Bottle carrier

Claim 2

A carrier for bottled products which is fabricated from an elongate, generally rectangular blank cut and scored to provide connected side and end wall forming panels hinged to each other so as to form a collapsible tube for encircling an assembly of bottles which are arranged in double row and transversely paired relation, top wall forming panels hinged to the top edges of the side and end wall panels, said top wall forming panels being arranged in pairs with a panel of each pair thereof hinged to a side wall and the associated panel which is paired therewith being hinged to an adjoining end wall, the panels of each pair being connected and foldable upon each other inwardly of the side and end walls about a hinge line extending in a diagonal direction from the hinged corner connection of the associated side and end wall so as to lie between the side and end wall when the carrier is collapsed, said top wall forming panels having means for engaging top portions of the bottles so as to hold the same in position, said top wall forming panels having means movable to a depending bottle separating position, and bottom wall forming panels hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall panels which botton wall forming panels have connecting means for securing said bottom wall panels in bottom wall forming relation beneath the bottles.

Claim 3

A collapsible carrier for bottles formed from a blank of foldable sheet material which is cut and scored to provide hingedly connected side and end wall forming panels, top wall forming panels hinged to the top edges of the side and end wall forming panels and a pair of bottom wall forming panels hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall forming panels, said top wall forming panels being arranged in pairs with the panels of each pair adjoining each other and connected to each other on a hinge line extending diagonally inwardly of the corner forming fold which connects the side and end wall forming panels to which said pair of top wall forming panels are hinged so as to collapse between the side and end wall forming panels when said panels are folded upon each other in collapsing the carrier, said top wall forming panels having bottle separating means depending therefrom, and said bottom wall forming panels having free marginal portions with means for connecting said marginal portions when the carrier is opened up and deposited on an assembly of bottles and said bottom wall forming panels are hinged into coplanar relation beneath the assembly of bottles.

Claim 4

A collapsible carrier for bottles formed from a blank of foldable sheet material which is cut and scored to provide hingedly connected side and end wall forming panels, top wall forming panels hinged to the top edges of the side and end wall forming panels and a pair of bottom wall forming panels hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall forming panels, said top wall forming panels being arranged in pairs with the panels of each pair adjoining each other and connected to each other on a hinge line extending diagonally inwardly of the corner forming fold which connects the side and end wall forming panels to which said pair of top wall forming panels are hinged so as to collapse between the side and end wall forming panels when said panels are folded upon each other in collapsing the carrier, said top wall forming panels having bottle separating means depending therefrom, and said bottom wall forming panels having free marginal portions with means for connecting said marginal portions when the carrier is opened up and deposited on an assembly of bottles and said bottom wall forming panels are hinged into coplanar relation beneath the assembly of bottles.

Claim 5

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 2 wherein said top wall forming panels have bottle top engaging means in the form of aligned apertures for receiving the tops of the assembly of bottles which bottles are in double row and transversely paired alignment.

Claim 6

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 2 wherein said top wall forming panels which are hinged to the Side wall panels have hinged marginal portions which move into depending abutting relation and form said bottle separating means when said panels are in top wall forming position.

Claim 7

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 2 wherein said top wall forming panels have marginal portions which are hingedly connected thereto and which move into interconnected depending relation when the top wall forming panels are moved into coplanar relation so as to form said bottle separating means.

Claim 8

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 2 wherein said top wall forming panels have hinged marginal portions which are disposed in vertical planes when said top wall forming panels are in top wall forming position and which constitute said bottle separating means.

Claim 9

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 2 wherein said top wall forming panels have hinged marginal portions constituting said bottle separating means which are disposed in longitudinal and transverse planes between the bottles when said top wall forming panels are in top wall forming position.

Claim 10

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 2 wherein the panels of each said pair of said top wall forming panels have overlapping portions when in top wall forming position which provide multi-ply thickness and finger holes are cut in said multi-ply thickness.

Claim 11

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bottom wall forming panels have marginal portions which overlap when in coplanar relation wherein locking tongues and co-operating locking apertures in which said tongues are engaged are provided in said overlapping marginal portions.

Claim 12

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 2 wherein compression finger receiving apertures are provided at the juncture of said side wall forming panels and the adjoining bottom wall forming panels.

Claim 13

A collapsible carrier for an assembly of bottles which are arranged in double row and transversely paired alignment, said carrier being formed from a blank of foldable sheet material, said blank being cut and scored to provide hingedly connected side and end wall forming panels, top wall forming panels hinged to top portions of the side and end wall forming panels and a pair of bottom wall forming panels hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall forming panels, said top wall forming panels being arranged in pairs with the panels of each pair adjoining each other and connected to each other on a hinge line extending diagonally inwardly of the corner forming fold which connects the side and end wall forming panels to which said pair of top wall panels are hinged so as to collapse between the side and end wall forming panels when said panels are folded upon each other in collapsing the carrier and to automatically move into coplanar top wall forming relation when the carrier is squared up, said top wall forming panels each having a hingedly connected portion movable into depending bottle separating relation when said top wall forming panels are moved to top wall forming position, and said bottom wall forming panels having free marginal portions with means for connecting said marginal portions when the carrier is opened up and deposited on an assembly of bottles and said bottom wall forming panels are hinged into coplanar relation beneath the assembly of bottles.

Claim 14

A collapsible carrier for an assembly of bottles which are arranged in double row and transversely paired alignment, said carrier being formed from a blank of foldable sheet material, said blank being cut and scored to provide hingedly connected side and end wall forming panels, top wall forming panels hinged to top portions of the side and end wall forming panels and a pair of bottom wall forming panels hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall forming panels, said top wall forming panels being arranged in pairs with the panels of each pair adjoining each other and connected to each other on a hinge line extending diagonally inwardly of the corner forming fold which connects the side and end wall forming panels to which said pair of top wall panels are hinged so as to collapse between the side and end wall forming panels when said panels are folded upon each other in collapsing the carrier and to automatically move into coplanar top wall forming relation when the carrier is squared up, said top wall forming panels each having a hingedly connected portion movable into depending bottle separating relation when said top wall forming panels are moved to top wall forming position, and said bottom wall forming panels having free marginal portions with means for connecting said marginal portions when the carrier is opened up and deposited on an assembly of bottles and said bottom wall forming panels are hinged into coplanar relation beneath the assembly of bottles.

Claim 15

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 11 wherein said hingedly connected portions of said top wall panels comprise relatively narrow panel portions which move into longitudinal and transverse planes for separating the bottles both longitudinally and transversely when the carrier is set up.

Claim 16

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 12 wherein said panel portions which separate the bottles longitudinally have apertures therein and said panel portions which separate the bottles transversely have end extensions which move through said apertures to a position to separate the bottles on the opposite sides of the longitudinal separating panel portions.

Claim 17

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 11 wherein said top wall forming panels which are hinged to the side wall forming panels have relatively narrow panels hinged to the free edges thereof which move into face to face relation when the carrier is set up and form a longitudinal center partition for separating the rows of bottles.

Claim 18

A collapsible carrier for bottles as set forth in claim 11 wherein said top wall forming panels which are hinged to the end wall forming panels have panel portions hinged to the free edges thereof which are movable into vertical planes when the carrier is set up and form cross partitions for separating pairs of bottles at opposite ends of the assembly thereof.

Claim 19

A collapsible carrier for an assembly of bottles which are arranged in double row and transversely paired alignment, said carrier being fabricated from a blank of foldable sheet material, which blank is cut and scored to provide hingedly connected side and end wall forming panels, top wall forming panels hinged to top portions of the side and end wall forming panels and a pair of bottom wall forming panels hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall forming panels, said top wall forming panels being arranged in pairs with the panels of each pair connected to each other so as to collapse between the side and end wall forming panels when said panels are folded upon each other in collapsing the carrier and to automatically move into coplanar top wall forming relation when the carrier is squared up, said top wall forming panels each having a hingedly connected portion movable into depending bottle separating relation when said top wall forming panels are moved to top wall forming position, said bottom wall forming panels having marginal portions with interengaging locking means for connecting said marginal portions when said bottom wall forming panels are hinged into coplanar relation beneath an assembly of bottles, and one of said bottom wall forming panels having an integrally hinged marginal portion which is swingable to upright position to form a separator between the bottom portions of the bottles.

Claim 20

A collapsible carrier for an assembly of bottles which are arranged in double row and transversely paired alignment, said carrier being fabricated from a blank of foldable sheet material, which blank is cut and scored to provide hingedly connected side and end wall forming panels, top wall forming panels hinged to top portions of the side and end wall forming panels and a pair of bottom wall forming panels hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall forming panels, said top wall forming panels being arranged in pairs with the panels of each pair connected to each other so as to collapse between the side and end wall forming panels when said panels are folded upon each other in collapsing the carrier and to automatically move into coplanar top wall forming relation when the carrier is squared up, said top wall forming panels each having a hingedly connected portion movable into depending bottle separating relation when said top wall forming panels are moved to top wall forming position, said bottom wall forming panels having marginal portions with interengaging locking means for connecting said marginal portions when said bottom wall forming panels are hinged into coplanar relation beneath an assembly of bottles, and one of said bottom wall forming panels having an integrally hinged marginal portion which is swingable to upright position to form a separator between the bottom portions of the bottles.

Claim 21

A collapsible carrier as set forth in claim 16 wherein said interengaging locking means for said bottom wall forming panels comprises spaced locking apertures in the margin of one of said bottom wall forming panels and co-operating locking and latching tabs spaced along a relatively narrow, hinged locking panel on the margin of the co-operating bottom wall forming panel, which locking and latching tabs are adapted to be engaged in said apertures, and wherein said bottle separating marginal portion on said one bottom wall forming panel is hinged outboard of the locking apertures in said bottom wall forming panel.

Claim 22

A collapsible carrier for an assembly of bottles which are arranged in double row and transversely paired alignment, said carrier being fabricated from a blank of foldable sheet material, which blank is cut and scored to provide hingedly connected side and end wall members, top wall forming members hinged to top portions of the side and end wall members and a pair of bottom wall forming panel members hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall members, said top wall members being arranged in pairs with the members of each pair thereof connected on hinge lines which extend from diagonally opposite corners of the top wall when the carrier is squared up and permitting said top wall members to collapse between side and end wall members when said members are folded upon each other in collapsing said carrier and to automatically move into coplanar top wall forming relation when the carrier is squared up and said top wall members having hingedly connected portions movable into depending bottle separating position when said top wall members are moved into coplanar top wall forming relation, one of said bottom wall forming panel members having a marginal portion with locking apertures, the other one of said bottom wall forming panel members having a locking panel hinged on the margin thereof with locking tongues and latching tabs adapted to engage in said locking apertures, a bottle separating panel on the margin of said apertured panel which is swingable to upright position between bottom portions of the bottles and said bottom wall forming panels having separating tab portions which are swingable into bottle separating upright position in transverse planes.

Claim 23

A collapsible carrier for an assembly of bottles which are arranged in double row and transversely paired alignment, said carrier being fabricated from a blank of foldable sheet material, which blank is cut and scored to provide hingedly connected side and end wall members, top wall forming members hinged to top portions of the side and end wall members and a pair of bottom wall forming panel members hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall members, said top wall members being arranged in pairs with the members of each pair thereof connected on hinge lines which extend from diagonally opposite corners of the top wall when the carrier is squared up and permitting said top wall members to collapse between side and end wall members when said members are folded upon each other in collapsing said carrier and to automatically move into coplanar top wall forming relation when the carrier is squared up and said top wall members having hingedly connected portions movable into depending bottle separating position when said top wall members are moved into coplanar top wall forming relation, one of said bottom wall forming panel members having a marginal portion with locking apertures, the other one of said bottom wall forming panel members having a locking panel hinged on the margin thereof with locking tongues and latching tabs adapted to engage in said locking apertures, a bottle separating panel on the margin of said apertured panel which is swingable to upright position between bottom portions of the bottles and said bottom wall forming panels having separating tab portions which are swingable into bottle separating upright position in transverse planes.

Claim 24

A blank for fabricating a collapsible bottle carrier comprising an elongate sheet of bendable paperboard material which is cut and transversely scored to divide the same into integrally connected, generally rectangular bottom wall forming panels extending laterally at one side edge of the sheet which are separated from the side wall forming panels by hinge forming score lines, and top wall forming panels extending laterally of the opposite side edge of the sheet which are separated from the side and end wall forming panels by hinge forming score lines which are aligned longitudinally of the sheet, said top wall forming panels which extend from the side wall forming panels each having a dimension transversely of the sheet which is greater than one half the dimension of the end wall forming panels in the lengthwise direction of the sheet, each of said top wall forming panels which extend from the side wall forming panels having a relatively narrow partition panel in the free outer edge thereof which is separated therefrom by a longitudinally extending, hinge forming score line and along which there is an elongate aperture with a relatively short abutment forming inner edge extending transversely of the blank, each of said top wall forming panels having a hinge forming diagonal score at one end thereof for dividing therefrom a generally triangular glue tab forming portion for connection in face engaging relation with an adjoining top wall forming panel which extends from the adjacent end wall forming panel and said top wall forming panels which are hinged to the end wall forming panels each having a bottle separation finger with dimensions enabling it to pass through said elongate aperture when the carrier is opened up.

Claim 25

A blank for fabricating a collapsible bottle carrier comprising an elongate sheet of bendable paperboard material which is cut and transversely scored to divide the same into integrally connected, generally rectangular bottom wall forming panels extending laterally at one side edge of the sheet which are separated from the side wall forming panels by hinge forming score lines, and top wall forming panels extending laterally of the opposite side edge of the sheet which are separated from the side and end wall forming panels by hinge forming score lines which are aligned longitudinally of the sheet, said top wall forming panels which extend from the side wall forming panels each having a dimension transversely of the sheet which is greater than one half the dimension of the end wall forming panels in the lengthwise direction of the sheet, each of said top wall forming panels which extend from the side wall forming panels having a relatively narrow partition panel in the free outer edge thereof which is separated therefrom by a longitudinally extending, hinge forming score line and along which there is an elongate aperture with a relatively short abutment forming inner edge extending transversely of the blank, each of said top wall forming panels having a hinge forming diagonal score at one end thereof for dividing therefrom a generally triangular glue tab forming portion for connection in face engaging relation with an adjoining top wall forming panel which extends from the adjacent end wall forming panel and said top wall forming panels which are hinged to the end wall forming panels each having a bottle separation finger with dimensions enabling it to pass through said elongate aperture when the carrier is opened up.

Claim 26

A blank as set forth in claim 19 wherein each of the top wall forming panels which extends from an end wall forming panel has a relatively narrow partition panel in the free outer edge which is separated therefrom by a longitudinally extending, hinge forming score line and wherein said bottle separation fingers extend from said narrow partition panels.