US2172555A - Paper bag construction - Google Patents

Description

p 12, 1 3 H. A. WOLF 2,172,555

PAPER. BAG CONSTRUCTION Filed May 22, 1937 2 SheetsSheet l INVENTOR Howard Q. IEZ'o C Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER BAG CONSTRUCTION Howard A. Wolf, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application May 22, 1937, Serial No. 144,129

8 Claims. (Cl. 229-68) The present invention relates to a new and useful improvement in the construction of paper bags and it relates more particularly to animproved construction for paper bags of the locking and carrying type wherein an aperture is centrally provided near the open end of the bag for receiving a locking tongue and for providing a convenient handle whereby said bag may be carried by hand.

An object of the present invention is to increase the article-bearing capacity of such paper :bags by increasing the useful depth of the body portion thereof without, however, requiring any increase in the dimensions of the paper blank from which the bag is formed.

A further object of the present invention is to increase the effective length of the open end closure flap of the bag at points along said open endremoved from the central locking means, 2 without however requiring any increase in the dimensions of the paper blank from which the bag is formed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a more secure and improved locking means for bags of the aforesaid locking and carrying type.

With the above and other objects in view; which may appear more fully from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, the present invention consists of a paper bag having juxtaposed panels and a foldable closure flap extending from one of said panels, the trans- Verse edge of said closure flap being concavely or inwardly curved and the adjacent transverse edge of the other panel being complementarily convexly or protuberantly curved.

The present invention further consists of other novel features as well as certain novel details of construction, all of, which appear more fully companying drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure .1 represents a perspective View of one from the following detailed description and aci'orm of an improved bag embodying the present invention, with the closure flap thereof in an extended or opened position, and with the terminal transverse edges of the bag cut in a novel and improved manner.

Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the improved bag illustrated in Figure 1, with the closure flap thereof in'a folded or closed position.

Figure 3 represents a perspective view of an unimproved bag having its terminal transverse edges cut in a heretofore customary manner. I

Figure 4 represents a front elevational view of the bags shown in Figures-1 and 3, superposed upon each other, the-full lines indicating the improved bag shown in Figure 1, and the dashed lines indicating the unimproved bag shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents a plan view of a paper blank from which a bag such as that illustrated in Figure 1 may be formed.

Figure it represents a plan view of a paper blank from which a bag such as that illustrated in Figure 3 may be formed.

One method of making the blanks from which paper bags are formed consists in longitudinally feeding a continuous sheet or web of paper from a supply roll to a revolvable cylindrically mounted cut-oif knife which periodically cuts the paper web transversely as the knife-bearing cylinder rotates, thus forming a series of paper blanks.

The cutting edge of the cut-off knife is customarily arcuate or curved in order to improve the cutting operation as will be readily understood by one skilled in the art.

When the sheet of paper is severed by a stroke of the curved or arcuate cut-oil knife thus forming a paper blank, the two resulting complementarily curved transverse edges respectively form the trailing edge of said paper blank and the leading edge of the succeeding paper blank.

According to the present invention, the cut-off knife is preferably mounted in such a fashion as to concavely cut the terminal edge of the closure flap end of the paper blank, and to convexly cut the opposed transverse terminal edge of said paper blank, along complementary nonsinuate curves traversing the width of said paper blank.-

The paper blanks illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, from which merchandise bags such as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, respectively, may be formed, both possess the following common features. The paper blank I may be provided with the narrow folded longitudinal marginal portions 8-8 which afford convenient strips to which adhesive may be applied for the purpose of adhesively securing together the rear bag panel 9 and the front bag panel I when the blank 1 is folded transversely on the fold line H. These two panels 9 and ID are of unequal longitudinal length, the rear panel 9 being sufficiently longer than the front panel Ill to provide the closure flap I2 extending from the closure flap fold line I3 to the adjoining transverse edge of the paper blank.

Reinforcing segments M and 5 may be centrally provided at opposite ends of the paper blank 1, in order to increase the strength of the bag locking and carrying means. The rear panel 9 and the front panel l0 may be provided near their respective upper ends with aligned slotted apertures I 6 and I1, which serve a two fold purpose. The locking tongue l8 may be inserted through these juxtaposed slotted apertures l 6 and I1 and folded along the locking tongue fold line l9, and in this manner the bag closure flap I 2 will be secured in its folded or bag closing position. Ones fingers may then be inserted through these juxtaposed apertures l6 and I1 which thus afford a convenient bag-carrying handle. The locking tongue I8 is preferably provided with the end wingor tab sections 2020 which may be formed by partially slitting the end sections of 'the locking tongue l8 along the slit lines 2I2|,

and the locking tongue l8 may then be effectively retained in its locking position (that is, when inserted through the slotted apertures l6 and H) by virtue of the added length afforded it by-these end wings 20-'-20 over the transverse length of the slotted apertures I6 and 11.

It has heretofore been customary for the bagforming paper blanks to be cut so that the cut edge 22 of the open end closure flap l2 was convex or protuberant, and so that the upper cut edge 23 of the front panel I0 was concave or incurved, as more particularly illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 6.

In the improved form of construction which forms the subject matter of the present invention, and one embodiment of which is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5, these arcuate or curved transverse edges are transposed so that the cut edge 24 of the closure flap I2 is concavely formed and so that the upper cut edge 25 of the front panel I0 is convexly formed. When the rear and front bag panels 9 and H) are now adhesively secured together the central part of the cut edge 25 of the front panel I!) will be juxtaposed with the fold line l3 of the closure flap l2. The

outwardly curved single crest of the non-sinuately curved front panel edge will thus present a generally single-point land to the flap fold l3 in the vicinity of the central locking means. This land more or less operatively meets the 'flaps fold when the closure flap is folded down over the free end of the front panel 10. The width of the handle-forming paper bridge 26 lying immediately over the aperture I I will be generally equal to the respective widths of the remaining handle-forming elements 2l--21 which lie between the upper edge of the slotted aperture l6 and the closure flap fold line l3, and between this same closure flap fold line l3 and the locking tongue fold line Hi. When the closure flap I2 is therefore folded along'its fold line l3, and the locking tongue I8 is inserted through the slotted and aligned apertures l6 and I1 and folded upwardly along its fold line l8, all as illustrated in Figure 2, the central locking and carrying means will then include the three adjacent and generally coextensive handle-forming elements 26, 21, 21, the central one of which presents a generally single-point land to the flap fold line l3.

The locking means achieved by this manner of construction is far superior to that achieved by the constructions heretofore customarily employed, one of which has been illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 6. Thus, in the illustrated prior construction the presence of the concavely cut transverse edge 23 at the end of the front panel In immediately above the transverse aperture l1 resulted in the formation of the gap 28 between the recessed central part of this transverse edge 23 and the closure flap fold line l3, and in the absence of a land for said closure flap fold line. The respective widths of theouter handle-forming elements 21'2l' exceeded the width of the handle-forming paper bridge 26' included therebetween by an amount equal to the width of this gap 28. The handle was therefore relatively flexible and the locking means relatively insecure due in part to the fact that the included handleforming bridge 26 was not confined along the two edges thereof against a relative sliding movement, and this bridge 26' therefore did not add to the stiffness of the paper handle. By virtue of the herein above described construction however the tendency of the handle-forming elements to slide relative to each other is eliminated, and the stiffness of the combined handle (which may be considered as consisting of the elements 21, 26, 21 and perhaps I8) is greatly increased.

Furthermore, by eliminating the gap 28, the position of the transverse aperture l6 may be shifted further along the rear panel 9 and nearer to the closure flap fold line l3 by a distance equal to the width of this gap 28, and still provide ample material between the uppermost edge of the aperture l6 and the closure flap fold line l3 to overlap the paper bridge element 26. The position of the juxtaposed slotted aperture l1 may be similarly shifted further along the front panel l0 and nearer to the transverse edge 25 by a distance equal to the width of this gap 28 without requiring a decrease in the width of the paper bridge element 26, and this is rendered possible by the novel reversal of the neighboring rear panel terminal edge from a concave edge 23 to the convex edge 25. The useful depth of the body portion of the bag may thus be increased by an amount equal to the width of this gap 28 without requiring an increase in the di mensions of the paper blank I, or as more particularly illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the useful depth 29 of the bag constructed in the improved manner exceeds the useful depth 30 of a bag constructed in the unimproved manner by an amount equal to the distance through which the positions of the slotted apertures have been permitted to shift along the bag panels 9 and In, said distance being determined by the width of the gap 28.

By virtue of this improved bag construction, moreover, an increase in the length of the closure flap I2 is effected at those points along the bag opening where this increase is most desirable, that isat points therealong furthest removed from the central locking means. The tendency for the bag opening to gape or spread apart is most pronounced at these points furthest removed from the central closure locking means and this isespecially true where the paper bag is of a substantial width and where the articles within the bag are of a bulky charac-- ter, The reversal of the curve of the closure flap cut edge increases the efl'ective length of the closure flap l2 in these end zones where an increase in length is most desirable, at the expense of a decrease in the length of the closure flap along the central zone thereof where flap length is least important, and achieves this without requiring an increase in the dimensions of the paper blank. This novel arrangement is superior to the forms of construction heretofore known.

The foregoing advantages of improved central locking means, single-point land for the flap fold line, increased useful depth of the bag, and increased length of the closure flap at those points where this increase is most desirable may readily be observed in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings wherein a bag constructed after the improved manner illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 has been superposed upon the unimproved bag more particularly illustrated in Figures 3 and 6; the full lines representing the improved construction and the dashed lines representing the unimproved construction.

Although the particular bag selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and described in detail hereinabove includes side seams, it will be readily understood that the novel arrangement of a concave flap edge and a convex panel edge which forms the subject matter of the present invention is susceptible of incorpodown over an open end of the bag to close the same.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is hereby claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A merchandise bag of the character described, having a front panel, a rear panel and a foldable closure flap extending from and beyond said rear panel and divided therefrom by an uninterrupted transverse fold line, said panels and said flap being formed from a single sheet of paper having opposite complementary con cavely curved and convexly curved transverse edges, the concavely curved edge terminating the closure flap end of said sheet comprising a single non-sinuate curve traversing the width of said closure flap, and the convexly curved edge terminating the front panel end of said sheet comprising a single 'non-sinuate curve traversing the width of said front panel;the single curved crest of said convexly curved transverse sheet edge extending generally up to, but not beyond, said uninterrupted flap fold line thereby to meet, but not project through, said fold line when said closure flap is operatively folded. over said front panel, and to serve as a generally single-point land for said fold line,

2. A merchandise bag of the character described having a front panel, a rear panel and a foldable closure flap extending from and beyond said rear panel and divided therefrom by an uninterrupted transverse fold line, said panels and said flap being formed from a single sheet of paper having opposite complementary inwardly curved and outwardly curved transverse. edges, the inwardly curved edge terminating the closure flap end of said sheet comprising a single nonsinuate curve traversing the width of said closure flap, and the outwardly curved edge terminating the front panel end of said sheet comprising a single non-slnuate curve traversing the width of said front panel, the single curved crest of said outwardly curved transverse sheet edge extending generally up to, but not beyond, said uninterrupted flap fold line thereby to meet, but not project through, said fold line when said closure flap is operatively folded over said front panel, and to serve as a generally single-point land for said fold line.

3. A paper merchandise bag having two side panels and a foldable end-closure flap formed in continuation of one of said two side panels and divided therefrom by a transverse fold line, said flap having an inwardly curved transverse edge comprising a single non-sinuate curve trav-- ersing the width of said flap, the other of said two side panels having an outwardly curved transverse edge comprising a single non-sinuate curve complementary to the aforesaid curve and traversing the width of said panel;--the single curved crest of said outwardly curved transverse edge generally extending only up to said transverse fold line, thereby to present a single-point land for said fold line when said closure flap is operatively folded over said front panel.

4.-A merchandise bag of the character described having a single sheet of paper folded to form a front panel, a rear panel and a foldable closure flap, the free transverse ends of said front panel and of said closure flap each terminating in a single non-sinuate curve traversing the width of said ends, the curved front panel edge being complementary to the curved flap edge and being convexly formed and presenting the crest thereof as a single-point land for the closure flap fold line when the closure flap is operatively folded down over said front panel.

5. A paper merchandise bag formed from a single folded sheet of paper and having a front panel, a rear panel, a foldable closure flap, the transverse edges at the free end of said front panel and at the free end of said closure flap each being complementarily curved along a single non-sinuate curve traversing the widths thereof, the convexly curved edge being disposed at said free front panel end and having its crest presenting a single-point land for the fold line separating the closure flap from said rear panel, said paper bag being provided with aligned transversely slotted apertures disposed at the upper ends of said front and rear panels, thereby providing handle-forming elements of generally equal central width above said apertures, and said closure flap having a locking tongue struck from said flap at the free end thereof and foldable through said apertures along a transverse fold line spaced from the flap fold line a distancegenerally equal to the central width of said handle-forming elements, thereby to provide an additional handle-forming element generally equal in width to the aforesaid elements when said closure flap has been operatively folded to close the end of said bag and said locking tongue has been folded through said apertures.

8. A merchandise bag formed from a single sheet of paper and including a front panel, a rear panel and Ioldable closure flap extending from and beyond said rear panel, the transverse edges of said bag at the free end of said front 5 panel and at the free end of said closure flap each being complementarily curved along a posed at the free end of said closure flap, where-' by the length of said closure flap increases progressively from the center towards both ends.

HOWARD A. WOLF.

Images