Dispensing package

A box containing a roll of material such as a rope of tubular plastic netting, the roll having a passage extending through it axially. Each end of the box has a triangular aperture through it. When the roll rests on a first side of the box the apertures line up with the passage through the roll. In this position an arbor is inserted through the passage and the apertures. To dispense the material the box is turned over so that a second side, the side opposite the first side, is on the bottom. The arbor now rests on arbor-supporting edge portions of each aperture. The distance between each arbor-supporting edge portion and the second side is greater than the radius of the roll, so the roll is suspended above the second side of the box by means of the arbor. The roll then rotates freely in the box, permitting material to be unwound.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to dispensing packages, and more particularly to 
packages for dispensing material such as a rope of tubular plastic netting 
or the like from a roll. 
Rolls of rope-like material are often transported in boxes and then removed 
from the box to be used. These rolls are typically wound on cores of 
cardboard or similar material so that when a roll is removed from its box 
it can be mounted, by means of an arbor extending through the core, on an 
unwind stand to facilitate removal of the rope from the roll. Particularly 
when the roll is heavy, it is necessary to suspend the roll on the unwind 
stand in order to allow any of the rope to be dispensed. 
There are some disadvantages in this process however. Merely removing a 
moderately heavy roll from its transporting carton is an awkward task. The 
roll must somehow be raised or transferred from its position in the box to 
its suspended position on the unwind stand. And there is always the 
possibility that the roll might be dropped after removal from the box, 
thereby damaging the rope or crushing the core. Occasionally a core is so 
crushed that the unwind arbor cannot be inserted through the core, thereby 
making unwinding of the rope an unnecessarily difficult chore. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the 
provision of a dispensing package for dispensing material such as a rope 
of tubular plastic netting or the like from a roll which eliminates the 
problems involved in removing the roll from its box; the provision of such 
a package which obviates the need for a separate unwind stand; the 
provision of such a package that reduces the possibility of damage to the 
rope and crushing of the core caused by dropping the roll; and the 
provision of such a package that facilitates the dispensing of the rope of 
tubular plastic netting or the like from the roll. 
Briefly, the dispensing package of the present invention includes a box 
having opposed end walls and opposed first and second sides. Each of the 
end walls has an aperture therethrough in general registry with the 
aperture in the opposite wall. The package also includes a roll of 
material such as a rope of tubular plastic netting or the like having a 
passage extending axially therethrough. The roll, which extends endwise of 
the box and has a diameter less than the distance between the first and 
second sides, is adapted to rest on the first side of the box when the 
latter is positioned with the first side as the bottom. The apertures are 
disposed a distance from the first side corresponding to the radius of the 
roll for insertion of an arbor through the aperture at one end, the 
passage in the roll and the other aperture when the box is positioned with 
the first side as the bottom. Each end wall has an arbor-supporting edge 
portion at the aperture therein on the side of the aperture toward the 
second side of the box which is spaced from the second side a distance 
greater than the radius of the roll. On turning over the box to rest on 
the second side after an arbor has been inserted through the passage in 
the roll and both apertures, the arbor engages the arbor-supporting edge 
portions and the roll is suspended by the arbor above the surface of the 
second side, thereby permitting material to be unwound from the roll while 
it is in the box. 
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out 
hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a dispensing package 1 
comprising a box 3 containing a roll 5 of material such as a rope 7 of 
tubular plastic netting or the like to be dispensed (FIG. 1). The radius 
of roll 5 is indicated by the reference character R (FIGS. 4 and 7). As 
can be more clearly seen in FIG. 2, the box has opposed end walls 9 and 11 
having triangularly-shaped apertures 13 and 15 therethrough, which 
apertures are in general registry with each other and define an aperture 
axis A. The four sides of box 3 are designated 17, 19, 21 and 23. The 
distance between the aperture axis and side 19 is indicated by the 
reference character D1. Additionally, the distance from the apex of each 
aperture to side 17 is indicated by the reference character D2. As appears 
in FIGS. 4 and 7, R is generally equal to D1. D2 also appears as generally 
equal to R and D1, and in any event is such that its length plus the 
radius of an arbor which is to be inserted in the roll (as will be 
described) is greater than R. 
Box 3 is made of some suitable strong, light-weight material such as 
cardboard, and ends 9 and 11 are of three-layer construction for 
additional strength. FIG. 3 shows a flat, pre-cut sheet or blank 25 of 
cardboard from which box 3 is formed. Sheet 25 includes four panels 
forming the four sides 17, 19, 21 and 23 of the box, and eight end flaps 
27, 29, . . . , 41 each having a notch, indicated by the reference 
characters 27a, 29a, . . . , 41a, stamped therein. The notches are 
disposed at such positions along the length of the outer edges of their 
respective end flaps and are so shaped that when sheet 25 is folded on the 
fold lines indicated at 43, 45, 47, 49, 51 and 53 (where the sheet may be 
scored) to make box 3 they form the triangular apertures 13 and 15. Flaps 
27 and 31 form the intermediate layer of the three-layer end wall 9 while 
flaps 29 and 33 form the outer layer. Likewise flaps 37 and 41 form the 
intermediate layer of the three-layer end wall 11 while flaps 35 and 39 
form the outer layer. Separate cardboard panels 55 and 57 having 
triangular openings 59 and 61 therein form the inner layers of walls 9 and 
11. Openings 59 and 61 are in registry with apertures 13 and 15 and form a 
part thereof. Box 3 is loaded with roll 5 at the factory, and is glued or 
fastened shut. The sheet or blank 25 is formed with a side flap 63 which 
is folded over a portion of side 17 and secured thereto to seal the box. 
Apertures 13 and 15 are covered by a suitable protective tape (not shown) 
during shipment to prevent foreign matter from entering the box. 
Referring to FIG. 4, roll 5 has a passage 65 extending axially 
therethrough. Specifically, rope 7 is wound on a hollow core 67 to form 
roll 5 and the interior of core 67 forms passage 65. Two plugs 69 and 71 
are secured in the ends of core 67, each plug having a central bore. 
To unroll rope 7 from package 1, the user positions the package as shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 4 resting on its side 19, removes the protective tape from 
apertures 13 and 15, and inserts an arbor 73 through passage 65 and 
apertures 13 and 15. Specifically, arbor 73 passes through the bores in 
plugs 69 and 71, which plugs ensure that arbor 73 is inserted along the 
axis of roll 5. Alternatively, core 67 can be chosen to be just slightly 
larger than arbor 73, thereby eliminating the need for plugs 69 and 71. 
In the arbor inserting position, side 17 is the top of package 1, side 19 
is the bottom, and the apices of triangular apertures 13 and 15 point 
toward the top of package 1. Roll 5, which has a diameter less than the 
distance between sides 17 and 19, rests on side 19 when package 1 is in 
this position. Since distance D1 equals radius R, the axis of roll 5 
substantially coincides with the axis of apertures 13 and 15 when the 
package is in this position and arbor 73 is insertable through both 
apertures and passage 65. 
After arbor 73 is inserted through passage 65 and apertures 13 and 15, 
however, box 3 is turned over to rest on side 17 (FIGS. 5 and 6). The 
apices of apertures 13 and 15 i.e. the sides of the apertures disposed 
toward side 17 of the box, now provide V-shaped arbor-supporting edge 
portions 75 and 77 in end walls 9 and 11 for cradling arbor 73. Therefore, 
in this position, the weight of roll 3 is transmitted through plugs 69 and 
71 to arbor 73 and through arbor 73 to edge portions 75 and 77. The 
distance between the center of the axial passage and those points where 
plugs 69 and 71 are in contact with the arbor, and hence are transmitting 
the weight of the roll to the arbor, is the effective radius of the 
passage 65. When plugs 69 and 71 are used, the effective radius of passage 
65 is, of course, the radius of the bores in those plugs. When the 
alternative described above of eliminating the plugs is used, the 
effective radius of passage 65 is the inside radius of core 67 itself. 
Since distance D2 plus the radius of the arbor is greater than radius R, 
and in particular since the diameter of the arbor plus the distance 
between the arbor-supporting edge portion and the second side is greater 
than the radius of the roll plus the effective radius of the axial 
passage, the roll is thereby suspended above side 17. Edge portions 75 and 
77 are of triple-thickness, as are the other portions of walls 9 and 11, 
in order to bear the weight of roll 5 without collapsing or tearing. Of 
course, the thickness of edge portions 75 and 77 can be varied depending 
upon the materials used in making said edge portions and walls 9 and 11. 
Once roll 5 is properly suspended above the bottom (side 17) of box 3, a 
panel 79 (shown in phantom in FIG. 3) is removed or folded back to reveal 
roll 5. Rope 7 is then rolled off roll 5 and removed from box 3 very 
easily. Because roll 5 is suspended above side 17 it rotates on arbor 73 
as rope is removed therefrom, thereby facilitating the dispensing of the 
rope. 
In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the 
invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 
As various changes could be made in the above products without departing 
from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained 
in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be 
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.