US2132958A - Steel wool package - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1938.; E. R. MARTIN I STEEL WOOL PACKAGE Filed Jan. 2, 1936 Patented Oct. 11, 1938 "121.11

f STEEL WOOL memes; f I I.

Elmer R. Martin, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to The Williams Company, London, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 2, '1936, Serial No. 57,241

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-46) This invention relates to steel wool, but more particularly to packages of steel wool, and an object is to produce a new and improved package of steel wool, which, from the standpoint of the manufacturer, is less costly and simpler to make, and from the standpoint of the user, is such that the steel wool is readily available, in good condition, free from tangles and matting, with the strands in the'desired ribbon form so thatmost efiicient and satisfactory use can be made of the entire steel wool surface, and so packaged that access to the steel wool can be gained without lia- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bundle 25 packaged in a carton and indicating the manner in which the carton is opened to release the steel wool.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a length of steel wool ribbon In, which 30 is relatively flat, and may be of any suitable width. The ribbon is folded in serpentine or accordian fashion in such manner that the ends and side edge portions are approximately even; After the ribbon is folded in this manner, it is pressed into a 35 relatively flat bundle, compression being exerted in the direction of the arrow ll, and the dotted portion of Figure 1 showing a. portion of the ribbon in its uncompressed state. predetermined length or weight of ribbon is folded 40 in this form, as for example, a length weighing approximately one pound, and the folds may be of substantial length so that a substantial length of relatively flat steel wool can be separated from the remainder without unwinding, this being without 45 tangles, and in the desired condition for usein polishing, cleaning, or other uses for which an abrasive of this character is desired. The'bundle should not be compressed to the point that the folds cannot be separated from each other, but

In practice, a p

r the package.

length severed off, and thereafter rewound, but the serpentine fold enables the desired length to be removed without disturbing the remainder. With the spiral fold, the strands at the folded ends become matted or felted to the adjacent 5 ones, thereby militating against ready separation of the folds and rendering the steel wool at those places inferior for abrasive purposes. The serpentine foldedibundle obviates these disadvantages, inasmuch as the steel wool at the folds is 10 not felted or tangled with adjacent layers and is entirely as efficient and satisfactory for abrasive purposes as other portions of the ribbon.

The steel wool bundle in its relatively flat, compressed condition may be forced into a carton I2, which, in this instance, is of tubular form with the ends open. For that purpose, the bundle should not be compressed sufilciently to prevent ready separation of adjacent layers of the ribbon, but sufficiently to result in normal expansion of the steel wool into frictional engagement with the walls of the carton. Although the carton in this instance is shown of elongate rectangular form, it may be of annular form if desired. In the form shown, a portion of the steel wool may be pulled out without disturbing the remainder. This can be accomplishedby grasping the free end of the ribbon and pulling it from the carton. This does .not destroy the ribbon form and renders unnecessary the removal of the entire bundle.

Not infrequently it becomes desirable to remove the entire bundle of steel wool from the carton I2.

Removal of steel wool in bulk from a carton in which it is packed under pressure has heretofore been accomplished by rupturing the carton by 36 means of a knife or similar instrument and slit ting it longitudinally. This has been found to be objectionable because the steel wool upon being released, springs outwardly toward the hands of the person opening the package and oftentimes 40 causes injury to the hands from abrasions or cuts.. In accordance with thisinvention, indication is made on the carton, as by means of a line l3 adjacent one side edge and extending longitudinally of The line I3 is on the side which should be uppermost at the time the carton is ruptured and which is free from the lateral or ;expanding force exerted by the steel wool. In

Figure 2, the knife I4 is shown in the operation of slitting'the carton, and it will be noted that the in details of construction and arrangement may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A package consisting of a steel wool ribbon I ,folded in accordian or serpentine formation to provide a longitudinally elongate pack, the layers of the ribbon running lengthwise of the pack and having the side and end edges thereof substane tially even with each other, and a carton of readily rupturable material in the formof an open ended sleeve embracing the four elongate sides lel with the layers thereby to remove a portion of the steel wool without disturbing the remainder.

ELMER R. MARTIN.

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