Film reel shipping case

Claim 2

A container designed to accommodate two different sizes of cylindrically shaped articles which comprises: an open-topped body having a bottom bordered by upstanding wall members cooperating therewith to define a receptacle sized to receive the larger of the two articles; at least three integrally formed upstanding webs extending inwardly from the wall members, said webs having the free inner ends thereof positioned to abut the cylindrical surface of said larger article at circumferentially spaced points thereon adapted to prevent relative sidewise movement; at least three spacer elements having vertical slits therein adapted to receive the free inner ends of the webs, said spacers cooperating with said webs when in place on the free ends thereof to abut the cylindrical surface of the smaller of the two articles and prevent relative sidewise movement thereof; and, an open-bottomed lid having a top bordered by a down-turned skirt shaped and sized to telescope down over the upstanding wall members so as to provide a cover for the body.

Claim 3

The container as set forth in claim 1 which: the bottom and top are spaced-apart a distance selected to engage and prevent relative vertical movement of said larger article when the lid is in place atop the body.

Claim 4

The container as set forth in claim 1 in which: a second set of at least three integrally formed webs are provided in the body positioned and adapted to accept the spacer elements and store same out of the way of the larger cylindrical article when the latter is held in place by the first-mentioned set of webs.

Claim 5

The container as set forth in claim 1 in which: the minimum interior dimension separating opposed wall members is substantially greater than the diameter of the larger cylindrical article; and, in which the webs cooperate to hold said larger article in fixed-spaced relation to said wall members.

Claim 6

The container as set forth in claim 1 in which: the webs terminate at their face inner ends in vertically disposed enlarged portions of substantially uniform cross section; and, in which the spacer elements have a vertically disposed opening therethrough communicating the slit and shaped to accept the enlarged portion of the web.

Claim 7

The container as set forth in claim 2 in which: at least two of the spacer elements include integrally formed ears projecting horizontally therefrom adjacent one end and substantially opposite the slit therein, said ears being adapted to extend out over the top of the smaller of the two cylindrical articles and hold same down against the bottom when held in place between said spacers.

Claim 8

The container as set forth in claim 1 including a horizontally disposed tab having an aperture therethrough projecting substantially horizontally from the upstanding wall members of the open-topped body and said skirt including an integrally formed tab projecting substantially horizontally therefrom in face-to-face relation to the body tab, and said tab having an opening therein positioned to register with the opening in said body tab and, latch means releasably locking the tabs together in face-to-face relation when the lid is positioned atop the body; said latch means including a head portion located on the exposed face of one of said tabs having a dimension greater than the opening therein so as to not pass therethrough and a bifurcated portion projecting through the aligned openings onto the exposed face of the other of said tabs, said bifurcated portion including at least one springable leg movable from a normal extended position in spaced relation to the other leg thereof and a retracted position wherein the free ends of said legs have been squeezed toward one another, said springable leg having a shoulder formed on the outside surface thereof positioned and adapted to hook over the exposed face of the other of said tabs when in extended position and release said other tab when said leg is retracted.

Claim 9

The container as set forth in claim 7 in which: each of the springable legs includes an inclined cam surface on the outside thereof extending between the shoulder and the free end, said cam surface being adapted to more said springable legs from extended into retracted position as the free ends thereof move into and through the opening in the other of said tabs.

Claim 10

The container as set forth in claim 7 in which: both legs of the bifurcated portion are springable and each is provided with a shoulder adapted to hook over the exposed face of said other tab.

Claim 11

The container as set forth in claim 9 in which: each of the springable legs includes an inclined cam surface on the outside thereof extending between the shoulders and the free end, said cam surface being adapted to move said springable legs from extended into retracted position as the free ends thereof move into and through the opening in the other of said tabs.