Carrier with article retaining means

A blank for forming a wrap-around carrier for packaging a plurality of adjacent rows of articles the bottom portions of which are spaced apart, comprising:

• a generally rectangular sheet having a central top panel section;
• side panel sections connected to opposite sides of the top panel section by fold lines;
• a first bottom panel flap connected to one of the side panel sections along a first fold line and a second bottom panel flap connected to the other side panel section along a second fold line, each bottom panel flap having opposite end edges;
• the first bottom panel flap including an article retainer flap adjacent each end edge of the first bottom panel flap, each article retainer flap being comprised of a leg hinged to the inner bottom panel flap and an arm connected to the leg, the arm of each retainer flap including an opening therein;
• the outer bottom panel flap including a locking tab located so as to be associated with a retainer flap in a carrier formed from the blank, each locking tab having a projection extending outwardly from an end edge;
• the projection of each locking tab being located so as to extend through the opening in the arm of an associated retainer flap in a carrier formed from the blank, and the end edge of each locking tab being located so as to contact the arm of an associated retainer flap in such a carrier;
• and
• means on the locking tabs and the retainer flaps for preventing withdrawal of the locking tabs from engagement with the retainer flaps in a carrier formed from the blank.