US2344008A - Box structure - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1944.

W. TROGMAN BOX STRUCTURE Filed June 6, 1942 Patented 14, 1944 VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOX STRUCTURE William Trozman, Chicago, Ill. Application June 6, 1942, Serial No. 446,065

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates to -boxes and more particularly to certain novel improvements in box construction and has as its principal object the provision of a simple structure which will be economical in manufacture and highly eillcient in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a box an improved handle and latch which coact to strengthen that portion of the box where the handle load is concentrated.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an improved handle structure for boxes, which handle is so formed as to -be held in hand receiving condition when associated with the box.

Other advantages and novel aspects of the invention will appear more readily in the description read in the light of the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my new box in opened position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the central portion of the box shown in Fig. l, in closed condition;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational View of that portion of the .box seen in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of that portion of the |box shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in the course of being assembled into iatched condition;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the latch tab forming a part of my new box structure;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section through the box as seen along line 6-6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary inside elevation of the box, partly in section, as seen from line 'l-l in Fig. 6:

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 8-8 in Fig. 3;

Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, are illustrative of a modied form of handle engaging structure for my new box in which:

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective vie'w illustrating the assembly of the modified form;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line I0-I0 in Fig. l2;

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary .bottom plan view of my modified form as seen from line lI-II in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective View of my modied form of handle engaging structure with a handle associated therewith.

The box illustrated in the drawing is the conventional suit-box which is formed preferably from cardboard or the like by arranging crease lines at various points to facilitate folding. 'I'he box is generally indicated at I0 and comprises an article receiving portion I I and a cover portion I2 therefor, each of which is formed of the same piece of stock and hence joined at one edge by an edge wall portion I3 which for purpose of clarity shall be referred to as the lbottom edge. Eaclrof the portions II and I2 are provided with upstanding -wall portions II' and I2 respectively, along each end thereof, the joining ends of the wall II of the box II and the wall I2' of the cover I2 being creased in a manner well known in the art to permit the box and cover to be swung toward each other. 'I'he edges of the portions II and I2 opposite the integral bottom wall I3 are each provided with like lWall portions I5 and I6 respectively, which portions will be referred to individually as top edges. These top edges I5 and I6 are suitably joined to their` adjacent end walls Il' and I2' by a corner joint I1 well known in the art of box making.

A novel handle arrangement is provided for carrying the box, and this handle arrangement is novel in its specic relation to the interiitting top edges of the box together with box locking tabs associated withthe complementary members II and I2 forming the receptacle and cover of the box.

The handle 20 proper consists of a single length of wire with its medial portion providing a hand grip 2|, the two ends of the wire being bent back upon the hand grip at an oblique angle to provide a pair of hanger members 22 which appear to converge but rather are again bent back as at 23 in a direction opposite to the direction of the rst mentioned bend until the remaining portions 24 of the wire are disposed parallel to the hand grip 2| and in axial alignment with each other. An elongated slot 25 is cut into the top edge I5 of the box and a pair of annular eyelets 26 are formed at the centermostarea thereof with these eyelets 26 spaced a distance along the slot 25 equal to the distance between the bends 23 on the handle 20. One end 24 of the handle 20 is inserted into and through one eyelet 26 (see Fig. l) and the opposite end 24 is pressed through the elongated slot 25 so that both of the aligned portions 24 are disposed on the underside ofl the top edge I5 with the bends 23 of the handle passing through the corresponding'eyelets 26 (see Fig. 2). It will be noted that the slot 25 is formed substantially tangential with respect to the eyelets 26 so that the portions 24 of the handle bear against a substantial portion of the edge I5 and n ot against the slot 25. l

The top edge I6 of the cover portion I2 has a U shaped slot 21 formed in its medial section and this U shaped slot 21 is relatively narrow in width but sumciently wide to permit the bends 23 ofv the handle in hand gripping condition at all times.

Lifting action upon the handle 23 causes the portions 24 thereof to bear upwardly upon the two interiitting edge portions I5 and I5 and normally would urge the free edge I 5 of the top Wall I6 away from the top wall I5 disposed beneath it. However, the box structure is provided with a latching means in the form of a pair of three-way latch members 2l formed closely adjacent the U-shaped slot 21 and as a part of the top wall I6 itself. These members 2l extend from the free edge'Ii' and are creased as at 23 so as to fold downwardly along the body of the receptacle portion II of the box.

'I'he three-way latch member is adapted to be interlocked with the portion II by an upper tab 30 arcuately cut in the member 23 and adapted to be iiexed out of alignment with the balance cf the member 23 along a pair of crease lines 3i flanking the arcuate tab 3l (see Fig. 4). A tab receiving slot 32 is formed in the portion II of the box and it is into this slot 32 that the tab 30 is inserted. The remaining relatively narrow portion 33 of the member 23 provides a grip whereby the locking member may be manipu lated, and formed at each end of this portion 33 is a tab 34. An arcuate slot 35 is cut into the wall of the portion II adjacent each end of the tab receiving slot 32, and these arcuate slots 35 are adapted to receive the corresponding tabs 34 to hold the grip portions 33 down flush with the body of receptacle portion II and also to latchingly hold the cover portion I2 securely in locked relation with the receptacle I I.

It will be noted that the arcuate tab 3l when engaged in the slot 32 keeps the two top edges I5 and I6 in close relation and that both of these members therefore bear equally the load caused by the upward force of the aligned end portions 24 of the handle 20. This is accomplished mainly because of the close proximity of the latch members with respect to the bends 23 of the handle 20, brought about by the particular triangular shaped handle with its hanger members extending toward a point of convergence. As is shown in the drawing, the latch tabs 30 and the centermost tabs 34 are in a region of the handle where the load created by the upward force of the aligned end portions 24 is concentrated and hence the tabs are at hand to take up some of the strain upon the box.

The latch members 28 are relatively small and do not extend far beyond the edge I6' of the blank from which the box is cut. This makes for economy in material. By reason of the simplicity of structure, these tabs may be used numerous times without becoming ragged and torn, it being a simple matter to bow the grip portion 33 as seen in Fig. 5 in order to remove the end tabs 34 from the slots 35, the arcuate tab 30 sliding gracefully from its slot 32 without distortion of either slot or tab.

The arrangement of the handle on the box may be modified as shown in Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive. By this form the elongated slot may be done away with by forming a U-shaped slot 4II in the top edge I5 similar to the slot 2l formed in the upper edge I 6. This permits the closely disposed bends 23 of the handle to be slid into position as the cover is being brought into position over the receptacle I I (see Fig. 9). Additional strength is given the handle arrangement by permitting a portion of the material 4I to remain connected to the bight portion of the slot 2'I with two narrow slots running all the way down to the bight.

Inassemblythenthisportlon 4I isbentdown along the bight line of the slot 21 so that it projects into the slot 4l formed in the lowermost one of the top edges Ii. This construction strengthens the bight portion of the upper slot 21, which is most likely to be strained under the load of the handle and also provides an interlock between upper and lower top edges I5 and Ii respectively.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eii'ect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a box of cardboard including a receptacle portion and a cover portion with overlapping edge portions, a load carrying means for said box including a wire handle with connected hanger arms extending in a direction to converge with each other and provided with bends in a direction from said point of convergence to provide aligned end portions, an elongated slot with closely disposed eyelets formed in one of said overlapping edge portions and adapted to receive said aligned end portions of said handle with the bends thereof disposed in said eyelets, and a relatively narrow slot formation in the other one of said overlapping edge portions to permit closure of said cover and receptacle portion.

2. In a box of cardboard including a receptacle portion and a cover portion with overiapping edge portions, a load carrying means for said box including a wire handle with connected hanger arms extending in a direction to converge with each other and provided with bends in a direction from said point of convergence to provide aligned end portions, a transverse slot formed in the lowermost of said overlapping edge portions and adapted to receive said handle in the region of the said bends, and a corresponding slot formed in the other one of said overlapping edge portions with said last named slot facing in a direction normal to said first named slot and adapted to slide into assembled relation with the bends of said handle so as to cooperate with the companion slot to Bank the bends of said handle and maintain the latter in load carrying relation with respect to said box.

3. A handle arrangement for a box including complementary box members in the form of a container and cover therefor, said handle arrangement including the provision of interfitting edge portions on said complementary box members, a handle in the form of a wire bail having a grip portion and two obliquely disposed hanger arms extending therefrom in a direction toward convergence with each other, said arms having bends formed adjacent said point of convergence todisposetheendsofsaidbailarmsinaxial alignment, means in one of said edge portions permitting passage of said ends of said bail therebeneath with the bends of the arms extending through the said edge portion, means formed in the opposite one of said edge portionseand adapted to pass about said bends in the arms to permit the complementary members to assume closed relation with respect to each other.

WILLIAM TROGMAN.

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