US2169318A - Container and partition therefor - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 15, 1939. G. A. COPELAND CONTAINER AND PARTITION THEREFOR Filed May 12, 1937 R Y m m WM 0 a flu m Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 19 Claims.

This invention relates to novel drawers, boxes, containers and the like and to an efficient, inexpensive and readily adjustable follower or partition to be used in combination therewith.

While drawers or containers for use in filing cabinets have been made of fiber board, no adjustable followers or partitions of simple, inexpensive construction have been available for use therein.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a novel fiber-board drawer construction and a simple inexpensive follower or partition made of corrugated fiber board for use therewith.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description and claims when taken with the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a corrugated board filing drawer with a portion of one of its side walls broken away to show its novel follower,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a partially folded blank from which the drawer illustrated in Fig. 1 can be made.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective View of a modified adjustable follower, with a portion of the tape broken away.

Fig. 3a is a plan view of the follower illustrated in Fig. 3 showing the same in folded condition for adjustment along a drawer.

Fig. 4 is a section taken through the side of the drawer on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 2 showing in dotted lines the manner of completing the side Wall of the drawer.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through a modified corrugated board drawer for a filing cabinet or the like.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6 and illustrating by dotted lines one manner of adjusting the partition to a selected position in the drawer.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective View of the side wall of a modified drawer or container construction similar to that shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a section through the side wall of a modified drawer or container of Fig. 8 prior to folding the guide strip thereof into final position, the final position of the guide strip being illustrated by dotted lines in this figure.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of a still further modified type of side wall for a drawer or container.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 which illustrate a specific embodiment of applicants invention, there is shown a filing cabinet drawer I made of double faced corrugated fiber board, the inner surface of the side walls of the drawer having portions of the corrugations thereof exposed. By double-faced corrugated board is meant that type of fiber board which has a facing or lining of smooth paper on each surface of the corrugated paper. This drawer may be assembled from a blank 2 illustrated in Fig. 2 in partially folded condition. The blank 2 was originally rectangular having slits or cuts ex- 1 tending inwardly from the side edges to provide the side portions 3 and 4 and the end flaps 5 and 6, the end flaps 5 and 6 having been folded in wardly to overlie respectively the rear and front drawer ends I and 8 as shown in Fig. 2. The end flaps and drawer ends are retained in such folded condition by means of a channel-shaped metal border 9 to provide end walls of multiple layers. Reference character [0 indicates exposed corrugations on the inner surface of the drawer sides 3 and 4, which exposed corrugations terminate a short distance below the upper edge of the side walls of the completed drawer so that the upper inside margin l6 of each side wall is rela-' tively smooth. Thus the exposed corrugations l0 extend vertically along a portion of the side walls to retain the followers to be later described, in adjusted position while the remaining surface or margin I6 developed by the facing or lining l1, may serve as a guide to prevent the ends of filing cards or the like from seating or lodging in the flutes of the corrugations Hi.

In completing the drawer, the side portions 3 and 4 are folded inwardly along the score lines I! in the manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and are then folded again along the score lines l2 to bring the side walls 13 at right angles to the bottom [4. The drawer ends 1 and 8 are then folded along score lines l5. Thereafter, the abutting ends of the side walls and end sections are suitably secured together in any convenient manner to complete the drawer. For example, the completed drawer may be retained in assembled condition in the manner disclosed in the copending application of E. S. Roscoe, Serial No. 83,707, filed June 5, 1936 now Patent No. 2,129,965, granted September 13, 1937.

An adjustable partition or follower I8 is provided for use in the drawer. This follower is made of corrugated fiber board comprising cor rugated paper with a liner glued to each surface. The flutes of the corrugated paper preferably extend lengthwise or horizontally of the follower for greater strength so that the follower will not buckle if the side walls of the drawer are accidentally compressed. The follower, which has integral end extensions 23 formed thereon by folding the follower blank along lines 22, is completed by securing to the outer surface of each end extension 23 the liner of a piece IQ of singlefaced corrugated fiber board. The flutes of the pieces l9 extend vertically so that they may be interlocked with the corrugations II] on the inner surface of the side walls of the drawer. It will be noted that the pieces l9 do notextend tothe top of the end extensions, and thereby provide clearance for the guide i6 of the drawer. By single-faced corrugated fiber board is meant that type of fiber board which has a facing or liner of smooth paper on only one surface of its corrugated paper.

The follower i8 is adapted to be placed in the drawer shown in Fig. 1 with its projecting ends 23 extending toward the rear end 8 of the drawer and with the exposed corrugations on the pieces l9 interlocked with the exposed corrugations H) of the side walls of the drawer to maintain the follower in adjusted position. By bending the end extensions 23 of the follower toward each other, so that the exposed corrugations on the pieces l9 will be disengaged from the corrugations H) on the inner surface of the drawer sides, the follower may be adjusted along the drawer to any selected position and then by releasing the end extensions 23, the resiliency of the paper at the folds 22 will cause the end extensions to resume a position in which the corrugations thereof reengage the corrugations Ill.

In Figs. 3 and 3a there is shown a modified and preferred form of partition or follower H! which is rectangular in form. This follower [8' has all of the elements of the follower [8, that is, the front or follower wall proper, the end extensions 23' formed by folding the follower blank along lines 22, and the single-faced corrugated fiber board pieces l9, secured to the outer surfaces of the end extensions 23 for engagement with the exposed corrugations IU of the drawer. In addition the end extensions are provided with integral flaps which overlap each other to complete the rectangular form of the follower. These flaps are integral with the end extensions 23, being formed by folding the follower blank along the lines 22". The flap extends the full length of the follower with its free end abutting the adjacent end extension 23', so that the follower cannot be accidentally collapsed by a force applied against the end extensions 23'. The flap 2| is approximately half as long as the extension 20 and has its free end hingedly secured to the extension 20 by means of the cloth tape 24. The follower l8 may be adjusted along the drawer or removed therefrom by applying a force in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3a to move the extensions 20, 2| and 23' inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3a, to disengage the corrugations l9 from the corrugations ill of the drawer. When the mentioned force is removed, the follower, due to the resiliency of the paper at the several folds, will again resume its normal condition shown in Fig. 3 and the dotted line position in Fig. 3a.

It should be understood that the followers may be constructed in various ways, such as by using double-faced corrugated board in which the flutes thereof extend vertically. but with a portion of the liner or facing on the outer surface of the end extensions omitted, the only requirement being that vertical corrugations should be exposed on the outer surface of the end extensions so that they may engage the corrugations of the side walls of the container with which the follower cooperates.

If desired, applicant may provide exposed cor-- rugations on the bottom wall of a drawer or container 25 as shown in Figs. 6 and '7. This drawer comprises a bottom wall 25 and side walls 21 having corrugations exposed at 28 in the side walls and at 29 in the bottom wall. The corrugations 29 have been exposed by omitting a portion of the liner 30. The liner 30 may serve as a guide to prevent cards or the like from seating or lodging in the flutes of the corrugations. A guide strip 3| is shown applied to each of the upper margins of the side walls.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and '7, applicant has also illustrated a modified type of partition 01' follower which comprises a relatively stiif card or board 32 which may be flexed as shown in dotted lines in Fig. '7 to have its ends seated in selected flutes or corrugations 28, while the projecting tab 33 at the bottom of the partition seats in an alined flute of the corrugations 29. The partition may be notched as at 34 to clear the guide strip 3|.

While the drawers have been described and illustrated as being made of double-faced corrugated board, it will be understood that other constructions may be used if desired. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9 a single-faced corrugated board 35 may be used in which an extension 36 of the liner or facing is folded over and glued to the upper portion of the exposed corrugations 3'! to provide a smooth guide strip 38 along the upper margin of the side wall of the box or drawer.

In Fig. 10 a further modification of a drawer side is illustrated wherein single-faced corrugated board 39 has its liner or facing member 40 cemented or otherwise secured to a wood or fiber board 4|. The guide strip in this instance is formed by cementing or suitably securing a narrow strip of paper or the like 42 to the upper margin of the corrugated board 39.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to using a single guide strip on each side wall of the container, as several guide strips may be used if desired, for example, one at the top and one at the bottom of the side wall or a single guide strip extending centrally of the wall may be used, the only requirements being that a portion of the corrugated paper be exposed for engagement with similarly placed corrugations on the follower.

The construction herein disclosed provides an inexpensive and simple filing cabinet drawer with a readily adjustable partition or follower, altho it should be understood that the invention. is not limited to filing cabinet drawers, but may be used in any container or receptacle which it is desired to divide into compartments.

What I claim is:

1. A container comprising opposed walls, having corrugated paper defining a portion of the inner surface of each of said walls, a horizontally extending guide on the inner stuface of each of said walls, said guides projecting inwardly beyond said corrugated paper.

2. In a container having bottom, side and end walls, a portion of the inner surface of said bottom having exposed horizontally extending flutes and the inner surfaces of said side walls having exposed vertically extending flutes thereon formed of corrugated paper, and horizontally extending guides on the inner surfaces of said bottom and side walls adjacent said exposed flutes, said guides projecting inwardly beyond said fiutes.

3. A container comprising opposed walls, having corrugated paper defining a portion of the inner surface of each of said walls, a horizontally extending guide on the inner surface of each of said walls, said guides projecting inwardly beyond said corrugated paper, a partition adapted to extend between said walls and having end portions bent at an angle to the body thereof, said end portions each having a corrugated outer surface for detachably engaging selected corrugations of the corrugated paper.

4. A container comprising opposed walls, having inwardly facing exposed portions of corrugated paper with vertically extending flutes, and a follower extending between said opposed walls, and having end extensions comprising exposed portions of corrugated paper also provided with vertically extending flutes adapted to be detachably and selectively interlocked with the flutes in the corrugated paper on said walls.

5. A container having bottom, side and end walls made of fiber board, a portion of the inner surface of said side walls having exposed vertically extending flutes thereon formed of corrugated paper, a partition made of corrugated fiber board and provided with integral end extensions having exposed vertically extending corrugations forming a part thereof adapted to seat in certain of the exposed flutes on the side walls of the container.

6. A container having bottom, side and end Walls made of corrugated fiber board, the inner surface of said side walls having the liner thereof omitted to expose vertically extending flutes of the corrugated paper of which the fiber board is formed, a corrugated fiber board partition provided with integral end extensions having a portion of the corrugations of the board exposed to provide vertically extending flutes adapted to seat in certain of said exposed flutes on the side walls of the container.

'7. A container, having a bottom, sides and ends formed from fiber board, said fiber board comprising corrugated paper and a liner attached to each surface thereof, said sides having the liner on portions of their inner surfaces omitted to expose the corrugated paper with the flutes thereof extending vertically, a follower having end portions bent at right angles to the body thereof, said end portions having vertically extending flutes to engage the flutes in said sides.

8. A container having a bottom, sides and ends formed from fiber board, said fiber board comprising corrugated paper and a liner attached thereto, said sides having a portion of the corrugated paper on their inner surfaces exposed with the flutes thereof extending vertically, a strip attached to the inner upper margin of each side and being of a thickness to project inwardly beyond said sides, a follower made of fiber board having end portions having vertically extending flutes to engage the exposed flutes in said sides.

9. A container having a bottom, sides and ends formed from fiber board, said fiber board comprising corrugated paper and a liner attached thereto, said sides having the corrugated paper on their inner surfaces with the flutes thereof extending vertically, a follower having end portions bent at right angles to the body thereof, said end portions having vertically extending flutes to engage the flutes in said sides.

10. A container having a bottom, sides and ends formed from fiber board, said sides having the corrugated paper on their inner surfaces with the flutes thereof extending vertically, and a horizontal guide strip co-extensive with and attached to the major portion of the length of the inner surface of each side of said container tending to prevent material filed in said container from lodging in said flutes.

11. A container comprising a bottom wall, side and end walls, a portion of the inner surface of said side walls having exposed vertically extending flutes thereon formed of corrrugated paper, another portion of the inner surface of said side walls projecting inwardly beyond said corrugated paper to serve as a guide.

12. An adjustable partition for use in a container having exposed corrugated paper on the inner surface of a pair of its opposed walls, said partition comprising, a main body portion folded to provide end extensions flexibly connected to said main body portion, said extensions having exposed corrugated paper thereon to engage the corrugated paper of said walls.

13. A follower comprising a main body portion and extensions flexibly connected to said body portion, said extensions including corrugated paper to define a vertically fluted outer surface on each extension.

14. A container having a bottom, side and end walls formed from a blank of corrugated fiber board, said board comprising corrugated paper having a liner attached to each of its surfaces, a portion of the liner on the inner surface of said side walls being omitted to expose the vertically extending flutes thereof, the remaining portion. of the liner on said inner surface providing a guide for the contents of said container to prevent the same from engaging the flutes.

15. An adjustable partition comprising a main body portion folded to provide a front wall, end walls and a rear wall, vertically extending flutes formed of corrugated paper on said end walls, said rear wall being collapsible to move the end walls inwardly toward the front wall.

16. An adjustable partition having a, front wall, end Walls and a rear wall, said rear wall comprising flaps integral with said end walls, hingedly connected together at an intermediate part of said rear Wall and disposed in overlapping relation, and exposed, vertically extending corrugations forming a part of the end walls.

1'7. An adjustable partition having a front wall, end walls and a rear wall, said rear wall comprising flaps integral with said end walls, one of said flaps extending the full length of the rear wall, the other flap overlapping a portion of said first mentioned flap, and exposed vertically extending corrugations forming a part of the end walls.

18. An adjustable partition having a front wall, end walls and a rear wall, said rear wall comprising flaps integral with said end walls, one of said flaps extending the full length of the rear wall, the other flap overlapping a portion. of said first mentioned flap and being hingedly secured thereto, and exposed vertically extending corru gations forming a part of the end walls.

19. A container formed from a folded blank of fiber board comprising corrugated paper with a liner covering at least the outer surface of said paper, and having opposed walls, the flutes of said corrugated paper on at least a portion of the inner surfaces of said opposed walls being exposed, and a partition adapted to extend between said Walls, said partition having end portions each provided with a corrugated surface for detachably engaging selected flutes of said corrugated paper.

' GEORGE A. COPELAND.

Images