Combined shipping and merchandising package

July 7, 1964 j. _Y. russell 3,139,979

COMBINED SHIPPING AND MERCHANDISING PACKAGE

Filed July 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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July 7, 1964

J. Y. RUSSELL

3,139,979

COMBINED SHIPPING AND MERCHANDISING PACKAGE

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3,139,979

Patented July 7, 1964

United States Patent Office

3,139,979

COMBINED SHIPPING AND MERCHANDISING PACKAGE

Jerome Y. Russell, 86 Allendale, Terre Haute, Ind.

Filed July 19, 1962, Ser. No. 210,886 o

Claims. (Cl. 206—45.12)

This invention relates generally to packages and more particularly to a package for shipping and merchandising books. 10

In the merchandising of paper backed books, it is the practice of the consignee to check from time to time the statuts of his inventory, thereby to facilitate replenishment thereof as well as to account for the merchandise sold. Heretofore, it has normally been necessary to count 15 each book remaining in his hands or in the hands of his “Bookmobile” salesman in order to establish the condition of the inventory. This is time-consuming and troublesome, particularly where the books are small in size and many in number.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide improved means for storing and merchandising books.

A further object is to provide means whereby books can be packed in a comparatively inexpensive paperboard 25 box, stored in the box, shipped in the box, displayed in the box, and merchandised therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for quickly and precisely determining the number of books remaining in the inventory. ³θ

Described briefly, a typical embodiment of the package according to the present invention comprises a paperboard corrugated box including four stacks of books therein. The box has the usual arrangement of overlapping flaps for its bottom and top. After the package has been closed 35 and sealed and has arrived at its destination, the box is broken open along a scored line provided around the box. The books are disposed on opposite sides of the opening whereby the halves of the box can be conveniently disposed end-to-end, being secured together along one margin 40 by the bottom of the original box. The books are therefore disposed in vertical planes whereby they may be withdrawn from the box one at a time or in groups, as desired. A calibration chart is provided in the box whereby the number of books remaining after some have been 45 removed, may be readily determined.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical embodiment ⁵⁰of the box packed with books and ready for closing prior to shipment

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the package of FIG. 1 which is closed and ready for shipment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the ⁵⁵package as it appears after being broken open for removal of the books.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view looking down into onehalf of the box of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the calibra- θθ tion chart incorporated.

Referring to the drawings, the box 11 is of corrugated fibreboard construction and includes a front wall 12, a lefthand side wall 13, a right-hand side wall 14, and a rear wall 16.

The top of the box is formed of the flaps 17α, 17Z&gt;, 17c and 17d. The bottom of the box is likewise formed of flaps.

The box is filled with books which are packed in four stacks 18, 19, 21 and 22. The books are packed flat in the box as shown in FIG. 1 so that the plane of each book is perpendicular to the side and end walls of the box.

As viewed in FIG. 1, the binding or back 23 of each of the books in the stack 18 lies along the side wall 13 of the box. The backs 24 of the books in the stack 22 are, therefore, normally located approximately along a plane through the center of the box parallel to the side walls 13 and 14.

When the box is completely packed with books, the flaps 17α through 17 d are moved to positions closing the box in the usual manner. A suitable seal strip 26 is then applied to seal the package.

It can be observed from FIG. 2 that a scored line 27 is provided equidistant from the front and rear end walls 12 and 16 and extends up the left-hand side 13, across the top 17, and down the right-hand side 14. This scored line facilitates breaking open of the box when desired at the point of distribution of the individual books. Additional scored lines 28 and 29 are provided at each side of the portion of line 27 extending across the top of the package. These lines facilitate breaking away portions of the box, to improve access to the books, as will become apparent.

FIG. 3 shows the package as it appears after being broken open along the scored line 27 to provide two containers. In this condition of the box, its original top flaps form the front and rear ends of the pair of containers, as shown in FIG. 3. For example, half of the flap 17d forms half of the front 31 of the pair. The other half of the flap 17d forms the rear end 32 of the pair. The edges originally at the scored line 27 form the top margins of the containers of FIG. 3. It will be observed, however, that the front and rear containers or halves of the box in its condition in FIG. 3 are in effect, hinged together at 33 inasmuch as the scored line 27 did not extend across the bottom of the box. The bottom of the original box therefore remained intact, though folded along the line 33, when the box was broken open. The notch 34 and notch 36 are obtained by breaking away portions of the box along the scored lines 28 and 29, respectively.

In FIG. 3 some books have been removed from the stacks 18 and 22. None have been removed from the stacks 19 and 21. The notches 34 and 36 facilitate removing of books from the box from opposite ends thereof and also provide means for display of book titles even when each half of the opened box is completely filled with books.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, the chart 37 is located upon the inside surface of the wall 12 of the original box. Likewise, an identical chart is located on the inside surface of the rear wall 16 of the original box. The chart is provided with a series of columns 38 which are parallel with the walls 13 and 14 of the box. Each of the columns has a series of spaces 39 which in any single column are of equivalent length. The spaces in each column are normally of a length different from the lengths of the spaces in all other columns.

The length of the spaces in a column corresponds to the thickness of books which might be included in the package. For example, assume that all of the books are of a thickness equal to the length of the spaces in column 38. Column 38 is given a size code number 8, as shown in the drawings and at a location designated in the drawings by reference numeral 41. Each space in column 38 is given an integer beginning with No. 1 in a space located one space length away from the top margin 42 of the chart. Integers of value increased by one are applied to adjacent spaces in sequence in column 38.

As books are removed from the box, a person can tell how many books are left in a stack by proceeding as follows. He refers to the column having the size code corresponding to the size code of the books in the box. He then notes the integer appearing in the space immediately adjacent the front book in the stack to determine how

3,139,979 «2 many books are left in the stack. For example, in FIG. 4 it will be noted that the number 12 appears in the space immediately in front of the front of the front book 18α. This means that twelve books remain in stack 18. For stack 22, if the books are of the same size as in stack 18, the same column will be used.

By having one chart as shown with a large number of columns and therefore a broad range of space lengths, a single container would be adapted to accommodate a wide range of book thicknesses. However, where the books are small enough that two or more stacks can be included in each half of the box as shown, it may be desirable to provide two or more identical charts side by side in each half of the box, one chart for each stack. This would facilitate direct alignment of the books in a stack with the proper size column, in the determination of the number of books remaining. While this would mean that a given box would be more limited as to the number of different sizes of books it could contain, the easier reading of the chart may warrant the limitation.

It should, of course, be understood that the exterior of the original box may be provided with the code number identifying the thickness of the books packed therein. This calibration code number may, for example, be placed at the location designated by reference numeral 43. Each book may also have a code number at the location designated by reference numeral 44. This facilitates the packing of the boxes, and also immediately informs the person taking inventory as to which of the chart columns is pertinent.

Additional pertinent information may be included at appropriate places on the box. For example, on the outside surface of the walls 12, an information block 46 could be provided including the stock number, quantity of books, and calibration code. Likewise, an information block 47 can be provided on the top flap 17 J carrying the same information.

As can be appreciated from the foregoing description, the present invention not only provides an excellent means of storage and transportation of books, but also provides an excellent means for handling the books at the point of distribution of small groups of books. For example, a distributor can employ small van trucks or “Bookmobiles” with many packages according to the present invention disposed in racks in the van. As the van delivers books from place to place such as drugstores and grocery stores, the package of this invention makes possible quick access to the books. Then upon return of the van to the distributor’s warehouse, the number of books which have been sold or the number which are left can be immediately ascertained conveniently. When the books in a container have been exhausted, the entire container can then be disposed of. Thus, it can be seen that the present invention achieves the objects set forth herein and others which have not been specifically mentioned.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.