Carton opening means

Claim 2

A carton comprising: front and rear panels foldably connected by side panels, front and rear closure flaps hingedly connected to an edge of said front and rear panels respectively and adapted to fold into superimposed relation, said front panel closure flap including a first slit extending from the edge of said front panel closure flap toward the line of hinge connecting the same to said front panel and perpendicular thereto, said slit terminating short of the line of hinge, a second slit extending generally parallel to said line of hinge and intersecting the End of said first slit, whereby the area between said second slit and said edge of said front panel closure flap froms a pair of end abutting tabs.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 and including lines of fold parallel to said first slit and connecting the ends of said second slit to said edge of said front panels closure flap.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 1 and in which said second slit extends a substantially equal distance on either side of said first slit.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 2 and in which said second slit extends a substantially equal distance on either side of said first slit.

Claim 6

A carton for use in combination with a carton hopper adapted to contain a series of flat folded cartons in face contact, a pair of lugs engaging opposite ends of the foremost carton to retain the cartons in the hopper, and suction cup means movably supported toward and away from the hopper and engageable with the front surface of the foremost carton in the hopper to remove the same from the hopper, the carton including: a front panel and a foldably connected side wall in coplanar relation in flat condition of said carton, and a rear panel and a foldably connected second side wall in coplanar relation in flat condition of said carton, said front panel being foldably connected to, and in face contact with, said second side wall and said rear panel being foldably connected to, and lying rearwardly of, said first side wall panel, closure flaps hingedly connected to the opposite ends of said front panel, said rear panel, and said first and second side walls along hinge lines, the front closure flaps hingedly connected to front panel having lug receiving gates therein in the ends of said front closure flaps comprising: first slits extending into the end edges of said front closure flaps in aligned relation intermediate the parallel sides of said front closure flaps, said slits extending normal to the front closure flap ends and terminating short of the lines of hinge connecting said front closure flap to said front panel, second slits centrally intersecting the ends of said first slits most remote from the end edges of said front closure flaps, said second slits extending generally parallel to the lines of hinge connecting said front closure flaps to said front panel, whereby the area between said second slits and the adjacent end edges of said front closure flaps providing opposed end abutting tabs foldable out of the plane of said front closure flaps so that the lugs may pass therebetween in the squaring of the carton from its flat folded condition.

Claim 7

A carton for use in combination with a carton hopper adapted to contain a series of flat folded cartons in face contact, a pair of lugs engaging opposite ends of the foremost carton to retain the cartons in the hopper, and suction cup means movably supported toward and away from the hopper and engageable with the front surface of the foremost carton in the hopper to remove the same from the hopper, the carton including: a front panel and a foldably connected side wall in coplanar relation in flat condition of said carton, and a rear panel and a foldably connected second side wall in coplanar relation in flat condition of said carton, said front panel being foldably connected to, and in face contact with, said second side wall and said rear panel being foldably connected to, and lying rearwardly of, said first side wall panel, closure flaps hingedly connected to the opposite ends of said front panel, said rear panel, and said first and second side walls along hinge lines, the front closure flaps hingedly connected to front panel having lug receiving gates therein in the ends of said front closure flaps comprising: first slits extending into the end edges of said front closure flaps in aligned relation intermediate the parallel sides of said front closure flaps, said slits extending normal to the front closure flap ends and terminating short of the lines of hinge connecting said front closure flap to said front panel, second slits centrally intersecting the ends of said first slits most remote from the end edges of said front closure flaps, said second slits extending generally parallel to the lines of hinge connecting said front closure flaps to said front panel, whereby the area between said second slits and the adjacent end edges of said front closure flaps providing opposed end abutting tabs foldable out of the plane of said front closure flaps so that the lugs may pass therebetween in the squaring of the carton from its flat folded condition.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 5 and including parallel fold lines connecting the ends of said second slit to the end edges of said front closure flaps said fold lines being parallel to said first slit.