse partition member will be automatically positioned by the engagement of the body side walls t and 'l with the lateral edges of its U-legs 2 and the spanning of said legs by the slits 24 in the longitudinal partition members. It will be noted, moreover, that when the lateral partition member is pre-arranged as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the erecting folding oi the body will cause the connection 33 of the lateral partition member to strike against that portion of the opposite longitudinal partition member 22 which lies between the slits 2li, but this portion will readily be distorted to permit the connection 33 to engage the bottom wall l.

After the body and lateral partition member have been thus assembled and erected, the flap 2l on the longitudinal partition member 23 will be folded down against the outer face of the mating longitudinal partition member 22 (Figs. 10, l1 and 12) and these parts preferably rigidly connected as by adhesive or stitches or staples Bil, Fig. 10. This arrangement of parts provides a triple thickness above the mating hand holes E5 and their iiaps 2d and thus furnishes an exceptionally strong handle as is desired. Also, when the flaps are bent through the hand holes in the conventional manner, as shown in Figs. ll and 12, additional rigidity and strength are imparted to the handle.

As hereinbefore stated, regulations reduire that there be a thickness of at least if points (.e0) of paperboard in the separators or partitions between bottles, and the carton of the invention satisfies this requirement while still providing an economy in paperboard stock. For example, the blank of the carton body may be made of paperboard stock of 20 point (.O2l caliper, and

vthe transverse partition member of 40 point (1346") caliper, thus not only furnishing separators or partitions of the required fri) point thiol:- ness but forming a heavy thickness for the carton bottom in areas where the bottoms of the bottles bear, it being obvious by reference to Fig. 11, that the bottles in the four end cells will rest upon the four thicknesses of paperboard provided by the carton bottom i and the triple thickness of the gusset folded web members if and il, and the bottles in the two center cells will rest upon a double thickness of paperboard of at least 6G points caliper provided by the carton bottom i and the connection of the transverse partition member. i

It will be seen, therefore, that lthe invention provides not only for a carton which may be manufactured from relatively light caliper, and hence relatively inexpensive, paperboard, while still meeting all requirements of structural strength and rigidity and required bottle protection, but one which will lend itself readily to assembly and erection by automatic machinery.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be within the principle of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A carrier carton, comprising a body formed from a ps perboard blank provided with cuts and folding scores defining a bottom wall having side and end edges, a pair of similar side walls extending from opposite side edges of said bottom wall, each of said side walls having its end edges each provided with an end wall menzber of a width substantially equal to one-half the width of the end edges of the bottom wall, whereby when said end wall members are arranged in pairs such pairs will provide full-width end walls, the end wall members of one pair being provided at their free edges with similar partition members, means for connecting the free edges of the end wall members of the other pair to the free edges of said partition members whereby said blank may be assembled into tubular form and may be erected by upward bending of said side wall members upon the folding scores defining the side edges of said bottom wall to bring said partition members into face-to-face relation and vertical to said bottom wall to provide a longitudinal partition, and a U -shaped transverse partition member supported by said bottom wall and having its U-legs upstanding transversely of said longitudinal partition, the partition members which together form such longitudinal partition being provided with mating slits extending from their lower edges upwardly a distance at least equal to the height of said U-legs to thus confine and support said U-legs throughout their height.

2. A carrier carton as claimed in claim 1, in

which the end wall members are connected in pairs to the opposite end edges of the bottomwall by collapsibly oldable web members serving to close the bottom of the carton at said end edges and to guide the longitudinal partition forming members during erection of the carton.

3. A carrier carton as claimed in claim 1, in

which said longitudinal partition forming mem- 6V v bers are provided with complemental mating openings to provide a handle. t

4. A carrier carton as claimed in claim 1, in which one of said longitudinal partition forming members is provided with an attaching flap foldable into engagement with the other partitionl forming member for attachment thereto to maintain the carton in set-up condition.

5. A carrier carton as claimed in claim 1, in which the U-shaped partition member may be positioned within the tubularly formed carton body prior to erection of said body, and the slits of said longitudinal partition member will serve 'to clear the said U-legs when the carton body is bent to erected condition.

YCHARLES L. CHAMPLIN.

RANsoM c. ELLSWORTH. ROBERT J. HICKIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Foner Aiug. 12, 1952

Images