US3315874A

US3315874A - Drop-front carton having tear strip in cover flaps

Info

Publication number: US3315874A
Application number: US412106A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth T Buttery
Original assignee: Brown Co
Current assignee: Fort James Corp
Priority date: 1964-11-18
Filing date: 1964-11-18
Publication date: 1967-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 1984-04-25

Description

Apu-ii 25, 1967 K. T. BUTTERY 3,315,874

DROP-FRONT CARTON HAVING TEAR STRIP N COVER FLAPS Filed Nov. 18, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l JZ f?? JOJ i Y 1/@22 01" jfgzzfze/ 2152/54 eff April 25, 1967 K. TV BUTTERY 3,315,874r

DROP-FRONT CARTON HAVING TEAR STRIP IN COVER FLAPS Filed Nov. 18, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 25, 1967 K. T, BUTTl-:RY

DROP-FRONT CARTON HAVING TEAR STRIP IN COVER FLAPS 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed NOV. 18, 1964 Q H f.

United States Patent 3,315,874 DROP-FRUNT CARTON HAVING TEAR STRIP 1N COVER FLAPS Kenneth T. lluttery, Kalamazoo, Mieli., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Brown Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 412,106 16 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) The present invention relates to cartons, and is more particularly concerned with a carton having a tear strip provided in its cover flaps and a front which may be dropped after the tear strip is removed, which carton lmay be readily erected from an integral cut and scored blank and sealed shut by means of automatic machinery, and to a novel method for gluing the carton.

Cartons having a vso-called flip top cover hingedly connected to the edge of the rear panel, which may be erected with the cover in sealed condition and which may be readily opened by the removal of a tear strip, have become exceedingly popular, particularly as containers for food items such as ice cream. Once the tear strip is removed, the cover maybe opened for access to some or all of the contents, and may be reclosed for further sto-rage until the contents have been completely consumed. Cartons of the type described which have been available in the prior art, although satisfactory in use, have the disadvantage that they are difficult to construct and seal on automatic machinery.

Prior art cartons are generally provided with an outer front wall member integral with the cover of the carton, having its own flaps extending at the ends thereof. A tear strip is provided as an integral unit and extends from the end of one outer front wall llap, across the outer front wall, and to the end of the opposite outer front wall flap. Such a structure is ditlicult to construct into a carton from an integral blank and requires expensive machinery for the purposes of erection and sealing.

In copending application S.N. 308,108, filed Sept. 1l, 1963, entitled Carton Having Tear Strip in Cover Flaps, a carton is disclosed and claimed which is formed from an integral blank, the cover of the carton having three cover flaps, each of the cover flaps having a separate tear strip formed therein comprised of spaced apart substantially parallel fracture lines. Two of the cover flaps are provided with terminal connecting aps for aiiixing to the adjacent cover flap. When adhesive materiall is provided in the proper areas, and the cover flaps glued in place, a sealed carton may be ,formed having a continuous tear strip extending the entire length of the Icover aps, and wherein the entire tear strip may be removed with a continuous tearing motion. Because `of the particular type of construction, the carton may be readily erected, filled, and sealed with relatively simple and inexpensive machinery.

Although the carton of the above-identified application is admirably suited for packaging products such as ice cream and frozen foods, it is somewhat less admirably suited for packaging such products as pies and other baked goods, which goods ymay be `more conveniently re moved from the front of the carton rather than from the top. l

It is an object of the present invention to provide a topopening end-filling carton which may be sealed and subsequently opened .by the removal of a tear strip. It is another object to lprovide such a carton which may be readily reclosed when it is desired to store unconsumed contents. It is a further object to provide a carton of the type described which may be formed from an integral cut and scored blank. `It is a still further object to provide a carton of the type described which can be readily erected and subsequently sealed by means of relatively simple and inexpensive machinery. llt is an additional object to provide a carton of the type described having a drop-front or folding down lfront structure. It is still another 4object to provide a novel method for gluing and assembling such cartons. foregoing and additional objects will beeomemore fully apparent hereinafter.

The invention in its preferred embodiment is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the cut and scored blank from which the carton is formed, viewed from the inside.

FIG. 2 is a perspective yview of the assembled and sealed carton.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton with the tear strip completely removed, and with the cover partially open and the front in folded down or dropped position; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cut and scored integral blank, viewed from the outside, wherein selected areas have a glue-resist coating applied thereto.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the invention, wherein all `of the parts are numbered and wherein the same num-bers are used to refer to corresponding parts throughout.

In a preferred form, the carton of the invention is constructed from an integral blank as illustrated in FIG. 1. The structure comprises a rear wall member 1, a bottom member 2, and a front wall member 3 hingedly connected together at score lines. The rear wall member l and the front wall :member 3 have

liaps

4 and 5 hingedly connected at their ends. A pair of inner end or side wall flaps 8 are hingedly connected at the ends or sides of the bottom 2. A cover 9 is hingedly connected to the rear wall 1 at a score line. Cover ap members comprising outer end wall members 1li and 11 and an outer front wall member 12 are hingedly connected to the cover 9. Each cover flap is divided into three areas by a pair of spaced apart substantially

parallel fracture scores

13, 14 and 15. The areas com-

prise glue strips

16, 17 and 18,

tear strips

19, 2d, 21 and 22, and

coverl flaps

23, 24 and 25. The cover llap member 12 is provided with

terminal extension flaps

26 and 27 having

fracture scores

28 and 29 positioned as extensions of one of the fracture scores 14, dividing the terminal extensions into

cover ilap extensions

32 and 33, and tear strip lextensions 34 and 35. The

glue strips

16 and 18 are cut transversely to provide

glue strip segments

16a and 18a at the forward ends of the glue strips. The length of the

segments

16a and 18a from the score lines about which they hinge to their ends should be substantially the same as the length of the flaps 5. The outer front wall member 12 is cut medially to divide the tear strip formed lby the fracture scores 14 into the two tear strips Ztl and 21, and to define

tabs

38 and 39 at the ends of the tear strips. Glue is applied to the blank, as shown by stippled shading in FIG. 1, at the

glue strips

16, 17 and 1S, 16a and 18a, and at

glue areas

30 and 31.

In an alternative embodiment, instead of providing the outer front wall member with terminal extensions at each end, as shown in the drawings, one of the outer end wall members may be provided with a terminal extension which, when the carton is erected, is overlapped by and adhesively aixed to the adjacent end of Ithe outer front wall member. The outer front wall member has a terminal extension at its other end which is overlapped by and adhered to the adjacent end of the other outer end wall flap. As a result, a single integral tear strip is formed when the carton is erected which may be removed in a single tearing motion. In removing the tear strip of this embodiment, it is preferable that the tearing operation be carried out in such a direction that each terminal extension is below and lifts the end of the tear The accomplishment of the strip of the wall member to which it is adhered, thus er1- suring that the adhered parts will not separate during removal of the tear strip.

Although the tear strips 19, Ztl, 2l and L22 may be provided with a uniform width which is the same width as that of the terminal extension tear strips 3d and 35, in order to compensate for imperfection of registry during assembly of the carton, it is preferred that the

tear strips

19 and 22 be wider at their engaging end than the tear strip extensions 34 and 35. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the fracture scores at the forward ends of the tear strips I9 and 22 diverge to enlarge the tear strip ends while the terminal extension tear strips 34 and 3S are provided with a narrower width than the tear strips 20 and 2l. As a `result of this configuration, the enlarged tear strip ends completely cover the tear strip extensions 34 and 35 even though the respective parts are not in perfect registry when the carton is assembled.

The fracture scores dening the tear strips may be formed by slits of any suitable configuration. However, in a preferred embodiment the slits are provided in the form of a V, each slit having a leg divergent with respect to the center of the tear strip in the direction of tear, terminating in a leg substantially parallel to the direction of tear and defining the outer boundary of the tear strip, the slit configurations on opposite sides of the tear strip preferably being staggered. Tear strips having fracture scores of this configuration tear readily and cleanly, and the line of tear is confined to its intended course. This is particularly important at the crease of the cover flaps where they are adhered to the tear strips of the terminal extensions of adjacent cover flaps. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the preferred configuration is provided only in the fracture scores of the cover flaps proper, since this generally sufces. However, if desired the preferred configuration may also be used to provide the tear strips in the terminal extensions.

In assembling the carton, the front wall member 3 is first folded ov`er. The cover 9 is then folded over and the glue strip 17 glued to the front wall member 3. This step may be performed by the carton manufacturer, and the cartons are `generally shipped in this folded form to the packager. To erect the carton further for filling, the folded carton is squared up as on a conventional squaring machine. One end is then closed by folding in sequence the inner end wall ap 8, the

flaps

4 and 5, and the

ap

26 or 27. The outer

end wall member

10 or 11 is then folded over and glued to the previously folded flaps. The carton may then be filled at the end remaining open. After filling, the open end is folded and glued in a manner similar to that described with regard to the first end. As a result of the method outlined the carton is sealed, and two integral tear strips are formed, one including

tear strip segments

19 and 20 and the extension 34. The other tear strip comprises

tear strip segments

21 and 22 adhesively connected by the extension 3S. The assembled carton is shown in FIG. 2.

To open the carton the

tabs

38 and 39 are grasped and both of the tear strips removed. The cover may now be lifted open, and subsequently reclosed. Additionally, the front wall member and its flaps may be dropped to facilitate removal of the carton contents from the front of the carton without the necessity for lifting the contents as shown in FIG. 3. This is made possible since the tear strips 16 and 18 are notched, slit, or cut to provide the two severed or

severable segments

16a and 18a, respectively. The slitting or cutting may be complete or partial as by scoring. Consequently, when the tear strips are removed, the

segments

16a and 18a become separated from the cover flaps proper and remain attached to the flaps 5 which may then be unfolded or dropped together with the front wall member 3 to form an opening through which the contents of the carton may be readily discharged.

As a further feature of the invention, instead of applying glue selectively to the areas shown in FIG. 1, a glueresist coating may be applied to selected areas of surfaces of the carton which will come in contact engagement with the glue applied to the glue aps, but which areas must remain free of adhesion for proper functioning of the carton. As a result, the glue flaps may be given general coatings of glue. When the aps are glued to the carton, even though the flaps have general applications of glue, those areas engaging the glue-resist coated surfaces will not adhere thereto. This expedient enables a simpler process and simpler apparatus to be used for applying glue to the aps.

FIG. 4 illustrates the outside surface of an integral blank similar to that of FIG. l, wherein glue-resist coatings have been applied to selected

areas

414i, 4l, 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46. When the carton is erected and sealed, areas 4d, di, and 42 are positioned so that they will be in contact engagement with the panel 23 and the tear strip 19, and flaps 32 and 34 of the lateral extension 26. Areas d3, Lid, and l5 are positioned so that they will be in contact engagement with panel 25, tear strip 22, and flaps T13 and 3S of lateral extension 27. Area d6 of the front wall 3 is positioned to be in contact engagement with panel 21tand tear strips 2d and 21 when the carton is assembled. As a result of the application of the selected glue-resist areas, glue or any other adhesive may be applied to the entire panels li), lll and 12. Normal adhesion will occur only between the glue applied areas and those portions of engaging panels which do not have a glue-resist coating. Those areas which do have a glue-resist coating remain free of adhesion with their respective contact-engaging panels. Further, alternatively, the carton can be constructed of thermoplastic-adhesive laminated sheet material and the necessary adnesive provided by back-cutting those areas which will be opposed to the normally glue coated areas with numerous slits or openings, and the necessary seal effected lby extruding adhesive through the said openings by application of heat or pressure or both.

The carton and method of the present invention have a number of advantages over prior art cartons of a similar type. The carton may be readily erected and closed by means of simple machinery. This is made possible by the structure provided in the cover and cover flap members. The tear strip may be provided in individual panels which are adhered together during erection of the carton to form integral tear strips. The provision for a fold-down or drop-front facilitates the removal of particular types of contents such as baked goods from the carton. Moreover, the novel method of applying a glueresist coating to certain selected areas of the carton prior to erection permits utilization of simpler procedures for applying the adhesive to the flaps.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, or exact materials or em-bodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent tO one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

ll. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover aps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, said cover flaps having terminal extensions afxed to an adjacent cover flap, said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover aps being secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover flaps being secured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions, the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end aps may -be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

2. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide a bottom member 'having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall mem-ber, and end aps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover flaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, one of said outer end wall members having a terminal extension aflixed to an end of said outer front wall member adjacent thereto and the other end of said front wall member having a terminal extension atiixed to the outer end wall member adjacent thereto, said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover flaps `being secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member ybelow the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover aps being secured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions, the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

3. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall mem-ber, and end flaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover aps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, said outer front wall member having a terminal extension at each end, said cover aps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spacedapart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover flaps being secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said outer end wall members overlapping and being secured in alignment to the tear strips of said terminal extensions, said outer front wall member being cut to provide a medial opening dividing said tear strip into two segments with a graspable portion at the end of each segment, said segments cooperating with the tear strips of adjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integral tear strips, and the margins of said outer end wall members lbelow the lower of said fracture scores `being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

4. A carton according to claim 3 wherein the ends of the tear strips of said outer end wall members have a width greater than that of the tear strips of said terminal extensions to which they are secured.

5. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end lflaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover aps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, said outer front wall member having a terminal extension at each end, said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spacedapart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover flaps being secured to -said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores the tear strips of said outer end wall members overlapping and being secured in alignment to the tear strips of said terminal extensions, said outer front wall member being cut to provide a medial opening dividing said tear strip into two segments and defining a tab at the end of each segment, said segments cooperating with the tear stri-ps of adjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integral tear strips, said fracture scores comprising `a plurality of V-shaped slits each comprising a leg divergent with respect to the center of the tear strip in the direction of tear and terminating in a leg substantially parallel to the direction of tear and defining the outer boundary of said tear strip, said V-shaped slits being oriented so that each of said integral tear strips may be removed by tearing from said medial opening to the opposite end of said tear strip, `and the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end :flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

6. An integral blank suitably cut and scored for forming into a carton comprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover flaps comprising outer end wall mem-bers and an outer front wall member, said cover flaps having terminal extensions adapted to be affixed to an adjacent cover flap, said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover flaps being adapted to be secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips `of said cover flaps being adapted to be secured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions, the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said carton is erected `and said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end tiaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the yresulting open front thereof.

7. An integral blank suitably cu-t and scored for forming into a carton comprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner Jrront wall member, and end flaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member an-d provided with cover flaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, one of said Vouter end wall members having a terminal extension adapted to be afiixed to an end of said outer front wall member adjacent thereto and the other end of said front wall member having a terminal extension adapted to be affixed to the outer end wall member adjacent thereto, said cover fiaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover fiaps being adapted to be secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover flaps being adapted to be secured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions, the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said carton is erected and said tear strip is removed, said inner front `wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

fl. An integral blank suitably cut and scored for forming into a carton comprising a bottom member having inner end wall members lattached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover fiaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, said outer front wall member having a terminal extension at each end, said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover flaps being adapted to be secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said outer end wall members being adapted to overlap and to be secured in alignment to the tear strips of said terminal extensions, said outer front wall member being cut to provide a medial opening dividing said tear strip into two segments with a graspable portion at the end of each segment, said segments being adapted to cooperate with the tear strips of adjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integral tear strips, and the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said carton is erected and said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end fiaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

9. An integral blank according to claim 8 wherein the ends yof the tear strips of said outer end wall members have a width greater than that of the tear strips of said terminal extensions to which they are adapted to be secured.

10. An integral blank suitably out and scored for forming into a carton comprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end fiaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cove-r adapted to be hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover flaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, said outer front wall member having a terminal extension at each end, said outer end wall members and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantial-ly parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover flaps being adapted to be secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall `member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover flaps being adapted to overlap and be secured in alignment to the tear strips of said terminal extensions, said outer front wall member being cut to provide a medial opening dividing said tear strip into two segments and defining a tab at the end of each segment, said segments being adapted to cooperate with the tear strips of adjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integral tear strips, said fracture scores comprising a plurality of V-shaped slits each comprising a leg `divergent 4with respect to the center of the tear strip in the direction of tear and terminating in a leg substantially parallel to the direction of tear and defining the outer boundary of said tear strip, said V-shaped slits being oriented so that each of said integral tear strips may be removed by tearing from said medial opening to the opposite end of said tear strip, and the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantiallythe same length as the end aps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said carton is erected and said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end aps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

ll. An integral blank suitably Icrut and scored for forming into a carton comprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear `wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear lwall member and provided with cover fiaps comprising outer end wal-l members and an outer front wall member, said cover flaps having terminal extensions adapted to be affixed to an adjacent cover flap, said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spacedapart substantially Iparallel fracture scores `defining `a tear strip, said cover aps being adapted to be secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover flaps ybeing adapted to be secured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions to form an integral tear strip, the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front 'wall member, said cover flaps being completely coated on one side with an adhesive, and selected areas of said carton flaps adapt ed to be positioned in contact engagement with said adhesive-covered fiaps and which are to remain free of adhesion thereto having a glue-resist coating `provided thereon, whereby when said carton is erected, said cover flaps are secured to said inner end wall member and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover aps are secured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal eX- tensions, and when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

12. A method for erecting a carton from an integral blank suitably cut and scored for forming into a carton comprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end fiaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover fiaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, said cover flaps having terminal extensions adapted to be affixed to an adjacent cover flap, said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a `pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scores `defining a tear strip, said cover flaps being adapted to be secured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member below the llower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover flaps being adapted to be secured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions to form an integral tear strip, the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end fiaps '0f Said inner front wall member; said method comprising coating said cover fla-ps completely on one side with an adhesive, coating selected areas of said carton flaps adapted to be positioned in contact engagement with said adhesive-covered flaps and which are tto remain free of adhesion thereto with a glue-resist coating securing said cover flaps to said inner end wall member and to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, and securing the tear strips of said cover flaps in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

13. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end tiaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover flaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, said cover flaps having terminal extensions aiixed to an adjacent cover flap, said cover flaps each being provided with a Ipair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracturing scores defining a tear strip and said terminal extensions each being provided with means defining a strip hingedly connected to one of said tear strips, said cover aps being secured to said end flaps and said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracturing scores, and the tear strips of said cover aps being adhesively secured together in alignment by the strips of said terminal extensions, the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

14. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover flaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, one of said outer end wall members having a terminal extension atiixed to an end of said outer front wall member adjacent thereto and the other end of said front wall member having a terminal extension aiiixed to the outer end wall member adjacent thereto, said cover flaps each being provided with a pair of spacedapart substantially parallel fracturing scores defining a tear strip and said terminal extensions each being provided with means defining a strip hingedly connected to one of said tear strips, said cover flaps being secured to said end flaps and said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracturing scores, and the tear strips of said cover flaps being adhesively secured together in alignment by the strips of said terminal extensions, the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same -length as the end iiaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

15. A carton formed of a-n integral blank cut and scored to provide a bottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rea-r wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to said rear and nner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said yrear wall member and provided with cover iaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, said outer front wall member having a terminal extension at each end, said cover iaps each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracturing scores defining a tear strip and said terminal extensions each being provided with means defining a strip hingedly connected to one of said tear strips, said cover flaps being secured to said end flaps and said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracturing scores, and the tear strips of said outer end wall members overlapping and being adhesively secured in alignment to the strips of said terminal extensions, said outer front wall member being cut to provide a medial opening dividing said tear strip into two segments with `a graspable portion at the end of each segment, said segments cooperating with the tear strips of adjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integral tear strips, and the margins of said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

16. A carton according to claim 15 wherein the ends of the tear strips of said outer end wall members have a width greater than that of the strips to which they are secured.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,162,556 6/1939 Lagaard 229-51 3,131,851 5/1964 Pace 229-51 3,168,975 2/ 1965 Buttery et al 229-51 3,197,114 7/1965 Holmes 229-51 3,197,115 7/1965 Peter 229-51 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. D. M. BOCKENEK, Examiner,

Claims

1. A CARTON FORMED OF AN INTEGRAL BLANK CUT AND SCORED TO PROVIDE A BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING INNER END WALL MEMBERS ATTACHED THERETO, A REAR WALL MEMBER, AN INNER FRONT WALL MEMBER, AND END FLAPS ATTACHED TO SAID REAR AND INNER FRONT WALL MEMBERS, A COVER HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID REAR WALL MEMBER AND PROVIDED WITH COVER FLAPS COMPRISING OUTER END WALL MEMBERS AND AN OUTER FRONT WALL MEMBER, SAID COVER FLAPS HAVING TERMINAL EXTENSIONS AFFIXED TO AN ADJACENT COVER FLAP, SAID COVER FLAPS AND SAID TERMINAL EXTENSIONS EACH BEING PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF SPACED-APART SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FRACTURE SCORES DEFINING A TEAR STRIP, SAID COVER FLAPS BEING SECURED TO SAID INNER END WALL MEMBERS AND TO SAID INNER FRONT WALL MEMBER BELOW THE LOWER OF SAID FRACTURE SCORES, THE TEAR STRIPS OF SAID COVER FLAPS BEING SECURED TOGETHER IN ALIGNMENT BY THE TEAR STRIPS OF SAID TERMINAL EXTENSIONS, THE MARGINS OF SAID OUTER END WALL MEMBERS BELOW THE LOWER OF SAID FRACTURE SCORES BEING DIVIDED TRANSVERSELY INTO TWO SEGMENTS, THE SEGMENT AT THE FORWARD PORTION BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME LENGTH AS THE END FLAPS OF SAID INNER FRONT WALL MEMBER, WHEREBY WHEN SAID TEAR STRIP IS REMOVED, SAID INNER FRONT WALL MEMBER AND ITS END FLAPS MAY BE UNFOLDED TO PERMIT THE CONTENTS OF THE CARTON TO BE REMOVED THROUGH THE RESULTING OPEN FRONT THEREOF.