US2771235A

US2771235A - Reinforced case

Info

Publication number: US2771235A
Application number: US104021A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert P Stephenson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-07-11
Filing date: 1949-07-11
Publication date: 1956-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1973-11-20

Description

Nov. 20, 1956 R. P. STEPHENSON REINFORCED CASE Filed July 11, 1949 ROBERT P. STEPHENSON TTORNEY United States Patent REINFORCED CASE Robert P. Stephenson, Grand Rapids, Mich. Application July 11, 1949, Serial No. 104,021

3 Claims. (Cl. 229--23) This invention provides a reinforced case construction developed principally for use in connection with bottle crates. The sale and transportation of bottled beverages such as milk and soft drinks has created a great demand for durable low cost containers in which the bottles may be handled in lots of several dozen. Crates full of such bottles, whether the bottles are empty or full, can be loaded aboard a truck, handled in storage, and manually carried from one place to another with generally less danger to the bottles and contents than would be the case if attempts were made to handle the bottles alone. It is the general practice for dealers in such merchandise to receive a quantity of beverages in case lots and to replace such bottles in the case after they have been emptied in order to return them to the bottling agency. It follows that such cases are subject to a very severe routine involving repeated opening and closing of covers, and also many changes of position resulting in wear, abrasion, and danger of damage from accident. Since it is the usual practice to store such containers in stacks, the accumulated weight of several containers may be brought to bear upon the lower ones resulting in a tendency to distortion. Since the emptied bottles of beverages are usually replaced in the container while still retaining a small quantity of liquid, it frequently happens that spillage will accumulate in the bottom of the case and saturate the material thereof with moisture for long periods of time.

The type of service that these containers are subject to results in their being regarded as expendable items, and it is generally expected that a certain number of trips to and from the bottling plant is accepted as a satisfactory life for these articles. Somewhere a compromise must be drawn between the original cost of the carton and the life expectancy of the same in order to accomplish the maximum overall economy. Since many of the containers are lost outright, it does not hold true that the maximum economy follows from building a container having the maximum life expectancy. To build such a container. with a really long life expectancy would require that such Cost be involved as to make it imperative that each container be recovered. This is not practically feasible, and the situation has resulted in an attempt to use easily formed and fastened material while retaining the maximum rigidity and strength possible for such construction. Many such beverage containers have been made of wood, but it is becoming more and more customary to use fibre or cardboard as the principal material in view of the ease with which fastenings can be made. The usual stapling machine is all that is required to attach one panel to another, and the entire carton or container can be fabricated from one or a very few sheets folded along established lines. This type of constructtion is of course much more economical than would be the case in which lumber was utilized requiring the various milling, cutting, and nailing operations, particularly in view of the relatively higher costs of lumber than ofcardboard.

'ice

The present invention provides a construction for containers which makes possible the use of the fibre or cardboard material while obtaining a much more rigid and durable unit than has been obtainable through the use of other methods of construction. In the preferred form of the present invention, the principal portion of the container is formed of one or more sheets of fibre or cardboard, with a pair of reinforcing plates arranged one at each end of the container in order to give the required rigidity to withstand the forces encountered in stacking and handling the same. A particularly important feature of the present invention is an arrangement for utilizing the rigidity of such materials as sheet metal as reinforcing members for a container built essentially out of cardboard without requiring that fastenings be actually forced through the material of the reinforcing member. Preferably, the reinforcing member is positioned between panels of the fibrous material in such a manner that the fibrous panels overlap at least the edges of the reinforcing plate and thus position the same in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the plate. The lateral positioning of the reinforcing member is preferably accomplished simply through the action of a series of fastening members attaching the fibrous panels together. This row of fastenings is preferably disposed just beyond the edge of the reinforcing plate so that the action of the fastening members in securing the panels together prevents the movement of the plate relative to the panel in the direction of the fastening members. In the usual case, the plate is not permitted to actually butt up against the fastening member due to the squeezing action of the panels which have been secured. If the fastening members open up slightly due to loosening, it is possible for the reinforcing plate to move to a point in which the fastening members themselves are contacted, but this is not the usual case. It is also possible to dispose a spacing member between the two panels retaining the reinforcing plate in position, with the spacing member acting as an abuttment preventing the lateral movement of the plate. Glue or other adhesive is practi cal for securing the cardboard panels together with this arrangement.

Since the preferred form of the present invention involves a reinforcing plate substantially covering the end of a carton, there are a great many locations in which it is desirable to insert fastenings which have the sole object of securing the components of the carton in assembled relationship. For this reason, suitable cutouts are provided in the reinforcing plate to permit passage of the fastenting members (such as staples) through the various component panels of the carton which may be disposed at either side of the reinforcing plate. I

A modified form of the present invention includes the use of a series of corner angles disposed at each corner of the container and held in position through the action of the fastenings securing the various panels of the principal portion of the carton. These angle reinforcements can simply be placed in position previous to the installation of the fastening staples or other securing means, and the reinforcing angles are then securely held in place through the action of the super-posed panels thus secured. This type of reinforcement gives a considerable stacking rigidity, and makes the corners of the carton much more able to withstand the abrasion due to the severe handling that these containers are subject to.

Another modification of the present invention involves a reinforcing plate provided with suitable apertures arranged to accommodate the passage of securing memberswhich have been passed through at least one panel of a carton structure. In this modification, the fastenings pass.

through the openings in the reinforcing plate, and are then deflected and bent over so as to engage the adjacent portions of the reinforcing plate and thus secure the plate and the fibrous panel in assembled relationship. With this type of construction it is possible to use a reinforcing panel which also serves the purpose of providing the end surface of the container. In this construction it is preferable to form a portion of the reinforcing plate so as to create a projection in the nature of a handle to facilitate the handling of the finished container. When conventional staples are used, the openings above referred to can be either a series of parallel slots through which the staples are arranged to pass through and close inwardly to grasp the material between the slots, or a single wider slot may be used with the stapling machine arranged to bend the legs of the staple outwardly and thus engage the adjacent material of the reinforcing plate.

The various features of the present invention will be analyzed in detail by a discussion of the particular embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed according to the preferred form of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the reinforcing plate utilized in the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken in the plane 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken in the horizontal plane of a modified form of a carton built according to a modified form of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a section taken in the plane 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 illustrates a modified form of a reinforcing plate for use with a slightly different type of construction from that indicated in Figures 1 and 5.

Figure 7 is a horizontal section through a corner of the container utilizing the reinforcing member shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view taken along the plane 8-8 of Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 1, the container generally indicated at 10 is shown provided with the cover members 11 and 12 formed essentially of the same material as the side and bottom, with the hinge action created by a crease suitably formed during the process of manufacture. The

sides

13 and 14, together with the bottom 15 (shown in Figure 3), are also formed of the same single piece of material as the covers 11 and 12. The

cardboard end panels

16 and 17 are formed of separate pieces bent over at the top as shown. The end panels are notched to provide for the flanges of the cover members 11 and 12. A separate bottom panel 18 may be placed in the container as shown if desired.

The securing of these various components and panels in position is preferably accomplished by the use of a series of staples. Each end of the container is provided with the series of staples 19 and 20, and also the groups of staples 21 and 22. Previous to the insertion of these various groups and series of staples, a metal reinforcing plate 23 is positioned between the inner portion of the

fibrous end panels

16 and 17 and the flaps connected to the sides and bottom of the container. The dimensions of the reinforcing plate 23 are such that the outer edges of the same are disposed inwardly of the series of staples 19 and '20. A cutout 24 is provided in the upper portion of the reinforcing plate 23 to accommodate the group of staples 21, and a second cutout 25 is provided at the lower portion of the reinforcing plate to accommodate the group of staples 22. With this type of construction, a sufficient number of staples properly positioned are provided to adequately secure the fibrous components of the container together without requiring that these fastenings be forced through the metal of the reinforcing plate. Preferably, the reinforcing plate 23 is provided with a lower flange 26 forming a corner reinforcement for the bottom of the container reinforcing the container at the point where it is usually most prone to fail due to the effect of the accumulation of moisture in this area where the abuse is most severe. The view shown in Figure 3 illustrates the superimposed relationship of the various panels and of the reinforcing plate 23.

Figure 4 shows a modification of the present invention in which the angle member 27 is positioned between an end panel 23 and the side panel 29 and the fiaps associated with these panels. The series of staples 30 and 31 attaches the panels in assembled relationship and results in the confinement of the reinforcing angle 27 in the required position. This view is taken on a horizontal plane through a corner of a container of the same general characteristics as that shown in Figure 1 as far as the overall dimensions are concerned.

Referring to Figures 6, 7 and 8, another modification of the present invention is shown in which a reinforcing plate 32 is used forming the added function of providing the end surface of a container. The side walls of the container as indicated at 33 are preferably of a fibrous or cardboard-like material, and the end panel 32 is secured thereto through the series of staples in the position indicated at 34. A series of parallel slots is indicated at 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39. These slots are so spaced as to provide passage for the leg of the staples 34, and the securing of the plate 32 in the side members 33 is completed when the staples are bent over to grasp the portion of the metal between these series of parallel slots. The same general result can be accomplished by providing single slots in place of the spaced parallel slots, with the width of the single slot such as to admit the legs of the staples 34. The legs can then be folded outwardly to grasp the adjacent metal of the reinforcing plate to complete the attaching. The section shown in Figure 8 shows a handle portion 36 formed from the surface of the reinforcing plate 32 to provide an adequate gripping point for carrying the container.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be noted that at each of the lower corners of the container a small opening is formed due to the folding of the flaps and side panels as shown. It is possible to utilize these openings for drainage to facilitate the removal of moisture or spillage from the contained bottles. These holes can be kept open so as to preserve the drainage feature by rounding the corners of the separate bottom panel 18. With the corners of this panel rounded as shown in Figure 1, the corners of the container will be maintained through the action of the reinforcing plate 23 and the similar member at the opposite end of the container, and this opening will not be interfered with by the corners of the separate bottom panel.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims it is the intent of the inventor to claim the entire invention to which he is entitled in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A rectangular container, comprising: side, end, and bottom wall panels of fibrous sheet material disposed to define enclosed space, said side and bottom panels having flap portions disposed to overlap the marginal portions of the adjacent end panels along the normally vertical sides and the bottom of said ends; a plate of relatively hard material in face contact with an end panel and having its vertical edge portions interposed between said flaps and said marginal portions, said plate extending from a point adjacent the top of said container to the bottom thereof and having a flange portion disposed to rest on said bottom panel; and fastening means disposed along said normally vertical sides outside the vertical edges of said plate and securing said flaps and marginal portions together and clamping said plate therebetween.

2. A rectangular container, comprising: side, end, and

bottom wall panels of fibrous sheet material disposed to define an enclosed space, said side panelshaving flap portions disposed to overlap the marginal portions of the adjacent end panels along the normally vertical sides of said ends; a plate of relatively hard material in face contact with an end panel and having its vertical edge portions interposed between said flaps and said marginal portions, said plate extending from a point adjacent the top of said container to the bottom thereof; and fastening means disposed along said normally vertical sides outside the vertical edges of said plate and securing said flaps and marginal portions together and clamping said plate therebetween.

3. A rectangular container, comprising: side, end, and bottom wall panels of fibrous sheet material disposed to define an enclosed space, certain of said panels having flap portions disposed to overlap the marginal portions of the adjacent panels; a plate of relatively hard material in face contact with one of said panels and having its vertical edge portions interposed between said flaps and said marginal portions, said plate extending from a point adjacent the top of said container to the bottom thereof;

G and fastening means disposed along the normally vertical sides of said ends outside the vertical edges of said plate and securing said flaps and marginal portions together and clamping said plate therebetween.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 326,705 Bauer Sept. 22, 1885 1,099,808 Martin June 9, 1914 1,120,955 Martin Dec. 15, 1914 1,149,925 Leighton Aug. 10, 1915 2,175,476 Martin Oct. 10, 1939 2,284,385 Freshwaters May 26, 1942 2,352,994 Morgan July 4, 1944 2,404,065 Hill July 16, 1946 2,459,939 Hill et al. Jan. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 414,787 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1934