Carton

Claim 1

In a carton adapted for the packaging of eggs and the like having 1. a bottom tray formed to define a plurality of cells for reception of packaged articles and of a depth such that said articles are enclosed thereby for a portion less than their vertical dimension as packaged, 2. a dished cover resiliently hinged to the rear upper edge of said tray and having a front wall, a back wall, and end walls fixed to each other and to a top for said cover, all of such dimensions that the packaged articles are substantially enclosed within the edges of said tray, said front wall lying primarily in a plane sloping inwardly toward said top, and 3. a latching flap hinged to the front upper edge of said tray by resilient means biasing said flap toward a position outward of vertical from said front edge; said cover and said flap having coacting means associated therewith capable of engagement upon closure of the carton in a manner to maintain such closure; the improvement which comprises a cover and latching flap of complementary configuration to afford I. rigidity of flap and front wall of cover, II. guidance in closure for assurance of proper seatIng when closed, and III. positive engagement of latching elements; said configuration being characterized by: a. at least one recess in said front wall defined by a wedge portion extending to and tapering outwardly toward the top of said cover and spaced inwardly from the primary plane of said wall, and rigidity-imparting webs connecting said wedge portion with the main body of said front wall lying in said primary plane, b. at least one detent in said front wall defined by a wedge shaped configuration similar in form to said wedge portion in its portion remote from said top and terminated by an edge intermediate said top and the lower edge of said front wall, and c. at least one recess in said flap complementary to said recess in said front wall and similarly defined by wedge portion and rigidity imparting webs whereby the cover is guided on closure, and d. at least one such recess in said flap complementary to said detent and terminated short of the upper edge of said flap by a latching bar extending along said edge and positioned in the primary plane of said flap arranged and adapted for contact with said detent on closure to depress the flap against resilience of its hinge and for engagement of said detent upon completion of closure.