Resilient packer for stacked articles

May 24, 1960

R. C. WILSON

2,937,745

Fig.

RESILIENT PACKER FOR STACKED ARTICLES

Filed Nov. 17, 1958

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Fig.

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INVENTOR.

RICHARD C. WILSON

BY

V ATTORNEY I

United States Patent Office _Patented J/4⁷;™⁵

2,937,745

RESILIENT PACKER FOR STACKED ARTICLES

Richard C. Wilson, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy

Filed Nov. 17,1958, Ser. No. 774,567 2 Claims. (Cl. 206—65)

This invention relates to the packaging of containers or articles and in particular is concerned with arranging articles or containers in stacked relation within a cylindrical housing or outer container.

One object of the invention is to provide a resilient packer or spacer element which permits articles or containers to be compactly and snugly stacked within an outer housing.

Another object is to provide a resilient packer or spacer which permits expansion or contraction due to temperature changes of articles or containers stacked within a housing.

Still another object is to provide a resilient packing element which may be compressed to expand radially of a housing and provide for maintaining articles therein.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows the figures.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of packer or spacer element of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in section of the packer or spacer element of Fig. 1 showing its general use in packaging stacked containers.

Referring to Fig. 1, the packer element is indicated generally at 10 and takes the form of a hollow cylindrical outer sleeve 11 having an outwardly extending flange 12 thereon which is preferably of rigid material. The sleeve is provided with an inner cylindrical liner 13 which fixedly receives the sleeve 11 on its outer wall and is also formed of rigid material. The sleeve 11 is formed of a resilient or pliable material, such as rubber or rubber compound having a selected degree of elasticity, which will depend on the particular use for which the packer element is intended. The liner 13 extends upwardly to be in abutting relation with the flange 12 and as shown in Fig. 2 is preferably welded thereto to provide a unitary construction. The other end of the liner 13 terminates inwardly of the other end of the sleeve to provide a free lower resilient end portion 14 on the sleeve which permits the lower end of the sleeve to be compressed longitudinally and to provide for longitudinal movement of articles or containers with which the packer is used.

Fig. 2 shows one arrangement for which the packer element of Fig. 1 is adapted, but this is only exemplary of various specific uses for which the element is capable ³³of being used. In Fig. 2 a housing or outer cylindrical container is indicated at 20 and provides in effect, a pack2 age for receiving smaller containers 21 which are stacked therein, as shown, in superposed relationship.

The packer element in Fig. 2 is shown disposed in the upper end portion of the housing 20 with the lower com5 pressible free end 14 abutting the top of an upper container 21 and its upper end or flange 12 disposed adjacent a removable cap 22 of the housing or container 20. The cap 22 is preferable screw-threadly secured to the housing 20 and will be arranged to contact the flange 10 12 of the packer to exert a loading force thereon and effect the desired compression on the sleeve 11 to provide a compact or snug assembly of the containers 21 within the housing or outer container 20. In Fig. 2 the broken lines represent generally, the position that the 15 packer will assume when sufficient loading force is applied, for example, by the cap 22 to longitudinally compress the free end portion 14 of the sleeve to its limit, which will be when the lower edges of the portion 14 of sleeve 11 and liner 13 coincide. The sleeve 11 as 20 shown, will necessarily expand radially outwardly, as shown by the broken lines until it is in ccntact with the inner wall of the housing 20, since the liner 13 will prevent, due to its rigidity, any inward expansion of the sleeve.