Abstract:
A four-sided container formed from a single piece blank having top closure flaps hinged to the sides of the container, which flaps embody handle members permitting the flaps to be folded into place to form a three-ply closure with a three-ply handle. The container further embodies locking tabs and slots for locking the top closure flaps in place.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an improvement in containers and, more particularly, to a four-sided handle container, well suited to serve as a carry-on pack for airlines. The container can be formed from a single piece blank which can be set up to provide a three-ply top closure, a three-ply handle and a locking arrangement to lock the top closure in place. The container looks attractive and has the ability to support a substantial load. 
     Although the prior art discloses many forms of containers with top closures, handles and locking arrangements, the container of the present invention appears to be novel over such disclosures. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a four-sided container which provides a three-ply top closure, a three-ply handle and cooperating tabs and slots to lock the top closure in place. 
     It is a further object to provide a four-sided container which can be formed from a single piece blank and easily set up into the container herein described. 
     It is a further object to provide a four-sided container which has a top closure and handle so constructed and combined that a substantial load can be carried by the handle. 
     It is a further object to provide a container of the type described which is particularly suited as a carry-on pack for airlines. 
     It is a further object to provide a blank which is simple and economical to manufacture and is efficient and well suited for its intended purpose. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank of the box of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the blank of FIG. 1 showing the blank set up into a tube and the bottom flaps partially folded in place; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a box set up from the blank of FIG. 1 with two opposed top flaps folded into position; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 with all of the top flaps folded into position prior to inserting the locking tabs; and 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 with all of the top flaps and locking tabs in position to complete the closure. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a flat-blank 10 of sheet material, such as corrugated board, fiber board, or the like of a weight suitable for the type of carton to be constructed. The blank illustrated will form a container which is tapered from the top to the bottom. However, it will be understood that such container can be square, rectangular, tall, medium or squatty, in which case the shape of the blank will be modified accordingly. 
     The blank 10 consists of side panels 11, 12, 13 and 14, bottom flaps 15, 16, 17 and 18 and top flaps 19, 20, 21 and 22. The bottom flaps are attached to the side panels along a longitudinal score line 23. The top flaps are attached to the side panels along a longitudinal score line 24. The side panels are attached along score lines 25, 26 and 27. 
     In setting up the blank into a tube the outer edges of side panels 11 and 14 are joined together and secured with a tape 28. It will be understood that other forms of attachment or joint, such as a glued or stitched flap, can be used. 
     The formation of the bottom for the container is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, but the bottom formation does not constitute a part of the present invention and can assume various forms. As shown in FIG. 2, flap 16 is first folded inwardly followed by flap 18. The flaps 15 and 17 are then folded inwardly and the tabs 15a and 17a are inserted into the rectangular opening 18a in flap 18 and reverse folded, so that the tabs 15a and 17a are superimposed on the inside of the flap 18. The tabs are long enough so that the projections 15b can be locked into the slots 11a and the projections 17b into the slits 13a. The flap 16 is then pushed downward to lie on top of the reverse folded tabs 15a and 17a and the flap 18. 
     FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the top closure for the container. Flaps 19 and 21 are provided with handle members 19a and 21a which are hinged to the outer edges of the flaps 19 and 21. Such handle members 19a and 21a are so positioned that they will align with each other when the flaps 19 and 21 are folded into horizontal position and the handle members are folded upwardly normal to the flaps 19 and 21. If desired, the flaps 19 and 21 can be made of greater length so that they will overlap when folded into horizontal positions, but in such case the handle members will be cut out of the flaps and hinged along lines spaced from the edges of the flaps. This construction is illustrated in FIG. 4 for the flap 22. The handle member 22a is cut out of the flap with a hinge line normal to the score line 24. The handle member 22a is so positioned that it will align with the handle members 19a and 21a when the flap 22 is folded into a horizontal position with the handle members 19a and 21a inserted through the opening 22b resulting from cutting the handle member 22a out of the flap 22. The flap 20 is then folded to a horizontal position, the handle members 19a, 21a and 22a are inserted through a slot 20a in the flap 20, and the flap 20 is superimposed over the flap 22 (FIG. 5). 
     The top closure flaps are provided with locking means to hold the flaps in locked position. Hinged to each outer corner of the flap 20 is a tab 20b. A portion is cut out along the hinge line between the flap 20 and each tab 20b to provide projections 20c extending outwardly from the hinge line. Along the score line 24 forming the hinge line between the flaps 19 and 21 and the panels 11 and 13 are slots 19b and 21b. Cut out of the panel 13 and the flap 21 in the central area of the slot 21b is a hinged tongue 21c. Similarly a tongue 19c is formed in the slot 19b opposite the tongue 21c. When the flap 20 is folded into the horizontal position described above, the tabs 20b are inserted into the slots 19b and 21b (FIG. 5). The tongues 19c and 21c are inserted into the slots 19b and 21b to complete the locking of the flaps. It will be seen that the projections 20c of the flap 20 serve to guide the tongues 19c and 21c into the slots 19b and 21b. 
     Thus among others, the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although a somewhat preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.