US3055571A

US3055571A - Pour spout carton

Info

Publication number: US3055571A
Application number: US859466A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hassler Winfield Scott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-12-14
Filing date: 1959-12-14
Publication date: 1962-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1979-09-25

Description

Sept. 25, 1962 w. s. HASSLER 3,055,571

POUR SPOUT CARTON Filed Dec. 14, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 war-r39 P 5, 1962 w. s. HASSLER 3,055,571

POUR SPOUT CARTON Filed Dec. 14, 1959 4 sheets-sheet 2 lFze ar-cir M far/m- Qatari-29,

Sept. 25, 1962 w. s. HASSLER 3,055,571

POUR SPOUT CARTON Filed Dem 14, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3,

d MXML @Ymsv Sept. 25; 1962 w. s. HASSLER 3,055,571

POUR SPOUT CARTON Filed Dec. 14, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 hlnj w mi LZzky ie d f'caiz ilb sage? 4 MKMM- dianw-gev V United States Patent 015 3,055,571 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 ice POUR SPOUT CARTON Winfield Scott Hassler, Glenview, II]. (11 2 W. Kin zie St., Chicago 10, 11].)

Filed Dec. 14,1959, Ser. No. 859,466 13 Claims- (Q 229-917) This invention relates generally to cartons formed from flat blanks of relatively stiff material such as paperboard, corrugated boards, or sheet plastic andhaving spaced side walls joined by an end wall and connected along corresponding upper edges to top flaps which are folded into overlapping relation and secured together to close one end of the carton. More particularly, the invention relates to a rectangular carton in which the top flaps terminate short of the end wall to form a discharge opening and such opening is closed by a spout having a bottom wall hinged on such end wall and at least one side wall movable along the inner side of the adjacent side wall of the carton.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a carton of the above character with a spout constructed in a novel manner for use with high production automatic closing mechanism while still utilizing the same amount of material as previous cartons without spouts, enabling the carton to be filled completely and facilitating the discharge of all material from the carton.

Another object is to construct the spout and adjacent carton parts in a novel manner to achieve releasable detention of the spout in different relative positions of closure of the discharge opening.

Afurther object is to construct the spout side walls in a novel manner to facilitate closing of the carton by presently available automatic closing mechanisms while still accommodating guides for confining the movement of the side walls of the spout along and closely adjacent the side walls of the carton.

A more detailed object is to locate the guides on the inner sides of the spout side walls while relieving these walls at predetermined points to receive the guides during the closing operations.

Still another object is to construct the spout side walls and adjacent carton walls in a novel manner facilitating retention of control of the spout walls during the closing operations.

A further object is to. close the carton with the spout by a novel method enabling existing closing apparatus to.

manipulate the parts.

Theinvention also resides in the novel manner of closing the spout against seepage of material fromjwithin the carton while facilitating the opening of the spout.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1. is a perspective view of a carton witha pouring spout embodying thenovel features of the present invention; 7

FIG. 2 is a laid out viewgof the blank used in forming the carton of FIG. 1; i h

FIG. 3 isa fragmentary enlargedview of a part of FIG. 2; i i i 7 FIG; 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a carton in its flattened ship'ping condition} FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary perspective views showing progressive steps in the closing of the top of the carton;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a part of the carton including one guide for the. spout side wall; I

FIGS. 10 and 11 are fragmentary perspective views similar to FIGS. 5 through 8, and showing subsequent steps in the closing operation;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the sealing sheet and tear string on the closed carton;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but including the torn sealing sheet;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified construction of the relieved spout side wall;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and showing a modified spout and end flap construction;

FIG. 16 is a view of the modified construction similar. to FIG. 8 in the closing operation;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary perspective view of the modified construction with the spout in open position;

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 12 and showing a modified sealing sheet and tear string construction; and

FIG. 19 is a plan view of a plurality of attached sealing sheets with attached tear strings.

While I have shown in the drawings and will describe herein the preferred embodiment of my'invention, it is to be understood that 1 do not intend to be limited to such disclosure. Instead, I desire to cover all modifications and alternative constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

In general, the carton shown in the drawings to illustrate the present invention is of. rectangular shape with

parallel side walls

20 and 21 joined by

parallel end walls

22 and 23 along fold. lines 24 (FIG. 2),. Connected to the lower edges of these walls are bottom flaps 25 which are folded and secured together in a well 'known manner to close the bottom of the carton. Connected toupper edges of the side walls along. fold lines 26 are topflaps 27' and 28 which are folded intooverlapping relation and onto one end flap 29 in the closing of the carton to form one end wall. This end flap is an extension of one end wall 23 and the top flaps extend toward but shortof the second end'wall 22 to leave. a space for a. discharge opening 30 (FIG. 1). To secure; the outermost side and end walls 20- and 23 together, a narrowside flap 31 is connected to that sidewall along a scorev line 82 and, inthe finished carton lies against. and is secured to the inner side of that end flap. i

The discharge opening 30 is closed by a spout33 having a bottom wall 34 hinged to the second end wall 22 to swing into and out of a closed position over, the opening and at least one side wall '35 lying along the inner: side of the adjacent carton side wall. Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the spout bottomwall is formed as an extension of the second end wall and there are two

spout side walls

35 and 36, one lying along the inner side of each carton side wall.

39 between the bottom wall and the side walls 35 and 86 set inwardly from the fold lines 24 at the end=walledges (FIG. 2) to enable the spout wallsto liealong the carton side walls without binding. To maintain the sidewalls of the spout against the positions of thespout, a guide tab 37 projects outwardly from at least one of the

top flaps

27 and 28 alongside each carton side wall to cooperate with the latter anddefine a guide slot 38 (FIGS. 8 and 9) receiving the free edge of the adjacent side wall of the spout. In the construction shown in FIGS. 1 to 13, there are twotabs-37 each project ing from the innermosttop flap 28v and cooperating with the adjacent carton side walls to define two guide slots for receiving the two side walls of the spout.

The spacing from the second end wall 22'of the ad'- jacent end edge of the inner top flap 28 is slightly greater than the spacing of the free edge of the bottom wall 34 of the spout 33so that the flap limits downward The bottomspout wall is slightly narrower than the second end wall 22' with the fold lines carton side walls,20 and-21 in all the bottom wall- 34 lies shown in FIG. 11. A notch 40 is cut in the edge of the outer flap to facilitate opening of the spout. Outward swinging of the spout is limited by engagement of the inner side of the inner flap by stop members 41 projecting outwardly from the outer edges of the

spout walls

35 and 36, such edges lying on circles centered on junctions of the fold lines 39 and the hinged edge 42 of the spout and having radii equal to or less than the spacing of the bottom of the guide slots 38 from the hinged edge.

To control the position of the spout 33 and thereby facilitate the discharge of the contents from the carton, the present invention, in one of its aspects, contemplates the provision of

holding elements

43 and 44 for retaining the spout releasably in its closed position and in any other desired position within its range of swinging. These elements take the form of projections extending outwardly beyond the curved outer edges of the

spout side walls

35 and 36 and defining

detent recesses

45 and 46 which receive the inner end flap at the bottom of the guide slots. These projections are spaced from the hinge edge 42 of the spout a distance slightly greater than the bottoms of the slots 38 so as to engage the inner end fiap 28 during their movement through the slots and thereby interfere with the movement of the spout when the inner end flap is within the detent recesses. The interference between the projections and the inner flap occurs without damage to the parts due to the yieldability of the sheet material.

In the present instance, the detent projections hold the spout 33 releasably in its closed position and a fully open position. For this purpose, one projection 43 on each side wall is spaced a short distance from the bottom wall so as to cooperate therewith to define a recess 45 receiving the inner flap 28 in the closed position of the spout. While such recesses may be provided at various points along the curved outer edges of the spout side walls as by serrating such edges (see FIG. 14), only one other detent recess 46 is provided in this instance in the construction of FIGS. 1 to 13. This is defined in each spout side wall by the other projection 44 and the stop member 41 on the wall. With this recess, the user of the carton may move the spout to its open position with one hand and the spout will remain detented in such position while the user continues to use only one hand in further manipulation of the carton.

The improved carton is especially adapted to be formed from a sheet of material as a blank in a well known manner on punching apparatus having dies to cut completely through the sheet where severance is desired, to score the material without perforating along the

various fold lines

24, 26, 32 and 42, and to form perforated lines where it is desired to make the connected parts separable. Such a blank for the carton described thus far is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. After the blank is formed by the manufacturer, it is partially assembled into a flattened condition in which it is retained until it is to be filled and closed. In such flattened condition illustrated in FIG. 4, the side flap 31 is bent inwardly to underlie the outermost end wall 23 which is disposed in the same plane as the outermost carton side wall 20 and the adjacent spout side wall 36. The second end wall 22, the bottom wall 34 of the spout and the second spout side wall 35 lie in the same plane as the other carton side wall 21. The cartons are usually shipped in this condition but, after the folding and securing of the side flap 31 to the overlying end wall 23 as by adhesive, is subjected to a reverse folding or prebreaking operation in which the side walls are shifted edgewise to bring each end wall into the plane of a different one of the side walls and then are returned to the original flattened condition shown in FIG. 4.

In another and important aspect, the present invention contemplates a novel construction of the spout walls and adjacent parts of the carton and method of closing the spout end of the carton to permit the use of the guide tabs 37 and stop projections 41 while still rendering the carton readily adaptable for use with commercially available top or bottom closing apparatus either before or after the bottom has been closed and the carton has been filled. To these ends, the

spout side walls

35 and 36 are connected releasably to the adjacent carton side walls for retention of control of these parts until they are inserted between the carton side walls. Also, the spout side wall 35 adjacent the top flap 28 with the guide tabs 37 has a portion 47 which is relieved so as to avoid interference with the adjacent guide tab and thereby permit inward swinging of the tab with its top flap past the spout wall, such relieved portion being located in registry with the tab during the closing step of folding the top flap inwardly. Such folding is utilized to form the guide slot 38 adjacent the connected side wall 21 by a novel arrangement of severance lines 48 which also eliminate the necessity of cleaning the slot.

The releasable connection 49 between each of the

spout side walls

35 and 36 and the respective

carton side walls

21 and 20 providing control over the spout walls preferably is formed by only partially completing the line 50 of severance between each spout wall and its carton wall, such connection thereby being formed along with the other parts of the blank. In the present instance, the connection for each spout wall comprises two nicks which are strong enough to hold the spout side walls in the planes of their carton walls during the folding and gluing operations by the carton manufacturer and also during unfolding of the carton from its flattened shipping condition, but are weak enough to break to release the spout walls when an inward pressure is exerted on the walls during the closing and sealing operations. Other than these nicks, each spout side wall is completely severed from the adjacent carton side wall.

To permit inward movement of the guide tab 37 with the inner top flap 28, the relieved portion 47 in the adjacent spout side wall 35 may take various forms. In the preferred form shown in FIGS. 1 to 13, a recess is cut in the spout wall and extends inwardly from the outer rounded edge of the wall intermediate the ends of such edge. This recess is large enough to receive and permit passage of the guide tab 37 (FIG. 7) while the spout is positioned in registry with the recess. To insure that the guide tab passes on the inner side of the spout wall so that the latter is disposed within the guide slot 38, the tab and the recess preferably are formed in the top flap 28 and spout side wall 35 which lie in the plane of the bottom spout wall 34 and the second end wall 22 in the flatened condition of the carton. By virtue of this relation and due to the resilience of the carton material, the recessed spout wall tends to swing out against the adjacent inner side of the carton side wall and may be said to retain fight so as to achieve such positioning.

In an alternative form of relieved portion shown for purposes of illustration in FIG. 14, a radial slit 51 is cut in the spout side wall 35 to extend inwardly from the curved edge and join a circumferential slit 52 to form two flaps 53 which remain connected to the wall along radial fold lines 54. The flaps thus are free to swing inwardly to permit passage of the adjacent guide tab 37 while tending to swing back into the plane of the side wall due to the resilience of the carton material.

'Formation of the guide slot 38 on the side of the inner top flap 28 adjacent its connected side wall 21 is achieved as an incident to inward swinging of this flap by utilizing a line 48 of severance of L-shape. One leg of such line extends substantially normal to the top edge 26 of the side wall of the carton and the other leg intersects the first leg and the cut for the guide tab and parallels and is spaced inwardly from such top edge (-FIG. 9). The line of severance and the cut for the guide'tab thus define a lug 55 which remains connected to the carton side wall and in the plane of such wall to leave the guide slot clear when the top flap is folded at right angles to the side wall. The lug thus being connected to the side wall, no effort need be m'adeto clean material out of the slot. To provide the guide slot 38 adjacent the tab on the free edge of the inner fiap 28, that tab is notched on its outer side as shown clearly in FIG. 3.

Prior to the top closing operations, let it be assumed that the carton sidewalls and 21 and end

walls

22 and 23 have been shifted into their final parallel relationships, that the bottom flaps 25 have been folded and sealed to close the bottom of the carton, and that the carton has been filled with its contents. The carton is then ready for the top closing operations with the

top flaps

27 and 28 and end flaps 29 and 34 upstanding substantially in the planes of.their respective carton Walls and the

spout side walls

35 and 36 remain connected to their respective carton walls by the nicks 49, all as shown in FIG. 5. The first step in closing the top is to apply an inward force to the'side walls of the spout as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6 to break the nicks '49 and swing the side walls inwardly with respect to the carton side walls. It is contemplated that this force and other forces for folding the various parts as will be described may be applied manually orpreferably are derived in automatic packing apparatus by various manipulating members placed along a path through which the carton advances, such apparatus also including, where desired, suitable means for applying securing material such as adhesive to the flaps.

After the spout side walls are shifted inwardly, inward forces are applied to the end flap 29 and the bottom wall 34 of the spout, as indicated by arrows in FIG. 7, to swing these .parts inwardly. The amount of swinging of the spout bottom wall is selected to bring the recess 47 into registry with the adjacent guide tab 37 on the inner top flap 28. Then, while this registry is maintained, that inner flap is folded onto the end flap 29 by applying an inward and downward force as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8. During this swinging, the other guide tab 37 on the free edge of the top flap moves downwardly along the inner side .of the other spout side wall 36 to locatethat Wall in the guide notch 38 of the other guide tab. .As anincident to downward swinging of the inner flap, the guidetab 37 adjacent the connected edge of the inner flap is separated from the lug to form one guide slot 38 while leaving the lug attached to the adjacent carton side wall so that the guide slot automatically is free of material. By virtue of the recess 47, bending of the guide tab 37 is avoided in the closing of the top of.

the carton.

When the inner flap 28 has been seated in its inner position on the end flap 29, the spout 33 is shifted into its closed position by an inner and downward force exerted on'the bottom 'wall 34 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10. 'During this movement and the previous inward swinging of the inner flap 28, the adjacent recessed spout wall 35 remains flat against the adjacent carton side wall due to the resilience of the material and the previous location of that spout side wall in the same plane as the bottom wall of the spout when the carton was in its flattened condition shown in FIG. 4. Finally, the outer top flap 27 is swung to its closed position by an inward and downward force'as indicated by the arrow in FIG/l1. By virtue of the adhesive materialpreviously applied to the flaps, the inner top flap 28 is secured to the endfiap 29 and the outer top flap 27 is secured to" the inner top" flap 28.

In accordance with the present invention in another of its aspects, novel means is provided to seal against seepage of material outwardly around the spout 33 from the carton interior and, at the same'time, to facilitate opening of the carton for discharge of the contents through the spout. This means comprises a sheet 56 of impervious 'material spanning the juncture between the bottom. wall 34 of the closed spout and the adjacent carton parts and secured to the bottom wall and such adjacent parts so as to block the flow of material outwardly through such juncture. Uncovering of the spout is effected by" a tear or zip string or tape 57 whichis-secured to the impervious sheet and follows the outline of the edges of the spout bottom wall to insure release of the spout for movement out of its closed position when the sheet is torn by pulling onthe string. Tearing of the sheet precisely along the contour of the spout bottom wall is insured further by forming in thesheet a perforated tear line 58 (FIG. 18) which registers both with the string and the edge of the bottom spout wall.

The impervious sheet 56 in this instance is a rectangular label extending inwardly across the bottom wall 34 of the closed'spout 33 and beyond the free edge of that wall and having its end portions lying against and secured to the

side walls

20 and 21 of the carton. The intermediate portion of the label is secured to the spout bottom wall and to the outermost top flap 27 and, being impervious, prevents sifting of the carton contents out of the carton around the spout. Such sealing is especially important where the carton has been filled with an easily fiowable material such as a powder and is being covered by an overwrap, that is, an overlying sheet of material completely covering and secured to the exterior of the carton. A plurality of the labels with their individual tear strings 57 attached conveniently may be connected together as parts of a single strip with adjacent labels separated by perforated tear lines 59, as shown in FIG. 19, where, as in this instance, the edges of'the bottom wall of the spout form a U, each tear string following an identical U-shaped pattern.

The labels 56 may be formed of many materials well known in the art and may be secured to the carton and the tear strings 57 in a well known manner, for example, by moisture-sensitive adhesive such as glue applied to the label, by so-called cohesive materials whichare applied to both the labels-and the strings and stick to each other but not to other materials, or by heat sealable plas-. tic materials. One material found suitable for labels is a kraft paper with water-sensitive glue on the side with the tear string. With such a material having a grain, the perforations 58 following the contour of the string are particularly advantageous to insure that the paper tears along the desired outline when the string is pulled even though the tearing changes direction and is against or extends transversely of the grain. Such desired tearing may be effected with the string attached to the label all along the length of the string or at points spaced along the string,

preferably close together.

In applying the label 56 to the carton after the previous closing operations have been completed as described above, care should be taken to insurethat the tear string 57 registers accurately with the peripheral outline of the bottom wall of the spout and that the label is secured to the bottom wall 34 of the spout, the

carton side walls

20 and 21, and the outer top flap 27 closely adjacent and on both sides of the string. This insures an effective seal to prevent seepage of material from the carton and around the spout. Preferably, and to insure proper tearing, one end is secured to the carton as by glue while the other end remains free. The label should remain intact until it is desired to discharge the contents of the carton. At this time, the free end of the tear string is pulled with a continuing upward pressure to rip the label along the line overlying the string, tearing along such line being insured by perforating the label as indicated at 58. With proper registry of the string and the edges of the bottom wall of the spout, these edges should beuncovered as the string is pulled to tear the label. After the tearing is completed, the spout then should be free to move into its various positions.

To raise the spout 33 from its closed position, the user simply raises the bottom wall 34 of the spout by engaging the outer edge thereof and applying an upward force. During swinging of the spout out of the closed position,

the detent projections 43 adjacent the bottom wall engage, but move past, the parts of the inner flap 28 at the bottom of the guide slots 38. The spout then may move freely to its fully open position where it is held by the other projections 44 adjacent the stop lugs 41. In this position and any intermediate position, the spout side walls are retained by the guide tabs 37 against the carton side walls to prevent outward flow of material between the two and confine such flow to the inner sides of the spout side walls and along the bottom wall. By virtue of the extension of the spout substantially across the full width of the carton and at the upper edge thereof, the carton may be filled more fully than cartons having spouts spaced from the top of the carton. Also, all of the contents may be discharged easily.

If it is desired to close the carton after discharge of part of the contents, the spout is moved to the closed position simply by pressing inwardly and downwardly on the bottom wall 34. In the final part of this movement, the projections 43 adjacent such wall engage and move past the inner flap 28 at the bottoms of the slots 38 so as to retain the spout releasably in its closed position.

In the construction shown in FIGS. 1 through 13, where both guide tabs are formed on only the inner flap 28, it is possible that, during the closing operation, the side and end walls of the carton may be separated slightly so that the free edge of the inner flap and the guide tab 37 thereon are spaced from the adjacent carton side wall 20 too far to control accurately the position of the adjacent spout side wall 36 and maintain the two side walls in close engagement. There is then the possibility of outward sifting of material between the spout side wall and the carton side wall. These difiiculties are overcome in the modified construction shown in FIGS. 15 through 17, where parts corresponding to parts in FIGS. 1 to 13 bear similar but primed reference characters. To this end, each of the

top flaps

27 and 28 is formed with a guide tab 37 adjacent the fold line 26 of connection with the associated carton side wall. With this construction, each guide slot 38 remains of a constant width regardless of separation of the carton walls or their canting out of parallelism.

To strengthen the guide tabs 37' defining each slot 38' it is preferred to form two guide tabs on each top flap in the modified construction, so that each slot is defined by two overlapping tabs. This construction is shown in FIGS. 15 through 17, where it will be seen that both top flaps are of substantially the same extent so that, in the closed position of the spout, the bottom wall overlies the outer flap. To accommodate the additional guide flaps in the modified construction, both spout side walls 27' and 28' are formed with recesses 47 to accommodate and permit passage of the adjacent guide tabs during the closing operations.

In the closing operations of the modified construction, the steps are the same as in the case of the construction of FIGS. 1 through 13, except that instead of bringing only one recess 47' into registry with one guide tab 37 both recesses are maintained in registry with their adjacent guide tabs, as shown in FIG. 16, during inward swinging of the inner flap 28' and then the outer flap 27'. The operation of the modified construction is also the same, the spout side walls being confined positively by the reinforced guide tabs for movement along and closely adjacent the carton side walls to insure that no sifting occurs between these walls.

With the spout bottom wall 34 substantially of the same width as the second end wall 22 of the carton and hinged to the upper edge thereof and with the

side walls

35 and 36 of the spout lying against the

carton side walls

20 and 21, the carton may be filled nearly completely without spillage when the spout is open. Also, the contents may be discharged completely through the spout simply by tipping the carton to incline the second end wall downwardly toward the spout. These desirable characteristics are made possible along with adaptability to automatic closing mechanisms by virtue of the novel method of closure and the novel structural features described above. Contributing further to the desirability of the improved carton for high production packaging operations is the novel sealing sheet 56 and its tear string 57 for sealing the spout opening while insuring quick and accurate opening and release of the spout.

I claim as my invention:

1. A carton having first and second side walls each connected along opposite side edges to end walls and along a part of one top edge to a different one of two top flaps, said flaps each having one end spaced from a first one of said end walls and being folded inwardly into overlapping relation with the other flap, two guide tabs projecting from said one end of each of said top flaps adjacent the respective carton side walls and spaced from the latter to cooperate therewith and define slots opening toward said first end wall, said tabs on each flap overlapping and being secured to the respective tabs of the other flap to form rigid guide members, and a spout having a bottom wall hinged on said first end wall and side walls with outer edge portions extending into said slots and confined therein for movement of the spout side walls closely adjacent the carton side walls during swinging of the bottom wall.

2. A carton having laterally spaced side walls connected by end walls and each having a top edge and a top flap formed integral with the wall along the edge and folded out of the plane of the wall and into overlapping relation with the other flap, said flaps being spaced at one end from one of said end walls and having a slot extending adjacent and longitudinally of said top edge of its associated side wall and inwardly from the end of the flap spaced from the one end wall, and a spout having a bottom wall pivotally connected to said one end wall and side walls lying along said carton side walls and having outer edge portions extending into said slots so as to be guided for movement along the carton side walls during swinging of the bottom wall, portions of said flaps being cut away to form said slots and such cut away portions remaining connected to and lying in the plane of the respective carton side walls after folding of the flap out of the plane.

3. A carton having laterally spaced side walls connected by end walls and each having a top edge and a top flap formed integral with the wall along the edge and folded out of the plane of the wall and into overlapping relation With the other flap, said flaps being spaced at one end from one of said end walls and at least one of the flaps having a slot extending adjacent and longitudinally of said top edge of its associated side wall and inwardly from the end of the flap spaced from the one end wall, and a spout having a bottom wall pivotally connected to said one end wall and a side wall lying along said associated side wall and having an outer edge portion extending into said slot so as to be guided for movement along the side wall during swinging of the bottom wall, a portion of said slotted flap being cut away to form said slot and such cut-away portion remaining connected to and lying in the plane of said associated side wall after folding of the flap out of the plane.

4. A carton having fiat rectangular first and second side walls each connected along opposite side edges to end walls and along a part of one top edge to a different one of two top flaps, each of said flaps having one end spaced from a first one of said end walls, a guide tab secured to a first one of said top flaps which is connected to said first side wall, said guide tab projecting from said one end of said first flap and toward said first end wall and said first end wall, side wall and top flap lying in a common plane alongside said second end wall, the other side wall and the other flap, a spout having a bottom wall hinged to and lying in the plane of said first top flap and first and second side walls lying in the planes of the respective carton side walls between said first end wall and said, one end of the top flaps, said first spout side wall lying in the plane of said first carton side wall and said end wall and having an outer edge portion adapted to be guided by and fit behind said guide tab after folding of said first flap out of the plane of the first carton side wall and toward the second carton side wall, and meanson said first spout side wall defining a relieved portion for receiving said guide tab to permit said folding of said first top flap.

5. A carton having laterally spaced side walls connected by end walls and each having a top edge and a top flap connected tothe wall at the edge and extending short of a first one of the end walls, a spout having a bottom wall pivotally connected to the top edge of said first endwalland side walls lying along the inner sides of said box side walls with their outer edge portions extending short of said top flaps, and guide tabs one projecting toward said one first end wall from at least one of said top flaps adjacent each of said top edges and cooperating with the adjacent side wall to define a-recess receiving said outer edge portion of the adjacent spout side wall to guide the latter for movement along the side wall, at least one of said guide tabs being formed integral with the associated top flap and swinging inwardly with such flap and said outer edge portion of the adjacent flap having a recess intermediate its ends to receive such guide tab and permit the inward swinging of the tab with the flap.

6. A carton having laterally spaced side walls connected by end walls and each having a top edge and a top fiap formed integral with the wall along the edge and folded out of the plane of the wall and into overlapping relation with the other flap, said flaps being spaced at one end from one of said end walls and at least one of the flaps having a slot extending along said top edge of its associated side wall and inwardly from the end of the flap spaced from the one end wall, and a spout having a bottom wall pivotally connected to said one end wall and a side wall lying along said associated carton side wall and having an outer edge portion extending into said slot so as to be guided for movement along the carton side wall during swinging of the bottom wall, said outer edge portion of said spout side wall having a relieved section to receive the part of said slotted flap adjacent the slot and thereby avoid interference with inward swinging of the flap out of the plane of said associated carton side wall when the spout side wall is lying along the inner side of the carton wall.

7. A carton having fiat first and second side walls each joined along opposite side edges to end walls and along a portion of one top edge to a different top flap forming an extension of the side wall and having one end spaced from a first one of the said end walls, said top flaps being folded inwardly toward each other and into overlapping relation with each other, and a spout having a bottom wall formed as an integral extension of said first end wall and pivotally joined thereto along a score line and side walls formed as integral extensions of said carton side Walls between the first end wall and said ends of said top flaps and joined to the bottom wall pivotally along fold lines and to the respective carton side walls along score lines perforated to leave at least one nick between each spout side wall and its carton side wall, said nicks retaining said spout side walls in the planes of the respective carton side walls during part of the closing operations on the carton while being easily severable to free the spout side walls for movement during another part of the closing operations.

8. A carton having a fiat side wall joined along one side edge to an end wall and along a portion of a top edge to a top flap forming an extension of the side wall and having one end spaced from said end wall, said top flap being folded laterally from said side wall, and a spout having a bottom wall formed as an integral extension of said end wall and pivotally joined theretoalong a score line and a side wall formed as an integral extension of said carton side wallbetween the end wall and said end of said top flap and joined to the bottom wall pivotally along a fold line and to the carton side wall along a scoreline perforated to leave at leastone nick between the spout side wall and the carton side wall, said nick retaining said spout side wall in the plane of the carton side wall during part of the closing operation on the carton while being easily severable to free the spout side wall for movement during another part of the closing operation.

- 9. A carton having laterally spaced side walls connected by end walls and each having a top edge extending between the end walls and a top flap formed integral with the edge and folded toward and into overlapping relation with the top flap on the other side wall, said top flaps extending from one end wall short of the other end wall, a spout having a bottom wall pivotally connected to said'other end Wall and side walls connected to the bottom wall and lying along the inner sides of said box side walls with their outer edge portions extending short of said top flaps, guidetabs one projecting toward said other end wall from at least one of said top flaps adjacent each of said top edges and cooperating with the adjacent side wall to define a recess receiving said outer edge portion of the adjacent spout side wall, 1

a stop lug projecting outwardly from said outer edge portion of at least one of said spout side walls and engaging the inner side of the innermost one of said flaps to limit outward swinging of said spout to an open position, and lug means projecting outwardly from said outer edge of at least one of said spout side walls between said stop lug and said bottom wall and cooperating with said stop lug to hold said spout releasably in said open position.

10. A carton having laterally spaced side walls connected by end walls and each having atop edge extending between the end walls and a top flap formed integral with the edge and folded toward and into overlapping relation with the top flap on the. other side wall, said top flaps extending from one end wall short of the other end wall, a spout having a bottom wall pivotally connected to said other end wall and side walls connected tothe bottom a wall and lying along the inner sides of said box side walls with their outer edge portions extending short of said top fiaps guide tabs one projecting toward said other end wall from at least one of said top flaps adjacent each of said top edges and cooperating with the adjacent side wall to define a recess receiving said outer edge portion of the adjacent spout wall, and lug means projecting outwardly from and beyond said outer edge of at least one of said spout side walls at a point spaced from said bottom wall and engaging at least one of said top flaps to hold said spout releasably in an open position.

11. A carton having laterally spaced side walls connected by an end wall and each having a top flap edge extending along a top edge short of the end wall and folded toward and into overlapping relation with the top flap on the other side wall, a spout having a bottom wall pivotally connected to said end wall and at least one side wall connected to the bottom wall and lying along the inner sides of an adjacent one of said box side walls with its outer edge portion extending short of said top flaps, a guide tab one projecting toward said other end wall from at least one of said top flaps adjacent said spout side wall and cooperating with the adjacent carton side wall to define a recess receiving said outer edge portion of the spout side wall, and lug means projecting outwardly beyond said outer edge of said spout side wall and engaging at least one of said top flaps to hold said spout releasably in an open position.

12. In combination with a carton having a wall with a discharge opening therein and a spout closing said opening and formed with a bottom wall hinged along one edge 11 to the carton wall to swing between a closed position adjacent the wall and an outer open position, a cover comprising a sheet of tearable material secured to said bottom spout wall and the adjacent parts of the carton and covering the juncture between such adjacent parts and the edges of the bottom wall other than said hinged edge to form a seal retaining the contents of the carton against seepage at the juncture, and a tear string secured to the inner side of said cover sheet with an exposed end portion extending to the outer side of the sheet, said string following the contour of and registering with said other edges of said bottom wall of the spout and secured to said cover sheet at points along the other edges to tear through the sheet along such other edges to uncover said opening and free the spout for movement between its open and closed positions.

13. For use with a carton having a wall with a discharge opening therein and a spout closing said opening and formed with a bottom wall hinged along one edge to the carton wall to swing between a closed position adjacent the wall and an outer open position, a cover comprising a sheet of tearable material adapted to be secured to said bottom spout wall and the adjacent parts of the carton and covering the juncture between such adjacent parts and the edges of the bottom wall other than the hinged edge to form a seal retaining the contents of the carton against seepage at the juncture, said cover being perforated along a tear line registering with said other edges of said bottom wall when the cover is secured to that wall and said adjacent carton parts, and a tear string secured to the inner side of said cover sheet and following said perforated tear line to tear through the sheet along such line to uncover said opening and free the spout for movement between its open and closed positions when the string is pulled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,139,490 Clary et al May 18, 1915 1,546,600 Morris July 21, 1925 1,847,028 Rownsend Feb. 23, 1932 2,362,942 Spalding Nov. 14, 1944 2,392,479 Humbert Jan. 8, 1946 2,570,982 Read Oct. 9, 1951 2,916,860 Sanford Dec. 15, 1959 2,973,608 Killion Mar. 7, 1961