Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
3~
This invention relates to a carrier carton made
from foldable sheet matexial.
I~is application is a divisional of Canadian
Patent Application Serial No. '~32,509, filed July 15, 1983,
now Canadian Patent No. 1,171,820, issued July 31, 1984.
More particularly, this carton is of the so-called
"suitcase" type, usually made of paperboard, and which has
an elongated outer case or shell and a divider structure
which extends lengthwise and may or may not extend laterally
within the shell to provide cells for individual bottles,
and which houses a central handle structure. The handle
structure includes a handle which can be pulled up for
carrying and pushed down for storage.
Patent ~o. 1,171,820 claims a unique divider-
handle assembly. The present application covers a unique
shell blank.
The "suitcase" type of carrier goes back at least
to U.S. Patent 2,609,137, Toensmeier (1952) and Canadian
Patent 540,725, Pasjack (1957) and has become quite
popular. The speciiic structure has evolved through the
years and later versions are exemplified by Canadian
Patents 641,721, Engel (1962), 940,884, Dewhurst (1972) and
1,142,896, S]cillen (1983) to mention only a few, using
single blanks to form the divider handle structure.
In designing a carton of this type, the designer
aims to provide a construction strong enough for the handle
structure to iunction well and, at the same time, to stand
up during carriage and dispensing of the contents~ The
endeavour is also to economize as much as possible in board
used, that is to cut down on waste. A further aim is to
provide a construction which lends itself to assembly and
filling by readily available machinery.
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It is an aim of the present invention to achieve
the fundamental advantages of the -type of container ln
question, especially in producing a stronyer handle struc-
ture while, at the same time, employing a minimum of
integral pieces and reducing the quantity of waste in the
strip from which the blanks are cut.
The "suitcase" type of carton has a shell includ-
ing sidewalls, endwalls and a bottom wall, and a divider-
handle assembly of foldable sheet material permanently
mounted within the shell. The divider-handle assembly is
made up of a divider part having a pair of juxtaposed
divider panels extending between and connected to the end-
walls of the shell to define a longi-tudinal compartment-
forming partition. At the same time, the divider panels
provide between them an envelope with an upper transverse
connection providing bridges with a central handle opening.
A multiply handle part is slidably contained within the
envelopeO This part has shoulders for engaging the bridges
and a narrower part to pass through the handle opening.
This type of carrier usually embodies minor
compartment-forming panels, struck out of the divider
panels and hingedly attached to them, to extend laterally
to connections with the fiidewall of the shell, to provide
longitudinally arranged sub-compaxtments.
In accordance with the invention of Patent
1,171,~20, at least one of the handle plies has a frang-
ible part connected to an end part of one of the divider
panels to provide for separation of the handle part from
the divider part. Preferably, two of the handle plies
each has a frangible connecting part connected to an end
part of a respective divider panel. Desirably, the handle
part is made up of a number of integrally connected handle
~33~
sections juxtaposed and glued together sandwich-wise. In
this structure, two of the handle sections each has a
shoulder having a hinged connection to an end part of a
respective divider panel, prov:ided with a transverse
frangible ligament near the hinged connection.
The handle part, when freed from its frangible
connection with the divider part is movable upwards until
its movement is limited by cont:act of its shoulders with
the bridges between the divider panels, as is normal for
other constructions, but its downward movement is prefer-
ably limited by contact with a special reinforcing strip
glued between the bottom margins of the divider panels.
In a preferred construction, the frangible liga-
ment is in the ~orm of a weakened line extending diagonally
downwardly and inwardly of the carton. One of the shoulders
is reinforced by a glue flap which extends close to the
diagonal weakened line. When the ligament is broken only
a small tab remains attached to the divider panel, the
rest of the shoulder remaining integral with the handle.
Blank for Divider-Handle Asse~bly
According to the invention of Patent 1,171,820,
there is preferably employed, for the divider-handle
assembly, a one-piece cut and scored blank of foldable
sheet material made up of an elongated divider part and
a handle part hinged to it. The divider part includes a
pair of longitudinally extending divider panels for folding
into juxtaposition along creases running lengthwise of the
blank which, in the carton, provides between them an enve-
lope. The divider panels are provided with a common handle
opening intervening the creases which ultimately form
bridges at the top of the envelope.
The handle part has means for forming the rein-
_ ~ _
forced handle structure slidably sandwiched within the
envelope between the divider panels, with the handle
accessible through the opening. The handle part is
frangibly connected to the divider part for ultimate
separation to allow movement of the handle throug'h the
opening. The handle part is provided with longitudinally
extending shoulders for abutting against t'he bridges to
limit the upward movement of the handle.
In accordance with thatinvention, the divider
part and handle part of the blank are aligned endwise and
have adjoining end parts hinged together through at least
one separable connection, so that the parts can be folded
into juxtaposition and the separable connection ultimately
ruptured in the final carton. Prefexably there are two
separable connections, one between each of the divider
panels and the handle part.
To this end, the handle part preferably includes
first and second hinged-together handle sections,' and the
separable connection is provided by a marginal part of
each of the handle sections being connected to an end part
of one of the divider panels.
More specifically, t'he separable connection may
be through narrow frangible shoulders on the respective
first and second handle sections.
Preferably the handle part of the blank is made
up of additional handle sections hinged to the first and
second handle sections for folding into juxtaposition and
glued together to provide the multiply handle.
More specifically, in a preferred construction,
3~ the additional handle'sections may include the following
structure. A third handle section is hinged to the outer
longitudinal edge of the second handle section and a fourth
handle section hinged to the outer transverse edge of the
third handle section and having its longitudinal edge
hinged to the edge of a fifth handle section. A sixth
handle section is hinged to the outer longitudinal edge
of the fifth handle section and to the outer transverse
edge of the first handle section.
Desirably, the first, second and third handle
sections are provided at each end with a shoulder.
Shoulders of the first and third handle sections provide
, the frangible connection with the divider part. Desir-
ably, also, a reinforcing flap is hingedly connected to
the outer edge of the first handle section.
The connection and placing in the blank o the
first to fifth handle sections enables a method of assembly
lS in which the third and fourth handle sections are first
folded over and glued to the second and fifth handle
sections. The resulting two-ply assembly of the fourth
and fifth handle sections are then folded along their
transverse hinged connections over the two-ply assembly
of the second and third handle sections and glued thereto
while, at the same time, the single-ply sixth handle
section is juxtaposed to the single-ply first handle
section and glued to it.
m en, glue is applied to the exposed shoulders
of the first handle section and the intervening overlapping
part of the sixth handle section and the reinforcing flap
infolded to connect with the glue-carrying parts, thus
reinforcing th~e shoulders of the first handle section and
sandwiching thle margin of the sixth handle section between
it and the first handle section.
An aissembly is thus formed in which, when the
handle assembly is juxtaposed to the divider part, the
.
-- 6 --
two-ply first and sixth handle sections may be folded over
into juxtaposition to the four-ply assembly made up of the
third, four-th and fifth handle sections.
The divider part in a preferred construction
includes a structure well known in the art in which
lateral partitions are provided by a number of minor
partition-forming panels and connected adhesive tabs,
formed by cuts and creases in the divider panels. The
glue tabs on these partition-forming panels are, in the
assembly of the shell and divider-handle unit, glued to
the sidewalls of the shell~
In this construction, the partition-forming
panels on the respective main divider panels are foldable
out in an opposite sense. At the end of the divider part,
adjacent the handle-forming part, the first divider panel is
hinged by a terminal crease to a terminal narrow glue tab
which is ultimatel~ glued to the endwall of the shell. In
this construction, the second divider panel is cut and
creased to provide a terminal minor partition-fonming
panel to which there is hinged along a terminal crease, in
alignment with the ter~inal crease of the first panel, a
narrow glue tab which is ultimately glued to the sidewall
of the shell. The second panel has a free marginal edge
between its junction with the first panel and the terminal
crease on the second panel.
With this preferred construction, a shoulder of
the Eirst handle section extends between the end of the
first panel and the first handle section, inward of the
edge of the first panel, formed by a pair of sp~ced-apart
parallel cuts extending longitudinally inward from the end
edge of the first panel and a crease extending between the
i~ner ends of the cuts to hinge the shoulder to the first
33~
panel. A second connection is formed between the second
panel and the second handle section by a shoulder of the
second section, provided by a first cut which extends
longitudinally inward and then diagonally transversely of
the second panel and a cut spaced from the first cut to
separate the shoulder of the second section from a shoulder
of the third section.
Blank for She:L1 Part
For making a carton of the invention of Patent
1,171,820, there is preferably employed a one-piece cut
and scored blank of foldable sheet material for forming the
shell part of the carton for assembly with the separate
divider-handle part. This is the subject matter of the
present invention.
This blank is of overall substantially L-shape.
It has a first part including a ~irst sidewall panel
connected by a crease to a cover panel at one side and by
another crease to a first bottom-forming panel at the other
side, and end-forming panels hinged to the sidewall panel
by creases at each end. Each end panel has hinged to each
side a top and bottom flap and to its end a narrow glue
flap. A second part has a bottom wall-forming panel
connected in staggered relationship by a s~ip-cut crease
to a bottom wall-forming panel of the first part. The
connection extends only part way along the edge of the
bottom-forming panel of the second part so that the
bottom-forming panel of the second part extends outward
beyond one end of the bottom-forming panel of the first
part. In this way, the respective parts are in staggered
relationship with the bottom-forming panel, endwall-
forming panel and top panel of the second part lying
opposite to the endwall panel and to part only of the
bottom-forming panel and part only of the sidewall~forming
panel and top panel of the first part. Each of the endwall
panels has hinged to each side a closure flap for juxta-
posltion to the first bottom panel and to the cover panel
of the first part respectively.
Assembly o~ the Shell With
the Divider-Handle Assembly
The carrier carton is assembled from the divider-
handle assembly, as described above, and the shell blank
as follows. A shell blank and a divider-handle assembly
are selected. Glue is applied to a first sidewall panel
of the shell blank in a suitable pattern. The divider-
handle assembly is placed on top of the shell blank to
register with the glue pattern. Glue is then applied to
the opposed glue tabs of the divider-handle assembly. m e
second part of the shell blank is infolded about the hinged
connection between the first bottom panel and the second
bottom panel. m e first endwall panel and the glue tab on
the second endwall panel are infolded. Glue is applied to
the glue tabs. The second sidewall panel and second bottom
panel are infolded about the hinged connection between the
respective bottom panels so as to bring the bottom panels
into juxtaposition and the sidewall panels into juxta-
position with the glue-carrying parts of the first side-
wall panel and of the divider-handle assembly into juxta-
position with 0nd margins of the second sidewall panel so
as to connect these parts. The connection between the
respective bottom panels of the shell blank are severed
so as to provide a completed carrier carton in the flat
which can be s~uared up ,for final assembly and filling.
The function of the carrier carton in filling
and ultimate use is similar to that of other suitcase
type carrier cartons. The rein~orc~d handle construction,
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however, provides extra strength. ~nd, the particular
frangible connection between the handle and divider parts
works particularly well~
Having thus generally descxibed the invention,
it ~ill be referred to in more detail by reference to the
accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred
embodiment, and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the squared
up outer shell of a carrier carton,
according to the invention of Patent
1,171,820, with the divider-handle
assembly omitted, to simplify the
showing,
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carrier
carton shown in Figure 1, with the
handle in the "up" or "carrying" posi-
tion, the divider-handle assembly being
shown, within the shell, in dotted lines,
the contents be omitted for simpiicity,
Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section, as along
the line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing parti-
! cularly the several plies making up the
handle,
Figure ~ is a plan view, looking at the reverse .
side of the stock, of a blank for form-
ing the divider-handle assembly and also
showing a first glue pattern applied to
the first step of its assembly,
Figure 5 is a plan view, looking at the reverse
side of the stock of a blank for forming
the outer.case or shell of the carrier
carton, forming the subject of the pre-
`,'~i' 10 -
sent invention, also showing a glue
pattern applied during assembly with
the divider-handle unit;
Figures 6 to 11 are perspective views showing the
formation of successive sub-assemblies
and a final assembly of the divider-
handle unit of Patent 1,171,820. Of
these Figures:
Fig, 6 shows su~-assembly I resulting
from the first fold and showing
also a second glue application
for the next assembly step,
Fig. 7 shows sub-assembly II, resulting
from the second fold, and also
showing a third glue application;
Fig. 8 shows sub-assembly III, resulting
from a back-fold,
Fig. 9 shows sub-assembly IV, resulting
from the third fold and also show-
ing a fourth glue application:
Fig. 10 shows sub-assembly V, resulting
from the fourth fold,
Fig. 11 shows the completed divider-
handle assembly ready for assembly
with the outside shell blank,
Figure 12 shows in perspective the first step in
the assembly of the divider-handle
assembly of Patent 1,171,820 and shell
made from the blank of the present inven-
tion iTl which the divider-handle assembly
is juxtaposed to the shell blank over
the glue pattern shown in Figure 5,
-- 11 --
Figure 13 shows the next step in the assembly in
which end glue flaps of the shell and
of the divider-handle assembly are
folded in. The glue application for
the next step is also shown,
Figure 14 shows in perspective the next step in
which the assem~ly of the sh~11 and
divider-handle assembly is completed
in the flat with the frangible connec-
tion between the bottom panels of the
shell being severed;
Figure 15 shows in perspective the shell in the
course of being scluared up.
More specific reference will now be made to the
drawings which illustrate a preferred carton, according to
the invention of Patent 1,171,~20, and its components in
the form of cut and scored blanks and sub-assemblies m,ade
therefrom.
The Carrier Carton
A carton, according to the invention of Patent
1,171,~20, is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. It is made
up of an outer case or shell Sl and a divider-handle
assembly Rl incorporating a carrier handle structure.
Both parts are of paperboard. The shell is made of clay-
coated carrier board, the divider-handle assembly of sized
folding chip board. , ,
To simplify the understanding of the construction
t~e cut and creased blank R for for~ing the divider assembly
Rl will first be described. ~le reverse or unfinished side
of the chip board blank is shown in Figure 4.
Blank R for Divider-Handle Assembly
The blank R for forming the asse~bly Rl is made
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up of an elongated divider part, identified generally by
X, and an integrally connected elongated carrier part,
identified generally by ~. Therefore, the direction X-Y
will be considered lengthwise or longitudinal and the
direction perpendicular thereto as transverse. When made
of paperboard the grain runs, preferably, in the longitu-
dinal direction.
The handle part Y is hingedly connected to the
divider part X along transverse creases 45 and 47. The
crease 45 is connected to a divider panel 15 and the
crease ~7 to a divider panel 17. The connecting structure
between the divider panels 15 and 17 and the handle part
Y will be described later in more detail.
The panel 17 is connected to the panel 15 by
longitudinal creases 19 interrupted by a handle opening
18 common to the two panels. When the panels are folded
into juxtaposition about ~he creases 19, bridges are
formed between them.
The panel 17 is provided at one end with a glue
flap 21, hinged to it by a crease 20. The panel 15 is
provided at the same end with a glue flap 23, hinged to
it by a crease 22. A cut-out piece provides a gap
between the flaps 21 and 23.
A cut 25 extends longitudinally inward on the
panel 15 ~rom the edge of the flap 23. A cut 27 extends
longitudinally inward, for a lesser distance than the cut
25, along the crease 19. Cuts 25 and 27 provide between
th~m a glue t~ 29 on which the location of a glue patch
lS shown.
A narrow el~ngated reinforcing and spacing flap
31 is connected to the bottom edge of the panel 17 by a
perforated line 32~
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The panel 17 is cut and creased to provide minor
partition-forming panels 33, 35, 37 and 39 hinged to the
body of the panel 15O Connected to the panels 33, 35, 37
and 39 by creases are respective glue tabs 33a, 35a, 37a
and 39a. A minor end panel 41 is provided in the panel 17
and a glue tab 41a hinged to it by a crease. Likewise,
the panel 15 is cut and creased to provide it with minor
panels 34, 36, 38 and 40 and a minor end panel 42 hinged
to the body ~f the panel 15 by creases. The panels 34,
36, 38 and 40 are provided with respective glue tabs 34a,
36a, 38a and 40a hinged to them by creases.
A glue tab 44 is hinged to the marginal end edge
of the panel 15 by a crease 44a. A marginal end edge 46
of the panel 17, aligned with the crease 44a, is free and
bordered by an opening 48 cut out for clearance. The glue
tab 44 is adapted to connect the end of the divider section
to an endwalL of the shell S. The creases 45 and 47 are
spaced inwardly from the marginal end edges 44a and 46 of
the panels 15 and 17 respectively.
Carrier Handle Unit Y
The carrier handle unit part Y of the blank R is
constructed as follows.
It includes a main handle part comprising first
and second handle sections 53 and 51 respectively, of the
configuration shown~ The sections 51 and 53 are connected
by longitudinally extending ligaments 57 which are separa-
ted in the blank by elongated clearance openings 54. The
ligaments 57 are creased longitudinally as at 61 so that
the sections 53 and 51 are hinged together.
The section S3 is provided with a shoulder 67
which projects outwardly from it lengthwise of the blank
and a shoulder 84 which extends from its opposite end.
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narrow reinforcement panel 69 is hingedly connected to the
longitudinal outside edge of the handle section 53 and its
shoulder parts 67 and 84, along a frangible line 68.
Connected to the second handle section 51, length~
wise of the blank, along a longitudinal crease 70 is a third
handle section 72 of the configuration shown. ~he section
72 is provided with a shoulder 74, which projects longitu~
dinally from its outer end and a shoulder 76 which projects
from its inner end. The shoulder 76 is separated by a
diagonal cut 77 from a diagonal part of a shoulder 78 of
the section 51. The shoulder 78 is formed between the cut-
77 and a cut 80 wh.ich separates the body of the panel 17
from the minor partitlon-forming panel 41 and its glue tab
41a.
The shoulder 78 is hinged to the panel 15 by the
crease 47 and is provided with a frangible part which
extends across it in the form of a weakened line 79. This
provides, with a similar frangible connecting part, to be
described, at the other side of the blank for the final
separation of the handle from its connection with the body
of the divider assembly R, by tension on the handle.
The shoulder.84 of the handle section 53 extends
to a hinged connection 45 with the panel 15 and is pro-
vided with a diagonal frangible part in the form of a
weakened line 85. This structure provides, with the
similar frangi.ble part, described above, on the shoulder
78 of the sect:ion 51, for the final separation of the
handle assembl.y from its integral connection with the
divider assembly R, by tension on the handle. The crease
45 is thus inset from the marginal edge of the panel 15
which is at the crease 44a. The shoulder 84 is cut out
of the panel 1.5 by.parallel cuts 84a and 84b. Likewise,
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the crease 47 and the end of the shoulder 78 is spaced
inward from the marginal edge of the panel 17.
A ~ourth handle section 90 is hinged to the
section 72 along a transverse crease 91 interrupted by a
clearance opening.
A fifth handle section 92 is hinged to the section
51, by a transverse crease 95 and to the section 90 along a
longitudinal perforated line 93.
A sixth handle section 98 is hinged along a
transverse crease 101 to the section 53 and along a longi-
tudinal crease 99 to the section 92. A clearance opening
96 intervenes the corner parts of the sections 53, 51, 92
and 98.
The six handle sections 51, 53, 72, 90, 92 and 98
are provided with respective handle openings 51a, 53a, 72,
90a, 92a and 98a. These handle openings are completely
surrounded by uninterrupted parts of the sheet material of
the blank so as to give them maximum strength.
The folding of the blank R through several sub-
assemblies to fo~n the ultimate divider-handle unit Rl will
be described later in detail.
Outer Shell Blank S
The cut and creased blank S, according to the
present invention, ~or the one-piece outer shell Sl is made
up as follows. In Figure 5, the blank S is viewed from the
inner or uncoated surface.
~t includes a main sidewall-fo~ning panel 105
connected to a top panel 107 by a crease 106. Connected
to the other ~ide of the panel 105, by a crease 108, is a
bottoTn panel 109. One end of the panel 105 is connected
by a crease 110, to an end panel 111, provided with a
narrow glue flap 112, connected to it b~ a crease 113.
~; - 16 -
The panel 111 is provided at the top with a minor
inner panel 114, connected to it by a crease 114a, and
with another minor inner panel 116, connected to it by a
crease 116a.
At the other end, the panel 105 is connected by
a crease 117 to an end panel 118. m e panel 118 is pro-
vided, connected to it by a crease 119, with a narrow glue
flap 120. The panel 118 is also provided with a minor
inner panel 121, connected to it by a crease 121a and a
minor inner panel 123, connected to it by a crease 123a.
Connected to the bottom panel, in staggered
relationship to it, along a perforated or skip cut line
125, is a bottom panel 126. In turn, the panel 12~ is
connected, through a crease 127, to a sidewall-forming
panel 128. The panel 128 is connected to a top dispensing
panel 129 by a cxease 130.
The margin of the panel 107 i~ provided with a
shallow elongated recess 107a along its free margin. The
panel 107 is alsq provided with a tab 107b formed by cuts
107c connected to the body of the panel by a crease 107d.
Likewise, the margin of the panel 129 is provided with a
shallow recess 129a along its free margin. The panel 129
is also provided with a tab 129b formed by cuts 129c,
connected to the body of the panel by a crease 129d.
It will be seen that the blank R is somewhat
L-shaped, in that the bottom panel 126, side panel 128
and top panel 129 form a first shorter section, which is
staggered in respect to the second longer section made up
o~ khe bottom panel 109, side panel 105 and top panel 107
and the end panels 111, 118 and minor panels and glue flaps.
The connection of these respective sections along
the skip cut line 125 extends slightly more than half way
- 17 -
along the edge of the panel 109, so that the second section
(made up of panels 126, 128 and 129) finds itself side-by-
side with part of the first section made up of panels 109,
105 and 107 and also opposite the end panels 111 and it~
minor panels and glue flaps. Part of the section, made up
of panels 109, 105 and 107, beyond the skip cut line 125
finds itself with the margin of the panel 109 free.
For illustrative purposes, a glue pattern,
including patches G, in the various panels has been shown.
The glue pattern is located for reception of the divider-
handle unit Rl as will be understood from the description
of the assembly to follow.
Assembly of the Carrier ~arton
The assembly of the carrier carton, according to
Patent 1,171,820, is as follows.
First, the divider-handle unit Rl is assembled
and glued. To this end, a number of blanks R are placed
in a stack. In assembling each carton, a machine picks up
the blank R by suction cups and positions it in the con-
veying system.
Im~ediately after feeding, ~lue is applied in the
first glue pattern, as shown in Figure 4, to sections 51
and 92.
The handle sections 72 and 90 are then folded
over, in a first fold, along the crease 70 and the cut-
wea~ened line 93 so that sections 72 and 90 are juxtaposed
to the glue carrying sections Sl and 92 respectively, to-
provide sub-assembly I shown in Figure 6.
Then, a second ~lue application is ef~ected over
the areas shown in Figure 6, to the exposed sides of the
sections 72 and 53. The handle sections 98, 92 and 90 are
then folded in a second fold, along the creases 101 and 95
- 18 -
~ r
so that the two-ply glued together sections 90-92 overlie
and are glued to the two-ply glued together sections 72-51
and a sinyle~ply section 98 overlies and is glued to the
single ply section 53. So, there is provided sub-assembly
II, having a four-ply structure at one side of the blank
and a two-ply structure at the other as shown in Figure 7.
A third glue application is then effected over
an exposed margin of the section 98 and e~posed parts of
the section 53. The reinforcing panel 69 is then infolded,
in a back fold, along the perforated line 68 so that it
overlaps and is glued to the reinforcing section 98 as
well as to the part 53 to complete sub-assembly III, as
shown in Figure 8.
Sub-assembly III is now ready for simultaneous
assembly with the carrier handle part Y and for final
folding and gluing to complete the divider-handle unit R.
Assembly of the Divider Part X
With the Handle Part Y
In assembling the handle part Y and the divider
part X, the handle part Y is folded, in a fourth fold
along the transverse creases 45 and 47 and brought into
juxtaposition to the divider part X, to provide sub-
assembly IV, as shown in Figure 9.
Then, the fourth glue application is effected
over the exposed handle section 51 and to a side margin of
the panel 17 and to a side margin of the panel 15. The
spacing and reinforcing flap 31 is subsequently infolded
in a fourth fo.ld, along the perforated line 32, so as to
be juxtaposed and glued to the edge part of -the panel 17,
~ree of the pa:rt.itions 33 t 35, 37 and 39. See Figure 10.
Then, in a s.ixth fold, along the creases 19, the
panel 17 is in:folded over the panel 15 so that the glue
19 -
application on the side margin of the panel 15 contact,s
the panel 31 glued to the side margin of the panel 17.
As the same time, the carrier handle part Y is folded
between the panels 15 and 17 so that the sections 51, 72,
90 and 92 are ju~taposed and glued to the sections 53 and
98. Thus, the handle assembly Y is contained and slidably
sandwiched between the panels 15 and 17 to form the com-
pl~ted divider-handle assembly Rl. The whole assembly R
is then compressed until the glue is dry.
As each divider-handle unit Rl is completed, it
is placed, along with previously assembled units, in a
magazine for subsequent assembly in sequence with outer
shell blanks S to form the completed carrier carton.
Assembly of the Divider Unit of
Patent 1,171,820 and the Shell
Made from the Blank of the
Present Invention
A supply of divider-handle assemblies are now
positioned in a ~agazine hopper above the conveying
apparatus for conveying the outer shells to the assembly
machine.
In assembling each carton, the outer shell blank
S is fed into the machine, by means of a suction cup con-
veyor. The shell blank S is fed into the assembly apparatus
with the top dispensing panel 129 leading.
A glue pattern is applied to the inside surface
of the blank, as shown in Figure 5, and a divider-handle
assembly Rl is picked up by suction cups from the hopper
and is lowered against the panel 105 in position to
register with t;he ~lue pattern on the panel 15, as shown
in Figure 12.
Then, the panel 118 is folded in about the crease
117 into juxtaposition with the panel 105. At the same
time, or directly following, the glue flap 112 is folded
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in about the crease 113.
When this is completed, the assembly travels
through the assembly apparatus, making a right angle turn.
At this juncture, glue is placed on the glue flaps 112 and
120, as shown in Figure 13. Then, the blank S is folded
along the line 125, so that the panels 126, 128 and 129
are juxtaposed to the panels 102, 105 and 107, with the
divider unit sandwiched between anA the glue-carrying
parts of the flaps 112 and 120 contact margins of the
panel 128. The carton then travels in the direction with
the panel 118 leading. A knife K is inserted along the
perforated line 125 and cuts the whole length of the per-
forated line 125, as shown in Figure 14.
After severing along the cut line 125/ the carton
is delivered to a compression station where it is placed
under pressure to insure drying of the glue with the
respective parts in juxtaposition so as to provide a
finished carton, in folded condition.
5quaring Up and Filling the Carton
The carton, as thus manufactured, is furnished
to the bottling company~
In filling the carton, it is squared up, mechani-
cally (Figure lS shows this being done), so that the bottom
part is made up of the flaps 116, 123, 109 and 126 which
are overlapped and secured by adhesive. Figure 1 shows the
outside shell in squared up condition with the divider-
handle section omitted for clarity. The top flaps 107,
129, 121 and 114 are left open to accept the bottles which
are fed into the cells with finger assistance. The cells
are formed by minor panels 33, 35, 37 and 39, and 40, 38,
36 and 34.
~nce the bottles are in place, the top flaps 107,
129, 121 and 114 are folded inwards and glued down to form
the cover of the carton. Recesses 1O7a and 129a fall
opposite each other and provide a handle opening. The
filled carton is now ready for shipping to the distributor
for sale to the consumer. Figure 2 shows the completed
carrier carton with the bottles omitted for clarity and
with the handle pulled up into carrying position.
Using the C`arton
To carry the filled carton, the consumer pushes
in the taps 107b and 129b with his fingers and grasps the
handle through the opening and pulls the handle upward.
One end of the handle is already free by reason of the
fact that one end of the combined handle unit Y was left
unconnected to the divider unit X. Therefore, the upward
movement of the handle is not resistant to upward movement
from the end. When the consumer puts tension on the
handle, the other connected end of the handle will be
released by tearing along the frangible lines 79 and 85,
allowing the shoulders 82 and 51a to part with the handle
assembly leaving only vestigial end parts connected to the
panels 15 and 17. The handle can then be pulled up freely
to the point where its shoulders abut the underside of the
bridge between the panels 15 and 17 along the fold 19. The
downward movement of the handle assembly is limited by
abut~ent with the edge of the spacing and reinforcing tab
31 sandwiched between the bottom parts of the panels 15
and 17. ~ccess to the contents is had by ripping open the
flaps 107 and 129.
Layout of Blanks
In order to minimize the amount of board used in
making the blanks, their layout may be arranged as follows.
For t:he shell, the substantially-L-shaped
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arrangement is arranged so that the panels nest with the
elongated part of the blank lined up with the shorter part
of the next blank, so that the protruding part of the next
blan~ overlaps the shorter part of the elongated blank.
Likewise, with the divider-handle forming blank
lengthwise of the sheet, two blanks are placed side-by-side
but in the opposite sense so that one nes-ts in the other.
Advantages
~dvantages of the various aspects of the inven-
tion of Patent 1,171,820 and the present invention will be
apparent.
The divider-handle assembly is struck from a
single blank, as is the shell.
A strong multiply handle results from the re-
lationship of the handle sections and further from the
handle openings being completely surrounded with board
from which the blan~ is made.
The handle assembly has reinforced shoulders
which engage the bridges formed by the divider section.
The assembly of the divider-handle part and the
shell part is convenient for mechanized handling.
The structure in which the handle part is
connected to one end of the divider part functions well
in that there is easy release for the handle.
The limits on the movement of the handle are
positive with the bridges across the top of the divider
part and the separating flap between the bottoms of the
divider panels.
Other advantages will occur to those skilled
in the art.
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