US2740572A - Tubular shipping container - Google Patents

Description

TUBULAR sense CONTAINER Charles D. Welshenhach, Sandusky, Ohio, assignor to The Hinde & Dauch Paper Company, Sandusky, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 316,400

1 (Ilairn. (Cl. 229--5.S)

This invention relates to tubular paperboard shipping containers particularly suitable for shipping articles such as rolls of sheet material.

The container of the present invention has a tubular body and end closures that are adapted to be inserted into the ends of the tubular body, each end closure providing an end closure wall having marginal flaps that are bent inwardly with respect to the wall and back upon themselves to provide recesses opening to the exterior of the container between the end closure wall and the tubular body, the end closure being secured to the wall by means of fasteners such as staples that pass through the tubular wall and the ends only of the flaps. The folded flaps of the end closure thus provide edges that are readily attachable to the tubular body after the end closure is in place within the tubular body. The end closure can be readily inserted in the open end of a container after the container is filled and has edge portions readily accessible for attachment to the body of the container. The folded flaps also provide positioning collars within the container at opposite ends thereof for centering the article being shipped in the container and yieldably supporting it out of contact with the tubular wall of the container.

The container is preferably polygonal in form and the body and end closure members are collapsible so that parts of the container can be shipped flat and assembled at the place of use.

Objects of the invention are to provide a tubular shipping container that has a smooth exterior surface throughout its length, that has end closures entirely within the tubular body and that can be readily secured in place after the article to be shipped has been placed in the container, and to provide a shipping container that has end closures that provide positioning collars Within the container with which the article being shipped can be engaged in such manner that the article is yieldably centered with respect to the container and held out of contact with the tubular wall of the container.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the top of the container; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an end closure blank.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the container of the present invention has a tubular body indicated generally at 10 that is preferably of polygonal form, the body it? being formed from a rectangular sheet of paperboard in which uniformly spaced parallel fold lines 11 provide hinge connections between adjacent sections of the tubular body. The ends of the blank are provided with a hinge connection formed by suitable means such as a tape 13. The body It) is readily collapsible about diametrically opposite hinge connections so that the body can be shipped as a flat rectangular piece of double thickness.

Two identical end closures indicated generally at 20 are provided at opposite ends of the container. Each States Patent "ice 2,740,572 Patented Apr. 3, 1956 end closure, as shown in Fig. 3, is formed from a blank having a central wall forming portion 21 and a series of flaps 22 radiating from the central wall portion 21. The flaps 22 are joined to the central wall portion 21 along fold lines 23 that define a polygon of somewhat less diameter than the tubular body 10 so that the end 010- sure member may be inserted within the tubular body with its edges formed by the fold lines 23 spaced inwardly with respect to the tubular body 19. The flaps 22 are preferably of a width equal to the length of the fold lines 23 and each has a transverse fold line 24 substantially midway between its ends and parallel to the fold line 23 to provide each flap with an inner portion 25 and an outer end portion 26. When the end closure 20 is inserted into an end of the tubular body the flaps 22 are folded inwardly to project into the interior of the container and the outer portions 26 are folded back upon the inner portions 25 to position them between the inner portions 25 and the tubular body ill. Each fiap provides a recess 27 opening outwardly to the exterior of the container at its end that will readily receive the clinching jaw of a stapling machine and the outer end portions 26 of the flaps are attached to the tubular wall it) by staples 28 which connect the end portions 26 of the flaps only to the tubular wall. Each flap is preferably attached to the body by two spaced staples 28 so that each flap is rigidly attached to the body and a strong connection for the end closure is provided.

The tubular body it) is preferably polygonal in cross section, the cross section of the tubular body being similar to the end wall polygon formed by the fold lines 23 so that the end closures may be placed within the tubular body with the marginal sides 23 of the end wall parallel to and spaced inwardly from the sides 12 of the tubular body. The fold lines 24 are preferably positioned substantially midway between the ends of the flaps 22 so that when the outer ends of the flaps are positioned flush with the ends of the tubular body it) the polygonal end walls 21 are also positioned substantially flush with the end edges of the tubular body.

The inwardly folded fiaps 22 of the end closures form internal positioning collars at opposite ends of the container that are adapted to receive the ends of an article A such as a roll of sheet material and center the same r with respect to the tubular body. The folded flaps also provide a small amount of lateral play between the end walls 21 and the tubular body 10 so that the article is yieldably held in a central position out of contact with the tubular wall.

It is to be understood that in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, variations and modifications of the specific devices herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

A paperboard box having a tubular body of polygonal cross-section, a separate end closure wall of corresponding configuration disposed within an end of said body with the margin of said closure wall spaced from the adjacent side walls of said body, said closure wall having a series of separate flaps integrally hinged to the margin thereof in closely spaced relationship entirely about its periphery, said flaps being free of connection with each other and each of said flaps having an inner portion bent inwardly from said closure wall and extending a substantial distance toward the opposite end of said body, and each of said flaps having an outer portion integrally hinged to and bent along a medial fold line back upon its inner portion and extending outwardly a substantial distance between the inner portion and said tubular body,

said flaps, and fasteners spaced outwardly a substantial distance from said fold line connecting the outer portions only of said flaps to said tubular body and serving as the sole means for holding said closure Wall in place within said tubular body. 5

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 918,138 Flora Apr. 13, 1909 10 Moore 2 Feb, 5, 192 4 Boeye July 3, 1934 Hutchins, Jr. May 26, 1936 Boeye Nov. 30, 1937 Gardner Feb. 8, 1944 Hill Ju1y 16, 1946 Palmer Nov. 2, 1948 Blackman Nov. 16, 1948

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