US1745947A - Box provided with easel - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 4, 1930. G. a. MUSTIN BOX PROVIDED WITH EASEL Filed Sept. 9, 1927' 3 Sheets-Sheet HTTQRNEY Feb. 4, 1930. I e. B. MUSTIN BOX PROVIDED WITH EASEL Filed Sept. 9, 1927 3 Sheets-Shet, 2

4- N EA for? 6,276 672 5. Mutt/h,

WITNESS I Feb. 4, 1930. G. ,B. MUSTIN Y 1,745,947

BOX PROVIDED WITH EASEL Filed Sept. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOF? I WITNESS v v I fiTTdfi/VEY similar relatively Pa e ted F b. 4, 1930 N, or LA'NsnowNE', PENNSYLVANIA JGILBERELKV." B; "MUsTI 5 v ox rnov rnnn wimnanasnr...

A gnc ud fiiq September 9, 1927. serial Nae- 18,3 9.

' My invention relates to box-esor cartons in which relatively, heavy goods," such as, con fectlonery, chew ng; gum. and. the: llke, are

fi packaged for shipment tol"a.retailer,,.which "boxesiare-providedwith-an.easel for elevating one edge or side of the b'ox' for the better dis-,

play' oft-hefgoods contained; therein,

. Itis an object of my invention to .providea .box: in whichconfectionery, chewinggum. and

with-aneasel which is *adaptedato be used withv boxesof different types, and. whichlies flat. on. the, bottom of the box 'iwhile; the

i goods are packed for shipmentandxwhich 15 is preferably automatically folded.v upinto a I still support or. easel when the box, is lifted from the shipping cratgor whenthecoven is removedto display the contents of thebox.

I f In the preferred embodiment of D'lYflIlVGIl-r 59 tion, my improved easel,when applied to -a box having a tubular sleeveclosure',.lies flat on the bottom of the box and isso held ibe tween the said bottom and; the inner wall of the sleeve and when-the said sleeve is slipped longitudinally off from the box. structure to display: the goods, theeas-el is automatically formedand'raised on the'bottorn of the box without any other or further manipulationor in action on thepart'of theretaileriofthe pack-L age. When my invention is appliedto a box having the ordinary telescoping-cover for the top thereof, then the packer holds my easel.

' flat against the bottom of; the box'andxso .1 X places the box in-thecrate. When so'pl'aced in thecr'ate, theweight of thecontents of the I box-..will holdthe easel fiat. When the orate is openedfby'the consignee and the box is lifted by him'from the crate, a still. easel is auto;

, matically formed or folded up onithebottom v i of the box Without any other action whatever onthe part of the consignee or unpacker;

Thewdevice is so constructed, however, that the weight of the contents of. the box' is-insuflicient to crush or' depress or unfold the easel to cause it to liefiat againstthe bottom of-the box after it has once: 7 formed; I V; o e l 1 The-obj ect of my invention is, therefore, to

been automatically 50 provide anieasel for a box inwhich relatively: V heavy articlesv are shipped, said easel being heavy goods are shipped Pfefembl? automtically drawn w a Position] to hold elevated one sideof a. box whenthe goods are unpacked from theorate orwhen a sleevelcover is, withdrawn fromfthe box to display the contents, a 1

- A :further'object of my invention :is to provide an easelof thecharacter above, described,

which can be attached to various kinds of f boxes in various ways'without ,changing th-emethod of manufacturing the box. Thus, the manufacturer of a box. ota

substantially -definite'type, may need only to cutoneor g more slots through the bottom, of a finished box inorder to attach, one-form. of my; improvedautomatically. operating easel thereto. in another form ofmy invention, the easel .may be glued or stapled tothe: finished box,

Without changing the box construction at. all,

- A further object-of. my invention is to pro:

vide a eonstructiont,which, when the easel is folded upinto operativeshape to support and elevate one side of the box. whether the same be. formed automatically. onmanually, provides a rigid construction which will not crush down or become flattened by theweight. of the contents of the box, nor by ordinary usageor handling. V I f v,

A further object of my invention is to pro-- vide an easelwhich is eminently adaptedto be; formed manually by merely sliding or -drawing one end member toward the. hinge connection between the easel and thebox.

A further object is to -provide an interlfock- I ing fold-up easel construction which is. autoitmatically operative' to lock the easel parts rigidly together upon the folding of the parts up into easel form, V I

A cfurther obj ect'ot my invention is to provideabox-with a foldab-le easel which is easily made, is formed into a rigid easel with the-least possible-manipulation on the'part of therecipientjof the box, and is adaptable for cooperation with boxesof, difi'erent construetion and-types.

Other objects of myi inthe specification and claims below.

Inthe drawings forming a part of this spec- Vificat-ion and in which the same reference characters are employed: throughout the; various views'to designate the same parts:

nvention will appear Fig. 2 is aper'spective view similar posi{ tion to the view constituting Fig. 1 but show ing the easel only, and without the rubber band and in the position it assumes when fiat-x" tened against the bottom of the box. v

Fig. 3 is a small side elevational vi'ewofa portion of a box provided with my improved easel, showing it in operativ e'position' to hold a box tilted ,to 'betterdisplay the contents thereof.

Fig. 4 isa perspective view of the under side of a portion of a box provided with an easel of slightly different construction but "embodying my invention,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through a. portion of the box and easel shown in 'Fig 4:,the easel being shown in operative position.

ofia box provided with a further modified form of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of thebottom- .,of a box illustrating another form orembodiment of my invention.

Fig. 8 is ,a .long tud'nal section view through a portion of the box andeasel shown inFig.7. p Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective'view of a portion of the easel showing the strip as connected'to an d'formingafpart-of the false bottom of a box Fig. 10 is. a" vertical, sectional view'of a boxhaving an easel ofa slightly modified construction.

Figs. 11 and 12 are plan views of a 'construction, which, when the easel is self formed or manually folded, automatically locks the parts into a rigid structure. Figne is a vertical sectional view on the line 1313 of Fig. 12; and i Fig. 1 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic, vertical, sectional view of the separated parts of an easel' 'construction made of sheet metal or similar material, and embodying my inven-1 tion. 7

In Fig. 1 is shown a confectionery or chewing gum box '1 havinga bottom 2 anda'cover or closure 3, comprising a tube, rectangular 'ii cross-section adapted to be slid longitudinally over the-box to close and enclose the same, and provided with my automatically formed'easela.

My improved easel t comprises a strip or sheet of cardboard or similar stiff sheet material provided preferably with transverse scorings 5, 6 and'7, parallel to each other and disposed at right angles to the long dimen-' sionof strip is adapted to be bent at the scorings 5, 6 and 7 to form a slidable section 8 at the end of the strip; a foldable leg section 9 hingedly secured to the end section 8 by the scoring 5; a second foldable leg section 10, hingedly connected by'the scor ng 6 to the section 9. The section l0 may' be hingedly secured to the box proper 1 in a variety ways." Qz'lhusjjl mayprovide a stationary section 11 connected to the section 10 by the hinged scoring 7 and to the box bottom 12; by-the tabs 12,'12'and/or the staples 13 and/or to the false inner wall ll, hingedly coi'i'ne'ctedto the section 11 by the scoring 15. In the en bodimentof my invention shown "inFig'.: 1, thefalsewall' 1a is provided with an advertising cardor fla p 1 6 hingedlyseplaycard 16 is adapted to be folded 'down on the scoring" 17 against the *contentsaof the box, when the box is closed, and to be bent up to the position'shown'in Figs. 1 and 3'when play.

p I p the box is opened andthe contents are on dis- Fig. dis a perspective view of the bottom The bottom 2 of the box is provided in Fig. l'with" a slot 18 of a wi-dth'a littlegreater than the. thickness of the sheet material. of which'the easel 4 is'formed to be passed therethrough,' and of a length substantially 7 that of the widest part ofthe easel which lies" on the bottom of the box. In,gFig. 2 the widest'portion of the easel is that portion 11 provided with the ears or tabs 12. The strip the easel now below the bottom 2 of the box may be bent along the crease or scoring 15.

isj'passed'downwardlythrough said slot 18 thefalse innerwall 14 lie squarelyagainst the inside of the bottom of the box. The parts of In some instances, this false wall 13 fitting against the'end of the box and the portion ofthe strip passing through the slot 18 and bent up against the bottom of the box and the rubber band, referred to below, will be all 'j that i's necessary to fixedlysecjure the easel 4;

to the bottom2 of the boxfHowe'vei'gin some instances, when greater' security is ne-eded,the ears or tabs 12 are inserted into theparallel' slots [20, 20' through the bottom 2 ofthe box' and the easel is more rigidly or securely held'bythese ears or tabs-12. When desirable, I may further secure the easel'to clearly indicated in Fig. 1.-

the bottom of the box by the staples 13 as Theslidable section 8 may also be pro- I 'vided with a pair'of ears or tabs 21, 21 onop posite t serte'd intO slots 22, 22 to hold the sliding sec-.-

sides thereof and adapted to be intion 8at all times 'fiatfagainst the'bottom ofthe permit the easel 4 to lie fiatagainst the bottom g which the'easelishingedly secured a distance suflicientto permit the foldable sections 9, 10

4 to form with the bottom of-the box a rigid 10 sections 9 and 10 alike and somewhat narrower than the width of the sli'dable section 8 hollow structure, substantiallytriangular incross-section as shown in 1. The ends ofv the slots 22, therefore, form stopsagain'st which the tabs 21, 21 arebrought when the easel is brought into operative position, as

Will be explained'more' fully below, I I

{I preferably make the width of thefoldable and thereby, out of'the strip,' form extensions 23, 23 projecting rearwardly from the sec-' tion 8-toward the section 11 which is secured to the box 1. The free ends of theseextensions 23 are preferably spacedfrom the scoring 7 when the easel strip is fiat, to permit the ends of the extensions 23 to abut againstthe edges of the sections 11 when the tabs or ears 21 engage the rear ends of the slots 22. 'The slots 22, 22 with the tabs 21, and the extensions 23 cooperating with the edge of the section '11 thus provide stops to limit the moVe-" ment of the sliding section 8' rearwardly to a position wherein the triangularstructure 9,

' lOwould not have suflicient rigidity to hold a filled boxtilted.

b At or about'the ends'of the scoring 5, I prowide notches 24, 24on opposite-sides ofthe foldable member 9, and at or about the ends of the scoring Tbetween the sections 10 and I 11 I preferably provide a pair of notches 25,

Y 25 on opposite sides of the section 10. '.Around the remote edges 5, 7 of the sections 10 adjacent the crease'or scoring 7.

When the member 8 is provided with the tabs 21, sliding in slots 22, I prefer to provide the box with a false bottom 11 between which and the real bottom 2 the tabs 21,21 may {slide without interference with the contents ofthe box. s V After the easel has thus been assembled 011 I thebottom of the box,-such as is shown in Fig. 1, the display card 16 may be folded down along the scoring 17 to lie in the plane of' the top of the box. The slidable section 8 may'be manually drawn outwardly away from the fixed section 11 or the fold 9, 10 may '3 be manually depressed againstthe tension of the elastic band 26 untilythe easel 4 lies flat" "against the bottom of the box.

It is so held f until the tubular sliding cover 3 is slipped over the box and flattened easel. When the I box is so closed, the easel .4 will beheld flat against thebottom 2 of the box 1 between said '12-12 and slots 20 member 8 in this embodiment of my invenbottomand theinterior of the tubular sleeve 3.

When now a consignee or a dealer'receives the box of confectionery or gum, or whatever may be in the box, and wishes to. display the 1 contents upon or within his counters, all he has to do is to withdraw the tubular sliding cover 3. i As soon asthe edge ofthe cover slides from over the foldable sections 9, 10v of the easel, the rubber band 26 will immediately draw the slidable section 8 to the left (Fig. 1), throwing the hinged connection 6 be-v tween the foldable sections 9 and 10 outward 1y fromthe bottom of the box until the tabs 21, 21 engage the ends of the slots 22,22,

and/or the ends- ofthe extensions 23,23 enl) gage the forward edge of-the member 11,

whereupon the rigid easel forelevating'one end or side of the boxwill be in its operative position (shown in Fig. 3) without requiring anything to be done on the part of the retailer, except to remove the closure 3 of the box. Y

' And this easel is justras well'adapted toboxes having the ordinary telescoping lid or cover asit is to theboX shown in Fig. 1. In packing a cratewith boxes having such a telescoping lid, and filled with confectionery, chewing gum or other relativelyvheavy goods, the packer merely has to hold his hand on the bottom of the box to'fiatten theeasel and to hold it there until he places the filled box inthe crate. VVhen' the box is so placed in the crate, the weight of the contents of the box will hold the easel 4 fiat against'the bottom ofthe box against the tension of the rubber band or: the resilient means.

Nowwhen the recipient of the crate un-' packs the goods and lifts a box fromthe crate,*just as soon as the weight of the box is removed from the easel 4, the rubber band 26 becomes operative to immediatly' draw the slidable section 8 toward the section 11 and foldl'up the foldable sections 9, 10 to form substantially legs or supports to hold ele vated one-end of the box (see Fig; 3);and thus'hold the box in atilted position where the goods are clearly visible.

.In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modified construction wherein. are embodied in the same relation as that found in the constructionof Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sliding section 8 hingedly connected to a foldable section?) which in turn is hingedly connected to a foldable section 10, the-latter being hingedly con-'- nected to a stationary section 11 adapted to be secured to the bottom of the box by staples 13. In this construction the section 11 is not connected to the bottom of thebox by a false wall or by any other member, and the ears 20 are omitted. The

tion is not provided with the ears 21- 21 nor the box bottom 2 with slots 2222. This form'of my invention is-adapted for attachment to any box without any modification whatever of the box structure itself. "The jacent one edge oi the bottom of the box-and places the elastic band in the "notches 1 25 near'the remoteiedges 5 and 24 24: 25 7 of the'ioldable sections Sand lO'respecwhen -the-'e'asel-- is inoperative-position tof tilt-*the box, as shown in Fig. 5. The direc- 1 tion of the pu'll'oi the elastic band 26 is," therefore, such as to. hold the SliCllIlgl118111'- ber 8=fiat against the bottom 20f the box,

thus dispensing with the cars 21 and slots 22, for the sake of obviatingany change whatsoever 1n the box. 'TlllS' construction 1s somewhat'simpler than that previously described and may readily be applied to any box, the contents of which are sufficiently heavy when the easel l is once flattened, to hold said easel in that po'sition'until the boxis lifted and the folda'ble members'9-10 brought to a position in which they-"form with each other a V-shape, and with the bottom ofthe box,- a hollow rigid supporting structure, triangular in transverse cross-section,'which will not collapse or flatten out when the box is placed in the showcase or on the counter L he approach of the member 8 toward the stationary member 11 is limited by the extensions 23, the free ends oi which are brought up against the hinged edge of the ioldable member 10 by the rubber band 26' and the slots 22 and ears 21 may be dispensed with in this construction for'lim-iting the move merit-of the slidable member 8 and edge 5 toward the'hinged connection 7.

In the modification-shown in Fig. 6, the easel is -made out of the sheet' ot material from which the box is made. 1 The easel is stamped into or cut through the bottom wall 2 of the box. a The construction anu manner of hingedly connecting together the sliding member 8 and the two foldable or sliding sections 9 and 10 are the-same as thatillustrated in the modifications which have been above described, but the'member 11 to which the folding member 10 is directly hingedly" connected is also formed out of the blank of paper from which the box is madeand it forms the wall 11" of the box; Y'lhis :wall ll therefore also forms the'stationary part of the easel shown inFig. i. In this case the'sliding member 8 fits within and slides within the rectangular opening 27in the bottom of the box, cut out of the'bot-tom 2 of the .box, to'provide the easel parts 8, 9 and 10.. rrs'in the previous construction, the rubber band 26 is passed around the foldable members 9 and 1 0 andisretai-ned in notches 25'25 and 24i'24 in the foldable' s'ectioi1s 9,

10, respectively, near the remote edges 5'7 thereof and the extensions 23 are adaptedtoi is necessarily"iornidiinthe"bottom of the .tiv'ely. 'El1e' notches-25 are, ofcourse," close to-the bdttomlotrthe box, whereas the notch-es! 24, in' the-knember 9 are alittle' belovfithe. plane of the lower surface otzthe' section 8 box-a hole27$that-hole is preferably covered with a false v-gbotto'm ll i 5 T1 v ie tension ofthe rubber:bantl :26 in: this: constructionis such as; to hold the *slidable' member, 8 flat? against the false 3bottom l'1ioi thebox 'when the easel has been foldediipinto the position shown 'in' Fig; 6.

adapted to-slide'in slots 22-22 formed in sectionS is provided with the ears or tabs 21 the bottom 2- oi the box. In this modification, the extensions *2323 are dispensed with. These ta-bsor ears 21, drawn up by the rubber ban d 26 against'the-ends of the slots 22 are depended upon to limitthe extent of.

the movement of the member 8 toward the edge '01 the 'toldabl'e section 10' which is hinged to the box structure. In this m'odifi- '1 cation, the false bottom ll -may be the part to which the ioldable member or section 10 is directly hingedly connected, the box proper being'provided with a slot 18 through the bottom thereot and adjacent a wall, through serted in assemblingthe-parts.

It isto be observed that'in 'ithe forms of which the strip forming-the easel may be inmyinvention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 ,the rub- 1 ber bands 26 seated in the notches 25of the' section 10, are operative toprevent the fold-- able section 10 "from slipping up into the box.

' The easels are locked by the rubber bands 26 in a fixed position with respect to the box.

I prefer toprovide the rearwardly extench notches 28 onv the edges and near the ends thereof,to permit the retailer of the'goods to make the easel'usable even if it is-not, sell ,ing projection, 23, whenever-possible, with" lock the notches. 28 into the notches? 25 if rubber band 26 happensto break and thus shippedtherein, illlfljjlfiClIlgOf theslotrlfi V cl ose.:to on substantially at the: juncture of the. bottom 2: with a side :orendf wall. ofthe box, mightaunnecessarily weaken. the ,box

shown a construction w'hereinthisslot18 is structure; In Fig. 10, ztherefore,..f[l havestill parallel to and adjacent anwall of the 1 box butisnevertheles's spaced from the edge of the bottom 2 of. the box so as not to-sube the rubber .band 26; are all constructed,

and arranged the manner heretofore describedbut the hinged connection 7 is now between the foldable section 10 and -ashort bottom section 11, extending fromthe slot 18 to the corner of the box where it'is provided with the scoring to formthe false end 11 connected by scoring-'17 with the display I card 16, as: in Fig. 1;" Here also, the"-fold 1 able sections 9 and 10, form a triangular sup port parallel and adjacent to an-edge of the bottom end of the box when the rubber band 26 has drawn the 'slidable section 8 towardthe hinged connection? until the ends ofthe extensions 23 abut against the edge of the section lO below the opening 18 thebottom 2; f In Figs. 11 and 12 are illustrated forms of my inventionwherein the slidable'members 8 are automatically or. manually stationarily locked with respect to the easelstructure after the rubber band or other. resilient means has folded the'pa'rts 9 and 10 to hold ,elevated one side or edge of the box.

The construction'shown in Fig. 11' is quite like that-shown in Fig.x4, .except that the notches25 are preferably made a little wider,

so that the rubber band is somewhat spaced notches 25.

from the hinged connection :7 when the easel is'in operative position. The free ends of the nection 7 as in; the/constructions heretofore above descrlbed, and .whenthe camsurfaces 329 engage to bottoms of the notches 25- -25 on: opposite sides of the section 10, they ride overthebottomsof the notches 25 until the deeper sides 29 of the notches 28 abut against the section 10 at thejointed connece tion 7 thereof with the section 11 and between the rubber band 26 and the bottom 2 of the box; In other words, the pointed ends of the members 23 ride or slide over the section I i 11 until the notches 28take over the bottoms of the 'notches"25. Having been brought to this position, the member 8 is now locked with respect to the member 11, and'now even if the rubber band 26 should break, the edge 28 of the notch 28 would engage. the member 10 at the slot 25 and the easel would be a rigid structure to support and'hold tilted one edge'andj'side of the box.

Thecams 29 and'notches '28. thus formlatches or detents which become operative-to automaticallylock the slidable member 8 With'respect-to the other members as soon as part of the opening 30.

the slidable member has been moved to the g 7 limit of its movement towardsthe hinged connection .7.

In Figs'. 12 andijl the easel, cut'outof the bottom2 ofthe boxjas in Fig. 6, operatessimilarly to the one shown in Fig."1l',{and-the extension'23 is' cut or stamped out of the middle of the members 9 and 10 .and projects toward j the hinged connection 7 from the central portion of the-slidable memberS, instead of from are arranged symmetrically at the end of the, member 23 and the notches 2828 are on'o'p- I 'posite sides of the extension 23. Thewalls 28 of the notches 28 are a littledeeperthan the'walls 28 -nea'rer the ends of the extension substantiallyias in Fig. 11, thus forming latches or deten-ts similar tothose shownin Fig.1-1. 1 T r In. this embodiment of my invention, I form an opening 30 through the foldable' member 10 by providing the blank with cuts 31- 31, starting from thescoringi'r'. and converging as they approach the end of the member 23.

But I preferably omit any scoring across the lie in the plane of the member ll and forma' part of it; It will be plain that. when the parts 910 are folded into a V-shape, there 7 will be in themember 10 a hole oropening 8O scoring 7, this hole 30 is a little widerthan the the ends thereof. 'Thecam surfaces 29 29 '90 tab 32 so formed, and whichtherefore will 7 having converging sides 31, and dispo'sed in axial alinement with the member 23'. At the,

greatest distance across the cam-surfaces 29,

but narrower'than the part of the section 28' formed by 'the' walls 28 of the notch 28 'there- 7 in. The upper part'of this opening 30 is, how- Y ever, considerably narrower than the width of the member 23'a-t the intersections of the cam surfaces 29. with the walls 28 J I I The rubber band 26*is preferably s6 passed around the foldablemember 9 that as' it lies in thenotches 2 1, and'extends over the foldable sections 9 and under the projection23,

while the notches 25in the member 10 are preferably narrow notches, one edge-ofwhich isin line with the scoring 7,'so that the we I ber band in passing around member 10, lies close against them-ember 11. Thus, it is that the rubber band'26 lies between theproj'ee tion 23 and the bottom 2 of the'box when the easel is flattenedout against the bottom of the box, but the tendency of theflrubber band under the extension 23 is to throw the end of 'the V I extension-23 slightly away from the bottom of the box particularly when the rubber band begins to draw the member 8"toward the member 11.. Thus, the freeend of'the member 23 is moved to a position below the planeofthe bottom surface of'the tab 31. and belowthe plan'e'of the lower surface of the rubberband' 26 which-will lie across thelower or'wi'dest 'I/Vhen, therefore, the easel the ---rubber band is free to draw the sliding is released and memb r 8. toward, the hinged, conneiqtie tlthe f i s 9 1" t memb r 3wi l .firs ent rl the upper narrower portion of the hole 30 formed bythe cuts 31 and asthe cam surfaces 29 enter 1 1 0 .3 t 1 X ens O Z S'WilI e efi d upwardly toward the wider portion of the holef30 until the cam surfaces 29 pass through the hole 30," whereupon'the endofthe extension 23 will againdrop slightly into the narrow part ofthe opening 30 withthewalls 28 abutting against the adjacent surfaceof the e er wr h p a e ther b r band 26, and further movement of'the mem ber 8 toward the hinged connection will t en be tew j V But should now the rubber band 26 break or'be cut, the easel will not collapse for vthe walls 28? of the notches 28 will take against the outer surface of the foldable member 1Q, preventing any mevement of the slidable member S'away from the hinged connection 7. Thus, "will the parts be locked together at the notches 28 the edges of whichwillbe on oppbsitesidesjof. the foldable member' lO." In

re- 12; fhare h w?! the 1 62;?) i the b x botto n 2; 31S}: having tapering sides 27 conv rs n s h r t ndaway fr m the see ing 7. The sides of the members 8,?) and 10 willbesiinilarly tapered; feature is de' sirable in all forms of my invention wherein the member 8 slides in an opening 27, for as soon as the member 8 startsto nove tojwards the scoring 7, the side'edges of the memberS are free of the walls 27. The walls 2Z1 will not impose any friction or resistance to the tree sliding of the member 8 on the false bot; tom ll of the box. I 4 3 But, it is not necessary that the rubber band 26 be passed under the projection 23 in order to depress the end of the said projection sufficiently to clear the end ofthe tab 32, for when the member 8 is slid on the bottom ofthe box toward the member 11 and the foldable members 9 and 10 begin to tilt with respect to the bottom of thebox, the friction between the'edges of the projection 23 and the edges of the members 9 1O will be suflicient to bend the extension 23 slightly out of the plane'of the box andbelow the tab 32 an'd below the rubberband 26 at thewidest part of the opening 30. j p y I regard this feature as of considerable importance because in some instances I may find it desirable to omitthe rubber bands and permit the consignee or retailer to manually form up'the easel on the bottoms of'the boxes. "My constructions are so simple and the manual formation of thejeasel is such an easy thing to perform that it may be found desirable under some conditions'to omit the rubber bands, in which case the retailer has merely to manually slidethe member 8 toward the hinged connection 7, and after the cam surfaces 29 have slid or passed through the'opening 30 in the member 10, as in Fig.

. r means;

2 OIIQYQZJEIAQ edgesof the memb rioasin Fig, 11 thfii th 32 1 28? aii'di' 28 "Qtfithe notches 28-will be on opposite sides of the member lQland the rigid easel, so formed, will not collapse evenwhenjthe' rubber bands are omitted; 1. 1: 1 x Z ,An'd to facilit'ate the formation of the 5 5918, by hand,,..aiwhen the rubber .bands with ,WlliQli they are provided fail to work or are omitted,l may, provide theend of the projections ,23with a string or flexiblelex tension 33 passing through the hole 30 formed in the member 10,.so that toaform the e asel', the retailer merely has to'lift the boxancl draw, the string to .the left :(Fig. 12) until the cam surfaces 29 pass through the hole 30 in themember l0. Q '7 1111 allthe constructions described, I have termed the .connections between the members 8, 9 and 10 as hinged connections, as they are, when strip or sheet of ;card-b'oard is scored andbent along the scoring, inorder to swing a seotion'about the adjacent! scoring as an axis, but my invention' is not to 1 belcons true d as limited to a card-boarderstiff-paper construction. 'Wheh heavy boxes are required for the 'sh ipmen t of goods of the ch'aracterjwhich-Ihaveabove indicated', gitzhas been common 1 to pack the goodsiinsheet metal 'boxes- "Suchis'h'eet metal b'q'xes may be rqvideci-gwitliease-lsof the in'aterialpwith the slidablm-the fpldable', and the/fixed or stationa'ry sectioris connected together with-"sheet metal hinges made in the edgesof the respective se ctionsr- In Fig. 1,3, I havesliowiTin' a diagrammaticmanner, an

easel made of sheet metal wherein a section ll is provided on-itsedge with a hinge member' Ticut out'o'f the-metal itself and adapted to'be curled around a p1ntle'7'. In similar which have above manner, the opposite edgesof the member 10,

may be provided respectively with hinge members 7 and 6 ,:adapted respectively to be curled around the pintles'l" and 6". Like wise, the foldablemember 9, may be provided on 7 its" oppositeedges with similar hinge members 6? and 5 adapted respectively to be curled around thepintles 6. and 5 while an edge of the sliding member. 8, is provided withja hinge member 5 adaptedto be curled around the pintle .5. The. member 8, maybe provided with integral, metal extensions '23- and with'notches 28, for the purposes above described." p

In "all the constructions above described, my invention comprises the combination with a box of-an easel consisting primarily of four flat sections," namely, the slidable section 8,- the two fo'ldable sections 9 and 10 and a stationary section 11, 11?, 11 11 or 2, to which the foldable section 10 is hingedly secured.

In Fig. 1, .this stationary section is the part 11, secured to the bottom of the boxin a variety of ways; in Fig. 4:, it is the part 11 stapled to the'bottomof the box; in Fig. 6,-

. bottom 2, to which the member is directly,

a isthe n .11 of the: box; in Fig.7, itis the false bottom 1 1 in Fig. 10, it is the short bottom section 11 and in Fig. .12 it is the hingedly connected.-

In Figs. 6 and 12 the stationary section of the easel is an integral part of the box.

cross-section, and formed by the said foldable' ) members 9 and 10 and the bottom 2 of the movable or slidable member box, fails to have sufficient rigidity to support the filled box in tilted position, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 andQG, or thislimit to the motion maybe effected by slots 22and ears 21011 the S; "passing through said slots. or openings, as shown in Figs. 1, 7, l1 and 12.

l/Vhile for the purpose of showing a-construction whereina box 1 may be lifted and moved around without effecting the formation of an easel 4::on the bottom 2 of a box until a telescoping cover 3 has been slipped off from overthe flattened easel, it is. to be understood from the description above given,

that the box shownin Fig. 1, may be provided with the ordinary telescoping cover'or lid on the top side in which case the rigid easel 4 will be automatically formed upon the lifting of the box from a shelf or other support on which the filled box may have'been' placed with the easel 4 heldfiattened against the bottom2 of the box by the, weight of the con tents of the box.

Referring back .to the construction shown in Fig. 1, if theears or tabs 21'should become broken or torn off from the member 8,v the band 26 would operate to automatically. form the easel for the struts or extensions 23 would still hold the member 8 sufficiently far from the member 11 to form the hollow truss-like structure triangular in cross-section, of suf-' ficient rigidity to holdsupported one edge of alfilled box of gum or candy or confectionery, Likewise, should the extensions 23 be ac cidentally torn off without disturbing the cars 21, the'easel would be formed in the same I manner for the ears 22 would prevent the too close approach ofthe member 8 to the member 11. I i

Should one remove Fig. 1, the ears 12 in the slots 20 serve to retainthe member 11 flat against thebottom of-the'box and should the ears l2 become for the rubber band for drawing the slidable {section 8 toward thehinged connection 7 to fold the members 910 in a positionto hold the box tilted without departing from the, "spirit and scope of my invention.

' 'Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent'of theUniteol States is 'tions, said hinged connections being all paral-v the staples 13shown in torn ofi and inoperative without removing the staples 18, the easel would be still retained on the bottom of the box in an operative con dition. But it is to be understood that where in Figs. 1, 11 and 12, I have shown two devicesfor performing the same purpose and 1 function, one setof devices may be omitted in favor of the other without departing from the aim and scope of the invention, and in the modifications shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I have shown'structures in which such changes have been made.

1 When the easel is formed out of card-board or stilf paper, I prefer to havethe grain of the board run longitudinally of the'connected sections 11, 10, 9 and 8, at right angles to the scorings 7 6 and 5, to provide'a strong hinged connection at the scorings and to make the sections stiff. If the grain is parallel to the scorings, the sections may be bent or bowed out of a plane surface and such a distortion of the operative parts of the easel may interferewith the full enjoyment and utility of my invention. y

Of -course,'there is a possibility that at J rare intervals, the rubber band26 may deteriorate or break and thus render the antomaticfolding-feature of the-easel inopto a construction wherein a rubber band is used as theresilient means of the easel and it is to .be understood that any equivalent metal'spring structure may be substituted 1. The combination with a box and a tubu-' ,lar sleeve closure t'h'erefon'of an easel comconnection between one. end of'said strip and the bottom of said box adjacent and parallel to an edge of said bottom, saidstrip consistlng of a plurality of fiat sections in series, hinged connections between. ad]acent secerative. I, therefore,fhave not limited myself I r-isin a stri' of sheet material a hin ed lel to said edge of said bottom, and resilient means operatively connected to the remote edges of two adjacent sections, one of said remote edges being stationary with respect to said box, and the other remoteedge being movable with respect to said boxysaidresilient means tending .to draw the said movable edge toward the said stationaryedge to form a fold in said'strip, and means to limit the movement. of the said movable edge of where said members form with the bottom a rigid hollow structure, triangularin trans verse cross-section, said strlp andsald resilient meansbeing heldflat between said said remoteedges toward the other to a point g tubular closure-and said bottoiiiwhen said box is closed, said resilient meansacting automatically to-form said fold when saidjclosure is slid from over said strip in opening saidbox.-*- U V 4 2. Elle combination with a box of the character described, of'an easel therefor on the bot-tom of-said box and having a foldable section hingedly connected at one edgeto said box adjacent and-parallel to an'edge of the bottom of said box, second foldable section hingedly connected to an edge of said, firstmentioned foldable section, a slidable-section hingedly-connected to an edgeofsaid second foldable member,-thehinged connections between said sections being all parallel toeach other, resilient means under tension and operable to. automatically draw said slidable section toward-the hinged connection between said first foldable section and said box and to throw the hinged connection between said 'foldable section's away from the bottom of said box whenever said easel is'not forceably held fiat against the bottom of said box, means to limit the-distance which said slidabl'emem ber may be drawnby said resilient means to a point beyond which saidfoldable members "do not-form with the bottom of the box a hollow rigid structure triangular in cross-section and means automatic-ally operable to preventsaid slidable section from being moved in the opposite direction when once it ha's been moved-to the limit of its movement toward said hinged connection between said first-mentioned foldable section and-said box.

3. The combination with a box of the char Hacter described, of an easel structure therefor fof sheet material held flat on the bottom of said box when the-box is filled, and when the 7 box is within a sleeve closure therefor and operative upon the removal of the boxfrom a sleeve and whena box is liftedto be automatically folded into a rigid easel structure posi tioned adjacent an edge of said bottom, said easel comprising a strip of sheet material having three sections arranged in series, each section being connected to the adjacent section by hinge joint, said hinge joints extending at right angles to the long dimension of the strip, the edge of one end section being hingedly secured to thelbottom of said box adjacent an edge of said bottom, and resili ent means surrounding theother end section and the intermediate section and tending .to draw said other end section and with it the edge of said intermediate section hingedly connected thereto toward the-hinged connection between said first-mentioned end section and said box, and to throw the hinged connection betweensaid first-mentioned section and the said intermediate section away from said box bottom and'a stop to limit the distance to which said second-mentioned end section may move toward said first-mentioned end section under the pull of said resilient means.

gi raem 4. The combination with a boxof the character described, of an easel comprising a strip of cardboardhingedly secured at one-end to said boxadjacent an edge of said box and including three consecutive sections 'hingedly securedtogether by a parallel scoring across the stripand 'a rubber band-operativel-yse- -cu'red to the remote hinged edges ofthe section securedto said'box and the section next "adjacent thereto; said rubber band being under tension when said strip is held flatagainst the bottom of said box and operative'when said strip is not so retainedfiat, to automatically draw the said two remote edges toward each other and the sections therebetween into :1

planes making an acute angleat the hinged connection between said two, and. astop against which the section at the free end "of said strip isdrawn and held by said rubber band 5. The combination with a box of the character described, of an easel having a series of four fiat sections hingedly secured together on lines parallel to each other and transverse to thelong dimension of the strip, and comprising two end sections, and two intermediate foldable sections, one end section of said strip being stationarily secured to the box adjacent an edge of the bottom'thereof and contractile means, surroundingsaid intermediate sections and operativeto v draw the remote edges otthe twointermediate see t-lons towardeach other, the other end 'sectlon l in flat a ainst and beinjfreel slidable V b '2 b y I: I00 1 on the bottom of said box, and meansto limit the distance that the lastmentioned end section and theed'geof the intermediate section connected-thereto maybe movedby said contractile means toward said first-mentioned endsection r 6. The'combination with abox of the character described of an easel therefor, compris- "ing a strip consisting of series of four sec 'tions hinged together on lines parallel to each other and transverse to the long dimension of the strip, one of; said sections beinganend section stationary withrespect to the bottom 7 of'the box, an end section freely slidable on the bottom of the box and two intermediate folding sections, contractile means tending to draw the remote edges of the two intermediate folding sections toward each other and to throw the hinged connections between said folding sections downwardly away-from the a "bottom'of said box and to draw said sliding end section lying flat against the bottom of said boxtoward said stationary endsection, means to limitit-he' distancewhich the said sliding end section and the. edge of the folding section hingedly connected thereto may be drawn by said contractile means, and means 7 to automatically lock said sliding section with respect to said foldable sections when said sliding section has reached the limit of end foldable sectionsbeing secured to the box 7 by hinged connection adjacent and parallel to an edge of the bottomof said box, said sliding section being slidable on the bottom of the box from its position flat on the bottom of 7 said box toward the hinged connection between said strip and said box to force'the r hinged connection between said foldable sections away from the bottom of the box and to foldsaid foldable sections into substantially a V-shape, and interlocking means carried by said slidable section and another section of i said strip respectively and brought into in-- terlocking engagement when said slidable section has been moved to the limit of its movement toward the hinged connection be tween said first mentioned end section and the foldable section hinged thereto. 7

;8. The combination with a box ofthe' char-' acter described, ofran. easel therefor, comprising a sheet of stiff material having three, consecutive sections hingedly' secured together-in series and comprising an end'foldable section, an intermediate foldable section and a sliding section, one edge of said end slidable section toward the other end section and interlocking means'carried by said slidable member "and another member of said strip respectively and brought into interlocklocking engagement by the movement of said slidable member into its position of nearest approach to said stationary end member. 10. The combination with the box of an easel comprising a strip provided with parallel scorings forming two foldable sections and a sliding section in series hingedly secured together by said parallel scorings, the edge of one of said end sections being secured'to theQbox by hinged connectionadjacent and parallel to an edge 'of'the bottom of said box, said slidable section being freely movable on the bottom of said box toward said hinged connection betweensaid strip and said box,

when said strip is fiat onthe bottom of the box,to a position in which said foldable members are folded into substantially a stiff V- shape and interlocking means carried bysaid slidable section and another section of said strip respectively and brought into interlocking engagement with each' other when' said slidable section has been moved to limit of hinged to said box.

' foldable sectionbeing hingedly secured to the boxandthe said slidable section being movable toward the-hinged connection between said end foldable section and the box, a

to move the hinged connection between said foldable sections awayfrom thebottom of the box, means to limit the distance which said slidable member may move towardthe said a hinged connection 'between said foldable section and said box, and interlocking means carf ried by said sliding section and said first-menf tioned foldable section respectively *and brought into interlocking.engagement when once said slidable section has been moved to V the limit'of its movementstoward said hinged r connection between said end foldable section l and said box. r

v 9. The combination with a box of the char-' acter described'of an easel having a series of flatlsections, hingedly' secured together on V linesparallelto'each other and transverse to V the long dimension of the strip and compris sections, the edge of one end section of said strip being stationarily secured to the box adjacent an edge of the bottom thereof, the

other end sectioniof-said ,strip'lying flat against the bottom of said box and being freej ly slidable on the bottom of said box'towar'd the otherend section when said strip is flat i on the bottom ofs'aid box, to foldthetwo intermediatefoldable sections into substantial- 'ing'two end sections and two intermediate 1 lyav-sh ap the travel gof 4 V r v its motion toward the end section which is 3

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