CORRUGATED PAPER PRODUCTS AND PAPER CANS

ANOTHER important branch of the paper box manufacturing industry is that which is devoted to corrugated paper products. This is a very large branch of the industry and it is constantly growing and expanding. With the perfection of paper cans and big shipping boxes made of paper, new fields of tremendous proportions have been opened to the manufacturers, and the future for this business is glowing with possibilities. The day may come when ordinary wooden shipping boxes and tin cans will be “ghosts of the past.”

Today we see hundreds of different kinds of merchandise packed in large-size corrugated paper boxes—the same kinds of merchandise which in other times had been packed in wooden boxes. Today we see many different kinds of food, powders, liquids, etc., packed in paper cans—the same variety of goods which formerly had been packed in tin cans. Every day brings new uses for corrugated paper boxes, and also for paper cans. During the last year or two orders for these products have been increasing so rapidly that some of the manufacturers have been unable to keep up with the demand.

Corrugated paper boxes are now being used in place of wooden boxes for such a great variety of merchandise that it would be impossible to enumerate all the uses. For example, the standard slotted carton is made in different sizes up to a size where the gross weight of the box and contents amount to 90 pounds, and where the dimensions of the box, with length, width and depth added, are 70 inches. A corrugated box of this size will be accepted for freight shipment. Some of the articles which a slotted carton may be used for are: books, boots and shoes, butter, canned goods in glass or tin, cereals, cigars and cigarettes, coffee and tea, collars and cuffs, confections, dry goods and clothing, electric lamps, glassware, hardware, mattresses, patent medicines, small furniture, shirts, toys, soap, etc. For certain articles, like mattresses, for example, the dimensions of a corrugated box may be as great as 100 inches for acceptable freight shipment.

Some of the advantages of these large corrugated shipping containers over ordinary wooden boxes are: light weight, the prevention of breakage to contents, water and air-tight, easier to close and open and easier to handle by all concerned. On account of the corrugated container being firmly sealed with tape, the box is practically safe from freight robbers who find it an easy matter to “lift” the cover-boards of a wooden, nailed box. This is one of the many reasons why corrugated containers are now being used extensively for export shipments.

Paper cans are now being used in place of tin cans for cereals, tea and coffee, spices, baking powder, cleansing powder, tobacco, snuff, salt, gas mantles, drugs, etc. Paper cans are more economical than tin cans; are more sanitary, lighter in weight, and are easier to open by the consumer.

THE MAKING OF PAPER CANS

The mechanical equipment necessary for a medium-size plant for making all kinds of paper cans, mailing tubes, cores for toilet paper, etc., is as follows: One slitter and rewinder, one spiral tube winder, one tube cutter, one moistener, one double-acting punch press with automatic feeder.

For the manufacture of paper cans with tin tops and bottoms, the following additional equipment would be essential: One single-acting press, one crimping machine.

All of these machines, and also accessories, tools, and extra parts, are manufactured by the Samuel M. Langston Company, of Camden, N. J., and other well-known concerns who make a specialty of paper can machinery. The Westchester Machine Sales Co., of New York City, is manufacturing a paper can seamer, used for attaching tin tops or bottoms to spiral or straight wound paper cans. The Max Ams Machine Company, of Bridgeport, Conn., is specializing in machines used for attaching ends to round, oval or oblong fibre containers.

THE SLITTER AND REWINDER

(Note: Every different diameter of a paper can requires a different diameter mandrel for both the tube winder and the tube cutter, also a different size die for the cover and bottom.)

The large paper manufacturers—those who specialize in coarse papers—supply various kinds of paper in large rolls which is suitable for the making of paper cans. The Langston slitter and rewinder will handle a roll of paper any width up to 48 inches (according to the width of the machine) and will cut this paper and rewind it into small rolls from one and one-half inches to six inches wide. These small rolls are then ready for the tube winder.

THE SPIRAL TUBE WINDER

The Langston spiral tube winder will take two, three or more small rolls of paper, from one and one-half inches to six inches wide each, and will continuously wind and glue the rolls of paper into long tubes, of any diameter (according to the mandrel used), from three-fourths of an inch to six inches in diameter. This machine also cuts the long tubes into any desired lengths from 11 to 40 inches.

THE TUBE CUTTER

The long tubes made on the tube winder, up to 39 inches long, are placed on the tube cutter which cuts the tubes with a clean edge to any lengths wanted.

THE MOISTENER

The paper which is to be used for tops and bottoms of paper cans, must be moistened before going to the punch press. The Langston moistener takes a roll of paper, cuts it to the proper width, treats it with a solution of soap and water, and rewinds the paper ready for the punch press.

THE DOUBLE-ACTING PUNCH PRESS

Moistened rolls of paper are placed on the double-acting punch press (Langston) and the machine automatically dies out and draws up the paper in the form of lids and bottoms for the paper cans.

THE CRIMPING OR SEAMING MACHINE

This device is used for attaching tin bottoms, or sifter-tops, to paper cans such as are made for holding scouring powders, etc. This same machine may be used for bending over or shaping paper tops and bottoms.

THE SINGLE-ACTING PUNCH PRESS

This is a simple construction machine made by the Langston Company, and is used for making tin tops and bottoms of all kinds for paper cans.

The operation of any of the machines mentioned here in connection with the making of paper cans is very easy.

The spirally-wound tube, which forms the body of a paper can, may also be used for mailing tubes, cores for toilet paper and cores for ribbon and thread.

WATER-TIGHT PAPER CANS

To make an all-paper can water-tight, submerge it in molten paraffine, or pour hot paraffine in and out of the can. Paper, paraffined on one side, may be run on the inside or on the outside of the can, or both, to produce a moisture-proof container which will hold semi-liquids for an indefinite time.

Some paper cans have slip-on covers and bottoms, others have the top and bottom crimped on; others still have a neck for the lid. Expensive types of paper cans have spun-on ends, and many are made with screw-on tin tops.

When printed or lithographed wrappers are carefully applied to the paper cans, they cannot be told from regular tin cans. Many wrappers for paper cans are done in beautiful colors.

HOW CORRUGATED PAPER BOXES ARE MADE

There are three different kinds of corrugated paper in general use, and many of the larger manufacturers of corrugated paper boxes have their own machines for making the three kinds of corrugated board referred to.

Unlined corrugated paper is usually made of strawboard and is used for lining, covering and padding. This paper is exceedingly useful in packing glass, bottles, and other breakable goods, being used as lining and padding in the shipping cases.

Single-face corrugated paper is made by gluing a liner, or sheet of strong texture paper to one side of the corrugations. The corrugated stock is made of strawboard, newsboard or chipboard, and the liner may be of heavy manila, news or chip stock, or of other kinds of coarse paper which are strong in texture. The standard length of rolls is 250 feet, and the standard width is 36 inches, although this paper is made as wide as 48 inches. Single-face corrugated paper is used for making tubes for holding glass articles, partitions for shipping containers, lining for barrels and wood boxes, etc.

Double-faced corrugated paper consists of the corrugated stock and two flat liners, one attached to each side of the stock. The double-face board is stronger than any other board of the same weight, and it also serves as a cushion whenever anything comes in contact with it. This board is made of various kinds of stock, including strawboard, news and chip, and the facing is also of various kinds of strong paper. From double-face corrugated paper a great variety of paper boxes, shipping containers, etc., are constructed. It is also used for partitions, liners, padding, picture backing, and as protecting boards for mailing printed matter, photographs, etc.

The Samuel M. Langston Co., of Camden, N. J., is a large manufacturer of all kinds of machinery for making the corrugated board and its products. The Langston corrugating machine for single-faced corrugated paper is designed to make the single-faced paper, complete, in big rolls of 250 feet each. The corrugation is formed on this machine under pressure. Adhesive sodium silicate is applied to the tops of the corrugated paper while it is in the corrugating roll, and the lining sheet, tempered over a steam-heated roll, is stuck to the corrugated sheet under pressure. The machine is equipped with a steam roll for moistening and heating the straw sheet before it enters the corrugating roll.

The Langston combined corrugator and double-facing machine takes three rolls of paper and produces in continuous operation double-faced corrugated board, cut into sheets, trimmed, and scored one way, if desired. It is equipped with a “Duplex” cutter, making it possible to run two separate orders, each of a different width and length, side by side.

Adhesive sodium silicate, such as that used in the construction of corrugated paper, taping, etc., is supplied by the Central Commercial Co., of Chicago, or the Grasselli Chemical Co., of Cleveland, O.

ROTARY CUTTING AND SCORING MACHINES

These machines are used for cutting and creasing corrugated board to any size needed for the construction of corrugated boxes and shipping containers, and the machines are made in various sizes, one large enough to handle a sheet 122 inches wide. The Rotary cutting and creasing machine is made by the Samuel M. Langston Co., of Camden, N. J., and machines of the same style are also made by the Paper Products Machinery Co., Inc., of Brooklyn, N. Y., and the S. & S. Corrugated Paper Machinery Co., Inc., of Brooklyn, N. Y. The concerns named also make all kinds of machinery for corrugated paper box plants.

The operation of the rotary cutting and scoring machine is comparatively simple, and the cutting wheels and scoring wheels are easily adjusted to any position wanted.

THE LANGSTON CHOPPER

This machine, built by the Samuel M. Langston Co., of Camden, N. J., is a combined slitter, scorer, chopper and rewinder, and is designed to handle single-faced corrugated paper from the roll.

THE LANGSTON CARTON MACHINE

This device produces round, square, or octagon shaped shells from single-faced corrugated paper, such as are used as slip-ons over bottles. Round shells, with the corrugation running lengthwise, are made by feeding into the machine strips of corrugated single-faced paper, which are folded and taped only, being cut to length afterwards. Another style of Langston carton machine is used for the production of square, rectangular or octagon shells, which are folded, taped and cut to length automatically.

THE SLITTER AND RE-WINDING MACHINE

Many of the larger plants devoted to the manufacture of corrugated paper boxes are equipped with a slitter and rewinding machine which is used for transforming the large rolls of corrugated paper into smaller rolls of required sizes. The Langston surface or drum rewinder and slitter is one of the best machines of this class on the market.

REGULAR SLOTTED CARTONS

The regular slotted carton, made of double-face corrugated board, is designed with two inner flaps which do not meet at the center when folded, and also with two outer flaps which do meet at the center when folded. This is one of the most popular cartons in general use. For shipment, the regular slotted carton is sealed either by gluing down the flaps, or by covering all outer joints, openings or seams with paper sealing tape.

All kinds of staying material and paper sealing tape, as used for sealing corrugated shipping containers, are supplied by the larger manufacturers of paper box machinery. Many of the paper houses also carry this line.

CENTER SPECIAL SLOTTED CARTON

This carton is much the same as the regular slotted carton, only the two inner flaps and the two outer flaps all meet at the center when folded, forming a more solid box, top and bottom, than the regular slotted carton. The side special slotted carton is made on this same plan, the flaps meeting at the side of the box.

OVERFLAP SLOTTED CARTONS

This container is made of double-face corrugated board, and has four flaps at the top and bottom, the inner flaps not quite meeting at the center and the outer flaps overlapping about two inches.

The special overlap slotted carton is practically the same design with the exception of the inner flaps which meet at the center.

FULL FLAP SLOTTED CARTONS

To provide additional strength at the top and bottom, the full flap slotted carton has two full-size flaps at the top and bottom which cover over one another. The inner flaps do not altogether meet at the center.

The special full flap slotted carton is of this same plan, only the inner flaps meet at the center, giving three thicknesses of board at the top and bottom of the box.

HALF SLOTTED CARTON WITH SEPARATE COVER

Instead of having four flaps at the top and bottom, the half slotted carton has only four flaps at the bottom, being covered by a separate lid in the same manner as a set-up paper box. The cover is made of the same kind of double-face corrugated board as the container, and the corners of the cover are stayed. The flaps at the bottom are sealed with sodium silicate, or the joints are sealed with tape. For express shipment, the cover may be tied on. For freight shipment, the cover should be glued on, and completely sealed at the edges with tape.

DOUBLE-WALL CARTON

When an extra-strong carton is needed, the double-wall box is recommended, especially for articles in glass of the half-gallon sizes. This box is of the same style as the regular slotted carton with the exception that the sides and flaps are double thickness, made of one sheet of double-face corrugated stock and one sheet of single-face corrugated board, glued together. In addition to being used for glass articles, the double-wall box is also used for large and heavy goods like mattresses, canned goods, etc.

DOUBLE COVER BOX

The main advantage of the double cover box is that it may easily be cut down to the level of the contents. The part of the body which has been cut off may be used as a box for other goods. Separate covers are bought by the user and applied as needed. The body of this type of box is made of a single piece of double-face corrugated board, stayed at one corner. The covers overlap, and are made the same as a lid for a set-up paper box. The same kind of cover is used for both the top and the bottom of the box, and after the goods have been packed, the two covers are glued to the body of the box and tape is wrapped around the edges of the covers. Or, the covers may be tied on in addition to being sealed at the sides. The corners of the covers are stayed on the outside with heavy cloth tape.

This style of box is popular for the shipment of millinery, artificial flowers, men’s hats, etc.

TELESCOPE BOX

The telescope box is made in various heights, and consists merely of two sections on the plan of box covers, one fitting down over the other. The corners of the covers are stayed with cloth tape. Flat telescope boxes of this class are often used for shipments of books, pictures, lithographed paper cut-outs and similar articles.

DOUBLE LINED SLIDE BOX

This container was formerly known as the “Three-Piece Lambert Box,” and is composed of three separate pieces. When put together, the three pieces of this box provide a double wall of corrugated board on every side. The inner slide is like one box fitting within the other. This box is usually made in small sizes and is adapted to the shipment of drugs, dolls, toys, novelties, etc.

SINGLE LINED SLIDE BOX

The single lined slide box is made of two pieces of corrugated board, and it does not contain an inner slide. The folding cover extends down over one side of the box. Used for drugs, toys, dolls, etc.

DOUBLE SLIDE BOX

This style of box is made much like the small slide box used by druggists for pills, powders, etc. When put together the double slide box has two thicknesses of board on only two sides.

ONE-PIECE FOLDER

The one-piece folder is made from a single piece of double-face corrugated board, cut and creased in such a manner that when folded up it forms a complete, flat “box,” of any size arranged for. These folders are delivered in flat form to the customer who, after packing the goods, glues and seals each folder according to freight requirements.

TWO-PIECE FOLDER

The two-piece folder is made in many different sizes, and consists of two straight-cut sheets of corrugated board which, when folded together, form a closed box having four flaps at the top. The flat pieces, which are scored, are sent to the customer who folds and assembles them as needed.

CORRUGATED PAPER TUBES

Corrugated paper tubes are very simple in construction and are used for holding bottles, glass jars, etc., protecting them from breakage during shipment in cases. There are several different styles of tubes as follows:

The single-face scored sheet is merely a square or oblong piece of single-face corrugated board, scored in three places in such a way that when folded and sealed at one corner a plain tube is formed.

The double-face scored sheet is made of double-face corrugated board, scored and folded in the same manner as a single-face scored sheet.

The single-face tube is the same as a single-face scored sheet, with the exception of being folded and stayed at one corner ready for the customer’s use.

The double-face tube is a double-face scored sheet, usually made with chipboard or strawboard liners; scored, folded and joined together, ready for the customer’s use.

Round tubes, and those of odd shape, are made in the same way, of either single-face or double-face corrugated board. The round tubes require no scoring.

All scored sheets and complete tubes are delivered flat to the customer.

PARTITIONS

Partitions for re-shipping cases, and other kinds of corrugated boxes used for holding medicine bottles, etc., are made of both single-face and double-face corrugated board. A special “gang saw,” for slotting containers, or for sawing slots for partitions, is made by Samuel M. Langston Co., of Camden, N. J. The gang saws are also furnished by other manufacturers of paper box machinery.

Cuts of corrugated boxes shown herewith were kindly furnished by the National Association of Corrugated Fibre Box Manufacturers, Chicago.

PRINTING CARTONS

Printing fibre and corrugated paper boxes is a special branch of the paper box industry, and there are several printing presses of different makes designed particularly for this class of work. Many large buyers of fibre and corrugated paper boxes have advertising matter printed on the outside of the boxes, and in numerous instances, the printing is done in two or more different colors. The advantages of having advertising matter printed on the shipping containers are recognized by large manufacturers. For example, many of the corrugated containers used for holding tins and glass jars of smoking tobacco have attractive advertising matter printed on all four sides.

Among the most efficient printing presses which are now in general service for printing fibre and corrugated shipping containers are the F. X. Hooper fibre printing press, made by the F. X. Hooper Co., Inc., of Glenarm, Md., and the Langston multi-color printing press, made by Samuel M. Langston Co., of Camden, N. J. Both of these machines are rotary presses and are capable of producing great quantities of work at high speed. The printing is done from electrotype plates which are attached to the printing cylinder of the press.

Any of the paper box machinery concerns mentioned in this series of articles will send catalogues and detailed information covering their machines upon request.