Year: 1897

page_text: We, ARTHUR CECIL TAYLOR, of 8, Hillhouse Road, Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich,
Artist, and ERNEST IVENS WATSON and HENRY REEVE EVERITT, both of 32, Prince
of Wales Road, Norwich, Solicitors, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to cigarette and cigar boxes and cases and it can be made
separately or as an inner case to an ordinary cigarette box of the pattern hereafter
referred to.
In a cigarette box formed according to our improved method we make the outer
part of an ordinary cigarette box of cardboard or other suitable material of general
design similar to that of an ordinary wooden match box and of such shape and
dimensions as we consider suitable and having at its lower end a move-ble arm or
sliding bottom (composed of one or more pieces) one end of which is _ttached
(either naturally by being cut out of the same piece of cardboard or 'y appropriate
means) to one side of the box and the other after being bent or jointed in a
suitable manner extends up to the other side of the box for the whole or part of
its length or if so desired projecting a short distance beyond the other end of the
box the said moveable arm or bottom being so attached that by pressing it from
below upward with the finger or by pulling its extended end upward either by
means of a projecting piece above the top of the box or by an tached tape or such
like addition or by using any other appropriate means for raising it from one side
it acts as a lever with a fulcrum at the point of attachment to the side of the box
and causes the contents of the box to be raised in a regular tier one above the
other thus enabling the cigarettes to be extracted with greater facility than is
the case with the boxes now ordinarily made. We may close the upper end of the
box by a tuck-in flap or in any other suitable manner and we may close or partially
close the lower end by a fixed piece or by a flap but in such case if the cigarettes
are intended to be raised by an upward pressure of the finger sufficient space
must be left for this purpose.
If we apply the invention to an inner case we make the outer case in the ordinary
way as above mentioned without the additional attachments and we make an inner
case in the form of a sliding tray similar to those often used in certain cardboard
cigarette boxes now made or of other appropriate design with such tuck in flaps
as may be desired and with the sides of the tray not attached to the ends or flaps
and we attach our moveable arm (either naturally or artificially as above mentioned)
to one of the sides of the tray instead of as above mentioned to the side of the outer
box itself and if thought desirable we detach this side of the tray from the bottom
of the tray for part of its length so as to form a larger lever with or without joints
and we make such an orifice or leave such an opening in the flap as may be requisite
for inserting the finger or if we desire to raise the cigarettes by a pull from above
we do so by such addition to the moveable bottom or by a tape or other attachment
or by raising the bottom from one side by any other appropriate means as above

page_text: mentioned. When it is desired to enclose a photograph or picture in the case we
cut a tab in the lower flap for it to rest in or we secure it in some other manner
to such tab.
We may if we like add a stop fixed or stamped in the outer box and a similar one
on the tray or use a short tape attached to the outer cover and to the tray or use
other means to prevent the latter being pushed too far out of the outer case.
The principle of the invention may be applied to boxes made of wood metal or
other substance and for boxes or cases for cigars as well as cigarettes and in case
of metal or other hard substance the moveable bottom may be worked by a spring
of suitable design and placed in a suitable position to act most advantageously and
the box or case if so desired may be so constructed that the spring or catch which
opens the box may release the spring of the moveable bottom and cause the
cigarettes or cigars to be raised automatically.
We may
if we desire make two or more moveable bottoms to one box either both
attached to one side or to a central division or one attached to each side and
extending up a central division and so that the cigarettes or cigars may be raised
in two tiers in different planes or so that part only of those in the box or case may
be raised at one time.
We, ARTHUR CECIL TAYLOR, of 8, Hillhouse Road, Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich,
Artist, and ERNEST IVENS WATSON and HENRY REEVE EVERITT, both of 32, Prince
of Wales Road, Norwich, Solicitors, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In applying the present invention to a box made from cardboard paper or similar
material it can be made in two ways
Firstly, As a box in itself,
Secondly, As a sliding tray or inner case to the box or case in ordinary use.
In either of these methods the box tray or slide is stamped or cut out from one
or more pieces of suitable material as shewn in Figures I and II with such
variations in design as may be thought desirable the essential features of this inven-
tion being the arm or false bottom A with its continuation or false side A¹ and
with or without the hole C.
These drawings shew the invention in the form of a tray but the variations
necessary when the invention is applied to the box itself will be readily understood
from the following description
:-
In order that the process of manufacture may be made more clear we have added
letters to the drawings which point as follows:
a, the arm or false bottom.
a¹, the continuation of such arm.
b, b, b, fulcra.
c, hole in end of box.
d, the cut.
The dotted lines at the top of a¹, show that the length of this arm need not
be limited to the length of the box, as will hereafter more particularly explained.

page_text: In applying our invention to the first mentioned method of manufacture, we
either stamp or cut out the whole box, with the arm or false bottom, and its con-
tinuation or false side from one piece of material, in which case the plan of the box
when laid open, will be similar to the tray shown in Figs. I and II with sides and
ends of such width as we desire to lap over or otherwise, and we turn in the false
bottom a, above the true bottom and the false side a¹, along the inside of the box,
opposite to the side to which it is attached, and we fold up the box over this and
fasten the sides and ends or one end by gum or otherwise, in any way in which an
ordinary cardboard cigarette box may be fastened; or, we make the outer part of
an ordinary cardboard box from suitable material and of such shape and dimen-
sions as we may desire similar in design to an ordinary wooden match box, and
we attach to the lower end of one of its sides by gum, wire, or any other suitable
means, a movable arm or sliding bottom (composed of one or more pieces) of such a
length and width as to cover or almost cover the true bottom, but allowing sufficient
play for it to move freely inside the box, and we continue this false bottom up the
side or partly up the side of the box opposite to the one to which false bottom is
joined, the false side a¹, being either in a piece with the false bottom, the same
having been first bent or partly cut through or otherwise jointed or being joined
to the false bottom by paper, fabric of any suitable kind, wire or other suitable
means, and this false side may be continued for the whole length of the box or
beyond it, or it may have attached to it a piece of tape, string or some such like
dition; or instead of the false side of cardboard, or such like material, we may
fasten a tape, string, or some similar substance directly on to the free end of the
false bottom. In the bottom of the box we may make a hole c, of sufficient size to
insert the finger.
It will be seen that in a box thus constructed, we can by pushing the finger
through the hole c, in the end of the box, or by pulling the false side upward,
either by means of the projecting piece above the top of the box, as shown by the
dotted lines in Fig. II, or by an attached string, tape, or such like addition, or by
pulling the tape or string that we attach directly to the false bottom in lieu of the
false side as above suggested, or by using any other appropriate means for raising
the false bottom from one side it acts as a lever with a fulcrum at the point of
attachment to the side of the box, and causes the contents of the box to be raised
in regular tiers one above the other, by means of the inclined plane which is conse-
quentially formed, and thus enables a cigarette to be extracted with greater facility,
than is the case with the boxes now ordinarily made.
The box may be made with its upper end closed by a tuck-in flap, or in any
other suitable manner, and the lower end may be closed, or partially closed by a
fixed piece or by a flap, but in such case if the cigarettes are intended to be raised
by an upward pressure of the finger, a sufficient hole or space c, must be left for
the purpose, and if the bottom is closed with a flap the latter should project far
enough up the box to prevent the possibility of the false bottom when raised
catching against it. We may if we desire, for the purpose of economy or otherwise
dispense with the ordinary bottom or flap and utilize the so called false bottom a,
as the bottom of the box, but we do not recommend this course.
In order to get the best results from the action of the false bottom, it is desirable
that the latter should be jointed at the end opposite to that to which the false
arma 1, is attached and be extended for a short distance up the opposite side, the
point of attachment to the main body of the box thus being brought a little way up
the side instead of at the extreme bottom point, and this extension may, and it is
desirable that it should have, one or more additional joints made by bending or
cutting the material or otherwise as above mentioned. In this way additional
fulcra are made, one at each joint, and the final or main one, at the point of
attachment with the side.
The width of the additional spaces between the fulcra, may be such as is found
convenient. We find that spaces of a width approximately equal to the thickness
of the cigarettes or a trifle wider, give the greatest satisfaction, and we find that

page_text: three joints or fulcra, including the point of attachment, are desirable and the
most satisfactory number, though we do not bind ourselves to this number.
Three joints or fulcra as here described, are shown in Figs. I and II of the
drawings and marked b, b, b., and the false bottom is here shown as having been
cut or stamped out of one piece with the side, and in this case the point of attach-
ment with the side is raised by detaching the latter from the body of the box at its
lower joint or edge for such distance as is required.
In applying our invention to the second mentioned method of manufacture, that
is as a sliding tray or inner case to the box or case in ordinary use, we make the
outer case in the ordinary way as above mentioned without the additional attach-
ments and without ends, and we make an inner case in the form of a sliding
tray similar to those often used in certain card-board cigarette boxes now made, or
of other appropriate design with such tuck-in flaps as may be desired and with
the sides of the tray not attached to the ends or flaps, and we
attach our moveable arms or false bottom a, (either naturally from its
being cut out of one piece with the side, or artificially as above mentioned) to
one of the sides of the tray instead of as above mentioned to the side of the outer
box itself, and we continue the false bottom in the form of a false side a I. as
above described up the inside of the tray for the whole or part of its length as
desired. We further make such an orifice or leave such an opening in the bottom
flap as may be requisite for inserting the finger, or if we desire to raise the cigar-
ettes by a pull from above, we do so by such addition to the false side as shown
by the dotted lines in Fig. II or by a tape, string, or other attachment or in lieu
of the false side we attach a tape or string directly to the free end of the false
bottom, or we use any other appropriate means for raising the false bottom from
one side as above mentioned.
In this case also to get better results, we raise the point of attachment of the false
bottom with the side, either by detaching the latter from the body of the tray for
part of its length (where the false bottom is made out of one piece with the side) or
by continuing the false bottom a short distance up the side and there attaching it,
(where the false bottom is not in one piece with the side) in either case making the
additional joints or fulcra as shown at b, b, b, in Figs. I and II.
We may if we desire, for the sake of economy or otherwise, dispense with the
bottom flap and the side of the tray opposite to that to which the false bottom is
attached but we do not recommend this to be done as there is danger of the cigar-
ettes coming out in the pocket and also of the false bottom or false arm catching
against the projecting edges of the tray.
When it is desired to enclose a photograph or picture in the case, we make a cut
or tab in the lower flap for it to rest in, or we secure it in some other manner to
such tab.
We may add a stop (of cardboard or similar suitable material) fixed or stamped
in the outer box and a similar one on the tray, or use a short tape attached to the
outer cover and to the tray or employ other means to prevent the latter being
pushed too far out of the outer case.
We have now described our invention as applied to boxes of cardboard or other
such like material of the general design above mentioned, but for the sake of
avoiding confusion, we would again state that the false arm ог
bottom a, and its continuation or false side a I (with or without
the further continuation, shown by the dotted lines) and the continuation at the
other end of the false bottom, containing the fulcra b, b, b, can be made all in
one piece or in two or more pieces, fastened together with paper, fabric, wire, or in
any other suitable manner as desired, and may be in one piece with one of the sides
of the box or tray as the case may be, or not, and again the side of the box or tray
to which the false bottom is attached may be in one piece with the body of the
box or tray as the case may be, or may be a separate piece fastened to the body of the
box in any suitable manner. We believe it to be most convenient that the whole
box or tray should be cut or stamped out of one piece, but for the purpose of

page_text: economy it may be found desirable to make the false bottom or false arm or
part of it, out of a separate piece and afterwards join it as required.
The principle of the invention may be applied twice in the same box, either by
making two false bottoms each half the width of the box, and each attached to a
different side, the continuation or false arm a I, in each case then coming up the
centre of the box, instead of up the side one against the other; or by dividing the
false bottom and false side lengthways into two, and placing a piece of cardboard
of the length and width of the box between the division and between two layers
of cigarettes so that the cigarettes could thus be raised in two tiers, or the two
false bottoms and sides thus made of slightly less than half the thickness of the
box, could be fixed one on one side and one on the other with the cardboard between
as above mentioned, the effect being that the tiers of cigarettes would then rise
in opposite directions.
The principle of the invention may also be applied to boxes made of wood,
metal, or other substance, and for boxes or cases for cigars as well as cigarettes.
In cases of metal or other hard substance, the moveable bottom may be worked by
an ordinary V spring, placed beneath it and the false side may be extended or a rod
run from the centre of the false bottom so that the spring of the catch or lid which
opens the box may release the spring of the false arm or bottom and cause the
cigarettes to be raised automatically. This principle can be worked singly or
doubly. In the latter method we make two or more moveable bottoms to one box
as shown in Fig. III attached to one side of the box as indicated by letter e, with an
ordinary V-spring placed in position underneath the false bottom or arm as shown
by the dotted lines, or by having a rod, chain, wire, or attachment of other suitable
material, which is fixed at the centre of the false bottom or bottoms, as indicated
by letter f, and is carried through the middle of the central division of the box to
the middle of the lid, thus causing the false bottoms to rise as the lid rises, and the
contents to be raised in two tiers upon inclined planes respectively, or so that part
only of the contents of the box or case may be raised at one time. The continued
end of the false side of the box may be made from watch spring or other similar
suitable material which cause it to keep the contents of the box pressed against the
opposite side, and thus looseness is prevented.
The central division is simply a partition which slides in and out of the box, it
is made by joining two pieces of suitable material together and fixing them in such
a manner that the box or case is divided off into two equal compartments, to the
respective bottom sides of which the false bottoms are attached by pivots.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A cigarette or cigar box or case made of cardboard or other similar substance
constructed with the false bottom and other additions as hereinbefore described.
2. A cigarette or cigar box or case constructed of wood, metal or other hard
substance with the false bottom worked substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination, with any design of cigarette or cigar box or case, of the false
bottom and false side (with or without the additional fulera above mentioned)
constructed substantially as above described.