US2806633A - Shipping container for tablets having dispensing structure - Google Patents

Description

Sept. '17, 1957 B. K.'THoMEN SHIPPING CONTAINER FoR TABLETS HAVING. DIsRENsI'NG STRUCTURE' Filed June' s, 1954 INVENTOR.

Ill-Ill AWM.

United States Patent O SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR TABLETS HAVEN@ DISPENSING STRUCTURE Bina K. Thoxnen, Gardner, Kans., assigner to The Cramer Chemical Company, Gardner, Kans., a corporation oi Kansas Application .lune 8, 1954, Serial No. 435,261) 1 Claim. (Cl. 221-264) This invention relates to carton construction and more particularly to that class of packaging means including self-contained dispensing apparatus wherein the entire device is rendered disposable after vending of the contents of the carton.

There are many types of merchandise adapted for packaging in disposable cartons `and which are used from time to time as the same are dispensed singly from the container therefor. As an example, it is quite common practice to locate a small dispenser of salt tablets adjacent a water fountain, particularly in factories.

It is accordingly, the most importan-t object of this invention to provide a combination shipping and dispensing carton for salt tablets and the like that is extremely simple and therefore, inexpensive to manufacture, yet positive in its operation and effective in dispensing salt tablets singly, in much the same manner as in more expensive dispensers not normally disposed of when depleted of tablets.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a device of the aforementioned `character that includes a reciprocable, perforated trap so formed that the walls of the carton serve as stops to determine the extent of sliding movement of the trap on the bottom wall of the carton.

Another object hereof is to provide in dispensing means for disposable cartons, a pocket for receiving the tablets and surrounding the discharge hole of the trap, whereby the tablets are pre-aligned and made ready for receipt by the hole of the trap at all times.

A still further object hereof is to provide novel means to present a deector plate for the tablets in the carton effective additionally to Ihold the trap and its associated parts .in place within the disposable carton.

Many other more minor objects will be made clear as the following specification progresses.

ln the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a combination shipping and dispensing carton for tablets or the like made pursuant to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l, parts being broken away and in section to reveal details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a substantially central, vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line III--III of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse, horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As will hereinafter appear, the structure forming the subject matter hereof is adapted particularly for production rfrom inexpensive material such as light-weight, corrugated cardboard, and to this end, irrespective of the material chosen, each element of the shipping carton and dispenser may be made from the same material including scrap and waste products.

In view of the fact that the same is to be disposed of after discharge of salt tablets or the like, it is particularly important that the aforesaid considerations relative to expense of manufacture, be kept foremost in the mind of the manufacturer. The shipping carton for packaging the salt tablets 10, includes a container broadly designated by the numeral 12, and including four side walls 14, 16, 18 `and 20, a top wall 22 and a bottom wall 24. Walls 18 and 20 constitute the back and front of the carton 12 respectively, and `the top and bottom or end walls 22 and 24, include a plurality of aps folded in the usual manner as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and held in a closed condition by a strip of tape 26.

It is contemplated that one of the flaps of each wall 22 and 24 be pre-cut to present tabs 28 and 30 that may be bent upwardly from the condition shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing to the position illustrated by Figs. 2 and 3. The tabs 28 and 30 present means for mounting of the carton 12 on a wall or the like ladjacent a drinking fountain in the usual manner. Tabs 2S Land 30 will readily receive a nail, tack or other fastening element.

There is superimposed upon the bottom wall 24 within the connues of carton 12, a false bottom 32 to present a smooth surface upon which a trap 34 may slide, which smoothness is not made possible by the four inturned aps of the bottom wall 24. Trap 34 is substantially T-shaped, presenting a stem 36 and a cross member 38, the former being in turn provided with a ringer receiving portion 49. The width of cross member 38 is less than the distance between the walls 14 and 16 of container 12, and the width of the stem 36 and the length of a slot 42 for receiving the stem 36, are appreciably less than the length of the cross member 3S. The elongated slot 42 is formed in the front wall 20 of the container 12 adjacent the bottom wall 24 and is sufficiently large to permit free sliding, reciprocable movement of the trap 34 toward and away from the rear wall 18.

The trap 34 and particularly the stem 36 thereof is provided with a hole 44 for receiving a single tablet 10, it being noted in Fig. 3 of the drawing that the thickness of the trap 34 is substantially the same as the thickness of the tablets lll. When the trap 34 is at the innermost end of its path of travel with the cross member 38 against the back wall 18, hole 44 is within the carton 12 in overlying relationship to the false bottom 32. When the trap is pulled outwardly through the slot 42 until the cross member 38 strikes the innermost face of the front wall 20, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the hole 44 is outside the container 12 where the `tablet 10 falls therefrom by gravity to the hand of the operator.

A U-shaped element 46 in the nature of a dat plate is superimposed upon the trap 34 within the container 12. Plate 46 has a bight portion 48 that is in overlying engagement with the cross member 33 when the trap 34 is at the innermost end of its path of travel. Plate 46 has additionally, a pair of spaced, parallel legs 50 in partial overlying engagement with the marginal edges of the stem 36 when trap 34 is at the innermost end of its path of travel.

The legs 50, together with the frontrwall 2) above trap 34, present a pocket 52 that completely surrounds the hole 44 as is clear in Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive. The pocket 52 presents a receiverfor the tablets 10 by virtue of the fact that the thickness of the plate 46 is substantially the same as the thickness of the tablets 1l). The width of the pocket 52 is preferably slightly greater than the diameter of the lt-ablets 10, but less than the combined diameter of two tablets to the end that the tablets are effectively fed to the hole 44 without bridging or jamming.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 3 of :the drawing, there is always presented a number of tablets 10 lying atly on Patented Sept. 17, 1957 aaoaees the trap 34, one of which will readily fall into the hole 44 and rest upon the false bottom 32 when trap 34 is returned to the innermost end of its path of travel. The plate 46 and particularly the legs 50 thereof, serve the additional function of preventing tablets from falling alongside the stem 36 and upon the false bottom 32 within the path of travel of the cross member 38 toward the front wall 20.

A U-shaped element 54 within the container 12, includes a bight 56 and a pair of spaced, parallel legs 58 and 60. The legs 58 and 60 lie flatly against the inner faces of side walls 14 and 16 respectively and are heldv thereagainst by an inclined deector plate 62 integral with bight portion 48 of element 46 along a line of bend 63. By virtue of the legs 58 and 69 bearing against the inner face of the front wall 20, bight 56 is held in engagement with the inner face of the rear wall 18. Likewise, the legs 58 and 60, as well as the bight 56 of element 54, bear against the innermost aps of the top wall 22, thereby holding the element 54 in engagement with the false bottom 32 upon which it rests. Thus, the element 54 serves `to hold the false bottom 32 in place upon the primary bottom wall 24 -and trap 34 slides freely between legs 58 and 60 as well as between false bottom 32 and plate 46.

The deector plate 62 forms an integral part of the bight 56 of element 54, and as is clear in the drawing, is

inclined downwardly and forwardly from bight 56, away from rear wall 1,8. It is clear that the deector 62 serves to guide the tablets 10 into the pocket 52 assuring a complete exhaustion of all tablets 10 prior to disposal of the entire device` As above indicated, the carton 12 is iilled with tablets 10, completely closed by use of tape or the like 26, and thereupon shipped to a point of use. During shipment, the ngenpiece 40 of the trap 34 may likewise be taped against the front wall if desired, or, the linger-piece 40 may be bent upwardly -and the entire carton packaged in another container (not shown) for shipment. The ultimate user need merely pull the tabs 28 and 30 out- Wardly and utilize the same to attach the carton, Whereupon the dispensing means may immediately be placed in use in the manner above described.

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

A combination shipping and dispensing carton comprising a hollow tablet container having top, bottom, front, back and side walls; a false bottom in the container; a U-shaped element in the carton having an upper edge engaging the top wall, a lower edge engaging the false bottom, a vertical bight engaging the back Wall and a pair of vertical legs each engaging a side wall, the bight having a flat deector plate integral therewith and sloping downwardly and forwardly from the lowermost end thereof toward the front wall and false bottom, there being a at, horizontal member integral with the plate and spanning the distance between the lower end of the latter' and said front wall, the plate and the member spanning the distance between said legs, said member having a U- shaped, tablet-receiving pocket opening at said front wall; and a Tshaped trap slidably engaging the member and the false bottom therebetween and in parallelism there with, said trap having a cross member at the rearmost end thereof normally engaging the back wall beneath the deflector and spanning the distance between said legs, and an elongated stem, narrower than the distance between said legs and spaced therefrom, said stem having a tabletreceiving hole normally registering with the pocket, there being a slot in the front wall receiving the stem, said stem terminating in an upturned, finger-receiving portion disposed exteriorly of the `container for pulling the trap outwardly to thereby dispense a tablet from said hole as the cross member is moved against the front wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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