US2786572A

US2786572A - Paperboard carrier for cans

Info

Publication number: US2786572A
Application number: US459918A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hermond G Gentry
Original assignee: ATLANTA PAPER Co
Current assignee: ATLANTA PAPER Co
Priority date: 1954-10-04
Filing date: 1954-10-04
Publication date: 1957-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1974-03-26

Description

March 26, 1957 H. a. GENTRY PAPERBOARD CARRIER FOR CANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 4, 1954 ign? INVENTOR- HERMOND 6. 661179) 5' ATTORNEY:

March 26, 1957 I GENTRY 2,786,572

PAPERBOARD CARRIER FOR CANS Filed Oct. 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a I: g. .7

i "f 20 l i i H L 14 i w 14 w.

c 4 c 1 11 1 M w 111 w INVENTOR. HERMO/VD 6. GENTR) ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,786,572 PAPERBOARD CARRIER FOR CANS Hennond G. Gentry, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Atlanta Paper Company, a corporation of Georgia Application October 4, 1954, Serial No. 459,918

11 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to carriers for cans and more particularly to a simple wrapper form of paperboard carrier adapted for packaging and carrying a desired number of beer cans. With appropriate changes in size the carrier can be made to accommodate 2, 4, 6 or any desired number of cans. This form of carrier utilizes a minimum amount of paperboard by eliminating the llcCCsSiiY for any end closures.

Carriers of this type as manufactured heretofore depend upon the use of glue or other adhesive for holding together the overlapping bottom wall edges when the cartier is wrapped about a load of cans. The required setting or drying time for this application of glue prolongs the packaging operation and thereby limits the hourly or daily production of completed packages ready for handling or shipment.

One of the features of the carrier of the present invention is the provision of a highly effective locking means at the overlapping edge portions of the carrier blank that form the bottom wall of the carrier. This locking means can be employed so as to eliminate any gluing of the overlapping bottom wall edges of the carrier, if desired, or it can be used in addition to the glue application so as initially to hold the carrier securely after it has been loaded with cans and allow the glue to dry and set up while the loaded carrier is in storage or disposed in a shipping carton. without limiting the speed of the packaging opcration by the glue application.

In accordance with the present invention, the can carrier may consist of a single blank of paperboard scored at spaced intervals so as to form a rectangular package when the blank is folded along the score lines, and having the two end portions of the blank formed with cooperating tabs spaced along the end edges. These tabs are so shaped and arranged as to engage each other and provide a positive lock at the bottom wall of the carrier when it is filled. Originally these tabs are slit in the paperboard blank to remain flat and flush with the surface of the blank until manipulated into locking engagement during the packaging operation to secure the carrier about a load of caias. The spacing of the tabs is such as to arrange them at the dead space between adjacent cans for clearance during their interlocking manipulation, and the respective cooperating tabs are arranged to maintain their engagement in this clearance space once they have been interlocked.

These and other features of the present invention are described in further detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a paperboard carrier embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a suitable blank for forming the carrier illustrated in Fig. I;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the carrier shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the line 44 in Fig. 3; and

2,786,572 Patented Mar. 26, 1957 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional detail taken substantially on the line 55 in Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention comprises a top wall panel 10 in which suitable hand hold apertures are provided as at 12, a pair of side wall panels 14 foldably hinged at opposite edges of the top wall panel 10, and a pair of bottom wall

half laps

16 and 18 foldably hinged at the respective bottom edges of the pair of side wall panels 14 and proportioned to overlap at their extending edge portions to form a rectangular four-sided carrier having the ends thereof entirely open as seen in Fig. 1.

The top wall panel 10, side wall panels 14, and bottom wall half laps l6 and 18 comprise portions of a unitary blank (see Fig. 2) which is rectangular in form and is transversely scored to arrange these portions in a foldably hinged series, with all of the portions having an equal length that is substantially equal to a multiple of the diameter of cans to be loaded in the carrier as illustrated at C in Figs. 3 and 4. The bottom wall half laps l6 and 18 when overlapped form a bottom wall having a width equal to that of the top wall panel 10 and substantially equal to twice the diameter of the cans C so that the carrier is arranged to support two rows of cans C between the pair of side wall panels 14, and each side wall panel 14 is suitably notched adjacent its foldably hinged edges to provide positioning slots for the cans C along each side wall as indicated at 20.

The carrier of the present invention as arranged in the above noted manner is adapted to be applied as a wrapper to a load of cans C during a packaging operation, and the overlapping edge portions of the bottom

wall half laps

16 and 18 are formed according to the present invention for engagement to secure the carrier in place as a wrapper without, if desired, requiring any glue application at the overlapped bottom wall seam. For this purpose, the inner bottom wall half lap 16 has a series of spaced retaining tabs 22 and 22' slit along the overlapping edge portion thereof, and the outer bottom wall half lap 18 has a related series of locking tabs 24 and 24' slit in the overlapping edge portion thereof.

Both of the

tab series

22 and 22 and 24 and 24' are arranged to remain hinged or attached to the bottom wall half laps l6 and 18 remotely with respect to the extending edges thereof, so that they are arranged to fold in opposed relation, and the hinged extent or unattached extending length of the retaining tabs 22 and 22' is made slightly greater than that of the locking tabs 24 and 24' so that the latter may be extended inwardly through the overlapping edge portion of the inner bottom wall half lap 16 at the

respective retaining tabs

22 and 22 therein. As previously mentioned, the spacing of the

tab series

22 and 22, and 24 and 24, is such as to locate the respective end tabs of each series at the dead spaces between adjacent cans C as disposed in the carrier (see Fig. 4), and thereby employ this dead space to provide clearance for manipulating the tabs into locking engagement. The end tabs 22' and 24' of each series are preferably slit on an angled axis for arranging them to the best advantage in the more restricted dead space available between adjacent cans C at each end of the carrier.

The locking tabs 24 and 24' are further specially formed with widened extending end portions forming shoulders thereon as at 26 and 26' which are proportioned to overlie the inner bottom wall half lap 16 at each side of the retaining tabs 22 and 22' (as seen best in Fig. 4) and thereby effect a locking engagement between the bottom wall half laps l6 and 18. Preferably, the widened extending end portions of the

locking tabs

24 and 24 are tapered toward their extending end so as to give them a pointed form for facilitating extension of the T TT locking tabs 24 and 24' inwardly through the inner bot tom wall half lap 16 to effect the above noted locking engagement.

Upon extension of the locking tabs 24 and 24' into this locking engagement, the

retaining tabs

22 and 22 are displaced upwardly, as seen best in Fig. 5, to remain in partially overlying relation at the extending ends of the locking tabs 24 and 24' so as to bias the engaged locking tabs 24 and 24' in place. This arrangement of the

retaining tabs

22 and 22 has substantial advantage in maintaining the locking tabs 24 and 24' securely in locking engagement, although the

retaining tabs

22 and 22 may be eliminated, if desired, to leave only slotted openings at the overlapping edge portion of the inner bottom wall half lap 16 for engagement by the

locking tabs

24 and 24.

The bottom wall half laps l6 and 18 are each further advantageously formed with

apertures

28 and 30 spaced from the ends thereof and from the adjacent side wall panel 14 for location within the diameter of an end can C loaded in the carrier so as to provide clearance at these

apertures

28 and 30 for gripping the bottom wall half laps l6 and 18 and holding them in proper overlapping relation while the

locking tabs

24 and 24 are manipulated into locking engagement.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A package of cylindrical objects, such as cans, said package comprising a four-sided wrapper with open ends and at least one row of said objects tightly enclosed thereby, said wrapper comprising a rectangular paperboard blank scored transversely and transversely folded about said objects and having its end portions overlapped at an end of said objects, and means securing the wrapper end portions together comprising respectively aligned locking and retaining tabs cut out in said end portions in alignment with the space in said package resulting from the cylindrical form of said objects, each retaining tab being substantially rectangular with parallel side edges extending from its base and being initially positioned with its free end lying at the base of the respective overlying locking tab, each locking tab having a width adjacent its base slightly less than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges and having laterally projecting shoulders formed thereon in closely spaced relation from said base and in a projecting width substantially greater than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges,

the length of each locking tab being slightly less than that of the respective retaining tab, and each locking tab in securing position being extended from the end portion in which it is cut out inwardly through the other end portion at the opening therein formed by the respective cut out retaining tab and being held at said securing position by said retaining tab.

2. A package of cylindrical objects as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that two rows of said objects are enclosed by said wrapper, and said locking and retaining labs are cut out in said overlapped wrapper end portions medially with respect to said rows.

3. A package of cylindrical objects as defined in claim 2 and further characterized in that locking and retaining tabs are arranged in alignment at each medial space between said rows including the medial spaces at the ends of said rows, and the locking and retaining tabs at said medial end spaces are cut out on an angled axis for arrangement to the best advantage in the relatively restricted medial spaces at said row ends.

4. A package of cylindrical objects as defined in claim 2 and further characterized in that said overlapped wrapper end portions each have apertures cut out therein at locations within the diameters of respective objects in said rows, whereby said end portions may be gripped at til) said apertures to draw said wrapper tightly about said objects and hold said end portions in proper overlapping relation for manipulation of said locking tabs to securing position.

5. A paperboard blank forming a four-sided wrapper with open ends to package cylindrical objects, such as cans, arranged in at least one row, said blank having an elongated rectangular form and having four transverse score lines therein spaced for defining a first panel arranged centrally with respect to the length of said blank, :1 pair of panels foldably hinged at opposite edges of said first panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably hinged respectively at the edges of said pair of panels opposite said first panel edges, said blank having a width corresponding to the multiple diameter of the objects in said row to be packaged, the score lines defining said first panel being spaced in correspondence with the diameter of said objects multiplied by the number of rows, the score lines defining said pair of panels being spaced in correspondence with the height of said objects, and said pair of lap panels being proportioned for forming a composite panel corresponding in width to said first panel with end portions of said lap panels overlapping, said lap panels having respectively aligned locking and retaining tabs cut out therein in alignment with the space between said objects, when packaged in a row, that results from the cylindrical form thereof, each retaining tab being substantially rectangular with parallel side edges extending from its base and being positioned so that its free end will lie at the base of the respective overlying locking tab when a composite panel is formed by said pair of lap panels, each locking tab having a width adjacent its base slightly less than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges and having laterally projecting shoulders formed thereon in closely spaced relation from said base and in a projecting width substantially greater than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges, and the length of each locking tab being slightly less than that of the respective retaining tab, whereby each locking tab may be extended from the lap panel in which it is formed inwardly through the opening formed by the respective retaining tab cut out in the other lap panel of said pair for securing said pair of lap panels as a composite panel and maintaining said row of objects tightly enclosed within the wrapper formed by said blank.

6. A paperboard blank forming a four-sided packaging wrapper having open ends, said blank being elongated and rectangular in form and having four transverse score lines therein spaced for defining a first panel arranged centrally with respect to the length of said blank, a pair of panels foldably hinged at opposite edges of said first panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably hinged respectively at the edges of said pair of panels opposite said first panel edges, said pair of lap panels being proportioned for forming a composite panel corresponding in width to said first panel with end portions of said lap panels overlapping, said lap panels having respectively aligned locking and retaining tabs cut out therein, each retaining tab being substantially rectangular with parallel side edges extending from its base and being positioned so that its free end will lie at the base of the respective overlying locking tab when a composite panel is formed by said pair of lap panels, each locking tab having a width adjacent its base slightly less than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges and having laterally projecting shoulders formed thereon in closely spaced relation from said base and in a projecting width substantially greater than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges, and the length of each locking tab being slightly less than that of the respective retaining tab, whereby each locking tab may be extended from the lap panel in which it is formed inwardly through the opening formed by the respective retaining tab cut out in the other lap panel of said pair for st airing said lap panels as a composite panel.

7. A package of cylindrical objects, such as cans, said package comprising a four-sided wrapper with open ends and at least one row of said objects tightly enclosed thereby, said wrapper comprising a rectangular paperboard blank scored transversely and transversly folded about said objects and having its end portions overlapped at an end of said objects, and means securing the wrapper end portions together comprising respectively aligned locking and retaining tabs cut out in said end portions in alignment with the space in said package resulting from the cylindrical form of said objects, each retaining tab being substantially rectangular with parallel side edges extending from its base and being initially positioned with its free end lying at the base of the respective overlying locking tab, each locking tab having a width adjacent its base slightly less than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges and having laterally projecting shoulders formed thereon in closely spaced relation from said base and in a projecting width substantially greater than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab ide edges. and each locking tab in securing position being extended from the end portion in which it is cut out inwardly through the other end portion at the opening therein formed by the respective cut out retaining tab and being held at said securing position by said retaining tab.

8. A paperboard blank forming a four-sided wrapper with open ends to package cylindrical objects, such as cans, arranged in at least one row, said blank having an elongated rectangular form and having four transverse score lines therein spaced for defining a first panel arranged centrally with respect to the length of said blank, a pair of panels foldably hinged at opposite edges of said first panel. and a pair of lap panels foldably hinged respectively at the edges of said pair of panels opposite said first panel edges. said blank having a width corresponding to the multiple diameter of the objects in said row to be packaged. the score line defining said first panel being spaced in correspondence with the diameter of said objects multiplied by the number of rows, the score lines defining said pair of panels being spaced in correspondence with the height of said objects, and said pair of lap panels being proportioned for forming a composite panel corresponding in width to said first panel with end portions of said lap panels overlapping, said lap panels having respectively aligned locking and retaining tabs cut out therein in alignment with the space between said objects, when packaged in a row, that re- Sults from the cylindrical form thereof, each retaining tab being substantially rectangular with parallel side edges extending from its base and being positioned so that its free end will lie at the base of the respective overlying locking tab when a composite panel is formed by said pair of lap panels, each locking tab having a width adjacent its base slightly less than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges and having laterally projecting shoulders formed thereon in closely spaced relation from said base and in a projecting width substantially greater than the spacing of said parallel reraining tab side edges, whereby each locking tab may be extended from the lap panel in which it is formed inwardly through the opening formed by the respective retaining tab cut out in the other lap panel of said pair for securing said pair of lap panels as a composite panel and maintaining said row of objects tightly enclosed within the wrapper formed by said blank 9. A package of cylindrical objects, such as cans, said package comprising a four-sided wrapper with open ends and at least one row of said objects tightly enclosed thereby said wrapper comprising a rectangular paperboard blank scored transversely and transversely folded about said objects and having its end portions secured by means comprising locking tabs cut out in one of said end portions in alignment with the space in said package resulting from the cylindrical form of said objects and respectively aligned with openings cut out in the other of said end portions, each of said openings being substantially rectangular with parallel side edges extending longitudinally of said blank from an end edge spaced in parallel relation with respect to the adjacent end of said blank and lying at the base of the respectively aligned locking tab. each locking tab having a width adjacent its base slightly less than the spacing of the parallel side edges of said openings and having laterally projecting shoulders formed thereon in closely spaced relation from the locking tab base with a projecting width substantially greater than the spacing of said parallel \idc edges. and each locking tab in securing position being extended from the end portion in which it is cut out inwardly through the other end portion at the respective opening formed therein.

10. A package of cylindrical objects, such as cans, said package comprising a four-sided wrapper with open ends and at least one row of said objects tightly enclosed thereby, said wrapper comprising a rectangular paperboard blank scored transversely and transversely folded about said objects and having its end ortions lapped at an end of said objects, and means securing the wrapper end portions together comprising respectively aligned locking and retaining tabs cut out in said end portions in alignment with the space in said package resulting from the cylindrical form of said objects. each retaining tab being substantially rectangular with parallel side edges extending from its base and being initially positioned with its free end lying at the base of the respective overlying locking tab. each locking tab having a width adjacent its base approximately the same as the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges and having laterally projecting shoulders formed thereon in closely spaced relation from said base and in a projecting width substantially greater than the spacing of said parallel retaining tab side edges, the length of each locking tab being slightly less than that of the respective retaining tabs. and each locking tab in securing position being extended from the end portion in which it is cut out inwardly through the other end portion at the opening therein formed by the respective cut out retaining tab and being held at said securing position by said retaining tab.

11. A package of cylindrical objects, such as cans, said package comprising a four-sided wrapper with open ends and at least one row of said objects tightly enclosed thereby. said wrapper comprising an elongated paperboard blank scored transversely and transversely folded about said objects and having its end portions secured by means comprising locking tabs formed in one of said end portions in alignment with the space in said package resulting from the cylindrical form of said objects and respectively aligned with openings cut out in the other of said end portions. each of said openings having parallel side edges extending longitudinally of said blank from an end edge spaced in parallel relation with respect to the adjacent end of said blank and lying at the base of the respectively aligned locking tab, each locking tab having a width liLljJCCfll its base not greater than the spacing of the parallel side edges of said openings and having laterally projecting shoulders formed thereon in closely spaced relation from the locking tab base with a projecting width substantially greater than the spacing of said parallel side edges, and each locking tab in securing position being extended from the end portion in which it is formed inwardly through the other end portion at the respective opening formed therein.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Steam July 8, 1952 Chidsey, 1r. July 22, 1952 Gibbons July 21, 1953 Turner Sept. 28, I954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 7, 1933