US2085054A - Container - Google Patents

Description

June 29, 1937. TREVISAN 2,085,054

CONTAINER Filed Dec. 15, 1934 INV ENTQR a. SW. 19.

ATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1937 oN rE STATES PATENT OFFIQE CONTAINER Louis A. 'I'revisan,

Bloomfield, N. J., assignor to Application December 15, 1934, Serial No. 757,693

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to hinge cover containers and has particular reference to auxiliary locking and opening means in hinge cover boxes of elongated, shallow or fiat construction 5 which have narrow body and cover engaging walls or flanges and hence provide scant friction surface for closing and opening purposes.

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved box and hinge cover construction having cooperating and complementary elements which prevent accidental opening or partial opening of the closed box and prevent tilting or rocking of the cover at the corners and also provide convenient and effective opening means, the

combination of these elements also reinforcing the box body and cover.

Another object of the invention is the provision in an elongated container of a plurality of complementary locking means on the cover and body which are spaced and positioned so as to equalize the locking effect between body and cover uniformly about the whole locking area.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hinge cover container embodying the instant invention, illusrating the cover in partially raised position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the container, this view showing the cover and body in closed and interlocked position; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken substantially along the respective lines 33 and 4- 3 in Fig. 2.

The container or box, illustrated in the drawing as a preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises a rectangular, shallow, drawn, sheet metal body ll, having an open top, a bottom |2,

substantially vertical end walls l3 and similar front and rear walls I 4 and I5.

The box is provided with a hinged slip cover I6, which, like the body II, is preferably drawn from a blank of sheet metal and is formed with a top wall ll, which merges into a surrounding depending flange constituting end walls l8 and front and rear walls 2|, 22. When the cover is in closed position on the box, the walls l8, 2|, 22 telescope snugly in a slip or friction fit over the top of and are substantially parallel with the body walls l3, l4, l5.

The cover and box are hingedly connected along their respective rear walls 22, I5 in any of a number of well known hinge constructions. One simple and preferred construction disclosed in the drawing comprises a pintle 25 carried by a tubular extension of the cover rear wall 22, with the ends of the pintle secured in struck out lugs or recesses 26 formed in the box rear wall l5. This hinged connection permits of swinging the cover into and out of closing position.

It has been found that the mere slip or friction fit between the parts l8, 2| of the cover and the parts I 3, M of the body are not sufiicient in many cases to prevent inadvertent opening of the closed container. Additional or auxiliary complementary locking means are therefore provided on the body and cover to more eifectively interlock them. This locking is effected by a plurality of (in the preferred showing, a pair of) spaced, outwardly projecting beads, tits or protuberances 3|, which are formed in the front wall M of the box body I I. These tits are located adjacent the top edge of the wall I4, one near each corner which connects the front wall M with the end walls l3, as shown in Fig. 1. For cooperation with these tits 3|, the front wall 2| of the cover is formed with an outwardly projecting longitudinal hollow bead 32, parallel with the free edge of the depending wall 2|, and slightly longer than the distance between the spaced tits 3| so as to embrace them completely when the container is closed.

To interlock the cover and body, the cover front wall 2| is snapped down or sprung over the tits 3 I. This disposes the tits within the hollow or groove of the head 32, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. They are thus frictionally held against accidental disengagement. The spaced locking of the tits within the internal groove formed by the outwardly projecting head 32 distributes the locking engagement equally and prevents rocking and partial opening of the cover at the front corners. The accomplishment of this result is also assisted by the reinforcing function of the bead 32, which strengthens and steadies the whole front wall 2|.

When intentionally opening the cover to gain access to the container interior, the projecting bead 32 is also utilized as a finger hold for disengaging or unlocking the tits 3| from the internal groove of the bead. To assist in this opening action and cooperating with the cover bead 32 there is provided an outwardly extending elongated reenforcing rib or bead 33 formed in the body front wall M. This bead is disposed below the tits 3| adjacent and parallel with the box bottom 12. It is coextensive with the cover bead 32 so that it may be utilized as a finger hold and readily gripped at any point between its ends to assist in prying the body and cover apart.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

A relatively thin substantially fiat non-circular sheet metal hinged cover container, comprising a tray-like body member including a bottom and front and rear walls, said front wall adjacent its upper edge being provided with a plurality of spaced outwardly extending protuberances, one of said protuberances being located adjacent each end of said front Wall, and a longitudinal continuous outwardly extending bead on said front wall disposed below said spaced protuberances and substantially parallel with the upper edge of said front wall, and a fiat tray-like Walled cover hinged to the rear wall of said body and including a depending front flange overhanging and snugly engaging the front wall of said body when the cover is in closed position, said cover flange having a longitudinal continuous outwardly pressed bead extending substantially from end to end of said flange, the opposite ends of said cover bead being adapted to engage over and yieldingly interlock with the said protuberances disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the front wall of the container body to resiliently maintain said cover in closed position, the intermediate portion of said cover bead reenforcing the cover flange against undue distortion to insure against inadvertent displacement of said protuberances from said cover bead, said longitudinal cover and body beads also cooperating to provide a convenient finger grip to release said hinged cover flange from said protuberances when it is desired to open the container.

LOUIS A. TREVISAN.

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