US2731191A - Fibreboard shipping container - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 17, 1956 H. w. LAYNE FIBREBOARD SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16. 1952 INVENTOR.

United States Patent FIBREBOARD SHIPPING CONTAINER Harold W. Layne, Beech Grove, Ind., assignor to Anderson Box Company, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation Application June 16, 1952, Serial No. 293,723 4 Claims. Cl. 29-44 This invention relates to a fibreboard shipping container, and is particularly applicable to a self-locking stapleless shipping container for eggs and like products, made of corrugated fibreboard and similar materials.

The object and feature of this invention lies in the construction of a shipping container of the above char- .acterwhich may be formed from a single pre-cut rectangular'blank with a minimum of waste material, and which may be formed into a shipping container with no requirement of stitching or taping. Thus, the structure embodies'the advantages of being produced economically with a minimum of waste material capable of being shipped or stored in the flat both before erectionand after use, and erected for use quickly and without the usual stitching or taping. In addition to the above, the erected container embodies strength in stacking during shipping, due to the strength of the end construction and the solid construction of the bottom panel.

A further feature of theinvention resides in the one piece solid lid construction hinged to and forming a continuation of one of the side walls and having a frictional retaining lock with the opposite side wall, coupled with the provision of a partition insert piece for permitting the closing and locking of the lid without interference therefrom. Thus, the lid structure and its locking arrangement with respect to the side Wall and the insert partition piece prevents the lid from blowing open when the cases are used for haulage in open trucks.

Another feature of the invention resides in the end wall structure which gives the multiple ply strength at the base portion, but to a lesser degree toward the upper portion.

' An additional feature of the invention resides in the open cover lock, whereby the cover or lid of the container may-be folded back against a side wall out of the way when packing or removing the contents. Such side wall is provided with interlocking slots into which the locking ears of the cover lid may be inserted for interlocking action to hold the lid in its folded down out-of-the-way position.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following specifications and the attached drawings, as hereinafter more specifically set forth.

' The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the cut blank from which the containeris erected.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container erected from the blank of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the container taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the container taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

'Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the end lock with parts broken away.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the erected con- 2,731,191 Patented Jan. 17 1956 ICC tainer with the cover lid locked in downwardly extending open position.

In the drawings there is shown a die cut 'fibrewood .blank preferably of corrugated material from which the container is erected. Said'blank and erected container include a one piece bottom panel 10 scored at each end thereof along the lines 11 to permit folding upwardly of an outer clamping ear 12. Each of said ears is scored at 13 and terminates in an inner flap portion 14 having areduced locking projection 15 formed at the end thereof.

Adjacent .the longitudinal edge of the bottom panel and separated by a score line 16 there is a side wall panel 17. At the opposite side of the bottom panel and separated by a score line 18 there is a corresponding side wall panel .19. The side wall panel 19 is formed with a score line 20 along the opposite edge thereof which is broken by a pairof spaced and aligned slots 21. Joined with the side panel 19 there is a narrow inner flap portion 22. The cutout part of the slots 21 leaves an upstanding abutment projection 23.

The other side of the side wall panel 17 is scored at 24 to join therewith a hinged cover lid 25. Said cover lid is of the same width and corresponds in shape to the bottom panel 10 and is formedwith a pair of locking ears 26 adapted to be projected through the slots 21 in frictional locking engagement between the inner flap'22 and the abutment projection 23 to hold it in its closed position for shipment, as shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 6,, said locking ears 26 may be projected through the slots 21a in the panel 19. Thus, the cover lid may not only be locked in its open position; but folded back against the side wa1l'17 in a manner to avoid interference with packing or unpacking the contents.

' At opposite ends of the side wall panel 17 there is an outer end panel 27. Each of said end panels is provided with a slot 23 and a hand hole opening 29, and is separated from the side panel by a score line 30. 'At opposite'ends of the side wall panel 19 there areinner end'pane'ls 31. Each of said panels 31 is formed with slots 28" 'andhand hole openings 29, each adapted'to reg'ister'with the corresponding slot 28 and handlio le opening 29 of the panel 27 when the'container is erected, as shownin Figs. 3 and'4l Said inner panels 31 are joined with the panel 19 by the score lines 32.

' Joined to each of the outer end panels 27 there is an inner reinforcingand locking panel 33 having a hand hole 29 adapted to register with the hand'holes 29 and 29. The locking panels 33 lie adjacent but separated from opposite ends of the cover lid 25 when'th'e blank is cut, and is joined byspac'e'd score lines with the adjacent edges of the outer end panels 27' to be folded inwardly thereof with a lid supportingledge indicated at 34. Opposite the folded over ledge portion 34, at the lower free end of the locking panel, there is provided a lockingprojection' 35, the locking projections 15 and 35 being adapted to extend into and interlock with the opening 36 provided in the bottom panel 10 adjacent each end thereof. As shown in Figs. land 3 the end panels 27 have formed in their hand holes 29 a hand grip 'fla'p 37 which is integral with the 'panel but separated therefrom by a score line 38. The flap comprises approxiinatelyhalf of the cutout portion of the hand hole, being of a width to 'span'the several 'end and locking panels but having a cut away edge at 39 such as to lie flush with the inner surface of t he locking panel 33 so as not to project into the container and interfere with the contents.

When the container is erected the side wall panels 17, 19 are folded upwardly from opposite sides of the bottom, the end panels 27, 31 being positioned in registry with each other. The outer clamping ears 12 are then folded upwardly to extend over the outer surface of the outer panel 27. The inner flap portion 14 of the clamping ear is inserted through the slots 2%, 28 in each end panel and then bent downwardly to engage and interlock the projection 15 in the opening 36, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The inner reinforcing and looking panel 33 comprising a folding extension of the end panel 27, is folded over the upper exposed edges of both end panels to extend downwardly interiorly of the container in adjacent embracing engagement with the inner flap portion 14. The locking projection 35 is then engaged and interlocked in the opening 36. Thus, the container is locked in its erected form, as shown in Fig. 2, through the clamping and holding of the end panels 27, 31 by the clamping ear and flap portion 12, 14, and thereupon reinforced and double locked by the locking panel 33.

Having thus erected the container, the inner flap portion 22 is bent inwardly from the side wall panel 1& leaving the upstanding abutment projections 23 on the outer side of the slots 21 formed thereby. The hinged cover lid is then folded over from the side wall panel 17 with its locking cars 26 bent to extend downwardly for sliding engagement with the inner flap portion 22 into end abutting engagement with the projections 23 for registry with the slots 21. Thereupon the locking ears are projected through the slots with the cover lid closed and resting firmly upon the ledges 34 of the container and panels. Due to the inherent spring tension of the inner flap portion 22 it will have the effect of gripping and clamping the locking ears 36, such as to resist opening of the cover lid, all as more particularly shown and described in the application of Norbert F. Schaefer, Serial No. 225,957, filed May 12, 1951, for Shipping Carton.

The container may include a partition insert of one piece S-shaped formation having a center partition portion 40 and oppositely disposed wing portions 41. Each of the wing portions along the top and bottom edges thereof are provided with cutout flaps 42, which flaps may be hinged inwardly about their respective score lines 43. Said flaps are so spaced that at least one of them registers with one of the slots 21 of the inner flap portion 22. This arrangement of the inwardly disposed flaps 42 is to prevent interference of one of the wing portions 41 with the free entry of the locking ears 26 into the slots. Without such arrangement and with one of the wing portions of the partition insert lying against one of the side walls immediately under and in registry with one of the slots 21, the locking ears would be blocked from entry, wherefore the flaps 42 are bent inwardly to eliminate such interference.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the entire container is of one piece, requiring no stitching or taping in its erection. An observation of Fig. 1 will illustrate the rectangular form of the blank with the minimum of waste material. The bottom panel it? is of one piece and the erected ends of the container are greatly strengthened in that they are formed of five thicknesses of board with the super structure of the end walls comprising three full thicknesses. The container may be very quickly erected from the blank and locked together through the medium of the locking projections 15, 35. It may as readily be disassembled for storage purposes after use. Thus, both for shipment and storage, either before or after use as an erected container, it may be in its knockdown or flat form.

The invention claimed is:

1. A shipping container formed of a single blank of fibreboard including a one piece bottom panel having a slot at each end thereof, adjacent side panels to be folded upwardly therefrom, a hinged cover lid foldable over from the upper edge of one of the side panels, each of said side panels having end panels hingedly formed at opposite ends thereof respectively, the end panels of one side panel overlapping the end panels of the other side panel to provide the end walls when the side panels are erected, said end panels having registering slots and hand grip openings, said slots being located substantially midway thereof and below said openings, a clamping ear hingedly connected to opposite ends of said bottom panel adapted to be folded upwardly exteriorly of and adjacent the outer end panels and having an inner flap portion adapted to be inserted and extend through said slots for folding inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner end panels, inner reinforcing locking panels hinged to the upper edges of the end panels of one of said side panels adapted to be folded inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner end panels and over said flap portion, and locking projections on said flap portions and locking panels adapted to extend into and interlock with said bottom panel slots for clamping and securing said end panels in erected position.

2. A shipping container formed of a single blank of fibreboard including a one piece bottom panel having a slot at each end thereof, adjacent side panels to be folded upwardly therefrom, each of said side panels having end panels hingedly formed at opposite ends thereof respectively, the end panels of one side panel overlapping the end panels of the other side panel to provide double thickness end walls when the side panels are erected, said end panels having registering slots, a clamping ear hingedly connected to each end of said bottom panel adapted to be folded upwardly exteriorly of and adjacent the outer end panels and having an inner flap portion adapted to be inserted and extend through said slots respectively for folding inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner end panels, inner reinforcing locking panels hinged to the upper edges of the end panels respectively of one of said side panels adapted to be folded inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner end panels and over said flap portion, and locking projections on said flap portions and locking panels adapted to extend into and interlock with said bottom panel slots for clamping and securing said end panels in erected position.

3. A shipping container formed of a single blank of fibreboard including a one piece bottom panel, adjacent side panels to be folded upwardly therefrom, each of said side panels having end panels hingedly formed at opposite ends thereof respectively, the end panels of one side panel overlapping the end panels of the other side panel to provide the end walls when the side panels are erected, said end panels having registering slots and hand grip openings, said slots being located substantially midway thereof and below said openings,'a clamping ear hingedly connected to opposite ends of said bottom panel adapted to be folded upwardly exteriorly of and adjacent the outer end panels and having an inner flap portion adapted to be inserted and extend through said slots for folding inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner end panels, inner reinforcing locking panels hinged to the upper edges of the end panels of one of said side panels adapted to be folded inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner and panels and over said flap portion, means for locking said flap portions and locking panels in their inwardly folded position for clamping and securing said end panels in erected position, and a hand grip flap cut from each of said hand grip openings in the outer end panels and hinged inwardly therefrom, said hand grip flaps being trimmed to approximately half the width of the hand grip openings with their inner edges lying flush with said inner reinforcing locking panels.

4. A shipping container formed of a single blank of fibreboard including a one piece bottom panel, adjacent side panels to be folded upwardly therefrom, a hinged cover lid foldable over from the upper edge of one of the side panels, each of said side panels having panels hingedly formed at opposite ends thereof respectively, the end panels of one side panel overlapping the end panels of the other side panel to provide the end walls when the side panels are erected, means for securing said end panels in their overlapped end wall forming position, an inner flap portion extending inwardly and integrally with the other one of said side panels and having a tongue receiving slot therein adjacent its hinged connection therewith, said cover lid having a locking ear formed from the free edge thereof to extend into and lock with said inner flap portion slot, and a partition insert seat-able between said side wall panels having wing portions lying adjacent thereto, at least one of said wing portions normally lying in the plane of the ear receiving slot, and a flap formed in the upper edge of the insert wing lying under the ear receiving slot of said inner flap portion adapted to be bent inwardly thereof to free said slot and permit entry of the locking ear therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,803,736 Sinclair May 5, 1931 1,971,l98 Ottinger Aug. 21, 1934 2,190,433 Palmer Feb. 13, 1940 2,407,463 Williams Sept. 10, 1946 2,459,939 Hill Jan. 25, 1949 2,567,832 Vadner Sept. 11, 1951 2,568,204 Reeser Sept. 18, 1951 2,581,944 Donnell Jan. 8, 1952

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