US1984371A - Folding carton - Google Patents

Description

13, 1934- 1'. c. HAZARD ET AL 1,934,371

4-0 Thgodove C. fiayn'd Yxc g Ls unbur cam Anderson Dec. 18, 1934. 1- HAZARD AL 1,984,371

\ FOLDING CARTON "Filed Nov. 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 1mg: Glenn Qydevson Wu ya W Patented net. 1a, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Grand Rapids, Mleln, assignors to Ameri eanBox Board Company, Grand Rapids, Mieln, a corporation of Michigan Application November 14, 1932, Serial No. 642,582

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to boxes and more specifically pertains to folding cartons.

One defect of folding cartons lies in the means whereby they are locked in their folded position 5 inasmuch as the locking oftentimes becomes reagainst accidental pressures and which will be-' leased or unlocked and hence permits the carton to unfold accidently, such being extremely undesirable. Another deficiency in some cartons of this type lies in their weakness of construction, due primarily to the hinge structures, such failing to properly reinforce the cartons when in their folded positions. 1

Our invention overcomes the first of these difli culties by providing locking means which is easily and quickly locked and which will remain locked tion of. the box together with means for holding them exactly in their most eilicient position.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious qualities reside in the special construction, combination and arrangement of the various elements forming the invention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cardboard box equipped with our invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the box in fully closed position.

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the overlapped position of the locking tabs duringthe process of their movement to locking positions.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the locking tabs in fully locked position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the box in an unfolded position and showing the right hand side thereof turned inwardly and downwardly, the corners at this side being partially unfolded in order to better illustrate the details of construction.

Fig. 8 is a view looking in the direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5.

. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Numeral 10 indicates a side of the box which will hereinafter be called the bottom, 20 indicates the top and 30 the rear edge, this rear edge usually being provided with a handle member (not shown) by means of which the box may be conveniently carried in the manner of carrying a suit case.

The box is formed from an integral piece of material, as, for instance, cardboard, such being cut and folded in a novel manner as will now be described.

The bottom member 10 has an end portion 11 which terminates in a second end portion 12 and side members 13, see Fig. especially, extend along the bottom member and terminate even with the juncture between the end portions 11 and 12, thus forming a substantially square corner portion 14 which is adapted to be diagonally bent inwardly about the dotted line 15 and next the end portion 12 is folded to overlap the same and stapled in position whereby a sturdy corner construction is provided.

The other end of--the side member 13 is cut so that it may be bent inwardly to form the reinforcing member 16 and is slit as indicated at 17.

The top portion 20 has an end portion 21 and sides 23, these sides being formed as indicated at 24, such providing portions 25 which extend into the slits 17 as the box is folded. This is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The end member 21 is slit as indicated at 26 and the end member 21, being return bent as shown, reinforces the partly cut out section.

The end member 11 is slit as shown, see Figs. 1 and 8 particularly, whereby locking tabs 40 are formed. As is clearly shown in Fig. 5, these locking tabs are bent upwardly from the bottom member 10 on a line which is slightly spaced from the line of bend of the portion 11 whereby the tabs 40 are spaced from the end member 11 as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, such providing a space for the return folded end portion 21 when it is telescoped downwardly over the end 11. During this closing operation, see Fig. 3, the locking tabs 40 are slid sidewise'over one another whereby the upper ends pass through the slit 26, pressure being exerted by the fingers of the folder upon the bottom of the tabs asindicated by the arrows A. when the wider upper portions of the locking tabs are through the slit 26, upward pressure is exerted as indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 4 whereby separation of the tabs is had and consequently the box is locked in its neat and compact folded position.

Shortly previous to the insertion and locking of the locking tabs 40 the portions 25 are inserted in the slits 17, see Fig. 1, and upon complete folding of the carton, see Fig. 2, they are fully inserted to strengthen and hold the several parts in position.

Release or unlocking of the box is had by separating the locking tabs 40 to diflerent planes and then pushing them toward one another by pressure upon their edges whereby they assume the position slightly above that shown in Fig. 3. Then they are pulled downwardly out of the slit 26 and the box is unfolded, the members 25 sliding upwardly and out of the slits 1'? as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 1.

The dotted lines in Fig. 5 indicate the usual beaded ribs whereby folding is had therealong and all of the junctures are so formed, attention again being directed to the offset folding rib at the base of the locking tabs 40 as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The tabs 40, see Figs. 1 and 2, are prevented against movement into the box by the return bent portion 12 of the end member 11. Thus a better connection is had.

Having thus revealed this invention, we claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements, or equivalents thereof, by Letters Patent of the United States.

We claim:

1. A folding. box comprising a bottom member having upturned side members, said side members continuing around adjacent corners of the bottom member for a short distance and having slits extending from said corners back along the said side members, a connecting member integrally connected onto said bottom member at that side of the bottom member adjacent to the said corners from which the said slits extend, a top member extending from said last mentioned connecting member, said top member having depending side members thereon, and portions on the last mentioned side members adapted to be inserted through the slit members, said portions each having an edge adapted to cam against the rear side of its slit whereby the connecting member is held tightly against that portion of the side member which continues around the corner.

2. A carton of the class described comprised of a single integral piece of cardboard or the like, said cardboard being of rectangular construction and bent to U-shaped configuration about its central portion to form a relatively short side portion and two substantially co-extensive top and bottom portions, said bottom portion having sides of equal depth completely around three of its borders and short sides of similar depth extending inwardly for a short distance along said short portion of the U, said top member likewise having depending sides of similar depth around its three free edges, said last mentioned sides being adapted to telescope downwardly over the first mentioned sides, each of the first mentioned sides adjacent the short sides having a slit extending longitudinally thereof a short distance, said corresponding portions of the depending sides of the top member being cut away to form portions which enter said slits for the purpose described.

THEODORE C. HAZARD. WILBUR GLENN ANDERSON.

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