US2580043A - Combination carton and wrapper for fragile articles - Google Patents

Description

R. E.v PAIGE Dec. 25, 1951 COMBINATION CARTON AND WRAPPER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1946 f m ATTORNEY 5 R. E. PAIGE Dec. 25, 1951 COMBINATION CARTON AND WRAPPER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Jan. 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fP/C'HA RD 1:. PA

BY ATTORNEYS Dec. 25, 1951 R E. PAIGE 2,580,043

COMBINATION CARTON AND WRAPPER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Jan. 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR fF/CHARD E. P/i/f ATTORNEYS Dec. 25, 1951 R. E. PAIGE 2,530,043

COMBINATION CARTON AND WRAPPER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Jan. 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR P/cH/uw E. A/Gf ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNIT-so- STATE-S res-r COMBINATION GARTON AND :WRAPPER FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES This invention. relates to improvements x-in: shipping. containers; for, :fragile "or. irregular: shaped-articles;

In the past, it has been thepractice 1 to? pack irregular-shaped articles 'for shipment .byplacing the articleor articlesin a. regular square or: rectangular I carton and bracing the articles by insertingarbitrarily-shaped fillers, excelsior; or: other cushioning materialsbetween the fiat walls. of the cartonand the -irreg=ulai'=form of: the mer-' chandise to be packed. .Such' packing methodsare both costly and time-consuming, and are usually-"of'such a nature that if the merchandise is removed from the carton for inspection-before sale, it is not always possible tore-pack it as it was originally packed. It is therefore-one of the important features of this invention to provide an individual wrapper for the article which when foldedtherearound supports the article at different points for subsequent positioning within acarton in a novelmannerto causeonly corner edges of v the folded wrapper to contact 'the walls of the carton. The article or articles so wrapped and positioned-in a cartonmay' be said to be floating and protectedagainst breakage by shocks to which a package is subjected during sleeve= are-open, the'article is firmly supportedtherein against accidental shifting movement laterally'and endwise:

Another feature of the invention is the provision of apackaging wrapper'foldable into unlimited shapes to accommodate the peculiar irregular. outline of an article to-be packed. To accomplishthis-unique result; the wrapper blank is provided: with compensated. scoring, that is,' there will; always .be provided pairs ofirregular score linesin .opposedi relation, whichfwhen: the

blankis folded thereon, shapesithecwrapper between .the. score. lines to the: contour ofthe score lines. irregularly, Adjoining panels .of l the wrapper so. formed will; always be opposite to each otherin contour for. one compensates for the. other. -For-.instance,.if the surface of one panel of the. wrapper isconvex-the' next adjacent panelsurfacewill be concave, or ifconsidered:

in. the categoryof angles, one panel will be; dis-.-

shownin full lines.

corrugated'board or equivalent: material as best posed opposite thatof an adjacent paneland at.the.same degree.

vide an. article wrapper; which is; insertab1e= -1 to.

a' squareshapedcarton diagonally in a direction from one corner toan opposed corner with the folded edges of the wrapper continuously engaging the sidewalls of the carton throughout the hei'ght of the wrapper whereby the wrapper isi'firmlyheld Within the carton to protect the wrapped: article from breakage due to shocks imparted to the carton during ordinary: handling inshipment.

Otherrnovel features of the invention will become: apparent as :the following specification is readninrconjunction with the accompanying dralwingaint which Figurel' is a. topplan view of a carton with its "top; flaps; open: illustrating my invention as applied to. the: packaging. of stem glassware or similarishaped articles.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken diagonallythrough the. package on the line 2-2 of Eigure' 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on. the line.3-i-3 of 'FigureZ.

Figureiis a perspective viewof the wrapped articles: removed from the packaging carton.

Figure 5 is. a vertical sectional view on. the line 5'5 of Figure 4.

Figure-6 is a planviewof one of the. wrappers prior to folding.

Figurefl is a top plan view of a carton with its top. flaps open: illustrating a single article packaged therein.

Figure 8 is a vertical diagonal sectional view taken on the line' 88 of Figure 7 but showing the cartonin dot and dash lines.

Figure-=9 is a vertical sectional view of the wrapped article per se shown in Figure '7 but taken :on a lineal; right angle to the line 8B.

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line [9-HT of Figure 8, the carton being Figure 11 is a plan view of the wrapper shown in Figures? to 10 prior tofoluing or the same.

Referring-to the drawings by reference characterslandatpresent to the form of the inven- =tion illustrated in Figures 1 to fi-inclusive, the

numeral it]; designates an irregular shaped wrapper constructed-in accordance with my invention;: The -wrapper'lll isformed from a single elongatedcblank- A of stiff" foldable cardboard,

illustrated in Figure 6. The blank A is of a height greater than-the article to-be wrapped therein and-is of a length to entirely surround the article and have itsends overlapping for a .distanceequal to the side wall which they form when the blank is fold'edto setup position. The blank A is cut and scored-in a manner to surroundand support an article of glassware B in theshape. of a-stem type drinking. glass. However, it will be understood that the article may 1 3 be of various irregular shapes and I do not wish to restrict my invention to the shape of the article shown. The glass B includes a body C which is the widest portion thereof, a stem D, and a flat annular base E.

The right and left end edges of the blank A are designated R and L. Each end edge R and L is provided with a vertical edge portion H extending downwardly from the top edge of the blank, a straight downwardly and outwardly inclined edge portion [2, and a straight downwardly and inwardly inclined edge portion l3. Spaced parallel horizontal score lines [4 and I5 extend the length of the blank. The ends of score line l4 meet the juncture of the edge portions H and i2. The ends of the score line 15 meet the juncture of the edge portions I2 and I3. 7

The blank A is further divided by suitably spaced diagonal score lines, four of which have been shown. These score lines are arranged in pairs and are identical in shape but are disposed in opposed relation. Each pair of diagonal score lines is designated G and H and extend from the bottom to the top edge of the blank. The two score lines GG are parallel to the right end edge of the blank. The two scores HH are parallel to the left 'end edge of the blank. Thus it will be understood that the score lines G and H are opposed to each other so that when the blank is folded on the score lines, said lines shape the material or panels therebetween to the corresponding contour.

The scoring of the blank A in the manner just described divides the same into a number of opposed infolding and compensating opposed outfolding side wall panels. In order. to identify these panels I shall describerthe score line portions which constitute each score line G and H.

Each score line G comprises irregularly related score line portions I l M and l3 which respectively parallel the edge portions I], I2 and I3 of the right end edge R.

Each score line H comprises irregularly related score line portions ll l2 ,.and l3 which respectively parallel the edge portions ll, l2 and H3 of the left end edge L.

The material of the blank bounded by end edge L and adjacent score G constitutes a folding side wall section K. The material between end edge R and adjacent score line H constitutes a folding side wall section M which is a companion wall section to the section K and overlaps the same when the blank is folded for use.

The material midway between the ends of the blank bounded by the intermediate score lines G and H constitutes a side wall section N similar in size and shape to the wall sections K and M and adapted to be opposed thereto when the blank is folded.

Disposed intermediate the wall sections K and N and between N and M are two identicalwall sections P-P, the same being disposed opposite to each other when the blank is folded for use.

The side wall sections K, M, and N are identical and are divided by the horizontal score lines l4 and I5 into an upper rectangular shaped wall panel section IS, an intermediate panel section II, and a lower panel section I8.

Each side wall section P is divided by the horizontal score lines l4 and I5 into an upper rectangular shaped wall panel section 19, an intermediate substantially V-shaped panel section 20, and a lower substantially inverted V-shaped panel section 2|. f

In order to fit the wrapper 'Hl about the glass B or other irregular shaped article to be packed for shipment, the blank A is folded on the parallel score lines I4 and I5 and upon the shaped score lines G-G and H-H into substantially tubular form as shown in Figure 4. After initially folding the blank A to this tubular form, the same is partially opened to fit the wrapper about the glass B whereupon the wall sections M and K are brought into overlapped relation and secured together by a strip of glue tape 22 which overlies the free end edge R of wall section M and the panel I! of said wall section and panel 20 of adjacent wall section P. When the wrapper Ill is in its final folded and secured position about the glass B as shown in Figure 4, it assumes an irregular shaped appearance in which the opposed walls are of similar form, however, two opposed wall sections are reversely shaped relative to the other two opposed Wall sections by reason of the compensated scoring hereinbefore explained. All of the panel sections It and I9 assume a vertical position. Each pair of related panel sections 20 and 2| of opposed wall sec tions PP assumes a position in outwardly converging relation meeting at the score 15 which constitutes an apex. Thus the portions of the wall sections P-P below the panels l9--l9 bulge outwardly.

In order to compensate for the outward bulging of the opposed wall sections P-P, it is necessary for the two opposed side wall sections N-MK to have portions which correspondingly bulge inwardly toward each other. Thus the panel sections [1 and I8 of each of the side wall sections N-MK assume a position in inwardly converging relation which meet at the score line 15.

By reference to Figure 5 it will be seen that the top end of the glass B is engaged by the vertical panel sections IE and IS. The lower body portion of the glass is engaged by the opposed downwardly converging panel sections l!-l I inwardly of their free ends, while the edge of the base E of the glass is engaged by the opposed downwardly diverging panel sections |8|8. The constricted portion of the wrapper between panel sections l1 and I8 along the fold line I5 engages the stem D of the glass. The glass B is now surrounded by the wrapper Ill in a manner which prevents shifting of the glass endwise or sidewise relative to the wrapper and is protected by the wrapper against breakage by shocks which might be imparted to the wrapped article during handling or shipment.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 I have illustrated a novel method in which a plurality of Wrapped units such as shown in Figure 4 may be packed in a conventional cardboard or corrugated board carton 23. The carton 23 is square in plan and includes a bottom wall 24, four side walls 25, and opposed sets of folding top flaps 26-26. Four wrapped units are shown as being packed in the carton 23 but by making the carton deeper, additional wrapped units may be packed in a single carton by arranging them in tiers with a dividing partition therebetween. Four Wrapped units are illustrated within the carton, one fitted diagonally into each corner of the carton with the score lines G and H facing the corner and being in engagement with the side walls 2525 adjacent said corner. The folded edges formed by scores G and H opposite to those engaging the sidewalls of thecarton; engage corresponding foldedges on adjacent wrapped units as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. These irreguat meeting edges or adjacent wrapped units en'- gage throughout their'lengths, thus causing the wrapped units tobe firmly nested within the body of thecarton against shifting movement relative to'aeh other. A'U sha-ped' cardboard'fillermember Z-Fsnugly-fits' into the space between-the; inwardly-facing vertical wall panels L9 to brace the upper portions of the fourwrapped units; *The filler member 21 is limited its insertion by the opposed outwardly bulging sets of panels 28-48; After the wrapped units have been fitted intothe car-ton 23in the manner explained; the top-coverfiap-s 25- are folded inwardly and sealed; int-heconventional well known manner.

The wrapper is so'shaped thatthe upper-sections 16 are all of the same width and when the wrapper is folded these sections give it a square form at the top, as fully indicated in Figure 4. The sections l'iand l8 increase in width toward the transverse score line 15, while the sections 203116. 2 decrease in width toward and score line It. Hence the sides comprising sections l1 aud t-8 bulge inward and these-sides are; reentrant. On the other hand the two remainingsides comprising sections 2-3 and ii bulge out ward-L The edge We and l2b in which the sections 20' intersect with the sections l 'l-makean anglerespectively with the edges Ho and I319 inwhichthe sections l3 intersect with the sections 2I These edges along thecornersofthe four sides consist in each case of a broken line made of-parts lZ-aand lBaor i221 and 13b, which meet-Lin the line [5, delineating an angle with its apex onsaid-line. Hence each broken line at the edges or corners ofthe sides between the I top sections Iii-and" the bottom determines a separate geometrical plane; and-said four planes;

intersect each with two others at substantially right angles, enveloping the wrapper to define a space orfigureof the same transverse rectangular or square shape'as the inside of the container 28---that is shown in Figure '7. The upper sections-I6; with the wrapper designedas shown, all make equal angles atboth sides with the planes in: question, and-this fact is the reason whythe wrapper will fit into the square boxof Figure 7* snugly-(with the edges Ha, !2b, {3a and Iil'b, making contact throu'ghout the length thereof with the inside faces ofthe sides of this carton at; the middle of saidsides. Of course the parts lfi could be so designed that the top is more of a rectangle-than a square. The construction is of' coursefthe same when the upper sections l6 areomitted, as in Figure 8; because, with such a construction the .fsi de edges l2ajand 13:1, I21), and l3b, determine planes which have the same relative locations as before and enable this wrapper to fit snugly the inside of a container 28.

In Figures '7 to 11 inclusive, I have illustrated my invention. applied to thepackaging of a. single article within an individual container. The fold able blank from whichthe wr pper is constructed is identical with the blank A except that the por tion ofblank A above the score line l4 hasbeen eliminated, thustheiupstanding panels I6 and I9 are dispensed with. i Inviewof the-fact that the scoring. and folding. of the blank is the same-"as that-of the blank A. in Figure 6 like reference characters refer .'to correspondingiparts liig urs' i to" 11 1. r l

The article enclosed in the Wrapper in Figures '7 to 10 inclusive is in the shape of a cocktail glass designated B and includes a' body C, the rim of which is the widest portion of the glass, a stem 6 D1 andagfiatannular base E' .-y Wh en the glass: B- is enclosed in its w-rapper it -will be seen by reference to Figure- 8- that the rim engages the opposed downwardly-diverging panels "2 0--2fl; and also by referenceto Figure -9- itfwillbe seen that not only the rim or the glass contactsnot onlysaid panels--2l3'20=but alsot-he opposeddownwardly converging; panels l'1-'-l'1; The panels 11- l 1' are also engaged by; the lower portion of the body;C-' of theglass while the base E 'enga ges the opposed-- upwardly converging panels Hi -t8; while-the meeting portions of the panels llandy l3 at the fold formed by score-line i5 are dls-- posed inclose proximityto; the stem D". The glass B'- is cushioningly supported in the wrap per against vertical or lateral" sliding movement.

Thewrapped glass B is-insertedinto-an indi vidual square carton 28* through thetop thereof when the closure flaps; Ell-are in open swung back position; The wrapped glass B is inserted diagonally into the carton 28-'s o that all of the cornersformed by the score lines G''-G and H-H respectively contact the four sidewall-s of the carton throughout theirlengths as best illustrated' in Figures 1' and 10. Thus instead of only two corner edges :Contactingthe walls of; the carton as shown in Figures '1 and 3" all four irregular corner edges engage the respective four walls of-the carton.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings itwill' be understood thatthe irregular shaped article; a glass in this instance, is surrounded by a wrapper which in vertical section substantially'conforms to the general contour of the articlebut in straight lines disposed in angular relation.

Thus, the related panels do not fit 'the identical shapeof the article but support it in many places to prevent vertical and lateral shifting of the article enclosed in whatmay be termedaspeciale;

ly-shaped open ended sleeve; The article-cam not be inserted into thewrapper after folding but must have the wrapper foldedtherearound. In allinstances, adjoining panels of the folded" wrapper willalwaysbeopposite to eachother in contour, for if one panel is convexorprojectingr the next must be concave or reentrant. Certain opposed'side walls of the folded' wrap-per extend away: from the article which it houses, thereby.

bracing the sleeve-like wrapperagainst' the wall of the shipping-carton. The article housed'in the folded wrapper is suspended thereinin spaced relation to the Walls of the carton so that in the event of-d'amage doneto the carton during handling and shipment it willnotbe conveyed to the article. This feature also enables the wrappe'r to absorb shock and therebypprevent acci If desired, a plurality-cf foldedwrappers containing articles to be shipped may be inserted into the respective square cellsfof'a carton having vertical crossed partitions; In such instances A the wrappers are inserted into the respective cells in the same manneras they are insertedin a separate carton shown inFigui'efla Throughout the specifi'cation andalsoin the appended claims I have referred to the opposed pairs of side walls of the folded wrapper as being concave and convex." Such terms are used to cover both curves and angles, for it will be appreciated that the irregular shaped portions of the side walls of the wrapper may be formed by straight or curved line scoring of the blank from which the wrapper is formed.

In my own previous Patent No. 2,050,894, dated August 16, 1936, I have shown a form of scoring known as compensated scoring, in which pairs of matched irregular lines are foldedin a. manner identical to the present invention. The prior invention covered a basic principle of folding sheet material. The prior patent of Marshall I. Williamson No. 2,067,998, covered a method of collapsing compensated forms thereby making them capable of being glued automatically by standard folding-box gluing machines, Neither invention teaches a method of making a rigid corrugated wrapper requiring no pasting. The compensated forms achieved by the two above-mentioned patents were made as decorative containers into which merchandise could be inserted after the box is set up, and said merchandise could be removed without afiecting the box. In the present invention, compensated forms are used to wrap around and hold firmly the merchandise placed within it, and said merchandise can only be removed by opening the wrapper. The lay-out of the folding are put to a new use in the bracing of the article within it by its various concave and convex surfaces. While the illustrations in this application show the use of compensated wrappers on drinking goblets only, such wrappers lend themselves to the packing of electric fans, glass coffee makers, radio tubes, and countless other fragile articles.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the preferred embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that such changes in construction, material, and design as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the claims hereunto annexed.

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

1. A packing for articles having portions reduced in size between ends, comprising tubular wrappers each with alternating indented and bulging sides, the indented sides of each wrapper being separated by a narrow space for containing the reduced portion of said article therein, the indented and bulging sides intersecting in lines having portions extending in diifernt directions towards the opposite lateral edges of the wrapper and lying in planes extending at right angles to one another when said wrapper is attached to said article, and a receptacle having square corners containing said wrappers with the articles therein, said wrappers being in diagonal positions, each wrapper having one of its bulging sidesat the center of the receptacle, the wrappers being in contact at said center, and the opposite bulging side making contact with the inside of the receptacle at the corners thereof.

2. A packing for articles having portions reduced in size between ends, comprising tubular wrappers each with alternating indented and bulging sides, the indented sides comprising panels intersecting along a transverse line and being widest at said line, the bulging sides comprising panels also intersecting along a transverse line and being narrowest at said line, the indented sides of each wrapper being separated by a narrow space for containing the reduced portion of said article therein, the indented and bulging sides intersecting in lines having portions taining said wrappers with the articles therein,

said wrappers being in diagonal positions, each wrapper having one of its bulging sides at the center of the receptacle, the wrappers being in contact at said center, and the opposite bulging side making contact with the inside of the receptacle at the corners thereof.

3. The wrapper according to claim 1 wherein the indented walls are narrowest adjacent the ends of said article and the bulging walls are widest adjacent said ends.

4. A packing for articles having portions reduced in size between ends, comprising a tubular wrapper with alternating indented and bulging sides, the indented sides being separated by a narrow space for containing the reduced portion of said article therein, the indented and bulging sides intersecting in lines having portions extending in different directions towards the opposite lateral edges of the wrapper and lying in planes extending at right angles to one another when said wrapper is attached to said article, and a receptacle having square corners to receive said wrapper with the article therein, said wrapper being in diagonal position and having the edges of one of its bulging sides making contact with sides of the receptacle at a corner thereof.

5. A packing for article having portions reduced in size between ends, comprising a tubular wrapper with alternating indented and bulging sides, the indented sides comprising panels intersecting along a transverse line and being widest at said line, the bulging sides comprising panels also intersecting along a transverse line and being narrowest at said line, the indented sides of each wrapper being separated by a narrow space for containing the reduced portion of said article therein, the indented and bulging sides intersecting in lines having portions extending in diiferent directions towards the opposite lateral edges of the wrapper and lying in planes extending at right angles to one another when said wrapper is'attached to said article, and a receptacle having square corners to receive said wrapper with the article therein, the wrapper having one of its bulging sides making contact'with the inside of the receptacle at a corner thereof.

RICHARD E. PAIGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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