US2954914A - Self locking containers - Google Patents

Description

M. J. HERLIHY SELF LOCKING CONTAINERS Oct. 4 1960 2 Sheets-S eat 1 Filed ec. 1, 195a INVE TOR.

MICHHEL J. HERLIHY BY 6' Ryan" A YT ZNEY Oct. 4, 1950 J. HERLIHY saw LOCKING CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1958 Axi 1 4.

INVENTOR. MICHHEL J. HERLIHY SELF LOCKING CONTAINERS Michael J. Herlihy, Middle Haddam Road, Portland, Conn.

Filed Dec. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 777,507

1 Elaim. (Cl. 229-34) This invention relates to improvements in shipping cartons or cases and is directed particularly to the provision of a novel carton especially adapted for repeated use.

I The carton or case may be shipped by a produce man for example, to its destination, the contents removed therefrom, and then returned to the producer for refilling and reshipping. Economy is thus eflected and because of the special construction, the cases or boxes may be easily piled upon one another when filled and while performing their carrying function, and may be easily stacked in a nested relation when empty in such a way as to facilitate economical and safe return for use again.

A special feature of the invention is that the box is particularly capable of permitting facile and eilicient shipment of such perishable and bulky articles as bunches of bananas, for instance. Such articles are not only difficult to handle in transport but must be treated with considerable care and preferably ventilated to some extent.

According to the invention, there is provided a receptacle orcontainer distinctively formed to efficiently accommodate a bunch or bunches of bananas which, as is Well known, are of an irregular size and shape. As special: features the receptacle is strengthened or reinforced at ends and edges so as to prevent collapse of the same and; toavoid possible injury to its contents. 1 V

The receptacle is formed with reinforced end openings so that it can be conveniently carried in a loaded condition.

As an important object of the invention there is provided a unitary box-forming blank which may be delivered to the producer, grower or shipper in a flat condition, thereby saving space and expense in shipment, and which may be readily set up into shipping or containing position by said producer or grower. The construction of said set-up containers being such that a plurality thereof may be nested, after being emptied, so as to be economically and easily returned for their reuse.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming -a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled carton embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on a reduced scale taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a flat blank employed in forming the carton of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of another flat blank embodying a modification of the invention. 7

Fig. 6 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of a reinforcing strip employed on the receptacle.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a receptacle preferably formed from a unitary or single blank of fiberboard, cardboard, or corrugated board as it is commonly known. obviously vary, the sheet material mentioned is especially suitable since it is economical, suificiently strong, and bendable at desired places while at the same time not readily distortable at places where such is not desired. In addition, the corrugated board may have a cellular structure which provides a shock-absorbing cushion to the contents of the carton.

The preferred form of the blank of the invention is indicated generally by 20 and consists of a sheet of material cut to have a central panel 24 which serves as the bottom wall of the box or case, and while preferably rectangular, may obviously vary in shape and size. Extending outwardly from opposite sides of the bottom wall are side walls 26 preferably of equal size and shape as shown.

End wall members 30 which are preferably flaring, extend outwardly from opposite end edges of the bottom wall. End flaps 32 are hinged to opposite ends of the side walls 26. As shown, the blank is cut at lines 27 so that the parts 30 and 32 are not directly connected but are relatively movable into adjacency in a manner to be explained.

. It will be noted that the members 30 taper or flare outwardly, that is, their marginal edges extend in outwardly diverging relation from their jointure on dotted lines 31 with bottom wall to a transverse line 33. Beyond line 33 members 30 have inwardly tapered extensions 34 formed with lateral outwardly extending wings or flaps 35. This structure permits the receptacle when in set-up position to take the general outwardly flaring formation from bottom to top shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The outer blank portions 34 are each formed with a rectangular hole 36 which may be considered to be a hand-hole. A rectangular U-shaped cut or slit 37 is formed in each of members 30 between lines 31 and 33 for forming a flap 39. This flap is adapted to fit into and through hole 36 and serving as a reinforcement and hand grip when the flap is folded on dotted line 41.

The flaps 32 at each end of the blank are each provided with a rectangular cutout 43 so that when the box is in a set-up position, the cut-out portions 43 coincide with the opening 36. The various portions of the blank are relatively bendable on the bending lines represented by dotdash lines in Fig. 3.

Near the bending lines 45 in the side walls 26 are formed rectangular slots or holes 47 positioned so that the wings 35 on the end wall portions 34 fit into and extend through the holes 47 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The various parts of the blank from which the receptacle is preferably formed having been described, the method of setting up the blank will now be explained.

The side walls 26 are folded upwardly along the parallel lines 27 of the center panel 24, and the end walls 30 are turned to vertical positions flaring outwardly at slightly greater than right angles to panel 24. The end flaps 32 are then folded inwardly along the bending lines 45 to lie adjacent the end members 30. The members 30 and 32 at opposite ends of the receptacle are brought into overlapping relation and the parts of the blank are so formed, as shown, that the walls in the set-up position are relatively fiat. The outer ends 32 of the members 32 are brought into substantial abutment inside the receptacle as shown in Fig. 2 with each pair of flaps 32 in coplanar disposition.

It will be understood that the construction of the reeeptacle is the same at each end thereof. In setting up the receptacle, the end flaps 32 are folded into adjacency with the inner side of end wall 30. Then end wall portions 34 are folded inwardly on bending lines 33 and 33 to overlie flaps 32 on the inside of the receptacle. This brings holes 36 in registration with the cutouts 43 and Patented Oct. 4, 1960 While the particular material employed may cut 37, so that flaps 39 can be folded inwardly and upwardly through holes 36 to form hand grips and handhole reinforcements as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Before end wall portion's34 are folded inwardly, a rectangular-shaped metal strip 50 having a U-shaped cross section may be fitted over the upper free edges26 of side walls 26 and edges 32 of flaps 32. This maintains the rectangular configuration of theopen top of the receptacle, and when the end wall portions are folded down there is provided a triple thickness of material at the ends of the receptacle which reinforces the end wall structure.

The reinforcing strip50 may be formed from a single flat of metal bent into rectangular form with a U-shaped cross section as shown in Fig, 6.

In Fig. 4 is shown one form of structure for the fiberboard; The board includes two fiat, smooth sheets 52 land 54 made of strong kraft paper with a center core 56 shaped into corrugated form to define elongated cells 58 between the core and the outer walls 52, 54.

' "In the form of the invention shown in Fig, 5, depending hook or extensions 58 are formed with wings 35. These books are adapted to lock. the wings in the holes 47 on the outer sides of the walls 26.

The extension of the wings 36 through the register-ing openings 47 makes unnecessary the use of supplementary stitching, stapling, adhesive or the like for securingparts 30, 32 and 34 together. The triple-ply end walls, composed of members 30 and 32, provide sturdy'reinforcement for the receptacle and assure that the produce to be carried therein, such as the stalk of a banana bunch, for example, will not puncture the reinforced edge wall when shifting endwise.

If desired, a suitable removable cover or closure may be provided for the receptacle.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that'various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A produce container formed from a unitary foldable blank offiberboard' adapted for setting up into a unitary receptacle having relatively tapering sides, comprising a substantially rectangular bottom wall, side wall members extending outwardly from opposite longitudinal marginal side edges of said bottom wall, end flap members extending from opposite end. edges of said side walls, end wall members separate from said end flaps extending from oppositeends of said bottom wall, said end wall members being provided with slits forming hand-grip flaps and with flap receiving openings, said end flap members being provided with'rectangular cutouts adapted to cooperate to form further flap receiving openings, said end wall members having laterally extending wings, said side walls having wing receiving openings, said side walls being bendable relative to the horizontal bottom wall into substantially upright positions, the end flap members being bendable inwardly relative to the side walls with said end wall members and end flap members at opposite ends-of the receptacle in overlapping position, the end wall members having inwardly tapered extensions foldable over the end flap members so that said flap receiving openings and cutouts are in registration with said flaps being extended through the flap receiving openings and cutouts and folded upwardly, said Wings being extended through said wing receiving openings to prevent separation of said extensions and end flap members, said wings having hook extensions thereon for locking said wings onthe outer sides of said side walls, and a rectangular metal strip having a U-shaped cross section overlying upper free edges of said side walls and said end flap membersand underlying said end wall members.

, References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,426,783 McCormick Sept. 2, 1947 2,465,588 Hartman Mar. 29, 1949 2,762,554 Burman "Sept. 11, 1956 2,775,389 Weiner Dec. '25, 1956 2,778,560 Pfeifier Jan. 22, 1957 2,838,222 Papadopoulous June 10, 1958 2,917,220 1959 Bostock Dec. 15,

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