Improvements in Match and other Boxes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 4th July, 1893-Accepted. 5th Aug.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Match and other Boxes.
I, EDWARD JACOB HILL of 11 Victoria Street Westminster Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvement consists of a box (for holding matches or other articles required
to be withdrawn singly) made out of one single plate of metal stamped or cut of
such shape that when folded as hereafter described it will form a completely closed
spring box provided with orifices in overlapping end portions of the box, which
orifices in the normal position do not coincide but which may be made to do so by
compressing the box for the purpose of discharging the contents.
The blank is cut
out of a shape similar to that shewn in Figure 1 and is brought to box-like form by
folding it as shewn in Figure 2.
Dated this 4th day of October 1892.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Match and other Boxes.
I, EDWARD JACOB HILL, of 11 Victoria Street, Westminster, Engineer 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 :-
My invention consists of a box (for holding matches, cigarettes, lozenges, or other
small articles) made of a single piece of sheet metal stamped or cut of such shape
and folded in such manner as to form a complete self-closing spring box from which
the articles contained may be withdrawn singly by the mere act of pressing the
spring-like portion of the box which contains the matches or other articles and
moving it so as to bring it opposite a discharge orifice in the end of the box with
which in its normal position it does not communicate.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 shews the blank and Figure 2 a perspective view of the box made
therefrom.
Figure 3 shews a slightly modified form of the blank and
Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the box made therefrom, in two
positions.
The blank A is a parallel-sided strip of a width corresponding to the length of
the box and of a length about 1 times the girth of the box. It has lateral
extensions b, b, formed in one with it of approximately oval form to constitute the
ends of the box, which may be stamped to a slightly dished form so as to present a
rounded external surface which may be roughened for striking matches. One of
these extensions has an aperture c forming the discharge orifice of the box. In
addition to the extensions 6 the strip may also have an additional pair of extensions d
of somewhat different shape one of these having also an aperture e, or these
extensions may be dispensed with, if preferred as shewn in Figures 3, 4, and 5.
In either case the blank is brought to box form by folding it on a mandrel
whereby three cross-bends f, g, h, are formed, the bend f being less than a semi-
circle and of about half the radius of the other two which correspond in curvature

page_text: 80
It is
to the semi-circular ends of the extensions b, so that the part a of the blank
diverges from the next adjacent portion a', and its end bears against the part a* of
the blank and acts as a spring tending to keep the space enclosed by the parts a, a',
and the bend g in such position that it does not come opposite the orifice c.
the space so enclosed which is the container for the matches or other articles.
After so bending the strip the extensions d if employed are bent up at right angles
to the original plane of the strip-so as to close the ends of the said container-space
save for the orifice e, after which the extensions bare likewise bent up outside of
"the extensions d to form the outer ends of the box. Thus in the normal position the
orifices e and c do not coincide but by pressing on the part a' of the box the container
'portion may be so moved as to bring the two orifices into coincidence to give passage
"to the articles.
It will be obvious that if the extensions d be omitted the effect will be precisely
the same.
In the normal position the container-space is not opposite the orifice c
and the contents cannot escape but by pressing on the part a' as above mentioned,
the open end of said container portion may be brought opposite the orifice d as
shewn in Figure 5.
The outer end portion a³ of the strip by partly overlapping the part a¹ limits
the extent of outward motion of said part consequent on the spring action of
part a.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
A self-closing spring box, formed of a single piece of spring sheet metal with
lateral extensions and bent or folded so as to be overlapped upon itself, as described,
so as to enclose an inner capacity which is movable to a limited extent within the
overlapping portion of the strip, the lateral extensions forming ends and having an
aperture with which the inner capacity is, by the spring-like action of the strip,
held out of communication but with which it may be made to coincide, as
specified.
Dated this 4th day of Jul. 1902
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
E. J. HILL,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.