USRE19168E - Lining for fruit baskets - Google Patents

Description

y 1934- R. L. STEELE, an

LINING FOR FRUIT BASKETS Original Filed Aug. 19, 1951 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Reissued May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Original No. 1,912,550, dated June 6, 1933, Serial No. 557,964, August 19, 1931. Application for reissue September 26, 1933, Serial No. 691,034

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a lining for fruit baskets and the like which comprises a lining member having the wall portion and the bottom portion integral, the bottom being formed of a plurality of flaps extending from the sidewall portion so that when the flaps are folded in position, a bottom member is formed for the lining member for the fruit basket for shipping the fruit.

Heretofore, lining members have been provided for fruit baskets in which the sidewall members and the bottom members are separate from each other, resulting in a loss of time in the packing operation and also causing various inconveniences such as the exhaustion of the supply of bottom members and thus stopping the packing operation at a time when the fruit must be packed in great quantities, but by providing the bottom member and sidewall in one piece, it is evident that a complete lining member is provided, not only for the sidewall portions of the basket, but also for the bottom thereof.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a lining member for fruit baskets comprising a sidewall portion and bottom portion made integral with each other, with the bottom portion being in the form of a plurality of fold able members adapted to opened outwardly during the packing operation and to be folded inwardly to form a bottom member after the packing operation has been completed and before the basket is inserted over the lining member.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing a preferrcd embodiment of the invention, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of my lining member and showing the bottom portion partially unfolded;

Figure 2 is a View partly in elevation and partly in cross section and taken along the line 22 in Figure 3 with the basket omitted in Fig-- ure 3;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the lining memr ber with the bottom in folded position and before the fruit basket is slipped thereover.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the lining member comprises a strip of material 10 which is joined as at 12 to form a continuous lining member for protecting the fruit from the sidewalls of the basket during the shipping operation. The portion 10 has, in the form shown, six triangular shaped flaps or tabs integral therewith and indicated by reference characters 13, 14, 15, 16, 1'7 and 18.

The flaps, as well as the sidewall portions, have a plurality of perforations 19 therein for ventilation purposes.

In Figure 2 a conventional ringer 2 is shown having the rim portion 21 and a plurality of circular grooves 22 for the reception of the fruit 23 to arrange it in rings within the lining member which is placed within the circular rim portion 21 and the flaps 13 to 18 are folded outwardly according to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 and the fruit is packed therein and after the fruit is packed therein the flaps 13 to 18 inclusive are folded to the position shown in Figure 3, and then the basket 25 is slipped over the lining member containing the fruit to the position shown in Figure 2 and the entire basket, lining member, fruit, and ringer are turned over to an inverted position from that shown in Figure 2 which causes the fruit and the lining member to sink downwardly into the basket to fill up the space 26 as shown in Figure 2 and in this position, the conventional lid is secured on the basket and the entire package is ready for shipping.

The advantage of this arrangement is that it permits the lining member to be integral with the flaps and said flaps being capable of being folded outwardly for the packing operation and being folded inwardly to the position shown in Figure 3 for the placing of the shipping basket thereover.

It is true that the drawing shows the upper portion of the lining member hexagonal in shape but it is evident that the lower portion of the lining member will be circular and when the entire liner is packed full of fruit, the straight sidewall portion as appearing in Figure 3 will bulge outwardly to cause the upper portion of the lining member to fit against the inside of the basket.

In the drawing and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the inven tion and although specific terms are employed they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A paper container adapted to be packed full of fruit and to have an inverted shipping basket inserted thereover after the container is filled with fruit, consisting of a strip of paper secured together at its ends to form an endless wall possessing sufficient strength to hold the fruit without any outside support, said container having one end open and a closed end of less dimensions than the open end, the closure means for said closed end comprising a plurality of triangular portions having'one side thereof integral with the liner, the open end of the container being adapted to rest on a ringer during the packing operation and the triangular portions being spread apart during the packing operation, said triangular portions being foldable over the fruit to form a bottom for the container when an inverted shipping basket is placed over the container, the base of each triangular portion in association with the sidewall to which it is joined being of sufiicient length to form a pocket between the container and the basket to resiliently support the contents of the container in the basket.

2. A container for fruit and the like comprising an elongated arcuate flexible member adapted to be secured together at its ends to form an endless sidewall, which is larger at one end than at its other end and having a plurality of triangular fiaps projecting from the smaller end to form a closure for the smaller end of the container when the container is packed full of fruit and the flaps are folded, the container when filled, and the flaps folded, being adapted to have placed thereover an inverted fruit basket and the flaps, on account of their substantial width, at their junction point with the arcuate member serving, when the basket is turned open end up, to move the container under the weight of the fruit, downwardly in the basket.

3. A container for fruit and the like comprising an elongated arcuate flexible member adapted to be secured together at its ends to form an endless sidewall, which is larger at one end than at its other end and having a plurality of triangular flaps projecting from the smaller end to form a closure for the smaller end of the container when the container is packed full of fruit and the flaps are folded, the container, when filled and the flaps are folded, being adapted to have placed thereover an inverted fruit basket and the flaps serving, when the basket is turned open end up, to move the container under the weight of the fruit, downwardly into the basket, each flap being of substantial width to prevent the weight of the fruit from dis-arranging the flaps.

4. A paper container adapted to be packed full of fruit and to have an inverted shipping basket inserted thereover after the container is filled with fruit, consisting of a strip of paper secured together at its end to form an endless wall possessing suflicient strength to hold the fruit without any outside support, said container having one end open and a closed end of less dimensions than the open end, the closure means for said closed end comprising a plurality of triangular portions having one side thereof integral with the liner, the open end of the container being adapted to rest on a ringer during the packing operation and the triangular portions being spread 100 apart during the packing operation, said triangular portions being foldable over the fruit to form a bottom for the container when an inverted shipping basket is placed over the container, the base of each triangular portion, in 105 association. with the sidewall to which it is joined, being of suflicient length to form a pocket between the container and the basket to resiliently support the contents of the container in the basket and the triangular portions being of 110 substantial width to prevent the weight of the fruit from disarranging the triangular portions.

ROBERT L. STEELE, III.

Images