Abstract: A clip-type carrier especially suited for carrying beverage cans. The carrier is comprised of a panel having slots in folded, wedge-shaped inner support sections and in outer support sections for receiving the can chimes. The inner support sections are connected to rib sections which are foldably connected, forming a two-ply vertical rib extending up from the bottom of the wedge. Glue flaps extending from the rib are adhered to the carrier panel to maintain the carrier in locked condition.

Abstract: A wrap-around carrier having lower article end restraints and upper end panel flaps. The lower end restraints are comprised of lower gusset panels connecting the bottom panel to side panel flaps, while the upper end panel flaps are connected to the side panel flaps by upper gusset panels. The end panel flaps and the end restraints automatically fold into their operable position when the side panel flaps are folded during fabrication of the carrier.

Abstract: An article group transfer apparatus constructed and arranged to move article groups into open ends of the carton sleeves. The apparatus is incorporated in a continuous motion cartoner assembly for loading article groups into cartons which comprises an article infeed mechanism supplying at least one stream of articles; an article group selection and transport mechanism intersecting the article infeed mechanism to form and transport a longitudinal stream of article groups of a predetermined pattern; a carton supply and transport mechanism synchronized and moving parallel with the article group selecting mechanism to provide cartons with open ends facing the moving article groups; and the article group transfer apparatus which moves the article groups into the open ends of the carton sleeves.

Abstract: A neck clip bottle carrier having angled side panels of two-ply construction. The lower edges of openings in the side panels engage the underside of bottle flanges to support the bottles. The outer ply of one of the side panels is divided into flaps which overlie tear-away sections in the underlying inner ply. The flaps are adhered to lower portions of the tear-away sections. When the tear-away sections are separated, the overlying flaps pivot upwardly to a point permitting removal of the associated bottle. The tear-away sections are designed so as not to cause failure of the carrier under high loadings.

Abstract: A carton constructed to permit the contents to be poured out over an upper corner. The top panel includes a fold line about which a corner closure flap pivots. The corner flap includes a flange formed by tear lines in portions of the adjacent side and end panels. Additional layers of material in face-to-face contact with the inner surface of the side and end panels in the area of the closure flap provide edges over which the contents are poured. The closure flap fits tightly over the additional layers to hold it in place after it has been reclosed.

Abstract: A carton with an opening through which the contents can be poured. An opening in an end panel is normally covered by a closure flap connected to the top panel. The flap is maintained in closed position by another flap which includes a tear strip. Removal of the tear strip permits access to the closure flap, enabling it to be opened for pouring. A slot in the end panel receives the closure flap when the closure flap is reclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a can carrier for forming into a package and carrying one or more cans, normally six cans to form a six-pack. The can carrier is primarily formed of a sheet of readly foldable and deformable material including paperboard. For each can, the sheet is provided with a pair of cutouts defining foldable flaps. The flaps are foldable beneath the sheet with each pair of flaps being remote from one another. The result is that the connection between each flap and the sheet provides two layers of materials which are engagable beneath a can chime to interlock the can with the can carrier. The folded connection between each flap and the sheet may be reinforced by stretchable self shrinking glue disposed generally in the apex of the connection between each flap and the under side of the sheet. Another form of flap reinforcement is the bonding of a synthetic thread to the under side of the sheet and the flaps with the thread extending longitudinally of the sheets and the flaps.

Abstract: A bottle carrier of the type employing tabs surrounding bottle neck openings to support the underside of bottle flanges. The carrier is comprised of an inner clip member and an outer shroud, each having aligned bottle neck openings and tabs. The outer shroud incorporates side panels which fold around adjacent bottles and are adhered to the inner face of the end panels. The side panels are moved into place by the pulling action of gusset panels as the latter are folded into position at the inner face of the end panels. The outermost bottle support tabs are of greater height than the innermost tabs to accommodate bowing of the carrier during lifting, and the other tabs have angled edges adapted to contact the bottle flanges when the carrier is lifted. The inner clip includes short flaps underlying the side and end flaps of the outer shroud.

Abstract: A carrier having an end panel construction that snaps into place during formation of the carrier and has the ability to follow the contour of adjacent curved or beveled packaged articles. Tabs foldably connected to an end panel flap and adjacent dust flaps cause the flaps to snap into place. The dust flaps are either connected to the side panels by angled fold lines or comprise continuations or extensions of the side panels.

Abstract: A carton for packaging pourable material. Upper end panel sections are connected by gussets to sloped upper side panel sections, and the latter are connected by overlapping horizontal flaps. Separation of an end tear strip portion of the horizontal flaps allows an upper end panel section to be folded out to form a pouring spout configuration. The tab remaining after separation of the tear strip portion is inserted in a slit in the upper end panel section to hold the section in place after being reclosed.

Abstract: A bottle carrier of the type employing support tabs at the periphery of bottle neck, openings for engaging the underside of shoulders on the bottles. The carrier is comprised of two plies, each containing aligned bottle openings and each opening being surrounded by support tabs. In one embodiment the support tabs of an opening in one ply are connected to the ply along fold lines which are at an angle to the fold lines of the tabs of the corresponding opening in the other ply so that the edges of the tabs engage the shoulder of a bottle at spaced points along the circumference of the shoulder.

Abstract: A container formed by wrapping a slotted flexible sheet about rigid end panels having projections that extend through the slots. The projections include stacking projections which engage recesses in the end panels of adjacent stacked containers and support projections at the corners. The support projections engage each other when the containers are stacked to provide resistance to lateral loading. At least one end of the flexible sheet terminates in the top panel and engages a wedge-shaped projection on the end panels to lock that end of the sheet in place. The other end may be similarly locked in place or may overlap the first end and be held in place by a tab and slot arrangement. Alternatively, the other end portion of the sheet may include a lid which is held in place by mechanical tabs, while intermediate edges spaced from the end engage the wedge-shaped projections.

Abstract: A wrap-around carrier with gusset panels connected to the bottom panel that automatically fold into their upright position when the bottom panel flaps are set up for locking engagement. The resulting upright portions of the gusset panels contact the bottom portion of adjacent articles in the carrier to prevent the articles from falling out through the ends of the carrier. The fold lines connecting the gusset panels to the side panels are angled back to lengthen these fold lines while cutouts in the gusset panels shorten the length of the other fold lines of the gusset panels. This increases the pulling power of the gusset panels while decreasing the bias force which must be overcome in order for the gusset panels to be folded into their upright position.

Abstract: A clip-type carrier especially suited for carrying beverage cans. The carrier is comprised of a panel having slots in a folded, wedge-shaped inner support section and in outer support sections for receiving the can chimes. The inner support sections include finger holes covered by tabs connected by transverse fold lines. Curved transverse fold lines extend toward the central portion of the panel from the ends of the first transverse fold lines to form support segments for receiving and withstanding lifting stresses. A reinforcing strip overlies the inner support section of the panel and includes finger holes which are aligned with the finger holes in the support sections.

Abstract: Means for holding the bottoms of petaloid shaped bottles in place in a wrap-around carrier. Side panel apertures include flaps connected to the side panel by fold lines which are inwardly curved at their upper portions. The lower portions of each pair of flaps extend toward each other so as to engage one or more support feet of the adjacent bottle and be forced out from the side panel thereby. The curved portion of the fold lines biases the flaps against the support feet, regardless of which portion of the feet engage the flaps, to assist in holding the bottles in place within the carrier. Fold lines extending from the flap edges to the flap fold lines and hook-shaped slits at the upper ends of the flaps allow the side flaps to flex lengthwise.

Abstract: An article carrier which permits ice to be added to the carrier after removing the top to cool the contents. The carrier is formed from a paperboard blank having a waterproof interior surface. The end and side panels are connected by gusset panels, the end portions of which are adapted to be in nonadhered face-to-face relationship. When the top panel of the carrier is removed, these portions of the gusset panels are relaxed, allowing the side and end panels to pivot out about their foldable connection to the bottom panel for a limited distance to expand the interior of the carrier while maintaining the carrier in watertight condition.

Abstract: A carrier containing a plurality of layers of articles arranged in stacked end-to-end fashion. The carrier is fully enclosed and includes side end panel flaps which extend substantially the entire distance from the top panel to the bottom panel of the carrier to strengthen the carrier and prevent bowing of the panels. Score lines in the side end panel flaps further prevent bowing during folding. The top panel is formed by overlapping top panel flaps, the inner top panel flap including a folded-under reinforcing flap which produces an area of triple thickness between handle openings in the flaps and which extends into the end panels for additional reinforcement purposes.

Abstract: A wrap-around carrier with end panel flaps that automatically close when the bottom panel flaps are set up for locking engagement. The end panel flaps are foldably connected to the side panels and to gusset panels which are also foldably connected to a bottom panel flap. Upon folding the gusset panels into engagement with the adjacent bottom panel flap, the end panel flaps are folded into closed position. The folded gusset panels are located between the bottoms of the packaged articles and the bottom panel, thereby locking the end panel flaps in closed position.

Abstract: An article rotating assembly and process for rotating articles to a predetermined orientation on a moving conveyor. The assembly comprises movable article control structures and cooperating vertical motion and rotational motion assemblies which are synchronized with the conveyor. Each article control structure is constructed and arranged for vertical and rotational movement above the moving conveyor and is controlled by cam follower and guide track structures to engage and rotate articles on the moving conveyor to a predetermined orientation.