US2974817A

US2974817A - Packing dividers

Info

Publication number: US2974817A
Application number: US752586A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald D Simpson
Original assignee: ACF Industries Inc
Current assignee: ACF Industries Inc
Priority date: 1958-08-01
Filing date: 1958-08-01
Publication date: 1961-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 1978-03-14

Description

March 14, 1961 D. D. SIMPSON 2,974,817

PACKING DIVIDERS Filed Aug. 1, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IDEIUW H A;

i mil: I INVENTOR.

DONALD D. SIMPSON ATTORNEY March 14, 1961 Filed Aug. 1, 1958 D. D. SIMPSON PACKING DIVIDERS 7 A H vj] U U U A fi -N B U U j] 5 2e 27 c 11 n W in C 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5.

FIG.7.

INVENTOR.

DONALD D. SIMPSON BY 24 U ATTORNEY D. D. SIMPSON PACKING DIVIDERS March 14, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 1, 1958 INVENTOR. DONALD D. SIMPSON BY MwW ,ATTORNEY United States Patent PACKING DIVIDERS Donald D. Simpson, Des Peres, Mo., assignor to ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 752,586

3 Claims. (Cl. 21731) This invention relates to packing and shipping cartons and consists of particularly in a novel, cell-type divider construction.

Where it is desired to divide a large packing or shipping case or carton into a plurality of smaller spaces or cells for accommodating, for instance, relatively small individual units, the carton or case is usually provided with a divider construction consisting of lateral and longitudinal strips, usually of cardboard material or the like. Such divider constructions with which applicant is familiar have been supplied by carton manufacturers in assembled form. Although such divider units may be furnished in a collapsed condition, they nevertheless, are quite bulky and a great deal of storage space is required so as to insure that an adequate supply of the dividers is on hand at all times. As far as applicant is aware, it has not been practical, heretofore, to supply the cell units in the form of individual pieces or strips which may be assembled by the packer prior to placing of the packed material in the carton or casing. This, in part, is because the strips could not be readily and conveniently assembled inside the carton by the workman.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a divider construct-ion for packing cartons or cases which may be furnished to the warehouse or shipping room in the form of individual, flat strips which may be, themselves, stored conveniently and compactly in a minimum of storage space.

It is another object to provide such a divider construction consisting of individual, elongated, fiat strips properly designed for easy assembly through the top of the open carton by the packer.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a divider construction in which the individual divider strips may be inserted one at a time through the top of the open packing case or carton and interlocked with the preceding strips to form cells, without the necessity of lifting or holding of the previously inserted strips to effect proper interlocking thereof.

These and other objects are attained in the present invention which consists of three (3) slightly different types of divider strips, all having spaced, transverse slits extending along and opening through one longitudinal edge thereof. One of the strip types has no slits on the opposite longitudinal edge. The second strip type has a single terminal slit on its opposite longitudinal edge and the third strip type has a pair of terminal slits on its opposite longitudinal edge for interlocking with previously-placed, marginal strips.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, Fig. l is a top, isometric view of a more or less conventional shipping carton having a divider cell unit inserted therein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the divider cell unit removed fiom the canton.

Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the strips used in assembling the divider unit of Fig. 2.

ice

Fig. 4 represents conventional divider cell units, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, collapsed and stacked on edge in the usual manner for storage.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are side views of the three different types of divider strips used in my novel divider construction.

Fig. 8 shows two of the strips in the first assembly step.

Fig. 9 shows a third strip added to the first two strips, in the second assembly step.

Fig. 10 shows a fourth strip added to the first three strips, in the third assembly step.

Fig. 11 shows additional parallel, intermediate strips assembled with the marginal strips of Fig. 10.

.Fig. 12 shows additional transverse, intermediate strips assembled to complete the novel packing cell unit.

Fig. 1 shows a more or less conventional packing carton having

upright side walls

14, 15, 16 and 17 and a bottom 18. The multiplicity of identical strips 19 (Fig. 4), assembled in a grid, as in Fig. 2, are then dropped into the bottom of the casing, whereupon the material being packed is placed in the individual cells. When each layer is completed, a board is laid over the top and another grid unit placed thereupon. This procedure is continued until the carton is full.

Figs. 1 and 2 show clearly why it is that such strips cannot be conveniently assembled by the packer. For instance, assume two of the strips, 19a and 1%, are preassembled and dropped into the carton to form a selfsupporting corner. It would then be necessary to lift marginal strip 19a to permit insertion thereunder ofintermediate cross strips 190. Of course, it would be impossible, without a special gig, for a single workman to lay each of the

parallel strips

19a, 19d, etc. edgeways on the bottom of the carton, with their slits opening upwardly, and then insert the cross strips 19b, 190, since there would be no way to support the first strips. Thus, these conventional cell units are supplied by carton manufacturers fully assembled, but collapsed, as shown in Fig. 4. These then are stored on edge with the result that considerable open space is left in the storage pile, which occupies, necessarily, a very substantial part of the shipping department.

'In order to avoid the necessity of pre-assembling the divider strips, I provide three (3) slightly different strips types A, B, and C, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The first type of strip A has transverse slits 2t) spaced along one longitudinal edge 21 thereof and extending part way therethrough, that is, substantially, one-half way through the strip. The second type of strip, designated B, has similar transverse slits 22 spaced along one longitudinal edge 23 thereof and also has a single transverse slit 24 in a terminal portion of the strip and opening through the opposite edge 25 thereof. The third type of strip, designated C, has a set of transverse slits 26 opening through one edge 27 thereof and a pair of terminal slits 2S and 29 opening through the opposite edge 30 of the strip.

Fig. 8 shows the first step in assembling the divider construction which consists in the interlocking of one upwardly-opening end slit 20 of an A-type strip 35 with the downwardly-opening, terminal slit 24 of a B-type strip 36. In the second assembly step, shown in Fig. 9, another B-type strip 37 has its downwardly-opening terminal slit 24 received over and interlocked with the end, upwardly opening slit 22 of second marginal strip 36, remote from first marginal strip 35.

The fourth assembly step consists in inserting a C-type strip 38 over the generally U-shaped assembly of Fig. 9, with its downward,

terminal slits

28 and 29 received over and interlocking with upward end slits 22 of third marginal strip 37, remote from second marginal strip 36, and end slit of first marginal strip remote from second marginal strip 36. This completes the margin or periphery of the unit.

Now additional C-type strips 39 4t! and 41 are applied over the rectangular assembly of Fig. 10, as in. Fig. 11, with their

terminal slits

28 and 29 opening down wardly; and received over and interlocked with corresponding upwardly-

opening slits

20 and 22 of

marginal strips

35 and 37.

The final assembly step. consists in placing of

additional A-type strips

42, 43 and 44 over the assembly of Fig. 11, as in Fig. 12, with their transverse slits 20 opening downwardly and fitting over and interlocking with the upwardly-opening slits 26 of

intermediate pieces

39, and 41, and marginal strip 38 and with upwardlyopening slits 22 of marginal piece 36. This completes the cell grid within the carton.

Thus, by the use of the novel divider pieces, a single workman without special tools or jigs, is able to easily assemble the packing cell divider unit within the carton preparatory to packing the particular units being packed. All of the strips are inserted through the top of the carton and all strips, as successively assembled edgewise, are self supporting. The individual strips may be stored flat and tightly packed so that a saving of as much as fifty percent may be efiected in the storage space required. Of course, the actual number and spacing of the locking slits and the lengths of the strips depend upon the desired cell size and the size and space of the carton for which the divider unit is intended. The invention may be modified in these and other respects as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive of all modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

I claim:.

1. Divider unit construction for shipping cartons comprising a plurality each of first, second, and third types of divider strips, each of said strips having a first set of transverse slits extending part way therethrough from one of its longitudinal edges, each of said second-type strips having a single, terminal slit extending oppositely of its first set of slits and each of said third-type strips having a transverse slit in each end portion extending oppositely of its first set of slits, one of said first-type strips serving as a first marginal member of the unit with its slits disposed upwardly and others of said first strips being inverted and serving as parallel, intermediate dividers, two of said second-type strips serving as successive second and third marginal members of the unit with their first set of slits, opening upwardly, said second marginal member having its terminal slit interlocked with an end slit of said first marginal member and said third marginal member having its terminal slit interlocked with an upwardly opening end slit of said second marginal member remote from said first marginal member, one of said third-type strips forming a fourth marginal member completing the periphery of the unit with its first set of slits opening upwardly and its terminal slits interlocked, respectively, with upwardly-opening end slits of said first and third marginal members remote from said second marginal member, others of said third-type strips forming intermediate, transverse dividers with their first set of slits opening upwardly and interlocked with corresponding downwardly-opening slits of said previously-mentioned parallel intermediate dividers and with their terminal slits interlocking with corresponding upwardly opening slits in said first and third marginal members.

2. A generally rectangular, cell-type divider construction for packing cartons comprising a plurality of separate first, second and third types of elongated, fiat divider strips each with a first set of spaced, transverse slits extending part way therethrough, each of said second-type strips having a terminal slit opening oppositely of said first set of slits and each of said third-type strips having a terminal slit at each end opening oppositely of its first set of slits, one of said first-type strips forming a first marginal member disposed with its slits opening upwardly and with an end slit interlocked with the downwardly opening terminal slit of one of said second-type strips which forms a second marginal member, said second marginal member having its upwardly facing end slit of said first set of slits remote from said first marginal member interlocked with the downwardly opening terminal slit of another of said second-type strips 'to form a third marginal member, said third member having its upwardlyopening end slit of said first set of slits remote from said second marginal member interlocked with a downwardly-opening terminal slit in a third-type strip which forms the fourth marginal member, the other terminal slit in said fourth member interlocking with the end slit in said first marginal member remote from said second marginal member, there being additional third-type strips parallel to said fourth marginal member with their first set of slits presented upwardly and their terminal slits interlocking with corresponding upwardly opening slits in said first and third marginal members and additional firsttype strips intersecting therewith and with downwardly opening slits interlocking with the upwardly opening first set of slits of said last-mentioned third-type strips and the upwardly opening slits of said second and fourth marginal members.

3. Cell-type divider construction for packing cartons consisting of first, second and third types of elongated, flat strips individually insertable into assembled relation within the carton through the top thereof, each of said strips having a first set of spaced transverse slits opening through one longitudinal edge thereof, said secondtype strips each having a single terminal slitv and said third-type strips each having a pair of terminal slits, said terminal slits extending oppositely of said first slits, one of said first-type strips being disposed with its slits opening upwardly and one of said second-type strips being similarly disposed and with its terminal slit interlocking with an end slit of said first-type strip to form a marginal corner, another of said second-type strips having its terminal slit opening downwardly and interlocking with one of said first set of slits of said previously-mentioned second-type strips to form a second marginal corner, one of said third-type strips having its terminal slits opening downwardly and interlocked with one of said upwardly opening slits in said last-mentioned first and second-type strips to form the third and fourth marginal corners, others of said third-type strips being disposed parallel to said last-mentioned third-type strip as intermediate dividers with their terminal slits opening downwardly and interlocking with corresponding upwardly opening slits of last-mentioned first and second-type strips, and others of said first-type strips intersecting said intermediate dividers and having their slits opening downwardly and interlocked with corresponding upwardlyopening slits in said intermediate dividers and said firstmentioned second and third-type strips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 682,646 Scheuer Sept. 17, 1901 1,494,922 Lange May 20, 1924 2,854,724 Wuorio Oct. 7, 1958