US3184053A - Shipping and dispensing case for coiled materials - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 B. E. ELDRIDGE SHIPPING AND DISPENSING CASE FOR COILED MATERIALS Filed June ll, 1962 May 18, 1965 ATTORNEY May 18, 1955 B. E. ELDRIDGE 3,184,053

SHIPPING AND DISPENSING CASE FOR COILED MATERIALS Filed June ll, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ujhl Q JUL 25 ,n i I sl xix I INVENTOR BRUCE E. ELDRIDE BY M,

ATTORNEY My 18, 1965 B. E. ELDRIDGE SHIPPING AND DISPENSING CASE FOR COILED MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 1l, 1962 BRUCE E. ELDRIDGE ATTORNEY United States Patent C 3,184,053 SHIPPWG AND DISPENSING CASE FOR COHJED MATERALS Bruce E. Eldridge, San Francisco, Calif., assigner to Oliver Tire & Rubber Company, akland, Calif., a corporation of California Filed .lune 11, 1962, Ser. No. 201,576 6 Claims. (Cl. 2065-52) This invention relates generally to containers for use in shipping and storing relatively heavy lineal materials Wound on a core. It also relates to a novel method for loading such coils of material within such a container and for assembling the container so that it can properly perform its various functions.

In the handling of certain flexible, .but heavy and bulky materials of extended length that are .arranged `in coiled form, there has long =been a need for a container that would not only properly support the .coil of material in transit or in storage but also one 'which lwould facilitate the dispensing of the material in desired lengths when it is being used. A particularly important problem which arose 'with such heavy coiled materials was in providing a container that would support the coil so that it would not exert its weight on one portion of its peripheral edge. In containers heretofore used where `the coil was free to move around against the walls of the container because of a lack of internal support, the material lbecame distorted and took a permanent set -by developing a at spot on one side of the coil. This distortion either -weakened the :material or at least made it more difficult to handle.

The aforementioned problem was particularly serious in the case of coils of tread rubber used in recapping tires. Tread rubber material is soft and easily deformed and is generally supplied in coils of llong strips to recappers. If during storage and shipment this material is allowed to rest on its side or on edge it easily acquires a distorted shape in the container. This not only lmakes it diiicult to handle bythe recapper, but it often makes it impossible to produce a perfect recapping job.

Accordingly, one principal object of the present invention is to solve the laforementioned problem by providing a unique shipping .container for a relatively -heavy bulky coil of strip or line material that suspends the coil of material substantially around its .central axis of rotation within :an enclosed package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shipping container for heavy coils of strip material that has unusual strength and durability and which can be closed tight so that it can .be kept dust and moisture lfree during 4its use when containing the coiled material.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a shipping container vfor a heavy coil of material which upon arrival at its destination can be used to dispense the coiled material in predetermined .desired lengths as it is needed. When a reel of heavy material is once loaded -into the container according to my invention it doe-s not have to .be removed from the container and remounted .for use. The container can merely be positioned in any desired manner on a pipe rack or on any hat surface and the 4coiled material can then -be unwound when needed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a shipping container for carrying heavy bulky coiled materials that is easy to assemble.

A further object of my invention is to provide -a shipping .container for enclosing and supporting a .coiled strip of heavy bulky material so that the weight of .the coil is not exerted on one side of it against a side of the container and so that the coil of material is prevented from rotating when packaged and is releas-able when within .the package so that it will rotate to dispense lengths of material from the coil.

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Another object of my invention is to provide la novel method yfor loading a relatively heavy bul-ky coil of material within a container so that it will be rotatably supported by the `container while also being enclosed by it.

Another object of my invention is to provide a shipping container for coiled materials that not only 'fuliills the aforementioned objects, but also is particularly adaptable for ease and economy of manufacture.

Another object of my invention .is to provide a shipping container dor coiled materials wherein the material .can be coiled up on a reel lWithin the container after it has been assembled.

Other objects, advantages and features of my invention will lbecome apparent from the following description of the invention presented in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the shipping and dispensing container according to the .present invention;

FIG. 2 is la view in side elevation of the container shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a greatly enlarged .fragmentary View in section showing in detail one means for attaching the end of the coil to an inner wall of the container;

FIG. i3 is an enlarged fragmentary view lin elevation and in section showing details of one form of construction of the container in fFIGS. 1 and 2;-

FIG. 4 is .an enlarged fragmentary view .in elevation and in section showing details of a slightly modified .form of .construction of a container according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 4is a fragmentary View in elevation and in section of another modified form of my invention utilizing a single tixed core member;

FIG. 6 `is a plan view showing the box blank of the container according .to the invention before it is assembled; v

FIG. 7 -is 4an exploded view in elevation yand in section taken along the 'line 6 5 of FIG. 2 and showing lthe various components of :the container before being assembled;

FIG. 8 is a view in perspective showing one step in the method of loading a coil of material and assembling the container according to the invention;

FlG. 9 is a view in perspective showing another step in the container loading method of the invention;

FlG. 10 is a view in perspective showing a yfurther step in .the container loading method with the roll of material secured within the container sleeve.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. l shows a combination shipping, `st-orage, and `dispensing container 1t) embodying the principles of the invention with a coil of material 11 mounted within the container so that it is completely suspended without any of its sides or edges touching the inner `sides of the container lil. While it is to be understood that my container lil can he used for various types of coiled materials, I will describe its vari-ous components and their novel features with particular reference to the packaging of tread rubber. Thus, the coil of material 11 typiiies a coil of tread rubber that is normally formed in a long strip of uniform width and thickness and coiled about a fixed paper core member 12.

My container 10 has as its basic component ya box blank 13 which is shown in FIG. 6 before it is folded and assembled. -For purposes of illustration, the box blank 13 is Ishown as the well known regular slotted carton, but l may use other box blank configurations such as one that provides a `full overlap top .and bottom. The box blank 13 is preferably constructed from corrugated box material of suitable strength and is cut and Iscored to form a pair of end panels 1-4 and 15 and a pair of side panels 16 and 17 which form the four sides of the container. Adjacent one of the side panels 17 lis an assembly tab 13 that forms the manufacturers joint. This member could, if desired,

be eliminated if the manufacturers joint is formed by 4taping the side panel 17 to the end panel 14 rather than by stitching the assembly tab 18' to the end panel 14. Each of the side walls and end walls has a closure section or flap atV each upper and lower edge. For example, attached to theV upper and lower edges of the sideV panels 16 and 17 are'liaps 19, 2tirand 21, 22, respectively, and attached to the upper and lower sides of the end panels 14 and 15 are closure flaps 23, 24 and 25, 26. The flaps 19, 21 `and 23, 25 will be considered the sections forming the top closure of the container `and the flaps 20, 22 and 24, 26 will be referred to as the bottomclosure sections. The `side panels 16 and `17 `are generally rectangular and cent-rally located Vin them are -a pair of circular openings 27 yand 28 which may be die-cut when the box blank 13 is formed. On one of the end panels 15 near its upper end is a U-shaped scored or perforated line 29 which can be readily fractured to form an access door 30 into the container 10 whenit has reached its destination.

As stated previously, the material tov be packaged is generally coiled about a fixed -core member 12 of some rigid materiaLfhaving a substantial diameter.y According to vthe invention, this cylindrical roll-of material 11 is Vmounted- Within the container di! so that none of its sides ytouch or bear against the inner sides of the container. In order to accomplish this suspension of the heavy bulky coil of material as shown in the embodiment of FIGS.

1-3, thecontfainer 10 provides a rigid cylindrical coreV member V31 that extends between the ` side panels 16 and 17. The core member 31 is supported at each end by a pair of Vcup members 32 which are made of metal, .plastic or some other suitable rigid material. Each cup member 32 is an integral member having a generally circular .end portion 36. The end portion 36 terminates with an inwardly annular iiange portion 37 in the center of which is an opening 38.k The openings 38 on each cup V32 are preferably reinforcedalong their edge by .a bent over cir- `cular bead 39. The cylindrical barrelportion 35 of each vcup member 32 is adapted to fit snuglywithin the central coremember 31 and its tapered end portion 36 serves as a self-centering guide means that makes it easier for the cup members to be inserted intoy the core member and opening 27 and 28 during the loadingand assembly of Y the container 10.

To strengthen the container 10 around each cup member 32 an annular washer 40 of any suitable -sheet material vmay be used between the outward extending radial lflange 34 of each cup 32 and the container sidewall 16 or 17 adjacent thereto. The washers 40 help to alleviate the stress on the box produced by the suspended reel of material by distributing it over the entirearea covered by -the washers 40 rather than having it vconcentrated at one before they are formed.

'In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the cups l 32are attachedto thecontainer side Walls 16 and 17 so that they do not rotate relative thereto but instead form a snug fit within the circular openings 27 and 28. In this embodiment, after the cup members 32 Vare inserted into eachof'the circular openings 28, 28 and into the ends of the central core member `31, a series of radially outwardly extending dimples 41 are formed Iin the cylindrical sides of each cupmember 32. The dimples or protuberance 41 extendginto the central coremember 31, locking the cup member-s 32 to its ends just inside the side walls 16, 17 of the container 1t).

In some instances it may be `highly desirableto be able to rotate the reel of material from outside the container, by providing a rigid connection between the cup members and the fixed core of the reel. This feature is accomplished by the modified form of therinvention shown in FIG. 4. Here, the central core 31a, which originally is slidably fitted into the fixed core 12a of the reel of material, is preferably longer than the core 31m FIG. 3 and extends to the outer surface of the side panels 16a, 17a of the container 10a. The circular openings 27a Vand 28a in the side walls 16a, 17a have a larger diameter and are preferablyV reinforced by annular` bearing rings 42. The members 42 which may bemade from any suitable rigid material such as an nexpensive'plastic, have a width somewhat greater than the side wallsla, 17a of the container and a radial ange portion 43 that is preferably bonded to the containerwall Varound the openings 27a and ZSb. The inside diameter of the member 42 is' somewhat greater than that of the core 31a but less than that of the xed core 12a of the reel of material. With the cup members 32a fitted snugly within the ends of the core member 31a there is a running annular clearance between the bearing members 42 and the core'member 3in1. In this arrangement, the cup members 32a are staked at spaced apart intervals to form radially extending detents 41a that connect the cup members 32a to both the core member 31a and the core 12a. Thus, the cup members 32a are rigidly fixed to the reel of material in the container and they'rcan be rotated relative to the container so that by using a suitable means a torque can be applied to the cups to wind-Yup the reel inside the container.

A further modification of my invention is shown in FIG. 5 wherein a pair of cup members 32h are fitted directly into and rigidly fixed by means of staked detents 41b to the fixed'core 12b of a reel of material. Thus, in this arrangement, no central core meinberrsuch as 31a is used. Here again, as in the modification of FIG; 4, bearing V*members 42b are supplied to reinforce the openings 27bVV and 28h in the'container side walls" and to furnish bearing surfaces for the cup members 3211.

An important aspect of my invention is` the novel method by which the Yheavy rolls or coils 11 of material Vsuch as tread rubber are loaded intothe containerrlll as it isbeing assembled. This method is best shown by FIGS. 8-10. Y Yin FIG. 8, the rollA of tread rubber material 11 having In the vfirst step of the method, illustrated a fixed core member 12 and a loosely fitting central core member 31 is supported at the ends of its fixed core member 12 bya pair of narrow spaced Vapart cradlemembers The cradleI members 45 are attached to some suitf 'able frame device 46 and are therebyV supported on the floor near their er1-ds.` In a production line loading Vsystem the members 45 may comprise the endportions ,of

a support rack on which a plurality of rolls may be mounted in readiness for being packed. K

With the roll 11 4supported as described, a box blank 13, folded and connected toform an open sleeve, is yplaced over the roll 11l and theV supported cradle members-45 Vas shown in FIG. 9. The box sleeve is positioned so that the lcircular box openings 27,v 28V are inregister with the ends o f the looselyrfitting central core 31 placed inside the ,fixed core 12 of the roll 11.

, In the third step of the Vmethod `(FIG. l0), the cup vmembers 32 are driven axially into thebox openings 2 7 and 28 and into the ends of the central core 31, the wash- V ers 40 (or bearing members 42) being first placed between the cup memberrouter ange's 34 and the sides 16 and 17 ofthebox. y

The fourth step ofthe method is `best shown by reference to FIG. -3'or 4 andfinvolves the staking of the cups 32 to form the Vradially extending dimples 41 which lock the cups 32 firmly to the ycentral core member .31, as shown in FIG. 3, or also to the fixed core member 31a mettons as shown in the modification of FIG. 4. This dimpling or staking step can be done rapidly by mechanical means almost simultaneously with the insertion of the cups 32 into the central core member 31.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, another feature of my invention is that although the roll of bulky heavy material 11 is suspended within the container 16 it can be prevented from rotating therein when packaged for shipment and handling. Also it can be easily released for rotation when it is desired to remove some of the material from the container. This feature is accomplished in a ifth step of my method which is to attach the free end 47 of the coil ma-terial 11 to the inside surface 44 of the end wall of the container and preferably at the access door formed by the perforated line 29. Any suitable means can be used to attach the free end 47 of the roll 11, but I prefer to use a series of spaced apart drops 48 of contact cement of any suitable type (see FIG. 2A). At the free end 47 of the roll of material a lifting tab 49 is provided that extends away from the inside surface 44 and can be readily grasped and torn loose when the access door 3G has been opened.

In the sixth and final step of the method, the container i9, with the roll of material 11 now rmly retained within the box sleeve, is removed from the cradle members and the end closure ilaps are folded to the closed position and sealed by the conventional means.

When the container 10, according to my invention, is received by the consumer it can be placed in the desired position such as on a rack or on a pipe 5t) extending through the openings 3S in the cups. The access door 30 is then fractured and opened to provide access to the free end 47 of the material 11. When this is done, with the box 19 properly in position, the end 47 of the coil of material can be easily torn loose from its fixed position on the access door 30 and the desired length of material can be removed and used, leaving the remainder of the material still coiled within the box and protected from dirt and moisture.

With my invention it is also possible to load a oontainer after it has been assembled by winding it up on a core that is retained within the container. For example, a container structure similar to that of FIG. 4 could be used. In the case of tread rubber, the stock could be connected directly at one end to the iixed core 31a and a torque could be applied to rotate the attached cups 32a. Or, another method (not shown} would be to wind the material on a core supported by mandrel extended within the assembled container, after which the mandrel would be removed as the cups are installed in the core in accordance with the invention as previously described. The foregoing serves to illustrate the unusual versatility of my unique container.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim.

1. A shipping and storage container for retaining a coil of relatively heavy material having a uniform width and thickness comprising: a box member including a pair of opposite end panels, a pair of opposite side panels, and enclosure means connected to said end panels and side panels, said side panels having axially aligned circular openings therethrough; a cylindrical central core extending between said openings; and a pair of cup members extending through said openings and also within the ends of said central core to retain the central core within said box, said central core being slidably disposed within the fixed core of a coil of said heavy material; whereby said coil of material is completely suspended within said container and supported about its fixed core.

2. A shipping and storage container for retaining a coil of relatively heavy material having a uniform width and thickness comprising: a box blank, said blank being slotted, scored, and folded to form a box member including a pair of opposite end panels, a pair of opposite side panels, and enclosure means connected to said end panels and side panels, said side panels having centrally located and axially aligned circular openings therethrough; a cylindrical central core extending between said openings; a core cup member in each of said openings and engaged in an end of said central core to retain it within said box, said central core being disposed within the fixed core of a coil of said heavy material; means on the inner surface of one of said end panels of said box for retaining the end or" said coiled material in a iixed position; and an access door in a said end panel adjacent to said end of the coiled material; whereby said coil of material is completely suspended within said container and supported about its fixed core.

3. A shipping and storage container for retaining a coil of relatively heavy material having a uniform width and thickness comprising: a box blank of corrugated paperboard material, said blank being slotted, scored, and folded to lform a box member including a pair of opposite end panels, a pair of opposite side panels, and enclosure means connected to said end panels and side panels, said side panels having centrally located and axially aligned circular openings therethrough; a tubular central core extending between said openings; a pair of core cup members, each having a radially extending flange and an axial body portion disposed snugly in one of said openings and also in the ends of said central core to retain it within said box, radially extending detent means for securing said cup members to said central core; said central core being retained within the fixed core of a coil of said heavy material; whereby said coil of material is cornpletely suspended within said container and supported about its lixed core.

4. A shipping and storage container for retaining a coil of relatively heavy material having a uniform width and thickness comprising: a box blank of corrugated paperboard material, said blank being slotted, scored, and folded to form a box including a pair of opposite end panels, a pair of opposite side panels, and enclosure means connected to said end panels and side panels, said side panels having centrally loacted and axially aligned circular openings therethrough; a cylindrical central core extending between said openings; a pair of core cup members, each said cup member having a radially outwardly extending iiange at one end, a cylindrical body portion, and a radially inwardly extending iiange at the other end of said body portion forming a central opening, each said cup member extending through one of said box openings and also within one end of said central core to retain it within said box; said openings in said box side panels having a greater diameter than the diameter of the body of said cup members but less than the diameter of said outwardly radially extending flange; detent means for securing said cup members to said central core, said central core being within the iixed core of a coil of said heavy material; whereby said coil of material is completely suspended within said container and supported about its fixed core.

5. A shipping and storage container for retaining a coil of relatively heavy material having a uniform width and thickness comprising: a box blank of corrugated paperboard material, said blank being slotted, scored, and folded to form a box including a pair of opposite end panels, a pair of opposite side panels, and enclosure means connected to said end panels and side panels, said side panels having centrally located and axially aligned circular openings therethrough; a cylindrical central core ex tending between said openings; a pair of core cup members, each said cup member having a radially outwardly extending flange at one end, a cylindrical body portion, and a radially inwardly extending ange at the other end of said body portion forming a central opening, each said cup member being disposed snugly Vin one of said box openings and also in the end of said central core to retain the latter within said box, said openings in said box side panels having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the body of each of said cup members, said cup members being thus substantially lixed relative to said box; detent means for securing said cup members to said central core, said central core extending through the ixed core of a coil of said heavy material; whereby said coil of material is completely suspended Within said container and supported about its ixed core.

6. A shipping and storage container for suspending a coil of relatively heavy material about its rotational axis Within the container comprising: a box member including` a pair of opposite end panels, a pair of opposite side panels, and enclosure means connected to said end panels and side panels, vsaid side panels having axially aligned circular openings therethrough; tubular core means comprismembers rigidly connecting said cup members to said inner core member; whereby said cup members are rotatable relative to said container when said coil is rotated.

Y References Cited by the Examiner Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 485,712 11/92 VRogers 206-52 1,098,479 6/14 Clark 242-68 1,713,129 5/29 lHope 206-52 1,919,769 7/33Y Brown 242-68.6 X 1,935,367 11/33 Lippiu 242-685 X 2,045,035 6/36 Rock 242-686 2,106,726 2/38 Draeger 206-52 2,155,140 4/39 Markle 242-1186 2,262,874 11/41 Wright 206-52 2,330,117 9/43V Feinberg 206-58 2,591,576 4/52 lVIcCOrmiCk 206-52 X 2,646,877 7/53 SchollV 206-52 X 2,822,084k 2/58 Eilertsen 206-52 X 2,836,292 5/58 Klein 206-58 2,864,495 12/58 Ritchie 208-56 XV 3,083,928 4/63 VOiSSern 242-586 X THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, EARLE I. DRUMMOND,

' Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. 6. A SHIPPING AND STORAGE CONTAINER FOR SUSPENDING A COIL OF RELATIVELY HEAVY MATERIAL ABOUT ITS ROTATIONAL AXIS WITHIN THE CONTAINER COMPRISING: A BOX MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPPOSITE END PANELS, A PAIR OF OPPOSITE SIDE PANELS, AND ENCLOSURE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID END PANELS AND SIDE PANELS, SAID SIDE PANELS HAVING AXIALLY ALIGNED CIRCULAR OPENINGS THERETHROUGH; TUBULAR CORE MEANS COMPRISING AN OUTER CORE MEMBER FIXED WITHIN SAID COIL AND A LONGER INNER CORE MEMER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID OUTER CORE MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID OPENINGS AND SUPPORTING SAID COIL OF MATERIAL WITHIN SAID CONTAINER; ANNULAR BEARING MEMBERS ATTACHED TO SAID SIDE PANELS AROUND SAID OPENINGS; A PAIR OF CUP MEMBERS WITH AN OUTWARDLY RADIAL FLANGE FITTED LOOSELY IN EACH OF SAID OPENINGS BUT SNUGLY IN THE ENDS OF SAID INNER CORE MEMBER TO RETAIN IT WITHIN SAID BOX; AND A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING DETENT MEMBERS RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID CUP MEMBERS TO SAID INNER CORE MEMBER; WHEREBY SAID CUP MEMBERS ARE ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO SAID CONTAINER WHEN SAID COIL IS ROTATED.

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