US3016259A

US3016259A - Holders for bottles and like necked containers

Info

Publication number: US3016259A
Application number: US756370A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lawrence Frank Dean
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-08-29
Filing date: 1958-08-21
Publication date: 1962-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1979-01-09

Description

Jan. 9, 1962 F. D. LAWRENCE 3,016,259

HOLDERS FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE NECKED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 21, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 1 m/vkA me F .D. LAWRENCE Jan. 9, 1962 Filed Aug. 21, 1958 F. D. LAWRENCE 3,016,259

HOLDERS FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE NECKED CONTAINERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 pvvEWTOk F p. LAWRENCE Jan. 9, 1962 F. D. LAWRENCE HOLDERS FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE NECKED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 21, 1958 3 Sheets$heet 3.

vVEA/T0 2 .r-7 1;. LAWRENCE Unite States Patent 3,016,259 HOLDERS FOR BUTTLES AND LIKE NECKED CONTAINERS Frank Dean Lawrence, 38 Bradford Road, Weymouth Dorset, England Filed Aug. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 756,370 Claims priority, application Great Britain Aug. 29, 1957 3 Claims. (Cl. 294-872) This invention relates to carrier packages orholders for bottles and like necked containers, hereinafter generally referred to for convenience as bottles.

The object of the invention is to provide a bottle-carrying package which enables a plurality of bottles to be held by the necks sideby-side for convenient handling and carrying, and which may be constructed from cardboard and adapted for collapse into a reduced space when not required, so that packages in bulk can be readily handled and transported.

The usual domestic bottle, such as a beer bottle, sauce bottle, milk bottle and the'like, has a neck portion of re- Patented Jan. 9, 1962 ice axial with the rim-engaging edges so that the bottle held at the rim has its neck or a portion of the body below the neck shoulder engaged between the location edges.

In carrying out the invention, the carrier is provided with a pair of Walls which are preferably hingedly connected so as to be foldable from a fiat to an erect posi tion wherein they are in parallel but spaced disposition, the respective walls having bottle-holding and location edges in pairs, each defining a bottle-carrying position, for which there is at least two holding edges diametrically spaced to engage under the rim of a bottle, and in the opposite wall a continuous location edge of a shape to correspond with the neck of the bottle so that it forms a snug fit therearound when the bottle is inserted thereinto. v According to one feature of the invention, the improved bottle-carrying package-sometimes referred to duced diameter to its body, and terminates in a pouring mouth which has an outwardly projecting rim, which may be a continuous flange or a series of bulges, serving as a seating or retainer for a closure cap. The rim of the bottle may be formed by the cap itself, which has a flange which when in position in the bottle mouth overhangs the edge thereof, the cap having a screw or other means of positively locking it in the mouth of the bottle.

Any projecting or overhanging part shaped at or near the top of the bottle neck or at the bottle closure is hereinafter referred to as a rim.

The carrier holder-which may be sometimes referred to as a package or pack-according to the invention utilises this rimmed edge and a portion of the bottle leading thereto for supporting and locating the bottle in juxtaposition to another in a manner which facilitates carrying without damage and which, being capable of being made in a cheap material such as cardboard, can be discarded when the last bottle has been extracted from the pack-age. I

' It is a feature of the invention that any bottle can be extracted by a simple hand manipulation without disturbing the others in the package, and that a group of bottles may be supported in anyone package according to the number of bottle-holding portions provided therein, each portion having a support and a locating member for the bottle;

According to the invention, a holder for supporting side-by-side a plurality of bottles or like rimmed cont-ainers-hereinafter generally referred to as bottlesof the character generally described, comprises a carrier member having bottle-carrying positions each constituted by diametrically spaced-preferably 're's'ilient holding edges or a holding edge, which according to the method of use may be resilient or otherwiseadapted to engage under the rim of a bottle 'when pushed or placed between them, said carrier having means adapted to engage a portion of a bottle or bottles when suspended by said edges, whereby to hold the respective bottles from undesired lateral displacement.

Preferably such means are individual to each bottlecarrying position, and are arranged such that the bottle can be moved through or in between and out of the same when it is to be engaged with or disengagedfrom said related rim-engaging edges, the bottle being automatically located as-its rim snaps past and into engagement with said edges or as its rim is otherwise brought into engagement with said. edges. Thus, in practical embodiments ofthe invention, the rim engaging edges at each positionare associated with bottle location edges-which may be continuous-end are axially spaced from but coherein as a p-ack-consists of a tube with bottle-gripping edges on opposite side walls adapted for engaging the rim and neck of the bottle whereby a plurality of bottles can be held side by side depending by theirnecks from the tube'and can be readily extracted as required by hand manipulation of the said edges to release the respective bottles. r V

The bottle-carrying package, according to the invention, is designed primarily for manufacture in cardboard,which allows it to be creased to form hinged wall sections which, for transport, can be collapsed into a flat compact structure, and which whenrequired can be erected and interlocked to provide a supportfor a row of bottles side by side. The package may, however, be made in plastic sheet or moulding, sheet metal or as' a wire framework.

Instead of a tube, the package may be made asa channel section; thus in one form the base of the channel may contain the bottle neck-engagingedges, with the flanges of the channel contracted to engage-under the rim of the bottles. In anotherrform the channel is inverted and the base contains rim-engaging edges, with the channel flanges inturned to engage the bottle necks. In another form the inverted channel is adapted for placing over the bottle tops, and the channel flanges contain both the rim and neck-engaging edges. I

' In general it has been found that a tube form of bottle pack is to be preferred, and this maybe of circular, triangular, diamond or any other convenient'shapein crosssection. The preferred and practical shape is a truncated triangular shape with therimand neck-gripping edges in apex and base walls respectively.

A bottle package constructed in accordance with the invention is economical in material, and can be arranged to provide the minimum obstruction of the area of the bottle or its labels. Moreover, since the packis embodied about the necks of the bottles, additional space is generally not required when it is necessary to crate several packages together for transporting.

In carrying out the invention, the bottle-gripping edges may be formed by cut-outs in the aforesaid tube, which is made conveniently of cardboard, and may becreased lengthwise to enable .it to be flattened when not in use. Advantageously, the relative arrangement and construction of cut-outs and creasing is such that when a bottle is being held by the erected tube, the bottle tends to lock the tube in the erected position, until the bottle is released from the holding cut-outs by hand manipulation. It will, however, be appreciated that while at least one of the bottles of a group for which a tube is designed to carry, remains in the tube, the tube is maintained beer, milk or other bottles. Itmay', if desired, be provided with a handle adapted to form a bridge over the rims of the bottles, and either separately secured to the package or formed as an integral cut-out therewith.

- The sets of cut-outs for holding the bottles may be arranged in one or more lines along the tube, two cutouts at least in each line, and relatively staggered if required to reduce the width of the tube.

Each set of cut-outs may comprise a neck-receiving cut-out in one side (the bottom side) of the tube, said cut-outs being shaped to fit over and grip the neck of the bottle at a position axially spaced from its rim as determined by the width of the tube, and on the opposite side (the top side) of the tube one or more rim-gripping cutouts, the edges of which are adapted to flex under and engage the rim or to otherwise engage the rim (which. includes the crown or other cork of the bottle) so as to retain and hold the bottle depending by its rim substantially at right angles to the base and generally parallel to its neighbours. Thus, for example, at each bottle-holding position there may be a single rimgripping cut-out having a diameter slightly less than the rim of the bottle, the cardboard or other material of which the tube is made being sufiiciently flexible so that by manipulation the edge of the cut-out may be snapped past the bottle rim in either direction to engage or release the rim as the case maybe. Alternatively, the rim-gripping cut-out may consist of a plurality, e.g., two, slots diametrically oppositely arranged about the axis of the neck-gripping cut-out so that the parts of the rim of the bottle may project therethrough when the bottle neck is pushed into position through the related neckgripping cut-out of the set.

In general, the cut-outs in each set are diametrically spaced across the width of the tube so that when the bottie is pushed into position the walls of the tube are stressed to ensure that the cut-out edges are ipso-facto positively maintained in holding engagement with the bottle.

The positive gripping effect on the bottle is ensured if the tube has inwardly inclined sides such as may be provided by the aforesaid truncated triangular shape in cross-section which provides a base panel, a narrower top panel and two inwardly sloping side panels, the neckgripping cut-outs being formed in the base panel, with the rim-gripping cut-outs in the top panel, or in or adjacent to the junction between the top and side panels.

Crease or other folding lines may define the longitudinal junctions between the panels, and one, e.g., the base panel, may have an additional longitudinal crease or fold line extending parallel between and preferably nearer one, of its junction lines, to enable the tube to be folded flat when not in use. If the additional fold line is provided in the base panel, the latter may be provided with portions which overlap the crease and which interlock with the neck of the bottle when held in the tube cut-outs.

When the tube is made in cardboard it is convenient to form it from a single blank which may be folded into the tube and the adjacent edges locked and secured by adhesive or otherwise, either before or after application to the bottles which are to be held by the tube A collapsible tube is convenient for handling, and may be delivered to the bottle packer in set-up form or as a flat unfolded format. The tube formats may be separate or, in the case of cardboard or plastic, may be normally joined together along a readily detachable fastening at each joint to provide a continuous strip which may be rolled up.

For holding the tube rigid in erected form, instead of adhesive or stitching at the joining walls, it may be pro vided with overlapping walls which may be locked together by engagement with the bottle rim orthe shoulder.

Improved rigidity of the tube may be provided byinternal stiffeners, which may be an integral part of the section is of truncated cone shape as shown. Thus, in

tube and be adapted to unfold to engage between top and bottom walls when the tube is erected.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, several tubular examples of the improved bottle pack particularly designed for manufacture in cardboard will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a pictorial view of one embodiment which is foldable from a fiat format to the erect position shown, and is locked erect by the bottle neck engaging the appropriate edges in a reinforced base the rimengaging and neck-engaging edges being formed by cutouts in the cardboard.

FIGURE 2 is a. plan of the unfolded format of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section on the line III-III of FIGURE 1, showing a bottle held in one of the positions of the folder.

FIGURE 4 is a pictorial view of another embodiment with overlapping side walls which are locked together by the bottle rim.

FIGURE 5 is a plan of the unfolded format of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section showing a bottle held in one of the positions of the holder of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section of another embodiment in the form of a fo-ldable tube with the lapping walls adhcsively or otherwise joined together.

FIGURE 8 is an end view of the holder of FIGURE 7, partially folded.

FIGURE 9 is a plan from underneath FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a pictorial view of another embodiment which is unfold-able: from a flat format to an erect bottle-holding position, and which has overlapping walls at the top held together by glueing or otherwise.

FIGURE 11 is a plan of the unfolded format of the holder of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a still further embodiment in which handle portions are incorporated in the format so that when the format is erected a handle is provided for the holder.

FIGURE 13 is a plan of the format of the holder of FIGURE 12, and

FIGURES 14 and 15 show pictorial views of further examples which may be preshaped to enclose the upper part of the bottle necks.

In all the examples shown, the holder is a tube with two or more bottle-holding positions provided longitudinally thereof and spaced to allow bottles B to be held side by side contiguous or separated as may be required, the bottles being supported by the engagement of the overhanging rims R of their caps. C with diametrically opposed resilient holding elements in the form of diametrically opposed edges such as 1 (FIGURES 1-6),

1? (FIGURES 7-ll) 3i (FIGURES 12 -and 13), 38

(FIGURE 14), 4 2 (FIGURE 15) and in the topside of the holder. The bottles are located laterally by location elements in the form of edges 2 in the bottom side of the tube which. engage about the shoulder at the root of the neck N of the bottle. Each bottle-holding position thus comprises at least two rim-engaging

edges

1, 19, 39, 38, 42, and location edges 2, which'in FIG- URES 1-5 respectively areformed by cut-

outs

3 and 4 in top and bottom sides respectively.

In a preferred form of tubular bottle pack the cross- FIGURES 1-3 showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, the single pack is made from a single rectangular sheet format 5 (FIGURE 2) having

transverse'crease lines

6, 6a to define and constitute hinge connections between two equal side panels or walls -7, a top panel wall 8, and two

bottom panel walls

9, 9, one at each end of the format and wider than the top wall'8 The top wall 8- contains two (or more.) rim-engaging cut-outs 3, side by side in line as shown, and-similarly arranged in each bottom panel are two bottle location cut-outs 4 which, in use, embrace the neck N of the bottle.

The fiat format is folded about the crease lines into the erected bottle pack of FIGURE 1, the two bottom walls 9 overlapping to form a double layer base of great strength which resists defonnation by the weight of the bottle when held in the pack.

When inserting a bottle into the pack, its rimmed head (e.g., crown, cork or flange about the mouth) is passed through the location cut-out 4 of the particular bottleholding position which in this instance consists of two cut-outs 4 and one rim-engaging cut-out 3, and ispushed between the holding edges 1 which are spaced slightly less than the diameter of the bottle head, and being resilient, fiex outwards under the thmst of the bottle until the rim flange R is past them, whereupon these edges move inwards to engage under the rim and may bulge outwards to fit snugly under the rim. To allow for slight overshooting of the bottle rim, the location edges 2 are also resilient, and automatically restore to a snugshoulder-engaging position as the'edges 1 engage under the bottle n'm R, as will be clear from FIGURE 3.

It will be observed that when the holder is lifted to take the weight of the bottle or bottles therein, the converging side walls 7 tend to close inward under the bottle weight, thereby increasing the locking engagement of the rim edges 1. However, .by suitable hand manipulation of the bottle the flexible cardboard Walls of the holder may be displaced to enable the rim edges 1 to be disengaged from the bottle riInR. This may result in tearing or deformation of the walls, but normally such destruction will be tolerated since the pack, usually, will not be intended for re-use after the group of bottles has been removed. However, to facilitate bottle removal, tear strips or perforated portions may be arranged adjacent the rim-engaging edges 1 to enable these to be torn from operative position under the bottle rim, but this additional facility, is not necessarily necessary since the appropriate hand manipulation by lateral leverage of the bottle is sufiicient to obtain rim disengagement. While the rim-engaging cut-outs 3 may have a diameter or width less than the width of the top panel wall 8, preferably they extend across the Width from the two wall-defining crease lines 6. Further to improve the appea-rance and the location of the bottles side-by-side, thediametrically opposite rim-engaging edges 1 of these respectively cut-outs 3 may be set away from the crease lines 6 into the side walls 7 by converging edges'10 which come on either side of the bottle rim when engaged by the edges 1.

Thus, it will be seen that each of the cut-outs 3 have two circular arc portions 3a of a radius at least equal to the radius of the bottle rim, or ofa radius to fit snugly against the bottle parts above the rim with the rim-engaging edges 1 extending parallel to each other and connecting converging edges 10 which extend from the ends of the arcs 3a.

In the example of FIGURES 4 to 6, the bottle-engaging cut-

outs

3 and 4 are similar to those of the preceding example,'but in'this case there is a single layer bottom wall 9, and one of the side walls 7 has an outer layer 7a and an inner layer 712, one at each end of the.

cut-

outs

3 and 4 of a particular bottle-holding position, the pressure of the inner layer 7b against the underside of the top panel 8 keeping the outer layer 7a in place. This arrangement, although not so strong as the preceding example, provides for easier bottle removal. In this case, to disengage the bottles from .the rim-engaging edgm 1, the outer layer side wall 7a is lifted to disengage the edge 1 on that side, whereupon by continued unpreciated from FIGURES 4 and 6. It is not necessary that the outer layer 7a extends the full width of the inner layer 7b; it may be preshortened as indicated by the chain dot line in FIGURE 4. If desired, the overlapping walls 7a and 7b may be made more secure by spot glueing.

In the example according to FIGURES 7, 8 and9, the pack is of permanent tubular form, but is adapted to be collapsed when not required, and to be erected and held erected by the insertion of a bottle into one of the bottle-holding positions thereof. The tube is of truncated triangular cross-section as in other examples, and comprises two side walls 11, a narrower top wall 12 and .a base wall 13, with a flap extension 14 therefrom, the walls and flap being defined by

transverse crease lines

15, 16 and 17 which constitute hinge connections therebetween to allow the pack to be collapsed and erected as required.

' It will be observed that the flap 14 is attached by ad hesive, stitching, eyeletting or the like to the adjacent side wall 11, and that the base wall 13 has the two

creases

16 and 17, 16 being the hinge connection to the flap, and 17 dividing the base into two hinging parts each of which contains a portion of the bottle location cutouts 4.

The securing flap 14, instead of being an extension of the base wall 13, may extend from the adjacent side wall 11, and a lifting extension may be provided on the base wall. I

While rim-engaging cut-outs 1 as in the previous examples may be employed, this embodiment of the invention shows an alternative slot form of cut-out in the side walls which leaves the top wall unaffected. Thus, at each bottle-holding position the opposite side walls 11 are provided immediately under the top wall 12 with rectangular slots 18 vis-a-vis, of a .depthtoaccommodate the thickness of the bottle cap C, the bottom edges 19 of these slots flexing under the rim R of the cap as it is pushed therein during insertion of the bottlelinto the holding position shown in FIGURE 7. Here again the weight of the bottle held by the edges 19 tends to flex the side walls 11 inwards to improve the lock on the bottle which, by appropriate lateral hand manipulation, can be disengaged from the rim edge 19 when'required.

It will be observed that with the bottlev in position the location edges 2 seat on the neck shoulder so that the base 13 is straightened out; thus, the pack is automatically held erect while a bottle remains therein.

The position of the base'dividing crease 17 (which allows the carrier pack to be flattened for' storage or bulk transport) may be as required and may be duplicated along the opposite side or alternatively, along the opposite side of the'base. 1

When a bottle is being supported, the engagement of the base wall with the neck supportsthe two se ctions of the base wall in parallel disposition as shown in FIGURE 7. Increased rigidity can be obtained by providing an extension flap which coversflthe dividing crease;

In the examples of FIGURES 10 and 11, the tube pack of truncated triangular cross-section is a structure erected from a flat format (FIGURE 11.) .and having a double layer top which is spot glued or stitched .to enable the top layerto be readily peeled off for bottle'removal. Thus,

27, and a handle extension flap 28 at each end with a' hand-hold cut 29. Each bottle-holding position is defined by the location cubout 4 and a r-irmengaging cut-out constituted by a part-circular edge portion 30 in each top section adapted to engage under the rim of the bottle, and'a rectangular portion 31 in the handle flap which accommodates the thickness of the bottle rim.

The erection of the format by folding about the crease lines produces the tubular pack of FIGURE 12 with the handle flaps 28 juxtaposed, and the top sections 27 in the same plane to form by the coincidence of the complementary cut-out portions 30 a neck-embracing edge which engages under the rim of the bottle inserted therein. The ended position may be held by adhesive, stitching or otherwise securing, e.g., by locking tabs, the handle flaps together. If this securement is by spot connections, the pack can be readily unpeeled from the bottles by separating the handle flaps, or the bottles may be separately manipulated from the engagement positions.

If a handle is not required, the flaps 28 may be foreshortened along the chain dot line in FIGURE 12, or they may be eliminated altogether, and tabs or other connectors provided for keeping the top sections together until the pack is required to be unfolded for bottle removal.

In FIGURES l4 and 15 two simple forms of the invention are illustrated which are cheap to make and may be prepressed or moulded to shape. Thus, in FIGURE 14 a tubular pack of triangular cross-section is formed by bending a sheet about crease lines 32 to provide a base wall 33 and equal side walls 34 which terminate in meeting apex edges 35 held together by stitching 36, or by foldover tabs or-the like.

Each bottle-holding position is constituted by a shoulder-engaging location cut-out 4 in the base wall, and a pair of complementary pressed out undulations 37, one in each side wall, adapted to wrap about the bottle neck with theficurved top edges 38 engaging under the rim of the bottle as shown.

In this construction it will be observed there is the advantageous feature that the weight of the bottle when supported by the rim-engaging edges 38 flexes the side walls 34 inwardly to increase the locking effect.

In the example of FIGURE 15, the carrier consists of two walls 39' which are held in side-by-side relation by stitching 40, connector tabs or other means. Along these walls are formed a series of bottle-holding recesses each consisting of two' shaped parts 41, one in each wall 39, the shaping being outwardly bulbous to the upper part of theneck of the bottle below the cap. At the top end the recess terminates in diametrically opposite curved edges 42, which can flex outwardly to allow a bottle to be packed past them, whereupon the said edges spring inwardly toengage under the rim of the bottle and thus form the required support therefor.

At the bottom end the'bulbous recess parts 41 termimate" in the shoulder-engaging edges 2 aforesaid, although it will be observed that in, this instance the recess parts, being a comparatively snug fit of the bottle neck, give a particularly secure location of the bottle.

For the purpose of removing the bottle from a recess,

the walls 39 may be torn apart 'or transversely between a pair of bottle-holding recesses; tofacilitate this removal, perforations may be provided in suitable positions, and the spot connectors, such as the stitchingtl (or turnover tabs pressedin from the Walls) may be arranged to be readily disconnectable.

Both of the examples of FIGURES l4 and. 15respectivel'y lend themselves to preforming by, pressing or moulding, andmay be madeof paper mach'e.

The transverse strength ofthe carrier between the recesses'in-FIGUR'E 15 may be improved'by pressed into or applied ribbing, while in the tubular forms described herein, where they are intended for bottles with a quick taper to the neck-such as a necked or cone top canstrut walls may be attached to form part of the base or side Walls, so that they engage under the top wall or at the top of the side walls, to lock the rim-engaging edgesspaced from the base wall. These strut walls may be internal foldable members, and may be constituted by the material forming the neck-engaging cut-outs, or they may be end flaps.

In any of the foldable examples herein described, the

means for holding the carrier erectmay comprise foldover tabs pressed out or applied to the walls.

When made in cardboard, the tubular form of carrier may be manufactured by the methods normally used in the making of folding cardboard boxes and like articles.

For example, in one method of manufacture, the contours of the blank perimeter, the crease lines, and the cutouts may be formed by pressure of a main sheet between shaped knives or rules locked in position to constitute a forme and a die made ready to receive the crease impressing, perimeter and aperture contour cutting punch.

After passing through the cutting and creasing operation referred to, the blanks maybe separated from the main sheet and the walls of the respective carriers prefolded about the crease lines if it is desired to render the format more easily erected when required for use.

To assist folding the crease lines may be partly perforated.

In another method the main sheeting may pass under slitting and creasing revolving discs, after which the blanks are cut at right angles to the previous slits and the required apertures are stamped out.

in general, the bottle or other container will have its cap on when it is inserted into the holder. If the cap edge forms the rim herein, the holding edges thereof on the holder are made resilient to enable the rim to snap past as the bottle is pushed between them. If the cap is to be inserted after the bottle is in position in the holder, the holding edges may then be rigid or resilient as convenient, and so spaced that the bottle neck can be inserted between the edges, and the cap then screwed or otherwise secured to the bottle so that it engages the holding edges. In such an arrangement it is preferable that the holding edges be constituted by the single continuous perimeter of a circular cut-out made to a shape of the bottle neck at the cap end.

Where the invention is constituted by a holder which has parts which can be brought together about the bottle, as for example in FIGURES 10', 12, 14 and 15, these parts instead of being pro-assembled, as shown, may be separate and when required may be placed about the bottle or group of bottles with their holding edges under the bottle rim (rims), and then secured by spot glueing or stiching.

Thus, a very simple form of the invention may consist of two flat strips, which can be placed. edge-on one along each sideof a line of bottles with the upper edge engaged under the bottle rims, and the bottom edge lying against the base portions of the necks of the bottles to locate them laterally, these strip when so positioned being secured together by spot glueing, stitching or by foldable tabs or other clips which may form part of the strips. Such strips may have recesses shaped to the necks of the bottles if so desired. a

In general, a handle may be provided with the holder,

upper and lower registering openings, said upper openings being smaller than the bottom openings, resilient edges 7 in said top portion at the upper openings to snap under the neck rib as it passes therethrough, and inclined Walls converging from the bottom to the top portions to press the lower openings on to the shoulder of the bottle.

2. A carrier for bottles having an annular neck rib, said carrier comprising, an elongated tubular body having a top and a bottom portion parallel to each other, said portions provided with respectively upper and lower registering openings, said upper openings being smaller than the bottom openings, and inclined sides converging from the bottom portion toward the top portion, said inclined sides having resilient edges for snapping beneath the neck rib as it passes therethrough to clampingly engage and support the bottle.

3. A carrier for bottles having an annular neck rib,

. 10 said carrier comprising, an elongated tubular body of substantially triangular cross section and having a top and a bottom portion parallel to each other and said portions provided with respectively upper and lower reg- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,737,326 Toensmeier Mar. 6, 1956 2,798,603 Grinspoon July 9, 1957 2,823,064 Toensmeief Feb. 11, 1958 2,899,051 Barnby Aug. 11, 1959