US3040880A - Container for sheet material - Google Patents

Description

R. E. ACKER CONTAINER FOR SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 15, 1960 FIG. 4

RALPH E. ACKER INVENTOR.

BY AJMM June 26, 1962 3 G I I l I I l I I I I l l I I F NH. 2 A w H. w I

United States Patent Texas Filed Sept. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 56,178 8 Claims. (Cl. Zil660) This invention relates to packaging sheet material particularly where the surfaces of such material are finely finished and must be protected against abrasion. In a more specific aspect, the invention relates to a container for such material in which a base and a lid are provided with a wedging action therebetween.

Many products marketed in sheet form have highl finished surfaces and thus must be packaged for shipment in such a manner as to prevent any abrasion or damage thereto.

Generally speaking, sheet material having such finish is of metal. Any container designed therefor must be able to withstand shock as will be encountered in loading and transit as well as to prevent any abrasion to the surfaces thereof. At the same time the container should itself be of light weight and should embody a minimum of material thus to permit fabrication thereof with minimum expense.

While shipping crates have been provided in accordance with prior art procedures, applicant has devised a new shipping container which presents substantial advantages over prior art crates and may be fabricated from minimum materials and with minimum time.

More particularly, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a package for sheet stock which comprises a base which includes a first thin form plate generally of corrugated fiber board having a first peripheral band extending there around on the inner face thereof. The peripheral band has inner wall surfaces which are perpendicular to the plane of the plate and which are so dimensioned as to correspond substantially with the external dimensions of the sheet stock to be accommodated therein. A lid is provided which includes a second form plate of similar material having a second peripheral band extending there around on the inner face thereof with the first and second bands having outer and inner wall surfaces respectively of sloping sides and corresponding dimensions for forming a wedge fit as the lid is placed over the base.

A third and fourth peripheral bands preferably are secured to the outer faces of the form plates. Such bands when of widths exceeding the combined widths of the first and second peripheral bands provide a peripheral support for the contained stock extending inwardly of the inner wall surfaces of the first peripheral band.

In a more specific aspect, there is provided a container of rectangular configuration having a base with peripheral cleats thereon, the inner walls of which are perpendicular to the plane of the base. There is further provided a lid of corresponding dimension having a peripheral band so shaped that together with the peripheral band on the base forms a wedge fit as the lid is placed onto the base. A plurality of bearing cleats are then secured to opposite outside surfaces of the container and extend transversely thereaeross at corresponding locations. A plurality of strapping means may then encircle the container at the locations of said cleats to secure the lid to the base, wedging them together securely to fix the position of sheets placed inside said base.

For further objects and advantages of the present invention and for a more complete description thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

3,040,880 Fatentecl June 26, 1962 FIG. 1 is a plan view of the crate of the present invention ready for shipment;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the crate of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional View corresponding with FIG. 2 illustrating the location of sheet stock therein and with the lid in position to be lowered onto the base;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end view of one corner of the crate of FIGS. l-3; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a corner of the base and lid laid side-by-side.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a top view of a container which is bound ready for shipment. The container comprises a flat sheet or form plate 10 carrying on the outer surface thereof a peripheral band comprised of the cleats 11 and 12 extending along the sides thereof and cleats 13 and 14 extending across the ends. Three intermediate cleats are illustrated extending across the container, namely, the cleats 15, 16 and 17. Straps 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 encircle the container and bind the sections thereof together in a manner as will be understood from the following description to form a unitary package which is rigid and may enclose a plurality of sheets of material to be shipped while maintaining them free from the possibility of abrasion of the surfaces thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a sectional view of the container taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. In this embodiment it will be noted that a form sheet or plate 10 is made of corrugated fiber board. The end cleats 13 and 14 are secured to the outer surface of the form plate 10. The longitudinal cleat 12 is seen in FIG. 2 as extending the length of the crate between the cleats 13 and 14.

The container also includes a base having a form plate 319 which is of dimension corresponding with form plate In. End cleats 31 and 32 corresponding with the cleats 13 and 14 are secured to the outer surface of the form plate 30. A longitudinal cleat 33 also is secured to the outer surface of the form plate 31 The form plate 30 together with the cleats 31, 32 and 33 comprise the base of the container. Secured to the inner surface of form plate 30 is a peripheral band of cleats including end cleats 35 and 36. Cleats of similar nature extend along the length of the crate parallel to the longitudinal. cleat 33. The cleats 35 and 36 together with the longitudinal cleats form an inner bay in the crate in which sheet material may be placed. Preferably the peripheral band formed by such cleats is dimensioned exactly to correspond with the outer dimension of the sheets to be accommodated. The inner wall surfaces of the peripheral band formed by cleats 35 and 36 is perpendicular to the plane of the form sheet 31}. The cleats 35 and 36 are of height selected to accommodate the desired number of sheets of material to be packaged in a given unit. The height of the wall surrounding the bay may be variable so that different package sizes may readily be devised.

The cleats 31, the form sheet 3t) and the inner cleat 35 may be adhesively secured together orthe cleats may be interconnected by means of screws or nails. Two nails 37 are illustrated as extending through the cleat 31 into the cleat 35. The outer Wall surfaces of the peripheral band formed by cleats 35 and 36 slope outwardly and downwardly from the top thereof to the inner surface of the form plate 39. The intersection of the Wall surface and the form plate 30 defines a line 38 which is inset from the edge 39 of the form plate. Such a base, which is characterized by a peripheral cleating band having vertical inner Wall surfaces and sloping outer wall surfaces, is of particular advantage in the packaging of materials when employed with a lid in which an outer peripheral band is provided with sloping surfaces which are complementary to the outer sloping surfaces of the peripheral band on the base.

More particularly, a peripheral band is formed on the lid which is comprised of cleats 4t) and 41 together with corresponding cleats extending along the length thereof. The inner wall surfaces of the cleats 4t} and 41 slope from the top thereof upward to the surface of the form plate and intersect the same along a line such as lines 42 which correspond with the periphery of the upper surface of the cleats 3S and 36. Cleat 4th is secured either adhesively or as by means of nails 43 to the form plate 10 and to cleat 13. Thus the lid with its peripheral band when placed over the base with its peripheral band is secured thereto as by straps 2t) and 24-. Pressure which forces the lid onto the base serves to wedge the lid tightly on the base. There is thus prevented any lateral play between the top and base. At the same time the top may be fitted over the base with a minimum of difficulty since the wedging surfaces thereof serve to guide the lid into place.

It will be noted that cleats 13 and 31 are of such width that they extend from the edge 39 of the crate inwardly to points beyond the inner vertical wall of the end cleat 35. Similarly, the cleats 14 and 32 extend inwardly beyond the wall of the cleat '36. By this means the cleats 13, 31, 14, and 32 together with corresponding longitudinal cleats provide a peripheral supporting band which will support the edges of any sheets placed in the package. Thus the fiber board form plates 10 and 3t} serve merely as forms for the cleating structure and provide some rigidity in directions parallel to the planes thereof. However, cleating material is provided on the surfaces of the form plates 10 and 30 so as to Withstand all the bearing forces required when loaded with sheet material.

For example, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, the lid has been removed from the base and sheet material is illustrated as it is being loaded into the base. The cleats 31 and 32 are so dimensioned that the weight of the sheets 50 is substantially completely supported by the cleats 31 and 32. By employing a peripheral band on the base through the use of cleats 35 and 36, an enclosure may be readily provided which substantially corresponds in dimension with the outer dimensions of the sheets 56 The corrugated fiber board form plates 10 and 30 may be provided with special finishes on the inner surfaces thereof to prevent any abrasion of the surfaces of the sheets 50. The cleats 13, 31, 14 and 32 may be stapled or nailed to cleats 4t), 35, 41 and 36, respectively, as by stapling or nailing such that all possible abrading materials employed in the fabrication will be used only in zones outside the perimeter of the sheets 50. The supporting cleats 15, 16 and 17 of FIG. 1 may then be secured to the outer surface of the form plate 10 and similar cleats to the outer surface of form plate 30 by adhesive means only so that no metallic fastening means will be required within the perimeter of the plates 50.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the end of one corner of the container of FIG. 3 is illustrated in exploded view. The cleats 13 and 31 are shown on the outer surfaces of the form plates 10 and 30, respectively. Cleat 35 and its associated longitudinal cleat 35a are illustrated as secured to the inner surface of the form plate 39. Similarly, the cleat 4t} and its associated longitudinal cleat 40a are illustrated as secured to the inner surface of the form plate 10. It will be noted that the sheets 50 extend at the ends thereof as to overlap the extensions of the outer cleats 13 and 31 so that hearing forces may be withstood. It is to be noted that corrugated fiber board presents substantial strength in compression over the area corresponding With the extensions of cleats 13 and 31 so that deformation of the corrugated fiber board under compression is maintained at a minimum. The compression forces may be thus borne by and maintained within permissible limits by adding as many of the intermediate cleats -17, FIG. 1, as are necessary to support the weight of the material packaged. A better understanding of the construction may be had from FIG. 5 in which an isometric view of the corner of the crate is illustrated. It will clearly be seen that the cleats 35 and 35a are inset from the edges of the form plate 30 with the outer wall surfaces thereof being beveled upwardly and away from the outer edge of the form plate 39. In a similar manner the cleats 40 and Mia have outwardly beveled inner walls and the cleats 40 and 46a extend along the perimeter of the form sheet 10 so that there are provided wedge surfaces which are complementary with the Wedge surfaces on the base 30. If desired, the dim nsions of the peripheral band on the base may be made slightly larger than the minimum dimensions on the peripheral band on the lid so that the fastening of the lid onto the base will serve to cause the lid and base to form a practically unitary body comprising the top, and base, and which encloses the material to be packaged.

The flexibility of the present invention, of course, is apparent in that stacks of sheet material of many different thicknesses may be packaged by merely employing eripheral bands whose height is such as to match the height of the stack of material to be packaged.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the form plates 16 and 3d are provided with a smooth finish or waxed inner surfaces. The edge cleats on both inner and outer surfaces are fastened to the form plates both adhesively and by staples or nails. The intermediate cleats l5-l7 of FIG. 1, however, are preferably secured only by adhesive means and without the use of any metallic fastening device which would otherwise abrade the surface of the packaged sheets.

While in the foregoing description the peripheral bands have been illustrated as formed from Wooden cleats and having corresponding sloping surfaces for providing a wedge fit between the lid and the base, it will be under stood that such cleats may be formed from the same material as the form plates 10 and 3h, i.e., of corrugated fiber board stock either by use of multilayer stacks or by forming plates 10 and 30 as to have such sloping edges to provide a complementary Wedging fit therebetween.

Having described the invention in connection with the foregoing modifications thereof, it will be apparent that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A package for sheet stock comprising a base including a first thin form plate with a first peripheral band on the inner face thereof having inner wall surfaces perpendicular to said plate forming a bay adapted'to receive said sheet stock, a lid including a second form plate with a second peripheral band on the inner face thereof, said first and second bands having outer and inner walls respectively of sloping sides and corresponding dimensions form forming a wedge fit as said lid is placed over said base, and third and fourth peripheral bands secured to the outer faces of said form plates and of width exceeding the combined widths of said first and second peripheral bands to provide peripheral supports for said stock inwardly of the inner wall surfaces of said first peripheral band.

2. A non-abrasive package for sheet stock comprising a base including a first form plate with a smooth nonabrasive face, peripheral cleats on said face forming inner wall surfaces which are perpendicular to said face and forming a bay adapted to receive said sheet stock and forming external wall surfaces which slope outwardly from the tops of the walls to intersect said plate along marginal lines inset from the edges of said plate, a lid including a second form plate with a smooth non-abrasive face, peripheral cleats on said face of said second plate forming inner wall surfaces sloping from the tops thereof to said face of said second plate complementarily with respect to the external wall surfaces on said base and of dimensions corresponding therewith, and external peripheral bands secured to said plates of both said base and said lid on faces thereof opposite said smooth faces and of widths to extend from the edges of said plates to points substantially beyond the inner walls of said base to provide a peripheral support for said sheet stock.

3. A non-abrasive package for sheet stock comprising a base including a first form plate with a smooth nonabrasive face, peripheral cleats on said face forming inner Wall surfaces which are perpendicular to said face and are dimensioned to form a bay adapted to receive said sheet stock and forming external wall surfaces which slope outwardly from the tops of the Walls to intersect said plate along marginal lines inset from the edges of said plate, a lid including a second form plate with a smooth non-abrasive face, peripheral cleats on said face of said plate of said lid forming inner wall surfaces sloping from the tops thereof to said face of said second plate complementarily with respect to the external wall surfaces on said base and of dimensions corresponding therewith, external peripheral bands secured to said plates of both said base and said lid on faces opposite said smooth faces and of widths to extend from the edges of said plates to points substantially beyond the inner Walls of said base to provide a peripheral support for said sheet stock, and at least one cleat extending across said faces of said lid and of said base opposite said smooth faces thereof and of thickness equal that of said peripheral bands and adapted to support said stock at an intermediate point along the length thereof.

4. A package of sheet stock comprising a base including a form plate having a first peripheral band on the inner face thereof whose inner wall surfaces are perpendicular to the plane of said plate and dimensioned substantially to correspond with the external dimensions of said sheet stock, and a lid including a second form plate with a second peripheral band on the inner surface thereof, said first and second bands having outer and inner walls respectively of sloping sides and of corre sponding dimensions that form a Wedge fit as said lid is placed over said base.

5. A pack-age of sheet stock comprising a base including a form plate having a first peripheral band on the inner face thereof Whose inner Wall surfaces are perpendicular to the plane of said plate and dimensioned substantially to correspond with the external dimensions of said sheet stock, a lid including a second form plate With a second peripheral band on the inner surface thereof, said first and second bands having outer and inner walls respectively of sloping sides and of corresponding dimensions that form a wedge fit as said lid is placed over said base, and third and fourth peripheral bands secured to the outer faces of said form plates to provide peripheral supports therefor.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which mechanical fastening means are employed to secure said third and fourth peripheral bands to said outer faces where said fastening means are positioned within the limits of said first and second peripheral bands.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which spaced transverse supports extend across the outer surfaces of said form plates between opposite sides of said third peripheral band and between opposite sides of said fourth peripheral band at substantially opposed positions on said lid and base.

8. A package for thin sheet material having a nonabrasive character which comprises a base including a first thin form plate with a first peripheral band on the inner face thereof having inner wall surfaces perpendlcular to said plate to form an inner bay, a lid including a second form plate with a second peripheral band on the inner face thereof, the first and second bands having outer and inner walls respectively of sloping sides and corresponding dimensions to form a wedge fit as said lid is placed over said base, and third and fourth peripheral bands secured to the outer faces of the form plates and of width exceeding the combined widths of said first and second bands to provide peripheral supports inwardly of the inner wall surfaces of said first peripheral band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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