US2149720A - Sealed shipping case - Google Patents

Description

March 7, 1939. w, A, BECKER SEALED SHIPPING cAsE Filed July 29 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 7,1939. L 2,149,720

SEALED SHIPPING CAS E Filed July 29, 1958 2 Sh eets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES sump smrrmo CASE Walter A. Becker, Charlotte, N. 0.. assignor to. Old Dominion Box Company, Charlotte, N. 0.

Application July 29, I938, Serial No. 222,037

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The object of my invention is toprovide a novel sealed shipping case having absolutely smooth surfaces on all sides, top and bottom; to provide a shipping case having a smooth surface on the outside of the top and bottom to facilitate proper stacking of the cases one on top of the other; to provide extra heavy rims on the top and bottom edges all the way around the case, together with extra corner protection to make a pili'ero proof case; and to make a case in which the top and bottom interlocks with the body of 'the case so that itis impossible to remove either one of them without first cutting the metal strapping; to provide a case in which the strapping merely holds the top and bottom tightly against the body of the case; to provide a case in which the tape seam is protected at its top and bottom so that it is impossible for it to start to tear at these its weakest points; to provide novel means for securing the top and bottom to the case whereby the rounded corners are provided and the cover may be removed by merely severing the fastening strap and to provide novel means for interlacing the metal strap within opposite portions of the top to provide a more eilicient sealing means.

I attain these and other objects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanylng drawings, in which- 7 Figure 1 is a, plan view of the blank from which the walls of the case are made;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank from which both the top and bottom are made;

Fig 3 is a perspective view of the bottom (or top) blank in partly folded position;

which the walls of the case are formed in folded Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the case with the walls and bottom of the case in completely assembled position, and the blank forming the top blank which forms the walls of the case.

Like numerals designate like parts in each of the several views.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I provide a blank, as shown in Fig. 1, from which the side walls of the case are formed; these walls being designated l, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. Each of the walls has a flap 5 connected to the respective walls of the case by a narrow flap section 60. which is defined by the parallel spaced Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the blank from of the case in partly assembled position, with the creases 6, as shown in Fig. 1. The flaps 5 -are spaced from each other by a narrow slot la. The blank forming the walls of the case are held in assembled position by the strip of tape 1 pasted across the free edges of the contiguous walls 4 and l, as shown in Fig. 4.

In Fig. Z'there is illustrated a blank which may be used for forming either the top or the bottom of the case, the top and bottom being identical in shape and mode of assembling. This blank consists of 'a top or bottom portion 8 having a pair of opposite flaps 9, narrow flap sections l2 defined by creases II, and flap extensions Ill. The flaps 9, as shown in Fig. 2 are of slightly less width than the width of the top (or bottom) members 8.

Member 8 also has a pairof opposite flaps 9a, narrow flapextensions l2a defined by the creases II a. Flap extensions Illa and l2a are of slightly shorter length than the flap .9a, whereby to provide the recessed portions l8. This also eflects a slight saving of material.

The cut-in portion l3, as shown in Fig. 2, allows the folding crease I l to lie outside the outer surface of the walls of the shipping case to permit vertical folding of the flaps.

In making this shipping case a blank is cut and creased to form the side walls, as shown in Fig. 1. Blanks similar to the one shown in Fig. 2 are cut and creased to form the top and bottom of the case. The blank shown in Fig. l is folded as shown in Fig. 4 and the strip of tape 1, preferably fabric tape, is glued on, to foldably connect the free edges of adjacent sides 4 and I. If desired, the tape may be stitched on, preferably with wire instead of being glued.

In assembling the shipping case, the blank forming the walls of the case is seated on the blank forming the bottom of the case and the flaps l0 and Illa are folded over to enclose the flaps 5 of the sides of the case, as shown in Fig. 4. The edge portions of flaps i0 and lllawhen folded in assembled position engage the portion of the bottom of the case between the crease ll adjacent the wall of the case and the next parallel crease II. The spaced parallel creases ll give the flaps the necessary flexibility for folding, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The top of the case which is of like shape as the bottom of the case is handled in a similar manner. Metal strips l4 are then inserted between flaps 9 and I 0 on opposite sides of the case and exterior to the flaps Illa and are sealed by suitable seals'S, as shown in Fig. 5. The flaps Illa. and l2a are cut a little short, which provides of the case.

threading room for the straps I, as the straps l4 are inserted on the inside of the flaps l0 and then pass outside the flaps Illa, as shown in Fig. 5. This construction efiects a slight saving in board material. It also has an advantage over the construction shown in my patent application, Serial No. 188,378 on which this is an improvement in that, regardless of how much the corners are crushed in, the bands cannot move up or down; it also forces the customer or packers to place the band in the correct position, which takes advantage of all leverage in pulling outside rims into place.

The interlocking of the flaps of the sides of the case with the flaps of the top and bottom respectively makes it proof against pilfering, although it may be readily opened by cutting the metal sealing straps M.

It will be noted that as thus constructed, the

case provides perfectly smooth surfaces inside the box on all sides and on the top and on the bottom It also provides perfectly smooth outer surfaces on both the top and bottom of the case, which facilitates proper stacking of the cases and is a distinct advantage in moving the cases about one on top of the other and no object such as strapping or string touching each other.

My construction provides extra large rims at the top and bottom edges all the way around the case, together with extra corner protection. Also as the flaps of the top and of the bottom of the case interlock with the flaps at the top and bottom of the side walls of the case,-it is impossible to geteither the top or the bottom of the case off without cutting the straps M. The strain is not placed on the strapping as in ordinary cases but u the strapping merely holds the top and bottom tightly against the body of the case. The corners of the case are rounded by reason of the pressure of the straps l4 and these rounded edges will not cut the fingers when handling the case.

The-fabric tape i2 is glued onto adjacent sides I and 4 to foldablyiconnect the free edges of the walls of the case and has the top and bottom portions of the tape concealed and protected to prevent tearing.

The case can be used over and over again, inasmuch as all that is necessary is to replace the cover and fold the flaps as before, and restrap. The case can be made out of single wall construction corrugated material, double wall construction corrugated material, either what is known as A flute or B flute, or can be made out of any heavy solid cardboard material such as fiber, etc.

A vital weakness on ordinary cases, particularly where carrying heavy goods, is at the top and bottom edges and corners; also on the tape seam; also the fact that there are no places to gethold of the case for handling or moving it about. Extra strapping'can of course be placed around the case if necessary. However, this is not usually advisable inasmuch as the case can be handled and moved about better without any extra strapping. Cases of this type would not require an inside lining such as is necessary to use on wood and veneer. At the same time it has all the strength of the two mentioned.

The top and bottom rims can be made any desired size and if desired can be of sufllcient size to curve down towards the center of the body of the case to give added strength.

What I claim is:

1. In a shipping case of the type described, the combination of a blank folded to form the sides of the case, means foldably connecting adjacent free edges of the sides of the case, flaps at the top and bottom of each of the sides, each of said flaps having a pair of spaced parallel creases on the portion of the flaps adjacent the sides, like top and bottom blanks forming the top and bottom of the case, each of said blanks having flaps of slightly less length than the length of the corresponding sides of the top and bottom of the case, each of said flaps having a pair of spaced parallel creases positioned approximately at their median portion to form outer and inner flap elements, the flaps on the bottom and top blanks foldably engaging over the flaps of the sides of the case to interlock with same when the case is assembled, the pair of opposite end flaps oi the top and bottom flaps being of slightly shorter length than the flaps of which they are an extension, metal straps binding the bottom and top of the case in a tightly assembled position on the case, said straps being inserted within flap members on opposite sides of the case and exteriorly to the pair of opposite flap members of the remaining sides of the case, substantially as shown.

2. In a shipping case of the type described, the combination of a blank folded to form the sides of the case, means foldably connecting adjacent ifreeedges of the sides of the case, flaps at the top and bottom of each of the sides, each of said flaps having a pair of spaced parallel creases on the portion of the flaps adjacent the sides, like top and bottom blanks forming the top and-bottom of the case, each having flaps, and each of said flaps having a pair of spaced parallel creases positioned approximately at their median portion to form outer and inner flap elements, the outer flap element being of slightly greater width than the width of the flaps of the sides of the case, whereby the flaps on the bottom and top blanks may fold- WALTER A. BECKER.

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