US2765906A - Cartons having easels thereon - Google Patents

Description

0d 9, 1956 R. T. ROSSUM 236,906

CARTONS HAVING EASELS THEREON Filed 001;. 24, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 7 7 Farm M Get. 9, 1956 R. T. ROSSUM CARTONS HAVING EASELS THEREON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 24, 1955 INVENTOR. T0852??? Z' ZLm/w ZIW Y 06%. 9, 3.55 R. T. ROSSUM 9 CARTONS HAVING EASELS THEREON Filed Oct. 24, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 za v I 9z INVENTOR. Tow-w? T Form United States 2,7 65,906 CARTONS HAVING EASELS THEREON Application October 24, 1955, Serial No. 542,129 18 Claims. (Cl. 206-4536) The present invention relates to car-tons, boxes and the like, and is particularly directed to cartons that may be supported in an upstanding, preferably rearwardly inclined, position by an easel or other structure for convenient display of the carton and its contents.

Heretofore, it has been the usual practice to provide a separate easel structure that may be glued, or otherwise assembled, on the carton to support the latter in an upstanding, rearwardly inclined position upon the storekeepers countertop, shelf or display cabinet for the purpose of displaying the contents to best advantage. However, such separate easel structures result in a relatively expensive assembly and the two-piece construction of carton and easel is inconvenient and cumbersome for shipping purposes and difiicult to assemble.

Accordingly, it is .an object of the present invention to provide cartons of one-piece construction having easel structures incorporated therein as integral parts thereof to facilitate the manufacture and shipping of the cartons.

Another object is to provide cartons of the described character wherein the easel structure formed integral with the carton is easily erected without requiring any specfral aptitude or patience, thereby encouraging the dealer or shopkeeper to display the contents of the carton and promote the sales thereof. I

A further object is to provide cartons of the described character wherein, when the easel structure is collapsed or flattened, such structure is securely held against the carton to prevent damage to the easel during packing or shipment of the cartons.

In accordance with the present invention, the carton is provided with a supplementary back panel integral with the remainder of the carton and having a secondary bottom tuck hingedly extending from its lower end. The supplementary back panel has two die-cut sections formed therein to normally lie flat against the inner back panel of the carton and swinging to positions perpendicular to the back panel when the secondary bottom tuck is opened and rotated rearwardly through approximately 180 degrees, where the secondary bottom tuck and the die-cut sections of the supplementary back panel, linked thereto, cooperate to define an easel supporting the carton in an upstanding, preferably rearwardly inclined, position.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, illustrative embodiments thereof are hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a dispensing carton embodying the present invention and shown with its easel structure in the opened or erected condition thereof;

Fig. 2 is a back elevational view of the carton of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the carton of Figs. 1 and 2, but showing the easel structure thereof atcnt in its collapsed or flattened condition for ease in shipment of the carton;

Fig. 6 is a plan view, on a smaller scale, of a onepieee blank from which the carton and integral easel structure of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, can be formed;

Fig. 7 is a back .elevational view of another carton em: bodying the present invention and shown with its integral easel structure in collapsed or flattened condition;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to that of Fig. 8, but showing the easel structure in its erected condition and with the carton otherwise arranged for displaying the contents thereof;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken along the line 1ll10 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a plan View, on a smaller scale, of a onepiece blank from Which the carton of Figs. 7 to 10, inelusive, can be formed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, thereof, it will be seen that the dispensing carton there illustrated and generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 is formed of a stiff sheet material, such as, cardboard and the like, and includes an inner or true back wall or panel 12 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4), a first side wall 1 3 hingedly connected, at its rear edge, to one side edge of back wall 12, a front wall or panel 16 hingedly connected, along one of its side edges, to the forward edge of side wall 14, and a second side wall 18 hingedly connected, along its forward edge, to the adjacent side edge of front wall 16.

As seen in Fig. 5, the top closure for the carton 10 includes side flaps 2t) hingedly connected to the side walls 14 and 18 along the top edges of the latter, and atop tuck 22 hingedly connected, at its rear edge, to the top edge of back wall 12 and having a flap 24 along its front edge adapted, in the usual fashion, to be tucked behind the front wall 16 after to top tuck 22 is folded.

upon the side flaps 20.

Further, as seen in Fig. 4, the bottom edges of the side walls 14 and 18 are inclined upwardly from the front wall toward the back wall, and a false bottom is formed within the carton extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the carton. This false bottom includes a front spacing element 26 integral, at its lower edge, with the bottom edge of front wall 16 and lying against the inner surface of the latter, a platform element 28 extending rearwardly from the top edge of front spacing element 26,

12, and side spacing elements 32 depending from the opposite side edges of platform element 23 and lying against the inner surfaces of side walls 14 and 18, respectively.

The carton 10 has a conventional bottom closure formed by side flaps 34 hingedly connected to the bottom edges of side Walls 14 and 18, and a bottom tuck 36 hingedly connected, at its back edge to the bottom edge of back wall 12 and having a tab 38 along its front edge adapted to be tucked behind the front spacing element 26 after the tuck 36 has been folded under the side flaps 34. The back spacing element 30 and side spacing elements 32 of the false bottom are dimensioned so that, with such spacing elements seating upon the inclined bottom closure of the carton, the platform 28 is maintained in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the carton.

The carton 10 has a cutout opening 40 extending across the front wall 16 and rearwardly into the side walls 14 and 18 at a location immediately above the platform 28. The portion of the opening 4t} in the front wall 1 6 is of rectangular configuration and dimensioned to permit the dispensing removal therethrough of the lowermost article of a stock of articles A (Fig. l) disposed within the car ton 1t) and resting upon the platform 28, while the portions of the opening 40 in side walls 14 and 18 have smaller dimensions in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the carton than the corresponding dimensions of the individual articles of the stack A to prevent lateral removal of the articles from the cart-on and yet permit grasping of the ends of the lowermost article during the forward removal of the latter. Preferably, the front wall 16 has a tab 42 extending into the opening 46 from the center of the lower edge of the latter, the tab being resilient to normally prevent inadvertent removal of an article from the carton and to hex during the forceful for ward removal of an article through the Opening 46.

When the carton 10 is adapted for the dispensing of two rows or stacks of articles disposed one in back of the other between the front wall 16 and back wall 12, as in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a spacing member 44 (Figs. 3 and 4) is hingedly connected to the side edge of the back wall 12 adjacent side wall 18 and is adhesively secured to the inner surface of the latter, and a separating member 46 extends inwardly from the forward edge of member 44, at a location equally distant from the front and back walls or panels to separate the forward stack of articles from the back stack of articles. The lower edge of separating member 46 terminates above the opening 40 while the portions of the latter in the side walls extend more than half-way across the side walls so that, after the supply of articles in the forward stack has been exhausted, the lowermost article of the back stack can be grasped through the portions of opening 40 in side walls 14 and 18 and drawn forwardly under the separating member 46 for removal through the opening of the front wall.

Preferably, at least one of the side walls, for example, the side wall 14, of the carton 10 has a longitudinally spaced apart series of openings 48 (Fig. 1) arranged along the longitudinal medial line of the related side wall to permit viewing of the supply of articles remaining in the stack or stacks within the carton. When no articles are visible at the lowermost opening 48, the dealer is thereby informed that the supply is soon to be exhausted.

In accordance with the present invention, an easel structure integrally incorporated in the carton 10 is formed out of a supplementary back panel 50 which is 'hingedly connected, along one of its side edges, to the back edge of side wall 18. The opposite edge of back panel 50 has a flap 52 extending therealong and bent forwardly against the outer surface of side wall 14 to which the flap 52 is adhesively secured. A secondary bottom tuck 54 is hingedly connected to the back panel 50, at the bottom edge of the latter, and has a tab 56 along its free end edge adapted to be tucked between the spacing element 26 and the tab 38 when the secondary bottom tuck extends forwardly under the bottom tuck 36 (Fig. 5).

The easel structure includes opposite side portions 58 and 60 cut from the lower portion of the supplementary back panel 50 and joined to the remainder of the latter along fold or hinge lines at the opposite side edges of the panel St) to permit swinging of the side portions 58 and 60 between collapsed or flattened positions against the back wall 12 (Fig. 5) and erected positions extending rearwardly from the carton (Figs. 1 to 4). The swingable side portions 58 and 60 are linked to the secondary bottom tuck 54 so that, when the latter extends forwardly under the bottom tuck 36, the side portions 58 and 60 occupy their collapsed or flattened positions and, when the tuck 54 is rocked rearwardly through approximately 180 degrees, the side portions 58 and 60 of the easel structure are caused to swing to their erected, rearwardly extending positions.

The linking of the side portions 58 and 60 of the easel structure to the secondary bottom tuck 54 will be best understood with reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings il- 4 lustrating a one-piece blank 16a from which the carton 10 can be formed, the several portions of the blank 10a being identified by the same reference numerals employed in connection with the description of the corresponding parts of the carton, but with the letter a appended thereto. The portions 58a and 69a of the blank 10a are defined, at their top edges, by cuts along lines 62 and 64 converging downwardly from the opposite side edges of the portions 56a toward the center of the latter. A longitudinal out along the line 66 extends downwardly from the junction of the lines 62 and 64 into the portion 54a of the blank, and, at the lower end of the line 66, the portion 54a is out along a lateral line 68. A straight fold line 70 defines the separation between the portions 59a and 54a of the blank, and fold lines 72 and 74 converge upwardly from the opposite ends of the fold line '70 .to the out line 66, while fold lines 76 and 78 converge downwardly from the opposite ends of the fold line 70 to the adjacent ends of the cut line 68.

The lower edges of the side portions 58 and 60 of th easel are defined by the fold lines 72 and 74, respectively, of the blank 10a, while the portions 80a and 82a of the blank 19a defined between the fold lines 72 and 76 and between the fold lines 74 and 78, respectively, form linking portions 80 and 82 connecting the side portions 58 and 66 of the easel with the secondary bottom tuck 54.

When the secondary bot-tom tuck 54 extends forwardly under the bottom tuck 36, the linking portions 80 and 82 bend along the fold line 70 extending across both of said portions. However, when the bottom tuck 54 is rocked rearwardly, the linking portions 88 and 82 fold outwardly along the lines 76 and 73 relative to the remainder of the tuck 54 to overlie the latter (Fig. 3) and inwardly along the lines 72 and 74 relative to the side portions 58 and 60 of the easel, which side portions are thereby rocked rearwardly away from the back wall 12, with the rearwardly extending tuck 54 and the overlying linking portions 80 and 82 forming the base of the easel structure.

In order to ensure the proper folding of the linking portions 80 and 82 during the erection of the ease] structure, a tab 84 is formed on the inner edge of one of the side portions 58 and 6%. Such a tab can be defined by a semi-circular out line 86 (Fig. 6) interposed in the out line 66 of the blank 10a and is intended to be pulled rearwardly to initiate the rearward swinging of the side portions 58 and 60 as the tuck 54 passes the bottom dead center position in the plane of the back panel 50 during the rearward swinging of the tuck 54.

Finally, the carton 10 includes a secondary top tuck 88 hingedly joined to the back panel 50 along the top edge of the latter and having a tab 90 along its free end edge adapted to be tucked between the tab 24 of the top closure and the inner surface of front wall 16 (Fig. 5) when the top tuck 88 extends over the closure tuck 22 to condition the carton for shipment or storage. The secondary top tuck 88 is divided into two equal portions by a lateral fold line 92 (Fig. 6), and such portions have openings 94 therein that register with each other, when the tuck 88 is folded along the line 92 and the tab 90 is tucked between the back wall 12 and back panel 50, so that a nail or the like can extend through the registered openings 94 and thereby suspend the car-ton 16 from a wall or other support.

Fig. 6 illustrates the manner in which the entire carton and integral easel structure described above can be formed from a one-piece blank that is die-cut along the solid lines and scored or perforated along the broken lines representing fold lines. It is apparent that the cutting and scoring of the blank can be performed in a single operation. In the blank 10a, the portions 46a, 44a, 12a, 14a, 16a, 18a, 50a and 52a are arranged in lateral succession from one end of the blank to the other end and are delineated, at their adjacent boundaries, by suitably spaced apart, parallel fold lines, while the various other portions of the blank required for the described carton and integral easel are merely formed as extensions at the ends of certain of the above enumerated portions of the blank.

In forming the carton from the blank 10a of Fig. 6, adhesive is applied to the under surface of portion 44a and to the upper surface of portion 520, as viewed in Fig. 6, and the portions 46a, 44a, 12a, 14a, 16a, Isa, 56a and 52a are folded in succession at right angles along the intermediate fold lines so that the portion 44a comes to rest against, and is adhesively secured to, the inner surface of the portion 18a and the portion 2.4 comes to rest against, and is adhesively secured to, the outer surface of the portion 140. The formation of the carton 10 is then completed merely by folding the remaining portions of -theblank as required to form the false bottom, top and bottom closures and secondary top and bottom tucks described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

Referring now to Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, of the drawings, a display carton and integral easel structure in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is there illustrated and generally identified by the reference numeral 100. The display carton 100 includes a back wall or panel 102, a first side wall 104 hingedly connected, at its rear edge, to one side edge of the back panel 162, and a short or low front wall 156 hingedly connected, at one side, to the lower portion of the front edge of side wall 184 and, at the other side, to the lowr portion of the front edge of a second side wall 108. A tab 110 (Fig. 10) extends forwardly from the side edge of back panel 162 adjacent the side wall 108 and lies against the inner surface of the latter to which the tab 111 is adhesively secured.

Fig. ll of the drawings shows a one-piece blank 100a from which the display carton and integral easel structure 100 may be formed, and the several portions of the blank 100a are identified by the same reference numerals employed in connection with the description of the corresponding parts of the carton and integral easel structure, but with the letter a appended thereto. Thus, it will be seen that the blank 1000 includes suitably dimensioned portions 110a, 102a, 104a, 106a and 103a arranged in lateral succession and delineated, at their adjacent boundaries, by laterally spaced, parallel fold lines represented by broken lines on Fig. 11 of the drawings.

The blank 100a further includes a rectangular portion 112:: dimensionally similar to the portion 106a and hingedly joined .to the latter along the upper edge of the portion 106a, a portion 114a hingedly joined to the upper edge of portion 112a and having a vertical dimension, as viewed in Fig. 11, that is substantially equal to the width of the side wall forming portions 104a and 108a, and a portion 116a that is hingedly joined, at its lower edge, to the upper edge of portion 114a and dimensionally similar to the back panel forming portion 102a. The portions 112a, 114a and 116:: of the blank 100a are adapted to form a lining within the carton 100 by folding the portion 112a downwardly against the back or inner surface of front wall 106, as at 112, (Figs. 8 and 9), folding the portion 114a rearwardly to extend between the front and bottom walls, as at 114, and then folding the portion 116a upwardly to lie against the inner surface of back panel 102, as at 116. The lining of the carton 1619 is completed by portions 118a and 1200 hingedly connected to the portion 116a of the blank along the opposite side edges of the portion 116a and folded forwardly with respect to the latter to lie against the inner surfaces of the side walls 104 and 108, as at 118 and 120, respectively.

Hingedly connected to the upper edge of the back panel forming portion 1020 of the blank 100a is a rectangular portion 122a which is as wide as the portion 102a and has a vertical dimension, as viewed in Fig. 11, equal to the width of the side wall forming portions 104a and 1085!. A portion 1240, which is dimensionally similar to the back panel forming portion 1020, is hingedly connec d, at ts lower end ed a on the upper d of portion 122a, and a tab forming portion 126a, integral with the portion 124a along the fold line separating the latter from the portion 1220, is defined by suitably diecutting the portion 122a along the generally U-shaped line 128 extending from that fold line.

The portions 122a and 124a of the blank 10041 are adapted to be disposed in two alternative positions in the carton as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, respectively. During shipment or storage of the carton (Fig. 8), the portion 122a is extended forwardly from the top edge of back panel 102 to form a top wall or closure 122, while the portion 124a depends from the portion 122a and, at its lower portion, is tucked behind the portion 112 of the liner to close the front of the carton above the abbreviated front wall 106, as at 124. When the carton is employed for display purposes, the top wall 122 is extended upwardly from the back panel 102 in the plane of the latter (Fig. 9), and the front closure 124 is folded flat to lie between the back panel 102 and the portion 116 of the liner, while the tab 126 is struck from the top wall 122 to project upwardly from the fold line between the top wall 122 and front closure 124. Thus, the upper part of the front closure 124 and the tab 126 will be visible above an article displayed in the carton 100, in the positions of Fig. 9, and can be provided with printed advertising or other material to be imparted to the potential purchaser.

The bottom closure of the carton 100 includes side flaps 130 hingedly connected to the bottom edges of the side walls 194 and 108, and a bottom tuck 132 hingedly connected to the lower edge of the short or abbreviated front wall 186 and having a tab 134 at its free end edge that is adapted to be received in a slot 136 formed along a central portion of the fold line between the portions 114:: and 1116:! of the blank 100a, thereby to hold the bottom tuck 132 in its closed or operative position underlying the side fiaps 130.

The easel structure of the display carton 100 is substantially similar to that described in connection with the dispensing carton 10 and is formed from portions of the back panel 102 and a secondary bottom tuck 138 that is hingedly connected to the lower edge of back panel 102 and has a tab 140 at its free end edge. The tab 140 is adapted to extend through a slot 142 (Fig. 11.) cut along the central portion of the fold line between the portions 106a and 132a of the blank 100a and to be tucked between the front wall 106 and the portion 112 of the liner when the secondary bottom tuck extends forwardly under the bottom tuck 132 (Fig. 8) to condition the carton for shipment or storage.

The easel structure of carton 100 includes opposite side portions 144 and 146 cut from the lower portion of the back panel 102 and joined to the remainder of the latter along fold or hinge lines at the opposite side edges of the panel 102 to permit swinging of the side portions 144 and 146 between collapsed or flattened positions against the portion 116 of the liner (Figs. 7 and 8) and erected positions extending rearwardly from the carton (Figs. 9 and 10).

The swingable side portions 144 and 146 are linked to the secondary bottom tuck 138 so that, when the latter extends forwardly under the bottom tuck 132, the side portions of the easel are drawn to their collapsed orflattened positions and, when the trick 138 is extended rearwardly from the back panel 102, the side portions 144 and 146 are caused to swing to their erected, rearwardly extending positions.

The linking of the side portions 144 and 146 of the easel structure to the bottom tuck 138 will best be understood with reference to Fig. 11, wherein it will be seen that the portions 144a and 146a of the blank 100a, which form the side portions of the easel structure, are defined, at their top edges, by cuts along lines 148 and 150 converging downwardly from the opposite side edges of the portion 102 toward the center of the latter. A longitudinal out along the line 152 extends downwardly from the junction 'of the lines 148 and 150 into the portion 138a of the blank, and, at the lower end of the line 152, the portion 138a is out along a lateral line 154. A straight fold line 156 defines the separation between the portions 102a and 138a of the blank, and fold lines 158 and 160 converge upwardly from the opposite ends of the fold line 156 to the out line 152, while fold lines 162 and 164 converge downwardly from the opposite ends of the fold line 156 to the adjacent ends of the out line 154.

The lower edges of the side portions 144 and 146 of the easel are defined by the fold lines 158 and 160, respectively, while the portions 166a and 168a of the blank 100a defined between the fold lines 158 and 162 and between the fold lines 160 and 164, respectively, form linking portions 166 and 168 connecting the side portions 144 and 146, respectively, of the easel structure to the bottom tuck 138.

When the bottom tuck 138 extends forwardly under the bottom tuck 132, the linking portions 166 and 168 bend along the fold line 156 extending thereacross. However, when the bottom tuck 138 is rocked rearwardly, the linking portions 166 and the lines 162 and 164 relative to the remainder of the tuck 138 to overlie the latter (Fig. 10) and inwardly along the lines 158 and 160 relative to the side portions 144 and 146 of the easel structure, which side portions are thereby rocked rearwardly away from the remainder of the back panel 102, with the rearwardly extending tuck 138 and the linking portions 166 and 168 overlying the tuck 138 forming-a base for the easel structure that is inclined upwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the carton. The inclination of the base of the easel structure, determined by the angle of convergence of the fold lines 158 and 160, is selected so that, when the carton is tilted back to rest upon the easel, as in Fig. 9, the vertical plane passing through the center of gravity of the carton and its contents will lie between the front and rear edges of the easel base, thereby stabilizing the carton in its tilted or rearwardly inclined position.

As in the first described embodiment of the invention, one of the side portions 144 and 146 of the easel structure has a tab 170 projecting and the other side portion has a corresponding edge recess by which such side portions can be grasped and pulled rearwardly to initiate the proper folding of the linking portions 166 and 168 as the secondary bottom tuck swings past its bottom dead center position in the plane of the back panel 102.

It is apparent that, in both described embodiments of the invention, the carton has inner and outer back panels 12 and 50 or 116 and 102, respectively, so that, when the portions of the outer the easel structure are moved to their erected positions, the back of the carton continues to be closed completely by the inner back panel. Further, in each embodiment of the invention, the easel structure is integral with the related carton so that construction from a scored and die-cut one-piece blank is possible with resulting savings in the cost thereof. It will also be seen that, when the easel and carton structures are collapsed or flattened, the cartons having such structures incorporated therein can be conveniently shipped or stored, While the arrangement and construction of the easel structures facilitates the erection thereof by the storekeeper and thereby encourages the latter to make full use of the dispensing or display carton for promotional purposes.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be eflected in 168 fold outwardly along from its free longitudinal edge back panel defining the sides of the latter without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a carton having a front panel, side panels and at least one back panel defining an interior, article receiving space, and tuck closure means at the bottom of said space; an integral easel structure including side portions struck from said back panel and hinged to the latter for swing: ing between a collapsed position in the plane of said back panel and an erected position extending rearwardly from said back panel, a secondary bottom tuck hingedly connected to the lower end of said back panel for swinging between a forwardly extending position under said tuck closure means and a rearwardly extending position, and linking portions struck from said back panel and secondary bottom tuck and hingedly connected to the latter and to said side portions so that swinging of said secondary bottom tuck from said forwardly extending position to said rearwardly extending position is accompanied by movement of said side portions from said collapsed position to said erected position. I 2. In a carton having a front panel, side panels and at least one back panel defining an interior article receiving space, and a bottom closure for said space; an integral easel structure including side portions struck from said back panel and foldably joined to the latter for swinging between 'a collapsed position in the phase of said back panel and an erected position extending rearwardly from said back panel, a bottom tuck foldably connected to the lower end of said back panel and swingable between 'a forwardly extending position under said bottom closure and an erected, rearwardly extending position, and linking portions struck from said back panel and bottom tuck and foldably joined to said side portions and bottom tuck, the foldable joining of said linking portions to said bottom tuck being along lines converging toward the free end of said bottom tuck so that, as the latter swings toward said erected, rearwardly extending position thereof, said linking portions fold laterally outward onto the bottom tuck to the accompanying rearward swinging of said side portions to the erected position of the latter.

3. In a carton having a front panel, side panels and at least one back panel defining an interior article receiving space, and a bottom closure for said space; an integral easel structure including side portions struck from said back panel and foldably joined to the latter for swinging between a collapsed position in the plane of said back panel and an erected position extending rearwardly from said back panel, a bottom tuck foldably connected to the lower end of said back panel and swingable between a forwardly extending position under said bottom closure and an erected, rearwardly extending position, and linking portions struck from said back panel and bottom tuck and foldably joined to said back panel and bottom tuck along fold lines converging in opposed directions away from each other so that, as said bottom tuck swings toward said erected, rearwardly extending position thereof, said linking portions fold laterally outward onto the bottom tuck to the accompanying rearward swinging of said side portions to the erected position of the latter where said bottom tuck and back panel enclose an acute angle with the bottom tuck forming the base of the easel structure for supporting the carton in a rearwardly tilted position.

4. A carton comprising front, side and inner. and outer back panels defining an article receiving space; a bottom closure for said space; and an integral easel structure including side portions struck from said outer back panel and foldably joined to the latter for swinging between collapsed positions against said inner back panel and erected positions extending rearwardly from the remainder of said outer back panel, a bottom tuck foldably connected to said outer back panel at the lower end of the latter for swinging between a forwardly extending position under said bottom closure and an erected, rearwardly extending position, and linking portions "struck from said back panel and bottom tuck and 'foldably joined to the latter and said side portions so that swinging of said bottom tuck to said erected, rearwardly extending position thereof causes said linking portions tofold laterally outward onto said bottom tuck with accompanying swinging of said side portions to their erected positions, while said inner back panel closes said interior space at the areas of said outer back panel from which said side portions have been struck.

5. A carton according to claim 4; wherein said inner back panel, one of said side panels, "said front panel, the other side panel and said outer back panel are successively connected to each other along'their adjacent longitudinal edges.

6. A carton according to claim 4; wherein said inner back panel forms part of a liner for the carton, said liner further including a front portion disposed inside said front panel and depending from the upper edge of the latter, and a bottom portion extending between the bottom edges of said front portion and said inner back panel so that said liner including the inner back panel is a longitudinal extension of the front panel.

7. A carton according to claim 4; having an article dispensing opening across the lower portion of said front panel; and further comprising a false bottom assembly including a front spacing member extending upwardly from the bottom edge of said front panel to the lower edge of said opening, a platform member extending rearwardly from said front spacing member at the level of said lower edge of the opening, and rear and side spacing members depending from the rear and side edges, respectively, of said platform member and bearing upon said bottom closure to support said platform member above the latter.

8. A carton according to claim 4; wherein said inner back panel, one of said side panels, said front panel, the other side panel and said outer back panel are successively connected to each other along their adjacent longitudinal edges, and said front panel has an article dispensing opening extending across the lower portion thereof; and wherein said carton further comprises a separating member, a spacing element foldably joined to an edge of said separating member and to the longitudinal edge of said inner back panel remote from said one side panel, said spacing element being adhesively secured to the inner surface of said other side panel to dispose said separating member laterally between said front panel and said inner back panel, the length of said separating member being determined to dispose the bottom edge thereof above the upper edge of said dispensing opening so that two stacks of articles can be received in said interior space in front and in back, respectively, of said separating member whereby, after the articles of the forward stack have been dispensed through said opening, the lowermost article of the rearward stack can be removed under said separating member and through said dispensing opening.

9. A carton according to claim 8; wherein one of said side panels has a longitudinally spaced apart series of openings therein registering with said separating member so that the articles in the two stacks within said interior space can be viewed by an observer from the outside of the carton.

10. A carton according to claim 8; wherein said side panels have openings therein communicating with said dispensing opening of the front panel and extending rearwardly from the latter across said side panels beyond the plane of said separating member so that the lowermost article in each of the two stacks can be grasped through said openings of the side panels, said openings of the side panels having dimensions in the longitudinal direction of the carton that are less than the corresponding dimension of said dispensing opening thereby to prevent lateral re moval of the articles through having a lateral fold line and'open'ings at opposite sides of the latter to register when said secondary top tuck is folded along said lateral line and the tab of the secondary top tuck is received between said inner and 'outer back panels.

'12. A carton according to claim 4; wherein said front panel is vertically abbreviated and said inner back panel forms part of a liner for the canton, said liner further including a front portion depending from the upper edge of said front panel and lying against the inner surface of the latter, and a bot-tom portion extending between 13:. A carton according to claim 12; wherein said top on said tab cut from the from in front of the carton.

and inner back panel.

15. A carton according to claim 14; wherein said liner further includes side portions foldably connected to the side edges of said inner back panel and reaching from the latter to said front panel to maintain said inner back panel against the front surface of said outer back panel.

16. A one-piece carton comprising a first side panel, a front panel, a second side panel and an outer back panel successively integral with each other to define an interior, article receiving space, an inner back panel disposed against the front surface of said outer back panel, a bottom closure for said space including side flaps extending foldably from the bottom edges of said side panels and a bottom tuck, and an integral easel structure including side portions struck from said outer back panel and foldably joined to the latter for swinging between a collapsed position in the plane of said outer back panel and an erected position extending rearwardly from the latter, a secondary bottom tuck foldably connected to the lower end of the outer back panel and swingable relative to the latter between a forwardly extending position under said bottom tuck of the bottom closure and an erected, rearwardly extending position, and linking portions struck from said outer back panel and secondary bottom tuck and joined thereto along fold lines converging in opposed directions away from each other so that,

'11 as said secondary bottom tuck swingstoward said erected rearwardly extending position thereof, said linking portions fold laterally outward onto the secondary bottom tuck to the accompanying rearward swinging of said side portions to the erected position of the latter where said secondary bottom tuck and outer back panel enclose an acute angle with said secondary bottom tuck forming the base of an easel structure for supporting the carton in a rearwardly tilted position.

17. A carton according to claim 16; wherein said inner back panel is integral with said first side panel along the longitudinal edge of the latter remote from said front panel, and said bottom tuck of the bottom closure is foldably joined to the bottom edge of said inner back panel.

118, A carton according to claim l6; wherein said front panel is vertically abbreviated with respect to said side and back panels, said inner back panel being included in a carton liner that further includes a front portion foldably joined to said front panel along the top edge of the latter and a bottom portion foldably joined to said front portion and said inner back panel along the bottom edges thereof, whereby said liner is a longitudinal extension of said front panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,956,642 Einson May 1, 1934 2,036,864 Einson Apr. 7, 1936 2,159,887 Darragh May 23, 1939 2,688,396 Fryburger Sept. 7, 1954

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