US3123275A

US3123275A - bunger

Info

Publication number: US3123275A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1964-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1981-03-03

Description

March 3, 1964 H. D. BUNGER 3,123,275

POUR SPOUT CARTON Filed Feb. 9, 1962 I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Hum! D. EUNG-EK GL GEM ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 H. D. BUNGER POUR SPOUT CARTON 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9. 1962 .R ok me B D W A w H March 3, 1964 H. D. BUNGER 3,123,275

POUR SPOUT CARTON Filed Feb. 9. 1962 4 Sheets-She et s INVENTOR HILARY v. Burleee March 3, 1964 H. D. BUNGER 3,123,275

POUR SPOUT CARTON Filed Feb. 9, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 2 21a ago i FIG.I5

United States Patent 3,123,275 POUR SPOUT CARTON Hilary D. Bunger, Battle Creek, Mich. (Little Fox Lane, Weston, Conn.) Filed Feb. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 172,234 20 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) The present invention relates broadly to cartons, and more specifically to cartons having a reclosable pouring spout as a part thereof.

In the packaging of various types of dry, ready-to-eat cereals, such as bran, corn flakes, puffed wheat and rice, as well as various other loose, flowable materials such as sugar, salt, flour, barley, and rice, the common and substantially universal practice is to pack them in cartons which, in order to remove the contents, must have their tops torn open by either breaking the glued seal of the flaps all the way across the carton top, or by pro-perforating or cutting the carton top, at least at one end, so that the glued top at that end can be pulled up to expose the contents or the inner lining in which the contents are initially enclosed. it has long been recognized by the packaging industry that such cartons are not wholly satisfactory, but they have been used due to the lack of commercially feasible, pouring spout cartons which can be produced at a cost competitive with conventional cartons, and which are foolproof, easily operable, and tightly closable both initially and after having been opened by the user. Pour spout cartons have been proposed in various forms from time to time, but they have all had shortcomings which have rendered them either unsuitable for their intended use or uneconomic in such use.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a carton having an integral pour spout that is easy to open and reclose and is self-locking in reclosed posi tion, the self-locking feature not being substantially mitigated after the pour spout has been opened and reclosed many times.

Another object of the present invention is to produce a pour spout carton which is initially tightly sealed and yet easily opened without damaging or destroying the carton in any way while opening the pouring spout.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pour spout carton which can utilize either conventional, full-size flaps or narrow, economy flaps for saving carton stock.

A further object is to produce a pour spout carton which protects the goods initially packaged in said carton and which is reclosable tightly to provide protection for the goods remaining in the carton after same has been opened and part of its contents dispensed.

A carton according to my invention may take the form of a tubular structure which is conventional in the carton field. The tubular structure includes front and back panels connected by fold lines to an intermediate side panel. A spout flap is connected to the free edge of the side panel at one end of the carton and at least one top flap is connected to the edge of one of the front and back panels at the same end of the carton. The top flap carries means which overlies the free end of the pivotable spout flap when the spout flap is in a closed position in which it has been moved toward the front and back panels of the carton, and in such overlying position the top flap retains the spout flap in closed position. This retaining means is deformable along a predetermined fold line when the spout flap is moved away from closed position, and the spout flap is thereby movable from closed position with no substantial deformation of the spout flap, all deformation taking place in the retaining means of the top flap. Because the spout flap is not deformed as it moves toward open position, it will effect a tight seal and resist wear over a longer period of use. Be-

3,123,275 Patented Mar. 3, 1964 cause that portion of the carton which is deformed, namely, the retaining means carried by the top flap, is deformed along a predetermined fold line, deformation does not produce a high degree of wear in the retaining means or the top flap, likewise permitting opening and closing of the spout flap of the carton many times and thus providing the carton with a relatively lengthy period of useful life.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fold line by means of which the retaining means is joined to the top flap of the carton is rectilinear and extends laterally across the top flap to form a pivotable locking flap at one end of the top flap. This locking flap is sealed to the spout flap before the carton is opened, and the seal is broken when the carton is initially opened. In an advantageous form, the locking flap is provided with a tab at its free edge to facilitate movement of the locking flap about the fold line by means of which it is joined to the top flap.

Another preferred embodiment of my invention is one in which the side panel to which the spout flap is joined is shorter than the front and back panels of the carton, and the top edge of that side panel lies below the plane of the top edges of the front and back panels-of the carton. In such an embodiment the spout flap, in closed position, forms a biased end of the carton, which gives the carton a distinctive appearance on the shelf. A carton according to this embodiment of my invention can be formed with economy top flaps, and so less paperboard is required to produce the carton. Also the biased corner effects advantages because the contents of the carton can be discharged without tilting the carton through as large an arc; further, there is less pressure tending to open the reclosed spout in this embodiment of my carton.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a unitary tab on the free end of the spout flap, which tab projects under the top flap when the spout flap is in closed position. This unitary tab assists in holding the spout flap in closed position, but the spout flap will be so held even if the unitary tab is not provided at its free end. if a carton is provided in which there are two top flaps, each of which is hingeably connected to one of the front and back panels of the carton, it has been found desirable to provide locking flaps at the spout end of the carton on each of the top flaps. When the top flaps are brought into contiguous position and sealed, the two locking flaps which overlie each other at least in part can also be sealed so that they will move together. The provision of dual locking flaps gives more body to the spout flap retaining means of the carton. Where dual locking flaps are used, the locking flap tab should prefer-.

ably be formed on the lower of the two locking flaps so that when the carton is initially opened by a generally upward pull on the locking flaps by means of that tab, the glue seal between the lower locking flap and the spout flap will be broken rather than the glue seal between the locking flaps.

A blank for forming a carton according to my invention comprises the standard front and back panels joined by fold lines to aside panel located intermediate the front and back panels. A spout flap is hingeably joined to the top edge of the side Wall panel and top flaps are hinge ably joined to the top edges of the front and back panels.

The top flaps are connected to their respective panels at.

positions remote from the spout flap and provide a space between each top flap and the spout flap. Locking flaps are joined by fold lines to the inner end of each of the top flaps, and the locking flaps extend into the spaces between the top flaps. and the spout flap. Preferably, each of the locking flaps is bounded by a top edge, a side edge which extends from the top edge downwardly in the direction of the front or back panels, but terminates short thereof, and a biased. edge which extends from the downward terminus of the side edge to the juncture of the top edge of the front or back panels and the fold line by means of which the locking fiap is joined to its top flap. These biased edges provide space in which bellows means attached both to a side margin of the spout flap and the top edges of the front and back panels, respectively, may be inserted. It will thus be seen that the carton-forming blank of the present invention is a unitary structure which requires no more material than a conventional carton and Which can be formed with conventional die-cutting and scoring equipment. When the side wall is shortened to provide the biased corner type of carton, that carton can be formed with economy flaps and so requires less material than most conventional cartons.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when taken in connection with the two preferred embodiments of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a carton blank according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper end of the carton after the blank of FIG. 1 has been formed into a tube with the flaps and pour spout ready for folding and sealing;

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are perspective views of the consecutive steps which result in a folded, glued sealed carton of the embodiment of F163. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 are perspective views of steps which may be followed in reopening the pour spout of the carton;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the end of the carton with its pour spout in opened position;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a step which may be followed in reclosing the pour spout;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the end of the carton after the spout has been reclosed;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a carton blank according to another embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the upper end of a carton formed from the blank illustrated in FIG. 13, the blank having been formed into a tube ready for folding and sealing; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the carton end of FIG. 14 showing the flaps in sealed position prior to the opening of the carton, and also in closed position after the carton has been opened and reclosed.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. '1 thereof, a carton blank, formed of any suitable material such as paperboard, is shown. This carton blank is used to form a pour spout carton according to my invention. A back panel 10 is joined along a vertical fold line 11 to a side panel 12. Panel 12 is joined along a vertical fold line 13 to a front panel 14, and this front panel 14 is joined along a vertical fold line 15 to a second side panel 16. The vertical edge of back panel ll remote from the fold line fl, is provided with a corner flange or connecting flap 17 connected therewith along a fold line 18. When the blank is folded into initial tubular fonm, the blank ends are connected by gluing the corner flange or connecting flap 17 to the side wall 16, as shown in FIG. 2.

Bottom panels

13, 2d, 21, and 22 we joined to the lower ends of panels It), l2, l4, and 16 along substantially aligned

fold lines

23, 24, 25, and 26 respectively. In the finished carton bottom panels 19 to 22 are folded and glued in conventional manner and can be of any conventional type, although for economy of carton stock, the so-called economy, or narrow flaps have been shown.

At its upper end the back panel it) has a horizontal hinge line 27 which provides back panel 10 with a rearward top panel 28, having a tabbed locking flap 29 joined to a side edge of same, along a fold line 3%) which is substantially perpendicular to hinge line 27. The lower edge of this tabbed locking flap is tapered to provide clearance for the portion of the blank to be formed into a pouring spout, which will be hereinafter described.

At its upper end, side panel 16 has a horizontal hinge line 31 which connects said side panel with a top panel 32. Front panel M is provided at its top with a hinge line 33 which connects said front panel with forward top panel 34 having a locking flap 35 joined to a side edge of same, along a fold line 36 which is substantially perpendicular to hinge line 33. The lower edge of this locking flap 35 is also tapered to provide clearance for the portion of the blank to be formed into a pour spout to be described.

The pour spout, which is indicated generally by nuineral 37, will now be described. At the upper end of side panel '12, which is shorter than side panel 16, panel 12 is provided with a horizontal hinge line 38 which connects that panel with a spout flap 39 carrying at its outer end a small unitary edge tab 46' which is not hinged to the spout fiap 39.

One side of spout flap 39 is provided with a hinge line 41 joining same full length to an outer bellows flap panel 42;. That flap panel, in turn, has a hinge line 43 joining it to an inner bellows flap panel 44, which in turn is joined by a hinge line 45 to back panel 1t and extends angularly from one end of hinge line 27 of back panel 10 to the adjacent end of hinge line 38 which joins spout flap 39 to side wall panel 12.

Hinge lines

41 and 43 also terminate at the junction of

binge lines

38 and 45. Outer bellows flap panel 42. and inner bellows flap panel 44 are substantially triangular and approximately of the same size.

At the other side of spout flap 39 same is provided with a hinge line 46 which joins same to an outer bellows flap panel 47, the opposite edge of which is provided with a hinge line 43 which joins said outer bellows flap panel 47 to an inner bellows flap panel 49 which, in turn, is joined by a hinge line 50 to front panel 14. This hinge line 50, which is symmetrical with hinge line 45, extends angularly from the end of binge line 33 to the adjacent end of hinge line 38. Side panel 12 being shorter than side wall panel 16, back panel 10, and front panel 14, makes possible the angularly located pouring spout 37 as illustrated in the assembly drawings. It should be noted that hinge lines 31, 33, and 27 are aligned and parallel to hinge line 38, and that the bellows panels '42 and 44 are symmetrically located with

bellows panels

47 and 49 on the opposite side of spout flap 39.

While plain bellows flaps are satisfactory for many purposes, in some cases a tighter seal is desired, and in that case the upper ends of the bellows flap panels may be provided with crosswise extending creases 51, thus leaving a narrow edge portion across the upper end of each bellows flap panel which, as is shown in FIG. 2, can be bent outward slightly, as indicated by the arrows, to form a tighter seal at the bellows top both before the carton has been opened and when the carton spout is reclosed after having been initially opened by the ultimate consumer of the goods packaged in the carton.

To form the carton with its reclosable spout in accordance with the present invention, the blank, after the fold lines have been formed in accordance with standard procedures, is next supplied with glue 52 in the prescribed sealing areas which are shown in dotted pattern on FIG. 1 but which has been omitted from the other figures for clarity of illustration of other features. With the carton blank thus creased and glued, it is ready for forming into a carton. The first step, as shown in FlG. 2, is to form the blank into a tubular structure with corner flange or connecting flap l7 glued to the inner face of the edge of side wall panel 16. Then before folding the flaps, if creases 51 have been placed in the top portion of the bellows flap panels, it is preferable to bend the outer end of these bellows flap panels outward slightly above the the next step is to fold in top panel 32 (FIG. 3) until it is substantially parallel with

fold lines

27 and 33. At the same time, bellows

flap panels

42 and 44, and 47 and '49 are bent inward about their respective

central fold lines

43 and 48, and simultaneously spout flap 39 is folded inward in the direction shown by the arrow. With the top panel 3-2 and spout flap 39 fully folded in as shown in FIG. 4, rearward top panel 28 with its tabbed locking flap 29 is inwardly folded in the direction shown by the arrow, and this is followed by the inward folding of forward top panel 34 with its locking flap as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5. The glue on the outer face of the tabbed locking flap 29 will anchor the locking flap 35 of forward top panel 34 to same, and then these two locking flaps as a unit are pressed downward onto the outer face of spout flap 39 where they are fixedly held by meansof the glue 52 on the upper end of such spout flap. It is also to be noted by referring to FIG. 1, that the upper end of the outer bellows fiap

panels

42 and 47 are coated with glue so that when the carton is fully sealed, as shown in FIG. 6, the outer and inner bellows flap panels attheir upper end will be sealed together with a small amount of glue to make a substantially airtight and moisture-proof joint. The bottom of the carton can be sealed shut in conventional manner and may be either sealed shut first, before the upper end of the carton, or last, depending upon what procedure works best for the carton gluing, forming, filling, and sealing machinery.

With the carton filled with the product to be packed therein and sealed, it is ready for shipment to a point of resale to the ultimate customer. This embodiment of my carton in its completed form has an appearance diiferent from conventional, fiat top cartons that must be torn open in order to remove the contents. Since the carton does look different, the ultimate customer will give his attention to the simple directions which inform him how to open the spout and then reseal same for storage of the goods between periods of use.

To open the sealed carton it is only necessary to lift the tabbed locking flap 29 with locking flap 35 above same in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 7. This breaks the glue seal which joins these locking flaps to spout flap 39. With the locking flaps raised, as shown in FIG. 8, the side edges of the spout flap 39 are grasped and pulled outward in the direction of the arrow which breaks the glue seal between the outer and inner bellows flap panels at each end of the spout flap. The bellows flaps tend to bellows in somewhat, and if desired they may be initially sprung outward in the direction of the arrows as shown in FIG. 9 which will thus produce a little larger pouring opening with the carton ready for pouring as shown in FIG. 10.

When the open carton is to be reclosed this may be done by threading in the locking flaps 29 and 35, as a unit, between the underside of spout flap 39 and the adjacent outer

bellows flap panels

42 and 47, following which spout flap 39 may be pushed down onto the outer face of the locking flaps to complete the reclosing. However, a preferred reclosing procedure is to hold the locking flaps in upward extending position, as shown in H6. 11, following which the spout flap 39 is pushed down until the edge tab 49 of same passes under the fold lines and 36 of the locking flaps, and then the locking flaps, as a unit, are pressed down over the spout flap 39 so that the reclosed carton has the appearance shown in FIG. 12. With the carton reclosed in this manner, it is exceptionally tight and the relatively rigid edge tab 40 of the spout flap 39, which extends

past fold lines

30 and 36 of the locking flaps, is effective in preventing the spout from opening even if the carton is accidentally dropped onto the floor. It should be noted that locking flaps 29 and must be z 6 raised as a unit each time the carton is opened or closed because they produce a locking etfect'upon the pour'spout 37, as a whole, due to the angular position of'the latter, and those locking flaps create a tight, strong closure of the spout and carton, which closure may be strengthened when the spout flap 39 is provided with edge tab 40.

A furtherembodiment of the carton and carton blank of my invention is illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15. The variousparts of the blank and erected carton shown in these figures have been numbered with the same reference numerals as corresponding parts in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 12, those reference numerals of-FIGS. 13 to 15 having the-letter a appended thereto to indicate that they refer to parts of the further embodiment of the invention. A recital of the individual parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 13 to 15 would duplicate the same disclosure which was presented in detail in regard to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 12;-however,

itwillbe seen that the primary distinction between the carton blank of FIG. 13 and the carton blank of FIG. 1 lies inthe fact'that fold lines 27a, 38a, and- 33a lie in the same, plane and with fold lines a and a form a continuous, straight line. In the carton blank of FIG. 1, fold

lines

27 and 33 will be'seen to lieinthe same plane while fold line 38 is spaced downwardly from fold lines27 and-33. Thus, in'the carton blank of FIG. 1, fold lines 45 and- 50 are required to join foldlines 33 and 27 with fold line--38. In the carton blank of the embodiment of FIG. 13,

fold lines

45a and 50a may still be considered to be separate entities or they may be considered to be part of and extensions of

fold lines

37a and 33a respectively. Also, those portions 'of the bellows flaps 42a, 44a, 47a, and 49a, which extend beyond creases 51 have been eliminated in the embodiment of FIG. 13, those portions merely serving to elfect a tighter closing of the carton. Dotted portions representingglue' have likewise been-omitted from FIG. 13, but these portions can be the same as'those illustratedin the carton blank of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show the further embodiment of my carton by means of illustrations generally corresponding to those of FIGS. 2 and 6. With the exception of the omission of bellows edge portions outside creases 51, the carton of FIGS. 14 and 15 differs from that of FIGS. 2 and 6 primarily in the fact that the biased corner of the carton of FIGS. 2 and 6 is not present in the carton of FIGS. 14 and 15. In FIG. 14 the tubular carton structure has its spout flap 39a extending to a more upwardly position than the spout fiap 39 of the carton of FIG. 2. As seen in FIG. 15, the closed spout flapgives a substantially rectangular appearance to the closed end of the carton, while the closed carton of FIG. 6 has a generally biased or diagonal corner. Where stacking problems are present when a carton according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 12 is utilized, it has been found advantageous to have a top surface of the carton extend completely across the transverse dimension of the carton as it does in the carton of FIGS. 14 and 15. Of course, inother situations it may be found desirable to utilize a carton having a biased or diagonal corner.

It will be obvious that such modifications and alterations in the preferred embodiments of the present carton and carton blank illustrated and described hereinbefore will be'made by those skilled in the art without deviating from the scope of my invention. All such obvious modifications and alterations are deemed to be included within'thepurview of my invention, which is to be limited only by-the scope of the following, appended claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of my copending application Serial No. 791,618, filed February 6, 1959, and now abandoned.

I claim:

1. A carton, comprising front and back'panels joined at their respective side'edges by side panels to forma tubular structure, an inwardly foldable spout flap joined to one of said side panels along one edge thereof at one end of said structure, bellows means on each side of said spout flap connecting said spout flap by means of fold lines to said front and back panels so that said bellows means close and open as said spout flap is pivoted toward said front and back panels to closed position and away from said front and back panels in open position, a top flap connected to the free edge of one of said front and back panels at said one end of said structure, and means on said top flap overlying the free edge of said spout fiap when the latter is in closed position and retaining said spout flap in closed position, said last-named means having a predetermined fold line about which said means is moved when said spout flap is moved away from closed position so that said spout flap is movable from closed position without substantial deformation thereof.

2. A carton as claimed in claim 1, in which said predetermined fold line is rectilinear and extends laterally across said top flap to form a pivotable locking flap at one end of said top flap.

3. A carton as claimed in claim 2, in which said locking flap is initially sealed to said pour fiap prior to the opening of said carton.

4. A carton as claimed in claim 2, in which said locking flap has a tab at its free edge to facilitate manual movement of said locking flap about said predetermined fold line.

5. A carton as claimed in claim 1, in which said one side wall panel is shorter than said front and back panels and said one edge of said one side wall panel lies below the plane of the edges of said front and back panels at said one end of said structure.

6. A carton as claimed in claim 1, in which said spout flap is formed with a unitary tab on its free end, said tab projecting under said top flap when said spout flap is in closed position.

7. A carton, comprising front and back panels joined at their respective side edges by side wall panels to form a tubular structure, an inwardly foldable spout flap joined to one of said side panels along one edge thereof at one end of said structure, bellows means on each side of said spout flap connecting said spout flap by means of fold lines to said front and back panels so that said bellows means close and open as said spout flap is pivoted toward said front and back panels to closed position and away from said front and back panels to open position, a pair of top flaps hingeably connected to the free edges of said front and back panels at said one end of said structure, one of said top flaps overlying and adhered to the other of said top flaps so that said flaps are united at their contiguous surfaces, and a pair of locking flaps one of which is formed in each of said top flaps by congruent fold lines at that end of said top flaps in the direction of said spout flap, said locking flaps being movable together about said fold lines to a position in which they hold spout flap in closed position and another in which they release said spout flap for movement toward open position.

8. A carton as claimed in claim 7, in which said locking tabs are adhered together to facilitate simultaneous movement thereof.

9. A carton as claimed in claim 7, in which the underlying of said locking flaps has a tab on its free edge, said tab projecting beyond the free edge of the overlying of said locking flaps.

10. A carton as claimed in claim 7, in which said side panel is shorter than said front and back panels and at least one of said top flaps has a width substantially less than the distance between said front and back panels at said one end of said structure but sufficient to enable it to lap the other of said top flaps.

11. A carton blank, comprising front and back panels joined by fold lines to a side panel located intermediate said front and back panels, a spout flap joined by a fold line to one edge of said side panel, top flaps joined by fold lines to top edges of said front and back panels at the same 'end of the blank as said spout flap, each of said top flaps being connected to its respective panel at a position remote from said spout flap and providing a space between each of said top flaps and said spout flap, and locking flaps joined by fold lines to said top flaps at these side edges of said top flaps closest to said pour flap, said locking flaps extending from said top fiaps in the direction of said spout flap in the spaces between said top flaps and said spout flap.

12. A carton blank as claimed in claim 11, in which at least one of said locking flaps has formed therein a tab extending from that edge of said locking flap parallel to the fold line by which it is joined to its top flap.

13. A carton blank as claimed in claim 11, in which said locking flaps are bounded by the following edges: top edges which extend toward each other, side edges which extend from said top edges downwardly in the direction of said top edges of said front and back panels but terminate short thereof, and biased edges which we tend from the downward termini of said side edges to the jnnctures of said fold lines by which said locking tabs are connected to said top flaps and said top edges of said front and back panels.

14. A carton blank as claimed in claim 11, in which said side panel is shorter than said front and back panels and in which said fold line joining said spout flap to said side panel is parallel to but out of the plane of said fold lines joining said top flaps to said front and back panels.

15. A carton blank as claimed in claim 13, in which said fold line joining said spout flap to said side panel is disposed toward the other end of the blank with respect to said fold lines joining said top flaps to said front and back panels.

16. A carton blank as claimed in claim 15, in which said spout flap has a free upwardly disposed edge and the top edges of said top flaps and said locking flaps do not extend substantially beyond said free edge of said spout flap.

17. A carton blank as claimed in claim 16, in which said free edge and said top edges lie in substantially the same plane.

18. A carton-forming blank comprising a rectangular side wall panel at one end of the blank, a substantially rectangular front panel having one of its longitudinal edges joined along a fold line to the inner longitudinal edge of said side wall panel, a second rectangular side wall panel having one of its longitudinal edges joined along a fold line to the other of said longitudinal edges of said front panel, a substantially rectangular back panel having one of its longitudinal edges joined along a fold line to the other of said longitudinal edges of said second side wall panel, and a connecting flap joined along a fold line to one end of the blank to connect this end to the other end of the blank in the completed carton; bottom flaps connected to one end of said front, back, and side wall panels along a substantially straight common hinge line; said second side wall panel being a little shorter than said first side wall panel, a substantially rectangular spout flap joined along a fold line to the end of said second side wall panel remote from the bottom end thereof, a bellows flap having a pair of substantially equal size triangular panels joined together along a substantially central longitudinal fold line and also joined by a fold line to one side of said spout flap starting at the hinge edge of same and continuing substantially full length of said spout fiap, the opposite edge of said bellows fiap from that joined to said spout flap being joined by a fold line extending from said spout flap hinge angularly to the upper end of said back panel but only a minor distance across the end of same, a rearward top panel joined along a fold line to the upper end of said back panel and extending from said bellows flap substantially the rest of the distance across said back panel, and a locking flap hingediy joined along a fold line to the end of said rearward top panel and extending toward said spout flap and along an edge portion of one of said bellows flaps, the fold line of said locking flap being substantially perpendicular to the fold line of said rearward top panel, a second bellows flap having a pair of substantially equal size triangular panels joined together along a substantially central longitudinal fold line and also joined along a fold line to the side of said spout flap opposite to that of said first bellows flap and starting at the hinge edge of said spout flap and continuing substantially full length of said spout flap, the opposite side of said second bellows flap from that joined to said spout flap being joined by a fold line extending from said spout flap hinge angularly to the upper end of said front panel but only a minor distance across the end of same, both of said bellows flaps being of substantially the same size, and said spout flap being of substantially the same length as said fold lines respectively joining said bellows flaps to said front and back panels, a forward top panel joined along a fold line to the upper end of said front panel and extending from said second bellows flap substantially the rest of the distance across said front panel, and a locking flap hingedly joined along a fold line to the end of said forward top panel and extending toward said spout flap and along an edge portion of said adjacent bellows flap, the fold line of said locking flap being substantially perpendicular to the fold line of said forward top panel; a top panel joined along a fold line to the upper end of said first side panel, the fold lines for joining said top panel, forward top panel, and rearward top panel, to said first side wall panel, front panel and back panel being substantially on a common line while the fold line for said spout panel is substantially parallel thereto, wherein both of said bellows flaps near the free edge of same are provided with substantially alined cross fold lines which join each other on the substantially central longitudinal fold line of each of said bellows flaps, and there is a very short tab on the free edge of said spout flap, said tab being unitary with said spout flap and rigidly extending from same, said very short tab on the free edge of said spout flap and said cross fold lines near the free edge of said bellows aid in making possible a tighter sealed spout in the finished carton and one which does not open readily without the locking flaps being elevated to substantially clear the end of said very short tab.

19. In a paperboard carton with a reclosable spout, front and back panels joined at their corresponding edges with a pair of side wall panels to form a tubular structure with the bottom edges of said panels being in a common plane, a bottom flap on each of said panels, one of said side wall panels being a little shorter than the other, a spout flap hingedly mounted on the upper end of said shorter side wall panel, two bellows flaps with each being in the form of a pair of substantially equal size triangular hingedly joined infolding panels, said bellows flaps respectively joining with fold lines each side of said spout flap to the corresponding upper corner portion of each of said front and back panels, both of said bellows flaps being of substantially the same size, said spout flap and its bellows members forming a downwardly tapered spout across a minor portion of one end of said carton top when in closed position with the end of said spout flap just reaching the uppermost edge of the front and back panels of said carton, said other side wall panel having an inturned top flap, said front and back panels each having top flaps connected thereto along fold lines which extend from the junction of said bellows with the uppermost portion of said front and back panels to said other side wall panel, said front and back panel top flaps overlapping each other when in closed position, and locking flaps on the pouring spout end of said top flaps on the uppermost edge of said front and back panels and hingedly connected thereto along fold lines perpendicular to the hinge lines joining said top flaps to the respective front and back panels, said locking flaps overlying the upper end of said spout fiap when same is in closed position, wherein there is a crease line across the upper end of said substantially triangular panels of said bellows flaps just below the free edge of same and which facilitates the outward bending of the upper edge of said bellows flaps, whereby a tighter seal is made possible when the spout is closed and said bellows flaps are in infolded position.

20. In a paperboard carton with a reclosable spout, front and back panels joined at their corresponding edges with a pair of side wall panels to form a tubular structure with the bottom edges of said panels being in a common plane, a bottom flap on each of said panels, one of said side wall panels being a little shorter than the other, a spout flap hingedly mounted on the upper end of said shorter side wall panel, two bellows flaps with each being in the form of a pair of substantially equal size triangular hingedly joined infolding panels, said bellows flaps respectively joining with fold lines each side of said spout flap to the corresponding upper corner portion of each of said front and back panels, both of said bellows flaps being of substantially the same size, said spout flap and its bellows members forming a downwardly tapered spout across a minor portion of one end of said carton top when in closed position with the end of said spout flap just reaching the uppermost edge of the front and back panels of said carton, said other side wall panel having an inturned top flap, said front and back panels each having top flaps connected thereto along fold lines which extend from the junction of said bellows with the uppermost portion of said front and back panels to said other side wall panel, said front and back panel top flaps overlapping each other when in closed position, and locking flaps on the pouring spout end of said top flaps on the uppermost edge of said front and back panels and hingedly connected thereto along fold lines perpendicular to the hinge lines joining said top flaps to the respective front and back panels, said locking flaps overlying the upper end of said spout flap when same is in closed position, wherein there is an extending short edge tab on the free end of said spout flap and which extends just past said locking flaps and under said top flaps, and wherein there is a crease line across the upper end of said substantially triangular panels of said bellows flaps just below the free edge of same and which facilitates the outward bending of the upper edge of said bellows flaps, whereby a tighter seal is made possible when the spout is closed and said bellows flaps are in folded position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,064,029 Murray Dec. 15, 1936 2,205,068 Potter June 18, 1940 3,002,673 Asrnan Oct. 3, 1961

Claims

1. A CARTON, COMPRISING FRONT AND BACK PANELS JOINED AT THEIR RESPECTIVE SIDE EDGES BY SIDE PANELS TO FORM A TUBULAR STRUCTURE, AN INWARDLY FOLDABLE SPOUT FLAP JOINED TO ONE OF SAID SIDE PANELS ALONG ONE EDGE THEREOF AT ONE END OF SAID STRUCTURE, BELLOWS MEANS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SPOUT FLAP CONNECTING SAID SPOUT FLAP BY MEANS OF FOLD LINES TO SAID FRONT AND BACK PANELS SO THAT SAID BELLOWS MEANS CLOSE AND OPEN AS SAID SPOUT FLAP IS PIVOTED TOWARD SAID FRONT AND BACK PANELS TO CLOSED POSITION AND AWAY FROM SAID FRONT AND BACK PANELS IN OPEN POSITION, A TOP FLAP CONNECTED TO THE FREE EDGE OF ONE OF SAID FRONT AND BACK PANELS AT SAID ONE END OF SAID STRUCTURE, AND MEANS ON SAID TOP FLAP OVERLYING THE FREE EDGE OF SAID SPOUT FLAP WHEN THE LATTER IS IN CLOSED POSITION AND RETAINING SAID SPOUT FLAP IN CLOSED POSITION, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS HAVING A PREDETERMINED FOLD LINE ABOUT WHICH SAID