US3412853A

US3412853A - Package and blanks therefor

Info

Publication number: US3412853A
Application number: US692577A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sylvester L Bayer
Original assignee: TUTTLE PRESS CO
Current assignee: TUTTLE PRESS CO
Priority date: 1967-12-21
Filing date: 1967-12-21
Publication date: 1968-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1985-11-26

Description

S. L. BAYER Nov. 26, 1968 PACKAGE AND BLANKS THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1967 V INVENTOR SYLVESTER L. BAYER ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1968 s. L. BAYER 3,412,853

PACKAGE AND BLANKS THEREFOR Filed Dec. 21, 1967 5 SheetsSheet 2 iNVENTOR SYLVESTER L. BAYER ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1968 s. L. BAYER 3,412,853

PACKAGE AND BLANKS THEREFOR Filed Dec. 21, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Z2 Z6 1 47-a f 50 A 42 52 52 g 6141... @i z:

lNVENTOR S LVESTER L BAYER ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1968 s. L. BAYER 3,412,853

PACKAGE AND BLANKS THEREFOR Filed Dec. 21, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 m'mll%ll (ii "i INVENTOR SYLVESTER L. BAYER ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1968 s. L. BAYER PACKAGE AND BLANKS THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 21, 1967 INV ENTOR SYLVESTER L. BAYER I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,412,853 PACKAGE AND BLANKS THEREFOR Sylvester L. Bayer, Appleton, Wis., assignor to The Tuttle Press Company, Appleton, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Dec. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 692,577 14 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Packages of the class having two end cap members overlying the ends of a row of articles, the two outer articles having hollow end portions and the cap members having bottom wall panels from which extend two tongue-s at the ends thereof which interfit with the hollow end portions of the two outer articles.

Background of the invention This invention relates generally to packaging, and relates specifically to a package for a row of two or more articles in which at least the two outer articles have hollow end portions. This invention is particularly useful in the packaging of tubular articles made from a flexible or structurally weak material, such as rolls of paper.

The typical prior art package for a row of two or more articles in which the outer articles have hollow end portions involves placing a cardboard cap over the ends of the articles. Such a cap is usually an ordinary box open along one side to fit over the ends of the articles. Generally, an overwrap of flexible packaging material is applied around the entire assembly. A prior art package of this type is often used to package, for example, rolls of paper, such as wrapping paper, which are wound into fairly long rolls and form a flexible or relatively structurally weak article. When packaged according to the prior art, it has been found that it is usually necessary to provide a reinforcing core for each roll in the row of articles in order to give a package which has adequate strength.

Summary of the invention This invention provides a solution to the problem of prior art packages heretofore mentioned which enables one to dispense with the usual reinforcing cores for the articles situated intermediate the two outer articles in the row, and still provides a sufficiently strong package. This is accomplished by a package which includes cap members for overlying the ends of the articles aligned in a row. These caps have a pair of special tongues which fit into the hollow end portions or reinforcing cores of the two outer articles in the row, so that in effect a frame of adequate strength is developed. Thus, the articles intermediate the two outer articles in the row will no longer require reinforcing cores, for they are pro tected by a frame comprising the end cap members and the reinforcing cores of the two outer articles.

Some of the objects of this invention are to provide an improved package for a row of articles having hollow end portions in which the package includes cap members having tongues that engage the hollow end portions of at least the two outer articles in the row; to provide a package of particular utility for packaging articles of flexible or structurally weak material which will elimi-- nate the use of reinforcing cores on all of the articles; and to provide the particular carton or package constructions hereinafter described and claimed.

The following description shows several specific embodiments of this invention which are described in a nonlimiting manner for purposes of illustration and to en- 3,412,853 Patented Nov. 26, 1968 Brief description of the drawings In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank of sheet material to be made into a cap member portion of a package in ac cordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cap member partially assembled from the blank shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a package holding a row of tubular articles in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the plane of line 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank of sheet material showing another form of the cap member shown in FIGS. 1-4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cap member assembled from the blank shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a blank of sheet material to be made into a second form of a package according to this invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the package assembled from the blank shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing transparent, flexible sheet material encasing the package shown in FIG. 8 and a row of tubular articles held therein;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view along the plane of line 1010 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a blank of sheet material for another package in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a cap member partially assembled from the blank shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of a cap member fully assembled from the blank shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a blank of sheet material for still another cap member portion for a package in accordance wtih the invention;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a cap member assembled from the blank shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an assembled package holding a row of tubular articles in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view along the plane of line 17-17 in FIG. 16.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, the construction of a package embodying the invention in one of the preferred forms will now be described. In FIG. 1 there is shown a flat blank 21 that is cut and scored to include panels, tabs and other members which define a cap member for overlying the ends of a row of tubular articles in accordance with this invention. In the construction shown the cap member includes a first side wall panel 22, a first bottom wall panel forming member 23, a second bottom wall panel forming member 24, and a second side wall panel 25. First side wall panel 22 and first bottom wall panel forming member 23 are hinged together along fold line 26, and the second "bottom wall panel forming member 24 and second side wall panel 25 are hingedly connected along fold line 27,

fold lines

26 and 27 being parallel.

A pair of

tabs

28 and 29 are hingedly connected to opposite ends of the first side wall panel 22 along spaced

parallel fold lines

30 and 31, respectively, which lines are at right angles to

parallel fold lines

26 and 27 connecting the side wall panels and the bottom wall panel forming members.

Parallel cuts

32 and 33 are formed in tabs 3 28 and 29, respectively, said cuts being at right angles to fold line 26.

Another pair of

tabs

34 and 35 are connected to opposite ends of the second side wall panel along spaced

parallel fold lines

36 and 37, respectively, said fold lines being at right angles to fold line 27. The tabs 34 and contain

parallel cuts

38 and 39, respectively, which cuts are at right angles to fold line 27 and aligned with

cuts

32 and 33, respectively, in such manner that the tabs 28 and 34- and

tabs

29 and 35 will interlock to form a lockend type of closure when the cap member is fully assembled.

A first tongue 40 and second tongue 41 extend from and foldably connect the bottom wall

panel forming members

23 and 24 at the opposite ends thereof and serve to keep said members in a spaced apart relationship while defining a rectangular space between said members when the cap member is in the form of an unassembled flat blank.

The first tongue 40 is composed of a first tongue forming member 42 and a second tongue forming member 43, foldably connected in series by spaced

parallel fold lines

44, 45 and 46 to the first bottom wall panel forming member 23, to each other, and to the second bottom wall panel forming member 24, respectively. The second tongue 41 is composed of a first tongue forming member 47 and a second tongue forming member 48, foldably connected in series by spaced

parallel fold lines

49, 50 and 51 to the first bottom wall panel forming member 23, to each other, and to the second bottom wall panel forming member 24, respectively. The

fold lines

44, 45, 46 and 49, 50, 51 are aligned with each other and are parallel to

fold lines

26 and 27. Parallel cuts 52 extend at right angles from the interior end of each

parallel fold line

44, 46, 49 and 51 toward the rectangular space between the bottom wall panel forming members and terminate thereat.

The cuts are herein shown in solid lines to denote that they extend entirely through the thickness of the sheet material, but they can also be formed by perforated lines. The fold lines are shown as dash lines to indicate that they do not extend through the sheet material but are creased portions of the sheet material and serve as hinges for folding. The various cuts and liold lines can be formed by means or devices generally used in the manufacture of foldable cartons, for example, the cut lines may be formed by die-cutting through the sheet material and the fold lines can be formed by scoring the sheet material so that it will bend easily about the scored portions. The sheet material is best made of foldable material of the type commonly used in the manufacture of cartons such as paperboard, cardboard, or any other similar material, although plastic materials, particularly the self-hinging synthetic plastics, also may be utilized in its construction.

FIG. 2 shows the erected or assembled blank illustrated in FIG. 1. The first side wall panel 22 is folded at a right angle to the first bottom wall panel forming member 23 along fold line 26. The second side wall panel 25 is folded at a right angle to the second bottom wall panel forming member 24 along fold line 27. The second bottom wall panel forming member 24 is brought into overlapping position with respect to the first bottom wall panel forming member 23, the leading edge thereof abutting the first side wall panel 22 along fold line 26. This overlapping arrangement of the bottom wall

panel forming members

23 and 24 results in the formation of a bottom wall panel which is reinforced. Moving the bottom wall

panel forming members

23 and 24 into overlapping position also results in the erection of

tongues

40 and 41 which, as can be seen, are in position to receive and interfit with the hollow end portions of the two outer articles in the row to be packaged.

Tabs

29 and 35 are folded along their

respective fold lines

31 and 37 at one end f the

side Wall panels

22 and 25, respectively, and interlocked by means of the cuts provided, in etfect providing the cap member 53 with an end wall.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a row of five tubular articles 54 is shown packaged in accordance with the invention. Cap members 53 overlie the ends of the tubular articles aligned in a row. Bottom wall panel 55 is formed from the bottom wall

panel forming members

23 and 24 heretofore described. The bottom wall panels 55 have a first side edge 56 from which extends the first side wall panel 22. A typical finished package as shown in FIG. 3 can be encased by a sheet 57 of flexible packaging material (usually transparent) which is wrapped around the assembly of the end cap members 53 and the row of tubular articles 54, but it is not necessary. It is preferred that any wrapping snugly engages the outer surfaces or outline of the assembly thus formed. Examples of suitable materials for the sheet 57 are cellophane, polyethylene coated cellophane, polyethylene coated polyester film, polyethylene film, vinylidene chloride polymer film and wrapping paper.

As indicated in FIG. 4, the

tongues

40 and 41 which extend in a direction normal to the plane of the bottom wall panel engage or interfit with the reinforcing cores 58 of the two outer tubular articles in the row. This form of construction in the package serves to provide rigid support for the entire assembly without the necessity of the articles intermediate the two outer articles in the row having reinforcing cores at additional expense. In effect, a rigid frame is formed comprising the two end cap members 53 and the reinforcing cores 58 of the two outer tubular articles.

FIGS. 5-6 illustrate another form in which some of the principal features of the present invention may be embodied. A fiat blank 21a is shown which illustrates another form of the cap member shown in FIG. 1. The major difference is the arcuate or

U-shaped cuts

60, 61, 62 and 6-3 in

tabs

28, 29, 34 and 35, respectively, to obtain a. different type of lock-end closure. The

cuts

60, 61, 62 and 63 are positioned such that

tabs

28 and 34 and

tabs

29 and 35 will interlock when the cap member 53a is assembled. Alternatively, instead of the lock-end type of closure means illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, a seal-end type of closure means can be used wherein the tabs are glued or otherwise adhesively held together.

FIGS. 7-10 illustrate still another form in which some of the principal features of the present invention may be embodied. A flat rectangular blank 21b is shown as including cuts and score lines at one end thereof to define a first cap member 53b. In the construction shown this first cap member includes a first side wall panel 22, a first bottom wall panel forming member 23, a second bottom wall panel forming member 24, and a second side wall panel 25a which is shared commonly with a second cap member 53b at the opposite end of the blank 21b to be described below. First side wall panel 22 and first bottom wall panel forming member 23 are hinged together along fold line 26, and the second bottom wall panel forming member 24 and second side Wall panel 25a are hingedly connected along fold line 27,

fold lines

26 and 27 being parallel.

panel forming members

parallel fold lines

49, 50 and 51 to the first bottom wall panel forming member 23, to each other, and to the second bottom wall panel fonming member 24, respectively. The fold lines 44, 45, and 46 and 49, 50, 51 are aligned with each other and are parallel to fold

lines

parallel fold line

The blank 21b is shown as including cuts and score lines at the opposite end thereof which define a second cap member 53b. The detailed description of the second cap member 53b is identical to that given heretofore for the first cap member 53b except for designating corresponding parts thereof with the sufiix a.

In addition to the second side wall panel 25a being shared commonly by the cap members 53b at both ends of the package serving to join them and to define a package in tray-like form, this particular embodiment contains no end closure means, e.-g., locking tabs or glue tabs, although it can contain such closure means as is described and shown in FIGS. 1-6 heretofore. A typical finished package is shown in FIG. 9, wherein a sheet 57 of flexible packaging material (iusually transparent) encases the tray and the row of tubular articles 54 contained therein. The sheet 57 is preferably used with this embodiment as illustrated to provide support in view of the fact that the end cap members 53b have no seal-end or lock-end closure means. FIG. shows the

tongues

40 and 41 engaging or interfitting with the reinforcing cores 58 of the two outer tubular articles 54 in the row. Again, the interior tubular articles require no reinforcing cores.

In a further modification of the package illustrated in FIGS. 71(), a second side wall panel a common to both end cap members 53b need not be employed. Each end cap member 53b can use its own independent second side wall panel such as described in FIGS. l-6 heretofore.

FIGS. 11-13 illustrate a further form in which some of the principal features of the present invention may be embodied. A portion of a fiat blank 210 is shown as including a pair of

tabs

28a and 29a hingedly connected to opposite ends of the first side wall panel 22 and extending to but no further than the edge of the fiat blank 210. The respective

parallel fold lines

30 and 31 of the tabs, in addition to being at right angles to fold line 26 connecting the bottom wall panel forming member 23 and the first side wall panel 22, are generally aligned with the interior edges of the first and second

tongue forming members

42 and 47, respectively. Cuts 64 are at right angles to fold

lines

30 and 31 as well as being parallel to and aligned with fold line 26.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show the

tabs

28a and 29a in unassermbled and assembled positions, respectively, with the end cap member 530. The

tabs

28a and 29a are folded at right angles with respect to the first side wall panel 22 along

fold lines

30 and 31 respectively inwardly toward the second side wall panel 25a. The ends of the tabs extend to and abut against the second side wall panel 25a functioning as a reinforcing element and as a separator between the outer and intermediate articles in the row to be packaged. In this case as in the previously described embodiment, a common second side wall panel 25a is not an essential part of the package. If desired, an independent second side wall panel can be used for each cap member 530.

FIGS. 14-17 illustrate a still further form in which some of the principal features of the present invention may be embodied. A fiat blank 65 is shown as including a substantially different arrangement of cuts and fold lines which serve to define another form of an end cap member 53d suitable for use in accordance with the present invention. A first side wall panel 22, a bottom wall panel 66, and a second side wall panel 25b are connected in series by spaced parallel fold l-ines 26b and 27b. A first tongue 67 and a second tongue 68 are each hingedly connected to opposite ends of the bottom wall panel 66 along parallel fold lines 69. Each tongue is composed of a first tongue forming member 70 and a second tongue forming member 71 which are connected along parallel fold lines 72, said lines being parallel to fold line 69. Arcuate members 74 are hingedly connected along parallel fold lines 73 to the opposite free edges of the second tongue forming members 71. The fold lines 73 are parallel to fold

lines

72 and 69 Hingedly connected to opposite ends of the first side wall panel 22 along parallel fold lines 75 are the first end walls 76. Hingedly connected thereto along parallel fold lines 77 are U-shaped tabs 78.

Cuts 79 extend at right angles from fold line 75 in alignment with fold line 26b and serve to separate the end walls 76 and tabs 78 from the tongues 67 and 68- and bottom wall panel 66.

Second end wall panels 81 are hingedly connected to second side wall panel 25b along parallel fold lines 80. Hingedly connected to the second end wall panels 81 along parallel fold lines 82 are reinforcing tabs 83. Cuts 84 extend at right angles from fold lines in alignment with fold line 27b and serve to separate the bottom wall panel 66, and the first and second

tongue forming members

70 and 71 from the second end wall panels 81 and reinforcing tabs 83.

The second side wall panel 25b has a pair of parallel cuts 85 positioned parallel to fold lines 80 in such manner as to receive the U-shaped tabs 78 for the purpose of forming a lock-end type of closure.

FIG. 15 shows the erected cap member 53d with the first and

second tongues

67 and 68 in a position perpendicular to the plane of the bottom wall panel 66, and having their transverse axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottom wall panel. The position of the tongues in this embodiment differs from the position of the tongues in the previously described embodiments only in the fact that the transverse axes of the tongues previously described were parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bottom wall panel rather than perpendicular thereto.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, cap members 53d overlie the ends of a row of tubular articles 54. The first side edge 56 of the bottom wall panel 66 connects the first side wall panel 22 with the bottom wall panel. A typical finished package as shown in FIG. 16 preferably is encased in a sheet 57 of flexible packaging material (usually trans parent).

FIG. 17 shows the first and

second tongues

67 and 68, respectively, interfitting with the reinforcing cores 58 of the two outer tubular articles 54. The first and

second end walls

76 and 81, respectively, overlap and reinforce each other when the cap member is assembled and serve to separate the outer tubular articles in the row from the tubular articles intermediate thereof.

It is contemplated that at least the two outer articles in the row of two or more to be packaged according to this invention will have hollow end portions. In at least the two outer articles the hollow end portions can contain reinforcing cores into which the tongues of the end cap members will be inserted. The reinforcing cores can either be full cores or stub cores.

Conclusion There has thus been described several presently-preferred embodiments of this invention each comprising a package for use with two or more aligned articles in which at least the two outer articles have hollow end portions, the package being formed of opposed cap members each having a bottom wall panel extending over the ends of the articles and tongues which are foldable to a position normal to the plane of the bottom panel to interfit with the hollow end portions of the two outer articles. This structural feature provides an interengagement between the cap members and the packaged articles to form a relatively rigid package that is useful for the packaging of articles of flexible or structurally weak material, such as rolls of paper. The term hollow end portions as used herein in reference to the package articles is intended to encompass articles which have a full core that extends entirely through the article from one end to the other and also articles having a so called stub core comprising a hort core at each end of the article. In the first four embodiments, the tongues are shown as being defined by tongue-forming panels connected to sides of the bottom wall and adapted to be folded to an upright position in which one tongue forming panel is superposed over the other, and in the fifth embodiment, the tongues are formed as panels connected to opposite end of the bottom wall. Various forms of locking panel constructions are shown to aid in holding the end caps in their desired erected condition. The invention is illustrated in the form of a pair of separate but identical end caps and also in the form of a tray having one long side panel extending the length of the packaged articles with an end cap construction of the specified type defined along each end of the long side wall panel.

I claim:

1. A package in combination with two or more aligned articles wherein at least the two outer articles have hollow end portions, the package comprising two opposed cap members overlying the respective ends of the articles, each cap member comprising (1) a bottom wall panel overlying the ends of the articles,

(2) a first side wall panel connected to at least a portion of a first side edge of the bottom wall panel,

(3) a second side wall panel connected to at least a portion of an opposite side edge of the bottom wall panel,

the bottom wall panel having a first tongue and a second tongue foldably connected to said panel at opposite end thereof, said tongues extending in a direction normal to the plane of the bottom panel and interfitting with the hollow end portions of the two outer articles.

2. A package in combination with two or more aligned tubular articles of a flexible or structurally weak material wherein at least the two outer articles contain reinforcing cores, the package comprising two opposed cap members overlying the respective ends of the articles, each cap member comprising (1) a bottom wall panel overlying the ends of the arti-cles,

the bottom wall panel having a first tongue and a second tongue foldably connected to said panel at opposite ends thereof, said tongues extending in a direction normal to the plane of the bottom panel and interfitting with the reinforcing cores of the two outer articles.

3. The package of claim 2 including an outer wrapper covering the cap members and the articles and snugly conforming to the outline thereof.

4. The package of claim 2 wherein the first side wall panel and second side wall panel of each end cap member are connected together by end closure means.

5. The package of claim 2 wherein the two cap members are joined together by a side wall panel which is common to both.

6. A package in combination with two or more aligned tubular articles of a flexible or structurally weak material wherein at least the two outer articles contain reinforcing cores, the package comprising two opposed cap members overlying the respective ends of the articles, each cap member comprising (1) a bottom wall panel overlying the ends of the articles, said bottom wall panel comprising a first bottom wall panel forming member and a second bottom wall panel forming member, the bottom wall panel forming members connected respectively to a first side wall panel and a second side wall panel, and being joined together by a set of first and second tongue forming members foldably connected to each end thereof,

(2) a first side wall panel connected to at least a portion of a first side edge of the bottom panel,

(3) a second side wall panel connected to at least a portion of an opposite side edge of the bottom panel, the bottom wall panel having a first tongue and a second tongue defined from the tongue forming members foldably connected to said panel at opposite ends thereof, said tongues extending in a direction normal to the plane of the bottom wall panel and interfitting with the reinforcing cores of the two outer articles.

7. The package of claim 6 wherein the two cap members are joined together by a side wall panel which is common to both.

8. The package of claim 6 wherein two tabs extend from opposite ends of the first side wall panel, each tab extending at right angles with respect to said panel toward and abutting the second side wall panel at a position intermediate the tongues.

9. The package of claim 8 wherein the two cap members are joined together by a side wall panel which is common to both.

10. A package in combination with two or more aligned tubular articles of a flexible or structurally weak material wherein at least the two outer articles contain reinforcing cores, the package comprising two opposed cap members overlying the respective ends of the articles, each cap member comprising (1) a bottom wall panel overlying the ends of the articles, v

( 2) a first side wall panel connected to at least a portion of a first side edge of the bottom wall panel,

the bottom wall panel having a first tongue and a second tongue foldably connected to said panel at opposite ends thereof, said tongues extending in a direction normal to the plane of the bottom panel and interfitting with the reinforcing cores of the two outer articles,

the first and second side wall panels each having tabs hingedly connected thereto at opposite ends thereof, said tabs extending at right angles with respect to said side wall panel, the tabs from the first and second side wall panels overlapping each other at the respective ends of said panels at positions intermediate the first and second tongues.

11. A blank for erection into a carton for packaging a row of aligned articles wherein at least the two outer articles have hollow end portions, comprising a bottom wall panel including (a) a first bottom wall panel forming member, ('b) a second bottom wall panel forming member spaced therefrom, (c) a first tongue connecting said first and second members across one end thereof and a second tongue spaced from the first tongue and connecting said first and second members along an opposite end thereof, each tongue being connected to said first bottom wall panel forming member along a first fold line and being connected to said second bottom wall panel forming member along a second fold line, and each tongue including a third fold line intermediate the first and second fold lines, said first, second and third fold lines being parallel to each other;

a first side Wall panel connected to the first bottom wall panel forming member along a fourth fold line, a second side wall panel connected to the second bottom wall panel forming member along a fifth fold line, the fourth and fifth fold lines being parallel to the first, second and third fold lines;

said blank being foldable to an erected condition wherein the first and second bottom wall panel forming members overlie each other, the first and second side walls are foldable to an upright condition about the fourth and fifth fold lines, and the tongues are foldable about the first, second and third fold lines to an upright condition between the first and second side walls.

12. A blank according to claim 11 wherein the first side wall panel includes a tab at each ofits opposite ends, each tab defined by a fold line across the first side wall panel perpendicular to the fourth fold line and spaced inwardly from its end of the first side wall panel a distance at least equal to the width of a tongue.

13. A blank according to claim 11 wherein the second side wall panel is longer than the first side wall panel and has its end opposite from the fifth fold line connected along a sixth fold line to a second bottom wall panel of the same construction as the aforesaid bottom wall panel, and

another first side Wall panel is connected to the opposite side of the second bottom wall panel along a fold line parallel to the fourth fold line.

14. A blank for erection into a carton for packaging a row of aligned articles wherein at least the two outer articles have hollow end portions, comprising a bottom wall panel;

a first side wall panel connected along a first fold line to one side of the bottom wall panel, and a second side wall panel connected along a second fold line to a second side of the bottom wall panel opposite from the first along a second fold line parallel to the first fold line;

a tongue connected to each end of the bottom wall panel along a third fold line perpendicular to the first and second fold lines, each tongue including a first tongue-forming panel connected to the bottom wall panel along a third fold line and a second tongue-forming panel connected to the first tongueforming panel along a fourth fold line parallel to the third fold line;

a first end wall panel connected to one end of the first side Wall panel and a second end wall panel connected to the opposite end thereof along fifth fold lines perpendicular to the first and second fold lines, a third end wall panel connected to one end of the second side wall panel and a fourth end wall panel connected to the opposite end thereof along sixth fold lines perpendicular to the first and second fold lines, a locking tab connected to each of the first and second end walls and a locking slit defined in the second side wall panel near each end thereof, and a reinforcing tab connected to each of the third and fourth end wall panels;

said blank being foldable to an erected condition wherein the first and second side Wall panels are folded about the first and second fold lines to an upright condition relative to the bottom wall panel and the locking tabs engage the locking slits with third and fourth end wall panels and the reinforcing tabs positioned inside the first and second end wall panels, and with a tongue positioned outside of each end wall upon folding of the second tongue-forming panels about said fourth fold lines and folding of the first tongue-forming panels about the third fold lines.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,829,942 11/1931 Pettibone 206 2,250,491 8/1941 Lurrain 206--65 JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner.