US3329316A

US3329316A - Disposable portable gasoline container having a collapsible plastic-lined spout

Info

Publication number: US3329316A
Application number: US481778A
Authority: US
Inventors: James C Lowe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-08-23
Filing date: 1965-08-23
Publication date: 1967-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1984-07-04

Description

J. c. LOWE 3,329,316 DISPOSABLE PORTABLE GASOLINE CONTAINER HAVING A July 4, 1967 COLLAPSIBLE PLASTIC-LINED SPOUT Filed Aug. 23, 1965 E m E TO &N N L R E O v pr me S E MW A FIG.5.

United States Patent 3 329 316 DISPOSABLE PORTABLE GASOLINE CONTAINER HAVING A COLLAPSIBLE PLASTIC -LINED SPOUT James C. Lowe, 1632 Sunset Ave., Santa Monica, Calif. 90405 Filed Aug. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 481,778 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-183) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a cardboard carton for carrying gasoline from a garage to a stranded automobile, the carton being disposable after use. The structure of the carton includes a flexible pouring spout of paper or cardboard material adapted to be folded flat against an end wall of the carton in a position extending upwardly along the end wall surface, the lower end of the spout connecting with the interior of the container and the upper end being pressed to a flat condition during the folding operation and extending to at least as high as the top wall of the carton. A simple pull tab is provided for folding the spout downwardly when the container is to be used to pour gasoline therefrom into an automobile, this downward movement of the spout causing the spout to unfold to define a passage for the fluid. The structure also includes integral wall extensions providing convenient carrying handles for the container.

This invention relates generally to gasoline containers, and more particularly to an improved portable container which is disposable after use.

On those occasions on which a motorist runs out of gasoline and has to proceed to a service station to obtain a small amount to carry back to his car, it is common practice for the station attendant to demand a deposit to insure that the motorist will return with the container supplied by the attendant.

This deposit is required since the containers usually available for the above-described purposes are made of metals to insure durability, and thus are relatively expensive.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved portable gasoline container which is designed to be disposable after use.

Another object is to provide an improved portable gasoline container composed of light weight, inexpensive materials.

Another object is to provide an improved portable gasoline container which is easily filled and emptied.

Another object is to provide an improved portable container which may be easily folded to facilitate storage prior to use thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved gasoline container which may be manufactured economically.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this invention are attained by providing a container constructed of craft paper or cardboard or the like and having a light gauge plastic envelope lining the inner surfaces throughout to insure no leakage of fluid from the container. Convenient carrying means are provided at the top of the container by means of side wall extensions or flaps in which hand openings are provided. A circular filler or inlet opening is provided in the top of the container of such size to easily accommodate the outlet pipe of the ordinary service station gasoline pump. This inlet opening is provided with a conventional press cap such as employed on a conventional cardboard milk carton, the cap, however, being larger to fit the opening and having a vent hole therethrough. This vent hole is provided to allow the escape of gasoline fumes from the container and to prevent a pressure build-up therein.

A rectangular outlet opening is provided in the lower portion of an end wall of the container and a generally cylindrical spout is attached to the end wall about the outlet opening. The spout is constructed to laterally collapse or fold substantially flat against the end wall of the container and extend upwardly along the end wall to a point above the top wall of the container. The top or outer portion of the spout is lightly secured to the end wall be means of adhesives or the like. Because the spout is collapsible, it folds flat against the end wall of the container, thereby closing the fluid passage through the spout and preventing leakage therethrough. A pull tab is attached to the spout providing means to pull the spout away from the end wall of the container and causing the spout to flex downwardly about the outlet opening in the end wall of the container. As the spout is flexed, the walls thereof unfold and open to provide a flow passage therethrough.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved container;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the operative position of the carrying means; and,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the container showing the spout in its open, downwardly extending position.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 there is shown an improved container 10 having a rectangular bottom wall 11. Rectangular end walls 12, are attached to opposite ends of the bottom wall 11 and extend upwardly at right angles thereto. Rectangular side walls 13 are attached to opposite ends of the bottom wall 11 and extend upwardly at right angles thereto. The end walls 12 and the side walls 13 are attached together at the junctures thereof. A rectangular top wall 14 is attached to the side walls and end walls and is disposed parallel to the bottom wall 11. It is thus apparent that the aforesaid walls are attached and joined together to form a box-like enclosure. A circular inlet opening 15 is located in the top Wall 14 and is adapted to be closed off by a conventional press cap 16 having a vent hole 17.

Flaps or extensions 18 are formed coextensively with the side walls 13 and extend upwardly above the top wall 14. Each of the flaps 18 has a rectangular hand opening 19 therethrough.

A rectangular outlet opening 20 is located in one of the end walls 12 adjacent the bottom wall 11. The opening 20 is equidistantly spaced from the side walls 13.

A generally cylindrical spout 21 constructed of flexible material, such as kraft paper or the like, is arranged to be collapsed and folded into a substantially flat condition against the end Wall 12. Suitable adhesive is provided to hold the spout to the wall. In its collapsed condition, the spout 21 extends upwardly along the end wall 12 to a point above the top wall 14 so that when the container is full of fluid there is no possibility of fluid 'flowing out of the spout. A cardboard pull tab 22 is attached to the top or outer end of the spout 21.

As partly shown in the broken away portion of FIG- URE 1, the inner surfaces of the walls of the container 10 and the inner surface of the spout 21 are lined with a thin flexible plastic envelop 24 composed of polyethylene or the like. The plastic envelope 24 is provided with a circular opening registering with the opening 15 in the top wall 14. The edge of the opening in the plastic envelope 24 is securely attached to the edge of the opening 15 by means of adhesives, such that when the container 10 is filled with gasoline, the gasoline enters the 3 inside of the plastic envelope 24 and is contained thereby. The plastic envelope 24 is further provided with an opening therethrough which is positioned at and registered with the inner walls of the spout 21.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the manner in which the flaps 18 provide a carrying handle is illustrated. Normally the flaps are in a first dotted line position. To form the handle the flaps are folded toward each other in the direction of arrows A to a second position shOWn in solid lines. The hand openings 19 are thus brought together and coincide to form a hand opening by which the container may be carried with one hand.

It is apparent that above-described carrying means is susceptible to an alternative method of use. Since the flaps 18 normally extend upwardly in parallel spaced relationship to each other, as shown in the dotted lines,

the container 10 is easily carried between two persons if so desired. Each person simply places a hand through the opening 19 in each flap 18 and thus the container is easily carried between them.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the spout 21 is show in its open, downwardly extending position having been flexed about the outlet opening 20 in a direction shown by the arrow B. In the position shown, the spout 21 is unfolded to provide a flow passage therethrough which terminates in a spout outlet opening 23. The flexible material of which the spout 21 and the end wall 12 are constructed, is joined together about the opening 20 to form a flexible connection therebetween. Thus, the spout 21 can be easily flexible about the opening 20 without requiring the use of any additional hinge or joint means.

In operation, the press cap 16 is removed and the container 10 is filled with gasoline in the conventional manner. After the press cap 16 is replaced, the flaps 18 are brought together so that the hand opening 19 coincides to form a hand opening by which the container may be grasped and carried.

The container is emptied in the following manner: the pull tab 22 is grasped and the spout 21 is pulled away from the end wall 12 and is flexed about the outlet opening 20 to a position extending downwardly and away from the end wall 12. In so doing, the spout 21 is itself unfolded to provide an open flow passage communicating with the outlet opening 20 and terminating in the spout outlet opening 23. The plastic envelope 24 which lines the inner surfaces of the container and the spout insures that the gasoline within the container will flow out through the spout with no leakage involved. After the container has been used, it is thrown away.

From the foregoing description of the structure and opertaion of this invention, it is apparent that an improved container has been provided which is easy and convenient to use for the purposes stated. The materials used in the construction of the improved container are light weight, of light gauge, and inexpensive and are so constructed and arranged to facilitate folding for storage and easy disposed of the container after use.

Various changes falling within the scope and spirit of this invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The container structure is, therefore, not to be thought of as limited to the specific embodiment set forth.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable portable gasoline container, comprising: a pair of side walls; a pair of end walls joined to said side walls; a bottom wall attached to said side walls and end Walls; a top Wall attached to said side walls and end walls, said top wall having a capped inlet opening therein; handle means attached to and extending upwardly from said side walls, one of said end walls having an outlet opening therein adjacent to said bottom wall; a folding collapsible spout attached to said one end wall about said outlet opening, said spout being folded substantially flat against said one end wall to extend upwardly along said end wall to a point at least as high as said top wall and prevent fluid from passing through said spout; a pull tab attached to said spout, whereby said spout may be flexed downwardly about said outlet opening, said spout unfolding in response to downward movement to provide a fluid passage from said outlet opening through said spout; and a plastic envelope lining the inner surfaces of said container and said spout and having openings registering with said inlet opening and the outlet at the outer end of said spout.

2. A portable disposable gasoline container, according to claim 3, in which said outlet opening is rectangular in shape.

3. A portable disposable gasoline container, according to claim 3, in which said handle means comprises flaps formed coextensively with said side walls and extending upwardly from said top wall, each of said flaps having a generally rectangular hand opening therethrough, whereby when said flaps are folded together the said hand openings coincide to form a carrying means for said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,225,492 12/ 1940 Warrick 229-52 2,899,109 8/1959 Shorkey 222183 3,087,655 4/1963 Scholle 222183 3,095,123 6/1963 Smith 222-l 3,142,421 7/ 1964 Sieracki 222-466 3,170,601 2/1965 Daley 222-153 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,329 11/1933 Germany. 631,370 11/ 1949 Great Britain.

WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A DISPOSABLE PORTABLE GASOLINE CONTAINER, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS; A PAIR OF END WALLS JOINED TO SAID SIDE WALLS; A BOTTOM WALL ATTACHED TO SAID SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS; A TOP WALL ATTACHED TO SAID SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS, SAID TOP WALL HAVING A CAPPED INLET OPENING THEREIN; HANDLE MEANS ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE WALLS, ONE OF SAID END WALLS HAVING AN OUTLET OPENING THEREIN ADJACENT TO SAID BOTTOM WALL; A FOLDING COLLAPSIBLE SPOUT ATTACHED TO SAID ONE END WALL ABOUT SAID OUTLET OPENING, SAID SPOUT BEING FOLDED SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AGAINST SAID ONE END WALL TO EXTEND