Improvements in the Method of and Means for Packing Biscuits, Crackers, or the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Packing Biscuits,
Crackers, or the like.
I, FRANK MAX PETERS, of 1364 Wilton Avenue, Chicago, County of Cook, State
of Illinois, United States of America, Attorney at Law, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to an improved method of and means for packing biscuits,
crackers, and other articles, and has for its object to provide an inexpensive package,
whereby bakery goods of this description may be kept fresh and in proper condition
for consumption by effectually excluding moisture therefrom, and whereby the goods
will be firmly packed and held and thereby prevented from rattling and breaking in
the passage. Heretofore, substantially air tight and moisture proof metallic cases or
boxes have been employed for the purpose of preserving the freshness of biscuit or
the like, but the use of these cases involves considerable expense and they have only
been employed in conjunction with the highest priced goods, their cost being too
great to perinit their use with less expensive goods. It has been customary heretofore
to pack these less expensive goods in cartons or paper boxes, and in some cases these
cartons or boxes have been provided with a lining of what is known as waxed or
paraffined paper, but in such packages as heretofore constructed this living has not
been so disposed as to close the openings or folds of the box and has itself presented
openings through which the moisture has had direct access to the contents of the
package. By reason of these facts, such comparatively inexpensive packages have
failed to protect the goods from moisture and they have quickly lost their
freshness.
It is the primary object of my invention to obviate these difficulties and to provide
a package, which, at an expense practically no greater than that of the ordinary lined
carton package, will effectually protect the goods and preserve their freshness. A
further object is to provide a package of this character, which, in its assembling or
making up, will be tightly drawn around the goods and will therefore firmly hold the
same and prevent looseness and consequent breakage. To these ends my invention
consists in certain novel features which I will now proceed to describe and will then
particularly point out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a plan view of a carton or paper box blank of a form adapted
for use in carrying out my invention;
Figure 2 is a similar view, illustrating the application to the blank shown in Figure 1
of the lining sheet of protective paper;
Figure 3 is a plan view, illustrating the further development of the package, the
crackers being shown in place and the front flaps of the blank and lining being
turned up;
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, illustrating the further development of the
package, the first end flaps of the blank and lining being folded in ;
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the second end flaps turned up }

page_text: Figure 6 is a front elevation, showing the back and its associated parts turned up;
Figure 7 is an end elevation of the structure in the position of the parts shown in
Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, showing the third or last end flaps turned
forward into place and interlocked with the other end flaps ;
Figure 9 is a front elevation of the package with the parts in the position shown
in Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a perspective view, illustrating the further development of the package
by the folding down of the front top flap of the lining;
Figure 11 is a front elevation, illustrating the further development of the package
by the folding down of the end top flaps of the blank and lining;
Figure 12 is a plan view of the package with the last flap of the lining turned down
and ready to tuck in ;
Figure 13 is a perspective view, showing the package in the state of developinent
illustrated in Figure 12, but with the top of the blank and tucking flap turned down
ready to tuck in ;
Figure 14 is a plan view of the package complete ;
Figure 15 is an end view of the package with the end flaps of the carton removed
to show the folds of the end portion of the lining;
Figure 16 is a central transverse section of the package ;
Figure 17 is a plan view of the lining, the lines of fold made therein in forming
the package being indicated in dotted lines;
Figure 18 is a perspective view of that portion of the completed package com-
prising the lining, the carton being omitted;
Figure 19 is a transverse sectional view (enlarged) through the end of the
box, showing the end wall of the carton, its interlocked flaps, and the interfolded
lining;
Figure 20 is a perspective view of the package partially completed by the aid of
a former, the latter being shown therein; and
Figure 21 is a transverse sectional view through the partially completed package,
and the former.
The
In carrying out my invention I provide a blank of paste-board, straw-board, or
other sheet material of sufficient thickness and strength to properly protect the
contents of the box or carton made from such blank. This blank may be of any
suitable form which is adapted for the purpose of being folded up into a box or
carton and is provided with overlapping ends which are folded over and interlocked
with each other to form the ends of the box. In connection with such a blank I
employ a sheet of thin, flexible paper, preferably a moisture and grease proof paper,
such as what is known as waxed or paraffined paper, and which is thin and flexible,
yet strong. This sheet is of a width equal to the width of the blank and of a length
at least equal to the length of the body of the blank plus the width of the top of
the completed box or carton, and since the tuck flap of the blank is usually about
equal to this surplus width, the sheet may be said to be substantially equal both in
width and length to the extreme corresponding dimensions of the blank.
sheet is laid upon the blank and the two, both sheet and blank, are then folded
around the crackers, the lining sheet being next to the crackers and being folded
along with the blank, its lateral edges being thereby interfolded into the spaces
between the end flaps of the box, while its front and back edges and the end portions
of the lateral edges are folded over the crackers and over each other and firmly held
in place by the top and tuck flaps of the box. By this method of production a
package is formed in which the crackers or biscuits are enclosed in a complete pro-
tective envelope of paper without any direct openings through which air or moisture
may have access to the contents of the package, and are further enclosed in a paper
box or carton with the ends of which the protective envelope is so interfolded as to
effectually close these ends and at the same time prevent any movement of the lining
relatively to the box or carton. Moreover, in this folding of the two parts, to-wit,
the blank and the sheet of lining, around the crackers, the lining is drawn tightly

page_text: around these latter and held in that position so as to firmly hold the crackers
together and prevent relative movement and consequent breakage of these
latter.
I will now proceed to describe a package embodying my invention in one form and
the method of making the same, it being understood that the particular form of
blank set forth is employed merely for purposes of illustration and that any other well
known form of blank, adapted to be folded to form a box or carton by the overlapping
and interlocking of its parts, may be employed.
A indicates a box blank, of which a is the front section, the bottom section, c the
back section, the top section, and e the tuck flap. The front section a has at its
ends end flaps a¹ having slits a². The bottom section has at its ends, end flaps b
which are cut away so as to overlap or fold upon the end flaps a¹ and leave the slits a²
exposed. The back section c has end flaps c¹ provided with tongues c² adapted to enter
the slits a. Attached to these end flaps c¹ are top flaps ', which are severed or
disconnected from the body of the blank. It will be understood, of course, that the
various lines of fold of the blank will be scored or indented in the usual manner to
facilitate folding.
Bindicates the sheet of protective paper, preferably waxed or paraffined
paper, which forms the lining of the box. This sheet is laid upon the flat blank A
in the manner shown in Figure so that it projects at the lower or front edge thereof
to an extent about equal to the width from back to front of the completed box. The
crackers or biscuits are then placed upon the bottom section b, or rather upon the sheet
or lining B, immediately over the said bottom section, it being understood, of course,
that the carton and sheet are always properly proportioned to the size of the
biscuits or crackers to be packed. These latter may be held in position by hand
or they may be held in place by a suitable hollow holder or former of thin metal,
which may be withdrawn at the proper time. After the crackers are in place the blank
and sheet are folded up against the crackers along the line 1-1 of Figures 2 and 17,
whereupon the parts will be in the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The
end flaps a¹a are then folded over against the ends of the crackers, or of the former
containing them, the sheet or lining being folded along with them and the marginal
portions of the sheet being creased or folded along the diagonal lines 2-2 of Figures 2
and 17, the parts will now be in the position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the
crackers being enclosed at the bottom, front and both ends. The end flaps b¹ are
next brought up against the ends of the crackers, at the same time folding up against said
ends the triangular double flaps of the lining seen at each end of the body of crackers in
Figure 4. The back section c of the blank is then brought up against the crackers,
the lining being at the same time folded along with the blank along the line 3-3
and being creased along the diagonal lines 3-4, as shown in Figures 6 and 17 of the
drawings. The parts are now in the position shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the
drawings. The end flaps c' are then folded in against the ends of the partially formed
box, the lining being folded in at the same time, the folding occurring along the
lines 3-5 of Figures 6 and 17 of the drawings, and the tongues c are engaged with
the slits a in the manner shown in Figure 8 of the drawings. During this operation
the triangular double folds of the lining seen at each end of the partially formed body
of the box in Figure 6 are folded in against said ends, and the ends of the box being
now practically completed, it will be seen that not only is there a complete thickness
of lining paper lying directly against the crackers, but there are double folded
continuously joined portions of said lining sheet interfolded between each pair of end
flaps of the box. The parts are now in the position shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the
drawings, the crackers being completely enclosed not only by the carton, but by a
continuously joined envelope of the lining paper at their bottom, front, back and
ends, the top only of the package being open. If a former or holder be employed for
holding the crackers while being packed it is now withdrawn. That portion of the
lining sheet which projects upward at the front of the box is then folded down over
the top of the crackers, the fold taking place along the line 6-6 of Figure 17 and
the marginal portions of the lining being creased or folded along the diagonal

page_text: lines 6-7 shown in said Figure. The structure is now in the condition shown in the
perspective view illustrated in Figure 10 of the drawings, and the crackers are com-
pletely enclosed, except along a line at the back of the top of the box. The top
flaps are next folded down upon the top of the crackers, the lining being folded
along with them, and the upstanding portion of said lining being creased or folded
along the diagonal lines 8-8 shown in Figure 17 of the drawings, the resulting
condition of the structure being that shown in Figure 11 of the drawings. The
triangular upstanding flap thus formed is folded down over the crackers along its base
line, as indicated in Figures 12 and 13, and the projecting tip may be creased or
folded along the line 9-9 and forced down into the space between the lining paper
and the front of the box. This forcing down or tucking in of the front end of the
lining may be effected, as indicated in Figure 12, by the act of inserting the tuck
flap e in the space between the paper lining and the front of the box, as indicated in
Figure 13, and this action will complete the drawing of the paper lining tightly
around the crackers so as to hold them firmly in place.
The resulting package is one in which the crackers are completely enveloped and
enclosed in a protective envelope of paper, preferably waxed.or paraffined paper, which
is moisture proof and grease proof, without any openings which may gap and adinit
moist air to the contents, and this envelope is interfolded with the various flaps and
sections of the paper box or carton, within which it and the crackers are enclosed, in
such a manner that the interfolded portions of the lining sheet close the spaces be-
tween the flaps of the box or carton and more effectually protect the contents there-
of, while at the same time both the lining sheet and box or carton are so interfolded
as to form in effect a unitary structure, it being impossible for the lining to move
relatively to the box or carton, and the two holding the crackers firmly in place and
preventing movement and consequent breakage of these latter. The completeness
with which the lining sheet envelopes the contents of the package when folded up in
the manner described along with the box blank may be seen from an inspection of
Figure 18 of the drawings, which illustrates the shape into which the lining sheet is
folded in folding it up along with the box blank, the box, however, or pasteboard por-
tions of the package being omitted to render the illustration more clear.
As already stated, the particular form of box blank shown is chosen merely for
purposes of illustration, and other well known forms of folding box blanks may be
employed in its stead. Moreover, even with the particular form of blank shown, the
precise order of folding in the several parts may be varied, it being only essential for
the purposes of my invention that the lining sheet shall be folded along with the
blank and interfolded with the parts of this latter. If it be deemed desirable, the
lining sheet may be secured to the box blank before folding by means of a suitable
paste applied between the two along such lines or at such places as may be deemed
necessary.
While I have described my improved package and method of making same as
applied more particularly to the packing of biscuits, crackers, or the like, it is
obvious that the same package and method may be employed for other articles, as,
for instance, lard and similar compounds, and in such a case the character of the pro-
tective lining of paper will vary according to the character of the article to be pro-
tected, being either moisture proof or moisture and grease proof, or having other
characteristics such as the circumstances may require. In the case where the pack-
age is used for crackers, or other similar bakery goods, a moisture and grease proof
lining is desirable, and for this purpose, as well as for general use, I prefer to employ
what is known as waxed or paraffined paper, which is both moisture and grease proof,
although any equivalent paper adapted to be folded in the manner set forth may be
substituted therefor.
In view of these and other obvious modifications I do not wish to be understood
as limiting myself strictly to the precise details hereinbefore set forth.
While I have described and prefer to employ a method of packing wherein the
crackers or other articles are themselves placed upon the lining sheet and enclosed
by the folding of said sheet and the box blank, and while the crackers or other

page_text: articles to be packed may be held in any convenient way other than by means of
the hollow foriner mentioned, I prefer to use such hollow former, and the same and
its method of use are clearly shown in Figure 20, wherein the hollow former is
shown as a bottomless box C, preferably of sheet metal with thin walls, so that when
the former is withdrawn, but little space will be left, not enough to interfere with
the tight closing of the package. The crackers or other article or articles to be
packed may be placed within the lower portion of this hollow former which is pre-
ferably of such height as to enable the protective sheet or lining to have its folds
sharply defined by the act of folding, and this former is withdrawn, leaving the
goods in place when the folding operation has proceeded to that stage shown in
Figure 20. In Figure 21, I have shown a cracker 1, in elevation, and in the
position it would occupy relative to the former and the bottom of the box or carton.
The hollow former may be used to aid in forming the package, without having the
goods contained therein, and of course a solid former night be similarly employed,
and the goods charged into the open box after the former is withdrawn, and the
folding completed over the goods themselves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described method of packing biscuits crackers or the like, which
consists in completely enveloping the same in an uncut or continuous lining or
protective sheet and an outer sheet or blank of heavier but flexible material provided
with marginal flaps, by superposing the lining or protective sheet upon the blank
and then simultaneously folding both said sheet and said blank by the aid of a
suitable former into the form of a box or carton, overlapping and tucking said flaps
during said folding and thereby interfolding the marginal portions of the lining or
protective sheet with the flaps of the blank and securing the flaps to hold the
package closed, substantially as described.
2. The herein described box or carton for crackers, biscuits or the like, comprising
an internal lining composed of a sheet or protective paper completely enveloping the
contents, and an outer sheet of heavier but flexible material having overlapping and
interlocking flaps with which the marginal portions of the lining sheet are inter-
folded, substantially as described.
3. The herein described box or carton for biscuits, crackers or the like, comprising
an internal protective lining composed of a single continuous or unbroken sheet of
material such as waxed paper and an external covering of heavier but flexible
material suitably cut and scored to provide overlapping and tucking flaps, said sheets
being adapted to be simultaneously folded while one is superposed upon the other
and said flaps being overlapped and tucked and the marginal portions of the lining
interfolded therewith and the package thereby secured without extraneous fastening
means or perforating the lining, substantially as described.
4. The herein described box or carton comprising an internal protective lining
composed of a single continuous or unbroken sheet of material, such as waxed
paper, and an external covering of heavier material suitably cut and scored to pro-
vide overlapping and tucking flaps, and said lining sheet being of such dimensions
as to provide a top fold adapted when folded to afford a triangular flap of greater
length than the width of the box, and to be engaged by the top flap of the external
covering and pass therewith into the space between the edges of the front of the
covering and the lining sheet, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of March 1900.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.