IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXES OR CASES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Robert Edward Bell, of the Firm of R. Bell
& Co., of Knightrider Street, in the City of London, Wax Vesta Manufac-
turers, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXES
OR CASES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Robert Edward Bell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th July 1881.
CHARLES ROBERT EDWARD BELL, of the Firm of R. Bell & Co., of Knightrider
Street, in the City of London, Wax Vesta Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXES OR CASES."
This Invention relates to the manufacture of covered card board boxes or cases
for various purposes, such as for holding wax vestas, matches, cigarettes, and cigars,
the object of the Invention being to produce at a low prico a box which shall have
the appearance of a box or case made of a relatively high priced material, such as
leather, and which shall at the same time be strong and serviceable.
In carrying out my Invention for small boxes having shoulders to receive the
lid, such as those used for containing wax vestas, the sheets of cardboard from
which the boxes are to be made are first covered by suitable known means with a
material such as cloth or with a colored paper, and are then cut out and stamped
in hot presses to the shape to form the sides of the box lid or body, and preferably
with rounded edges and corners, the parts for forming the body being stamped
with a shoulder. The edges of a piece for forming one side of the box lid or body,
as the case may be, are stamped with a recess or groove, the edges of the corre-
sponding half being formed to fit the said recesses or grooves, and the two halves
thus formed are then united by a suitable press which will turn the edges one into
the other, and thereby form a body or lid of the box, which will have the appear-
ance of being formed in one piece without joints. A small quantity of glue or
other suitable adhesive material may be employed to secure a more perfect joint.
Instead of stamping the shoulder, as herein before described, it may be constructed
by means of a separate piece fixed in the one half or body of the box.
In a modification of the Invention, instead of uniting the parts in the manner
hereinbefore described, I unite them by means of a strip of metal formed with a
groove to receive the edges of the parts of the box body or lid, the said metal strip
being tightly pressed so as to firmly hold the said edges, and the ends of the strips
are bent over and inwards so as to secure a neat finish and strengthen the box at
the joints.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Robert Edward Bell in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th January 1882.
CHARLES ROBERT EDWARD BELL, of the Firm of R. Bell & Co., of Knightrider
Street, in the City of London, Wax Vesta Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXES OR CASES."
This Invention relates to the manufacture of covered cardboard boxes or cases
for various purposes, such as for holding wax vestas, matches, cigarettes, and cigars,
the object of the Invention being to produce at a low price a box which shall have
the appearance of a box or case made of a relatively high priced material, such as
leather, and which shall at the same time be strong and serviceable.
In order to enable my Invention to be better understood, I will proceed to
describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing.
In carrying out my Invention for small boxes having shoulders to receive the
lid, such as those used for containing wax vestas, the sheets of cardboard from
which the boxes are to be made are first covered by suitable known means with a
material such as cloth or with a coloured paper, and are then cut out into blanks
of the required shape. Figure 1 shews the shape of a blank for forming the body
of the box and Figure 2 shews the shape of a blank for forming the lid or cover
for the said body; the said blanks are then stamped in hot presses to the shape to
form the sides of the box lid and body, and preferably with rounded edges and
corners; Figure 3 is a plan of the blank, shewn in Figure 1, after stamping.
As will be seen by reference to Figure 3, the blank is stamped with a shoulder a,
and the edges of one half b of the blank are stamped with a recessed or grooved
flange c; Figure 4, which is a section through the half b, the edges d of the
corresponding half e of the blank being formed to fit into the recesses or grooves of
the edges or flanges c; Figure 5 is a section through the half e. The halves of the
piece are then doubled or folded together at f, and the edges are then united by a
suitable press constructed to turn the edge cover the edge d, as shewn in the
sectional view at Figure 6, and thereby form the complete body of the box, which
will have the appearance of being formed in one piece without joints. A small
quantity of glue or other suitable adhesive material may be employed to secure a
more perfect joint. The lid is formed from the blank, shewn in Figure 2, in
a similar manner to that herein before described for forming the body, the only
difference between the body and the lid being that the former is formed with the
shoulder a; Figure 7 is a front view of the box complete; and Figure 8 is a
vertical transverse section of the same.
Instead of forming the blanks of the shape shewn in Figure 1, I sometimes form
them of the shape shewn in Figure 9, and after the blank is stamped it is divided
in the middle at g, and the halves are connected in a manner similar to that
herein before described.
Instead of stamping the shoulder a, as herein before described, it may be con
structed by means of a separate piece fitted into the body of the box.
In a modification of the Invention instead of uniting the parts in the manner
herein before described, I sometimes unite them by means of a strip of metal, more
particularly for the larger sized boxes.
Figure 10 shews the shape of a blank employed in forming boxes according to
this modification; the blank is stamped into the shape shewn in plan at Figure 11,
and in end view and cross section at Figures 12 and 13 respectively, being divided
in the stamping operation in the middle at h; the two parts are adapted to one
another, and the edges i are then united by means of a strip of metal stamped with
a groove to receive the said edges i, the said grooved strip of metal being previously
bent to the shape of the end and sides of the two parts of the box, as shewn in

page_text: Figure 14, which is a detached view of the said metal piece; Figure 15 is a
sectional interior view of the same j, shewing the groove into which the edges i
are fitted, the said metal spring being tightly pressed so as to firmly hold the said
edges together. The projecting ends k, l, are then bent over, as shewn in the
sectional view at Figure 16, and in dotted lines in the front view at Figure 17, so
as to secure a neat finish and to strengthen the box at the joints; Figure 18 is an
edge view shewing the two parts fitted together and forming the lid of the box.
The body of the box is constructed in a similar manner, with the addition of the
shoulder, which consists of a piece of pasteboard fashioned to fit the interior of
the body, as shewn in Figure 19; Figure 20 is a view of the box complete; m being
the body and n the lid.
For manufacturing boxes with sliding lids the metal strip is formed with an
additional groove to receive the flange of the sliding lid; Figure 21 is a plan of
the blanks employed, the said blanks being stamped into the shapes shewn by
Figures 22 and 23 to form the body and lid respectively; Figure 24 shews the
shape of the blank to form the metal frame, the said blank being stamped with
two grooves o, o, as shewn in Figures 25 and 26, and also with a projection at p,
Figure 27, to form a stop, as hereinafter described, and with projections q, as
clearly shewn in the edge view, Figure 28. The said metal strip is then bent to
the shape of the box, and the stamped cardboard blank is then fitted therein,
as shewn in plan at Figure 29, and in section at Figure 30. At the same time the
piece r, cut from the blank, Figure 23, is also fitted in the frame, the two ends of
the strip forming the frame, being connected together by lapping the projec-
tions q, q, one over the other. The ends of the lid is fitted with a metal rim t,
Figures 30 and 33, (which latter is an underside view of the lid complete), formed
from a blank, Figure 31, which is stamped to the shape shewn in Figure 32, and
then adapted to the lid so as to correspond when the lid is closed with the cut
away part u of the metal frame of the box; Figure 34 is a plan of the lid before
the metal frame is fitted thereto; v, v, are stops for the lid; and w is a thumb
notch for operating the lid; x, x, are blocks for strengthening the ends; Figure 35
is a plan of the box without the lid.
Figure 36 is a view of the box with the lid partly opened, shewing how the
flanges of the lid slide in the upper groove o of the metal frame of the box.
When the box is closed the interior of the metal rim t of the lid comes against the
stop p; Figure 37 is a plan of the box when closed, and Figure 38 is a side view
of the same.
The flanges and end of the lid may, if required, be covered with a
continuation of the metal rim t.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down, as it is obvious
that the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my
Invention, but what I claim is,-
Firstly. The improvements in the manufacture of boxes or cases, substantially
as hereiubefore described and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The manufacture and use of the improved boxes or cases hereinbefore
described and represented in the several Figures of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness, whereof, I, the said Charles Robert Edward Bell, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
CHAS. R. E. BELL. (L.S.)