US2556661A - Convertible shipping carton and self-feeder - Google Patents

Description

June 12, 1951 w. c. RENDALI. ET A1.

CONVERTIBLE SHIPPING CARTON AND SELF-FEEDER Filedv Jan.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WINNER, r

THEIR ATTORNEYS.

`lune 12, 1951 w. c. RENDALL ET AL CONVERTIBLE SHIPPING CARTON AND sEI.F-F1-:EDER

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. l0, 1949 r 11,111....111,1frrafanfl1111111111111111111111/ THEIR ATTORNE June 12, 1951 w. c. RENDALL ET Al.

CONVERTIBLE SHIPPING CARTON AND SELF-FEEDER Filed Jan. lO, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG,

INVENTORS Patented June 12, 1951 CONVERTIBLE SHIPPING yCARTON AND SELF-FEEDER Warren C. Rendall and Fred L; Rushing, Tampa,

Fla., assignors to `Gaylord `Container Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Maryland Application January 10, 1949,` Serial No. 70,066

Claims.

f This invention relates to containers, particu-- larly cartons of the kind used for shipping poultry feed. It has for its principal object to provide a strong and durable, simple and economical, feed shipping carton which can be quicklyand easily converted into an efficient trough type selffeeder. Another object is to provide for cutting said carton to form a ap adapted to be swung outwardly and provide an exposed feed trough and a communicating opening between the latter and the interior of the carton. Another object is to provide a folded-blank insert which is snugly held inside the sealed carton during shipment and'is adapted toprovide a false bottom which slopes downwardly to the bottom of the said trough and includes means for maintaining the feed in the trough at a level below the top thereof." The invention consists in the convertible shipping carton and self-feeder and inthe parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings, which-form part of the Vspecification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they. occur,

Fig. 1 isa'perspective viewof a combination shipping and self-feeder carton embodying my invention, the overlapping endiclosure ap thereiof being shown broken away 'to disclose the liner insert and thev stop lug in 1 the underlying end closure flap,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the carton laid on its side and converted into a self-feeder,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View similar to Fig. 2 showing the manner in which the stop lugs are Vbent inwardly from the underlying end closure flaps into operative position,

Fig; 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional vieW on line 5 5 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional View of the carton taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1,

Fig. '7, is a horizontal cross-sectional viewv on line 'I--'I in Fig. 2, Y f

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the liner insert,

Fig. 971s a plan View of the blank from which the carton body is formed,

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showinga modified form ofthe invention.

Fig. 11k is a verticallongitudinal sectional view on the line II-II in Fig. 10"; and

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the modified form Yof linerinsert shown in Figs. l0 and 11. `vIn the accompanyingdrawings, our invention is shown embodied in a'conventional-one-piece,

folded-blank shipping carton comprising two opsite side walls I provided with half 'end closure flaps 2 and two opposite side walls 3 and 4, provided with half end closure flaps 5. At each endr 5 of the carton, thehalf'closure flaps 2 of the`two oppositev side walls I are folded inwardly towards each other into substantially edgewise abutting relation and the half closure flaps 5 of the two other opposite side walls 3 and 4 are folded over upon the closure flaps 2 and are secured together along their abutting edges by a strip of adhesive tape 6. The overlapped closure flaps may also be adhesively secured together flat-wise.

Each end closure flap 2 of each of the two opposite side walls I is slit or cut, as at 'I, to form therein a displaceable tab 8 which is entirely separate from said end closure flap but remains hingedly attached to said side wall along the line of fold of said end closure flap. The tab 8 of each end closure flap 2 is of substantially V-shape and is located next to the side wall 4 with its wide end at the fold line of said end closure flap. Each tab 8 terminates at its free narrow end in a laterally extending stop lug 9 which extends in the direction of the side wall 3. Each of the two opposing side Walls I has a line of severance I0 marked on the outer surface thereof which extends the full length of said wall and connectsthe tab forming slits 'I on the sides thereof located remote from the side wall 4.

The above carton is provided with a separate, one-piece, folded-blank liner insert A which is formed midway between two opposite side mar- .gins thereof into a tubular supporting rib I I that extends from one to the other of two opposite side margins of said insert and has a flat bottom I2 and upwardly converging side walls I3 that meetl along their upper edges. The insert also includes two half-bottom panels I4 that slope downwardlyv and outwardly from the meeting upper edges of the upwardly converging side Walls I3 of the hollow rib II. The meeting edges ofthe halfbottom panels I4 are preferably cove ered by a strip of adhesive tape I5 that seals and prevents spreading of the joint between said edges.v The self-feeder insert A is positioned within the carton and snugly ts therein with its Ahollow supporting rib seated against the side wall 4 of the carton midway of the two opposite side walls I thereof and with its half-bottom panels I4 sloping to the corners formed by the sidewalls I and the sidewall 4.

The carton with the insert A positioned therein is filled with the poultry feed or other material that is to be dispensed therefrom and is sealed in the manner hereinbefore described for shipment to the ultimate purchaser.

Upon receiving the sealed carton, the feeder places the carton with its side wall 4 down where the poultry is to be fed and slits the two side walls I from endA to end along the lines of severance I0, thereby forming flaps I6 that are hinged to the side wall 4. A knife or other suitable implement is then slipped between each overlying end closure flap 5, and the tab 8 cut in the underlying end closure flap 2 and pressed against said end tab to bend the latter inwardly out of the plane of the end flap 2. The flaps. I6 formed by cutting the side walls VI along thev lines I are then bent outwardly and downwardly out of the planes of said Walls to form the upwardly and outwardly inclined outer side walls of outstanding feed troughs I'I that extend along the lower portions of said side walls. 'Ihe displaced trough forming aps IS ralso'provideV in the side walls I openings I 8 which establish'communication between the interior of the carton and the exteriorly located feed troughs I 'I thereof. At the same time, the tabs 8 which have been displaced from the end closure aps 2 and are integrally attached to the trough flaps IB move outwardly with the latter through the openings I8 and form the end walls of the troughs I'I, the stop'lugs 9 of said ltabs abutting against the side walls I above v'said openings and thus limiting the `outward"movement of said trough forming flaps and tabs. The half-bottom panels" I4 of the self-feeder insert lA slope downwardly'to the openings I8, which establish communication between the interior of the carton and the feed troughs I'I, and cause the feed to flow by gravity into said troughs. When itis desired to discontinue the feeding, the trough flaps I6 may be swung back into the plane of the `side walls I and the end tabs 8 slid inwardly into the carton. If desired, the flaps may be secured in inoperative position by means of adhesive tape (not shown).

The foregoing arrangement provides a strong, durable, simple and economical, feed carton which may be quickly and easily converted into an eiiicient trough type self-feeder, whose feeding troughs may be readily returned to inoperative position when it isV desired to render Vthe feed inaccessible. The self-feeder insert A serves to stiifen and strengthen the carton and provides a Vfalse bottom therefor which protects the feed from oor moisture and facilitates movement of feed by gravity into the trough. lThe insert has a snug nt in the carton 4and thus prevents' sifting of the feed around the edges of the insert, and the joint between the meeting edges of the half-bottom panels I4 of said insert is covered by the adhesive sealing strip I which prevents sifting of the feed through said joint and side-wise spreading of the rib II.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. l0, 1l and l2, the insert is provided at the outer side edges of its sloping half-bottom panels I4 with upstanding flanges I9 which seat against the inner faces of the side walls I of the carton and are provided opposite the openings I'B in said walls with openings 2li which extend substantial- 1y from end to end of said flanges. The upper edges of the openings 2Q are located below the level of the upper edge of the openings Ii3 thereby reducing the effective height thereof and maintaining the level of the feed inthe troughs lI'below the upper edges thereof.

Obviously, the heretofore described convertible shipping carton and self-feeder admits of considerable modification without departing from the invention. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to precise construction shown and described.

1. A convertible shipping carton and selffeeder comprising two integrally connected angularly disposed walls, one of said walls forming the bottom of said ycarton in the feeding position-thereof and the other of said walls extending upwardly in such position of said c-arton and formingpnesidegwall thereof, said upright side wall beingadapted-t'o be cut along a line located above said bottomforming wall to provide a flap constructed andzarranged to be swung from the plane of said upright wall at an upwardly and outwardly inclined angle to said wall to form the outer side wall of a feed trough and to provide in said upright wall a communicating opening between theinterior of said carton and said feed trough, said flap having tabs extending fromthe' ends thereof vthroug-hsaid opening and forming the ends of said feed trough, a liner insert seated` ag-ainst the bottom forming wall of said carton and having an upstanding flange seated fiati' wise against the inner face of said upright side wall-,and having .an opening constructed and arranged to communicatewith the openingrformed in `saidr upright lwall when thel ap kcut `therein isY swung outwardly l into .trough forming :'posi'" tion, and the upper edge of said opening in said ange being disposed below .the upperedge of the openingV in said upright wallso -as to decrease the effective height lof 'saidvlast mentioned opening. 1,. .2' -12.@A convertible shipping carton fand self-i feeder comprising two integrally, connected angularly disposed walls, one of said walls forming the bottom of said carton in the feedingl position:v thereof and theother of said walls' extending upwardly in such position of said Ycarton forming one side wallthereo'f,4 said upright side wall being adapted to be out along alinelocated above said bottom forming wall to provide a flap constructed and arranged to rbe swung from the" plane of said upright wall at an upwardly and outwardly inclined angle to said wall to forni the outer side wall of a feed trough and to `provide in said upright wall a communie-ating opening between 'the interior of said carton and said feed trough, said nap having tabs extending from the ends thereof through'said opening and forming the ends of 'said feed trough, an insert entirely enclosed'within the carton and seating against 'the bottom formingiwall thereof and having a panel which slopes downwardly toward the loweredge of the opening formed in said upright wall when the nap cut therein is swung outward-V 1y 'into trough forming positionysaid insert being provided at the lower edge of its sloping panel with an upstanding flange seated fiat-wise against the inner face of said upright side wall and having an opening adapted to communicate with the opening"formed in said upright wall when the fiap cut therein is swung 'outwardly into trough forming position, and the upper edge of said opening in said flange being disposed below the upper edge of the opening in said-upright wall so as to decreaselA the effective `height of lsaid last mentioned opening.

3. A convertible shipping carton and self-feeder comprising four, permanently connected side walls havingend flaps that are-overlapped to close the E" ends of said carton, one of two opposite side walls forming the bottom of the carton in the feeding position thereof and the other two opposite side walls being adapted to be cut along lines of severance marked thereon adjacent to and parallel with said bottom forming wall thereon to provide flaps constructed and arranged to be swung from the planes of said two other opposite side walls at an upwardly and outwardly inclined angle to said walls to form the outer side walls of feed troughs and to provide openings in said other two opposite side walls for establishing communication between the interior of said carton and said feed troughs, said flaps having tabs extending from the ends thereof through said opening and forming the ends of said feed troughs, and the end flaps of said other two opposite side walls being overlapped by the end flaps of said rst mentioned two opposite side walls and pre-cut to form said end tabs so constructed and arranged that said end tabs are normally disposed in the plane of said overlapped end flaps but are displaceable therefrom for movement with the trough forming flaps into position to form the ends of said troughs.

4. A convertible shipping carton and Self-feeder comprising four permanently connected side walls having end flaps that are overlapped to close the ends f said carton, one of two opposite side walls forming the bottom of the carton in the feeding position thereof and the other two opposite side walls being adapted to be cut along lines of severance marked thereon adjacent to and parallel with said bottom forming wall thereon to provide flaps constructed and arranged to be swung from the planes of said two other opposite side walls at an upwardly and outwardly inclined angle to said walls to form the outer side walls of feed troughs and to provide openings in said other two opposite side walls for establishing communication between the interior of said carton and said feed troughs, said flaps having tabs extending from the ends thereof through said opening and forming the ends of said feed troughs, the carton being provided with a liner insert seated against said bottom forming wall and having upstanding marginal flanges seated nat-wise against the inner face of said other two opposite side walls and each ange having an opening therein to communicate respectively with the openings formed in said last mentioned walls when the flaps cut therein are swung outwardly into trough forming position, and the upper edges of said openings in said flanges being disposed below the upper edges of the openings in said other two opposite side walls so as to decrease the effective height of said last mentioned openings.

5. A convertible shipping carton and self-feeder comprising four permanently connected side walls having end naps that are overlapped to close the ends of said carton, one of two opposite side walls forming the bottom of the carton in the feeding position thereof and the other two opposite side walls being adapted to be cut along lines of severance marked thereon adjacent to and parallel with said bottom forming wall thereon to provide flaps constructed and arranged to be swung out of the planes of said two other opposite side walls at an upwardly and outwardly inclined angle to said side walls to form the outer side walls of feed troughs and to provide openings in said other two opposite side walls for establishing communication between the interior of said carton and said feed troughs, said flaps having tabs extending from the ends thereof through said openings and forming the ends of said feed troughs, a liner insert entirely enclosed within the carton and seated against the bottom forming wall thereof and having half-bottom panels sloping downwardly toward the lower edges of said openings when the trough forming flaps are swung into trough forming position, said insert being formed with a hollow rib seated against said bottom forming wall and supporting the inner margins of said sloping panels, said insert being provided at the lower edges of its sloping half-bottom panels with upstanding flanges seated at-wise against the inner faces of said other two opposite side walls and having openings constructed and arranged to communicate with the openings formed in said last mentioned walls when the flaps cut therein are swung outwardly into trough forming position, and the upper edges of said openings in said flanges being disposed below the upper edge of the openings in said other two opposite side walls so as to decrease the effective height of said last mentioned openings.

WARREN C. RENDALL. FRED L. RUSHING.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Nevins, Jr Feb. 8, 1944

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