Masking tapes, particularly foam masking tapes for the automobile refinishing trade, are sold to the trade in boxes containing spools mounted for rotation on spigots so that the tape can be withdrawn through an opening in a wall of the box. The provision of the spigots in the box, which is, when the tape is exhausted, a throwaway item, involves a cost which adds to the cost of the product. The spigots are formed from plastic annuli which are mounted in apertures in opposite walls of the box or in special cardboard and/or plastic inserts in the box..

The present invention provides a less expensive arrangement.

The invention comprises a box adapted to hold a spool of material so that the spool can rotate as material is withdrawn from the box, comprising a spigot formed by folding in a tab from a wall of the box.

The spigot may comprise orthogonal tabs, and there may be a spigot for each end of the spool.

The box may comprise a box blank folded and secured in folded condition, having box sides and box ends, the box ends affording opposed spigots, each box end comprising four panels each with a tab, the four tabs coming together, in folding the blank into a box, to form a spigot with orthogonal tabs. The tabs on two opposed panels have slots extending from intermediate the base and the end of the tab and extending into the panels, and the tabs on the other two opposed panels extending from intermediate the base and the end of the tab to the end of the tab.

Such tab arrangements are known for boxes in which spools are transported, to hold the spools in place in the box. They have never been used, however, in dispensing boxes, where it is required that the spool is free to rotate. Although the spigot of the present invention is nothing like the plastic bearings of conventional dispensing boxes, it is found to work just as effectively, and represents a substantial saving on the cost of a box.

Embodiments of dispensing boxes according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a part cut-away view of a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a part-sectional view on Arrow 2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a box blank from which a second embodiment may be assembled; Figure 4 is a view inside the assembled box of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a section through the box of Figure 4 on the line V-V thereof.

The drawings illustrate boxes 11 adapted to hold a spool 12 of material 12a so that the spool 12 can rotate as material 12a is withdrawn from the box 11, comprising a spigot 13 formed by folding in a tab from a wall of the box.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a box 11 in which a single tab 14, which is of generally oblong form, with a rounded end 14a, is folded in on a hinge 14b, there being one of these tabs on each of two opposed walls 15 of the box 11. A window 16 is cut into a wall 17 of the box extending between the walls 15 through which the spooled material 12a can be withdrawn.

Figure 3 illustrates a box blank 31 for a second embodiment of dispensing box 11 according to the invention. The blank 31 comprises a single sheet of board comprising box end panels 32 each with a tab 14. In folding the blank 31 into the box 11, the four tabs 14 come together to form a spigot 13 with orthogonal tabs 14. The tabs 14 on two pairs of opposed panels 32A have slots 33A extending from intermediate the base 14b and the end 14e of the tab 14 and extending into the panels 32A. The tabs 14 on the other two pairs of opposed panels 32B have slots 22B extending from intermediate the base 14b of the tab 14 to the end 14e of the tab 14, Figure 4 is a view inside the box 11 formed from blank 31 showing how the four tabs 14 come together to form a spigot 13 in the box end.

The blank 31 has, intermediate opposed end panels 32, top and bottom panels 34T, 34B, respectively, and front andrearpanels 35F, 35R, respectively. Into the frontpanel 35F is cut a window, as in Figure 1, through which the spooled material 12a can be withdrawn.

Additional tabs 36 and cooperating slots 37 are provided to secure the box 11 in its folded condition.

The embodiment of Figures 3,4 and 5, with its orthogonal tabs 14, enables the box 11 to be made out of thinner board than if a single tab is used as in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2.