Corner protectors

Oct. 31,1967

J. J. HALKO, JR

3,349,984

CORNER PROTECTORS

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Oct. 31, 1967

J. J. HALKO, JR

3,349,984

CORNER PROTECTORS

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INVENTOR

John J.HalKa,Jr.

ATTORNEYS

Oct. 31, 1967

3,349,984

J. J. HALKO, JR

CORNER PROTECTORS

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United States Patent Office 3,349,984 ________________________________ Patented Oct. 31, 1967 ¹ 2

3,349,984 CORNER PROTECTORS John J· Halko, Jr., Llangollen Estates, Del., assignor to Riv-Kap, Inc., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware

Filed May 21,1965, Ser. No. 457,593

Claims. (Cl. 229—14)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Self-locking, self-anchoring shipping protector for the corners of framed articles. Protector is a sheet of cardboard or the like having a pair of face panels connected together at one edge of each by an edge panel about as wide as the frame thickness, each face panel having a flap at corresponding edges adjacent the edge panel, each flap being cut out at an intermediate portion to provide a tab extending parallel to the edge of the face panel that carries the flap, the tabs being oriented for interlockingly engaging the flaps when the sheet is folded to bring the face panels in generally parallel relation. Face panels have integral anchoring means such as a cutout tongue in one panel that can be bent across to penetrate through and lock itself in a slot in the opposing face panel. In addition to or in place of this tongue-and-slot combination the face panels can be scored inwardly of their free corners to enable the comers to be folded into the interior of the folded sheets after the flaps have been interlocked.

The present invention relates to corner protectors of the type used to cushion the corners of articles to be shipped and thus reduce damage during shipment.

. Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of novel comer protectors that are very inexpensive and simple to manufacture and use.

Additional objects of the present invention are the provision of corner protectors having two different types of retaining elements so that they can be used with two different types of comers.

The foregoing as well as additional objects of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following description of several of its exemplifications, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a corner protector sheet typical of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a storm window and frame combination with the protectors of FIG. 1 applied to each of its four corners;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views taken along the lines 3—3, 4—4 and 5—5 of FIG. 2 respectively;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modified form of corner protector sheet; and

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are views showing stages in the setting up of the protector sheet of FIG. 6 to make a comer protector.

A corner protector according to the present invention can be used to protect projecting corners of a framed article such as a storm window or storm door, by having the protector in the form of a cushion sheet with a pair of generally rectangular face panels connected together at one edge of each by an edge panel, each face panel having a flap at corresponding edges adjacent the edge panel, the flaps having interlockable cut-out portions so that they can be locked together in generally overlapping position, the face panels optionally having two sets of retaining elements, one set being creased adjacent their free points to enable these points to be folded in and engage ledges in the comer of an article to be protected, and the other set of retaining elements including a tongue strack out from one panel and a slot cut out of the other panel, the tongue being insertable in the slot when the panels are folded over a corner to be protected, to keep the protector from falling off that corner.

The corner protectors of this invention may be used to protect corners of a framed article where the comers do not project beyond the article, by having in place of or in addition to the tongue and slot combination in the face panels, as described above, creases adjacent the free points ₁₀ of these panels to enable these points to be folded in and engage ledges in the frames to keep the protector from falling off the protected corner.

The cushion sheet used to make the corner protector is desirably made of cardboard, preferably corrugated card15 board since this provides a very substantial amount of cushioning. Where the tongue and slot combination is used the tongue is preferably a tight fit in the slot and even more desirably the length of the slot can be a little short so as to tightly receive the side edges of the tongue, and 20 those side edges can be notched to lock the tongue in position in the slot.

The cut-out flap portions of the cushion sheet are advantageously each shaped to provide a tab with the tab on one flap aligned with the tab on the other flap, when the 25 cushoin sheet is laid out flat. To make the tabs more readily interlockable, at least one of the tabs should be shorter than the width of the edge panel so that the face panels can be shifted with respect to each other by an amount sufficient to bring the tabs into engaging relation. The 30 engagement is further simplified by having a gap in each flap at the free end of each tab.

. Turning now to the drawings, the protector of FIG 1 Js ^a sheet of corrugated cardboard 10 having face panels 12,14 connected by an edge panel 16, each face panel also 35 having a flap 18, 20. Creases or score lines 22, 24, 28, 30 delineate the panels and also enable the sheet to be folded into its protecting shape. Face panels 12 and 14 have free ^p°^In‘^{s 3}?’ ³f> ^{which can} be further folded over by means of additional crease or score lines 42, 44. Panel 12 is also 40 shown as having a tongue 46 with a root 48 connected to the panel and scored or creased, the remainder of the tongue being completely severed from the panel. Adjacent its free end 50 the tongue has notches 52.

The opposite face panel 14 has a slot 54 cut out in a 45 5ο⁸¹τ2^{η corres}P^ondinS to the position of the tongue root 48. The slot is dimensioned to receive the free end 50 of tongue 46 and is preferably made a tight fit by having the length of the slot slightly shorter than the width of the tongue end.

Each flap 18, 20 has a cut-out 58, 60, both of which can be identical, to permit the flaps to be interlocked when they are overlapped. The cut-outs divide the flaps into lobes 61, 62 and 65, 66 respectively. The cut-outs are also shown as providing tabs 68, 70 aligned with each other, 55 ^and gaps 78, 80 at the free ends of the tabs.

The protectors of FIG. 1 are readily stamped out in large quantities as flat sheets. To be placed in service the sheets are folded along creases 22, 24 so that the face panels 12 and 14 are brought into position not quite par60 allel to each other and spaced apart by a distance equal to the width of edge panel 16. The flaps 18, 20 are then interlocked by having one lobe of flap 18 below the adjacent lobe of flap 20, the other lobe of flap 18 being slipped into place above the corresponding lobe of the 65 other flap, as more fully illustrated in FIG. 3. The overlapping can also be reversed so that the lower lobes of FIG. 2 are on top and the upper lobes on the bottom. Tabs 68, 70 are made: to shift past each other so that they help lock the flaps in place. It may be necessary, before 70 the overlapping of the flaps can be accomplished, to shift the face panels with respect to each other while they are held in their nearly parallel position. For example look3,349,984 of example, the tongue root 48 can be located at right angles to the position illustrated in FIG. 1 so that the tongue extends downwardly rather than horizontally, as seen in that figure. The orientation can also be at any other angle. It is preferred to have the tongue end 50 not project very far beyond slot 54 when the corner protector is in place. About % of an inch of such projection is ample to make sure the tongue is not inadvertently slipped out of the slot. When a quantity of protected articles is stacked against each other the corner of one can bend over the projecting end of the tongue of an adjacent protector, and this even further locks the protectors in position.

The comer protectors of the present invention can be used to protect other objects such as storm doors, paneled doors, shower doors, panels for enclosing bathtubs or outdoor porches, prime windows of all types, or the like, and can even be used to protect corners that are not rectangular. The corner protectors can be fitted over corners 2Q having any shape so long as the tongue or inwardly-folded free points are suitably located. For protecting corners that are not rectangular, the panels 12, 14 can also be made of the same non-rectangular shape as the corner to be protected, if desired.

It is also possible to use the corner protectors of the present invention to protect projecting corners by locking the protectors over such corners with the folded-in free points 32, 34. These free points will abut against the frame and do a good job of holding the protectors in

A single corner protector can also be used with corners that have different frame widths. For this purpose each face panel can have two creases or scores 42 so that its free point 32 can be folded in at two different locations. These two creases or scores can be on opposite faces of the face panel so as to keep from seriously reducing the force by which the opposing points are biased toward each other when in folded-in position. The creases or scores 22, 24, 28 and 30 can then be made two-sided so - . « « - · . ·. H -.

flap overlap. The particular sheet fold used would be the one that places the desired free point creases or scores on the inside faces of the face panels.

Alternatively or in addition, the protector can have two tongues and two slots arranged so that each tongue root corner protector. In this arrangement it may be simpler to have one tongue on each face panel. Also the free points of the face panels can have a single folded-in position to fit one frame width, with the tongue locking fitted 50 for a different frame width.

FIG. 6 illustrates a different corner protector 110 with the flap interlocking but without the retaining structure that holds the protector on the article to be protected. Protector 110 has generally triangular face panels 112, ing at the protector in the position it occupies in the upper left-hand corner of FIG. 2, panel 12 can be shifted to the left with respect to panel 14 by taking advantage of the movement permitted through the tilting of edge panel 16. Such shifting of the face panels more readily permits a tab on one flap to move past the tab of the opposing flap, as the flaps are crossed and overlapped.

As a result of the above interlocking overlap, the corner protector of FIG. 1 will take the general shape of a rectangular prism with panels 12, 14 approximately parallel and held so by the flap overlap interlock. The corner protector can then be slipped into place over the corner to be protected as in the upper portion of FIG. 2, and the tongue 46 depressed inward until its free end 50 finds and slips into slot 54.

FIG. 2 illustrates a window frame 100 haying one or more sash panels in the lower portion, as indicated at 102, so that the upper portion of the frame is empty, as indicated at 104. The upper comers of the frame 100 accordingly project out beyond the sash and provide space for the tongues 46 to connect the protector panels 12, 14. The corners will then be securely locked in place and cannot slip from the protective position.

The corner protectors of the present invention can also be used to protect corners that do not project, as in the lower comers of the frame assembly of FIG. 2, where there is no opening through which the tongues 46 can pass to provide the above tongue engagement. Instead of using the tongue, the free points 32, 34 of panels 12, 14 . . - - .

are folded inwardly along their crease or score lines 42, 30 position, yo that the tongue is not needeffi preferably before the protectors are slipped over the ^A ----- —— 0 » .,cr corners of the frame and after the flaps have interengaged. The resilient character of the cardboard is such that the folded-in free points 32, 34 tend to unfold and accordingly are strongly biased toward each other. When the ₃₅corner protector in this condition is slipped over the lower corners of the frame of FIG. 2, the pressed-together inwardly folded free points 32, 34 yield to permit the protectors to slip over the frame, and they spring back to- --------.

ward each ofher again as these free points pass beyond ₄₀ that the corner protector sheet is folded either way for the frame to the location of the sash. The frame is thicker than the sash assembly and accordingly provides ledges against which the sprung-back free points will engage when an attempt is made to remove the corner protector.

This very effectively prevents such removal.

L· ____________ way the comer protectors of the present invention are mounted, they provide very secure protection and they are not apt to be inadvertently pushed out of position during shipping and handling. Moreover, the protectors are very simply fitted into operative locked position so that very little effort or time is required to mount them. When it is necessary to remove the corner protectors, the tabs 68, 70 can simply be torn off or folded back, permitting the flaps 18, 20 to unfold so that the sheet opens - - - un This along with their very small cost of manufacture, 55 114 connected by a relatively wide edge panel delineated * ’ ° , . C'r.rvrno nr I'?'} Δ11 tlirAA i~\f fnPCP nfinplS makes them very desirable.

The corner protectors of the present invention can be made of any cushion sheet material such as uncorrugated cardboard, or even plastic, as for example sheet polyethylene or dimpled polystyrene, or the like.

The use of creases rather than score cuts is preferred at locations 22, 24, 28, 30, 42 and 44. Score cuts tend to weaken the sheet so that it is more readily tom, and creases give the folds somewhat greater resilience, this ...

being particularly desirable at locations 42, 44. Creases 65 corner. In FIG. 8 the thus-folded protector has been are best of the unidirectional type, that is they make the ^c—’ sheet material more readily foldable in one direction without materially increasing its foldability in the opposite direction. This even further increases the resiliency _ at locations 42, 44. It is possible, however, to make all 70 permits the flap 120 to readily pass through flap 118 for the creases of the two-way type so that the sheet of FIG. 1, for instance, can be folded together either in one direction or the other to place it in service.

Instead of having tongue 45 oriented as illustrated in

It will accordingly be seen that regardless of which 45 is at a different distance from the outer margin of the ~ .. ____, ·_____ολγπογ nrnfpr’fnr Tn this armηΟΡΓΟΡΠί if TYliAV lift ΛΙΠΊΟίβΓ by scores or creases 122, 124. All three of these panels have flaps 118, 120 and 122 respectively, with the interlocking cut-outs 158, 160 on flaps 118, 120. Creases or scores 128, 130 and 131 connect the flaps to the panels. 60 Cut-out 158 forms a tab 168 and divides flap 118 into lobes 161, 162. Cut-out 160 similarly forms a tab 170 and divides flap 120 into lobes 165,166.

FIG. 7 shows the protector 110 folded along creases or scores 128, 130, 131, as the first step in fitting it to a further folded along creases or scores 122, 124 to begin the flap interlock. At this point flap 122 is tucked in below flaps 118,120, lobe 165 is placed below lobe 162, and lobe 166 above lobe 161. The gap provided by cut-out 158 such lobe positioning.

Further movement of the face panels toward each other brings the protector to the position of FIG. 9 where the ________ _______₌ tabs 168, 170 still overlap slightly. A little further moveFIG. 1, it can be oriented in any other direction. By way 75 ment causes the tabs to move completely past each other

3,349,984 5 and the resiliency of the sheet then causes the edges of these tabs to abut each other, locking the flaps together. The protector can then be squared up to the generally rectangular configuration of FIG. 2, for example.

A slot 180 alongside one or both of the tabs simplifies their interlocking, and this feature can also be used in the construction of FIG. 1, if desired. Flap 120 provides extra cushioning for the corner, and can be similarly used in the construction of FIG. 1. The protector of FIG. 1 is held in place on a corner by any desired means such as conventional metal strapping, pressure sensitive tape, or the like.

The corner protectors of the present invention are readily folded and locked into their folded position without requiring stapling or the use of any tools to help with the folding or help hold them folded.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.