Improvements in or connected with Collapsible Boxes or Receptacles for the Storage and Transport of Tea and other Dry Goods.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Collapsible Boxes or Receptacles
for the Storage and Transport of Tea and other Dry Goods.
I, ERNEST HARRY ARCHER, of No. 37, St. Mary Axe, in the City of London,
Tea Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with collapsible boxes or
receptacles for the storage and transport of tea and other dry goods such as coffee,
cocoa, and mustard.
The method commonly adopted in packing tea for temporary storage and
transport consists in enveloping the tea in a cover of lead or tin foil in order to
exclude, as much as possible, the atmosphere and, at the same time, retain the
flavour of the tea, but, in practice it is found that this protection is not so effective
as is desirable, the flavour or aroma of the tea or the like passing through the
envelope or cover and materially lessening the value of the article.
It is also found in practice that the flavour of the tea or the like is better
retained and the tea is generally kept in better condition when enclosed in boxes or
receptacles composed of metal plate, as that is impervious and retains the flavour or
aroma of the tea or other article contained therein, but this method of packing tea
for transport has not generally been adopted for the reason that boxes or receptacles
of this character are too expensive for ordinary use, and are too bulky to return for
re-packing and when of a round section the boxes are inconvenient to store
and pack.
Now according to my invention I form the box or receptacle of metal plate thus
obviating the disadvantages above pointed out whilst I so construct the box or
receptacle that it is rendered easily collapsible and is therefore adapted to be
returned for use over again.
For this purpose I make the body of the box of a sheet of metal plate bent into a
rectangular form so as to constitute a tube, open at the ends, and which may be
square, oblong or of other rectangular shape according to the purpose for which the
box is required to be employed and I form the meeting edges of the metal plate
with returned ends, located upon the interior of the tube and I form a bead upon
one meeting edge and a clip upon the other meeting edge to embrace the bead or I
turn one of the meeting edges in at an angle and bend the other meeting edge round
it or the meeting edges may be united in any other suitable manner.
I adopt this system when forming the body of the box of comparatively small
size, but when it is required of large size I form the body in several parts to be
united with capability of easy separation.
In order to close the ends of the box, I employ caps or covers formed of metal
plate of a shape corresponding with the ends of the body and formed with rims or
Ranges split at the corners, and I fit these caps or covers upon the open ends of the
tube or body with the flanges or rims at opposite sides entered within the open ends
of the body and with the corresponding flanges at right angles thereto fitting upon
the exterior of the body or the rims of the caps may be caused to fit either wholly
inside or wholly outside the ends of the body, but, in all cases, I form the rims or
flanges split at the corners, and I also form notches or openings therein to receive
or pass over the projecting joints of the body.
In some cases, I form ribs upon the opposite flanges of the cap when adapted to
enter the body and corresponding recesses in the body or vice versa so that the
projections may snap into the recesses and securely retain the cover in place, and,
I also, in some cases, form ribs upon those flanges of the caps which are outside the

page_text: tube such ribs serving as distance pieces to keep the boxes apart when a number
are packed together, to prevent the labels being damaged by friction.
These caps or covers having been placed in position upon the open ends of the
box I seal them and the joint of the box by means of a label or wrapper of paper
or woven fabric gummed upon one surface and which I lap around the box or case
so as to meet and wholly or partially cover the caps or covers, or, I may pass the
label or wrapper around the complete box or case in the opposite direction, but, in
all cases I so arrange it as to completely seal the junctions of the caps or covers
with the body of the box.
In some cases, I form two or more of the flanges of the caps or covers with ribs
or projections to come against the ends of the body and form stops.
When it is desired to empty the box of its contents or to obtain access thereto, it
is simply necessary to run a knife around the wrapper or label of one of the caps or
ends when the same may be removed.
When the contents are completely withdrawn the box or case may be collapsed
by removing the second cap or cover by cutting the label as above described. The
two ends which have been clipping the body together being withdrawn the body
sheet can be disjointed at the meeting edges and the bodies of a number of boxes
can then be nested, so that the whole device may be packed in a very small compass
for transport.
In the same manner, the flattened or collapsed bodies and covers can be supplied
to the user who can readily expand and unite them at their joints as they are
required for use.
Dated this 19th day of March 1892.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Collapsible Boxes or Receptacles
for the Storage and Transport of Tea and other Dry Goods.
I, ERNEST HARRY ARCHER, of No. 37, St. Mary Axe, in the City of London,
Tea Dealer, 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 said invention relates to improvements in or connected with collapsible boxes
or receptacles for the storage and transport of tea and other dry goods, such as
coffee, cocoa and mustard.
The method commonly adopted in packing tea for temporary storage and
transport consists in enveloping the tea in a cover of lead or tin foil in order to
exclude, as much as possible, the atmosphere, and, at the same time, retain the
flavour of the tea, but, in practice it is found that this protection is not so effective
as is desirable, the flavour or aroma of the tea or the like passing through the
envelope or cover and materially lessening the value of the article.
It is also found in practice that the flavour of the tea or the like is better retained
and the tea is generally kept in better condition when enclosed in boxes or receptacles
composed of metal plate, as that is impervious and retains the flavour or aroma of
the tea or other article contained therein, but this method of packing. tea for
transport has not generally been adopted for the reason that boxes or receptacles
of this character are too expensive for ordinary use, and are too bulky to return for
re-packing and when of a round section the boxes are inconvenient to store and
pack.
Now, according to my invention, I form the box or receptacle of metal plate thus
obviating the disadvantages above pointed out, whilst I so construct the box or
receptacle that it is rendered easily collapsible and is therefore adapted to be
roturned for use over again.

page_text: For this purpose, I make the body of the box of a sheet of metal plate bent into
a rectangular form so as to constitute a tube open at the ends, and which may be
square, oblong or of other rectangular shape according to the purpose for which the
box is required to be employed, and I form the meeting edges of the metal plate
with returned ends, located upon the interior of the tube and I form a bead upon
one meeting edge and a clip upon the other meeting edge to embrace the bead, or,
I turn one of the meeting edges in at an angle and bend the other meeting edge
round it, or, the meeting edges may be united in any other suitable manner.
I adopt this system when forming the body of the box of comparatively small
size, but, when it is required of large size, I form the body in several parts to be
united with capability of easy separation.
In order to close the ends of the box, I employ caps or covers formed of metal
plate of a shape corresponding with the ends of the body and formed with rims or
flanges split at the corners, and I fit these caps or covers upon the open ends of the
tube or body with the flanges or rims at opposite sides entered within the open ends
of the body and with the corresponding flanges at right angles thereto fitting upon
the exterior of the body or the rims of the caps may be caused to fit either wholly
inside or wholly outside the ends of the body, but, in all cases, I form the rims or
flanges split at the corners, and I also form notches or openings therein to receive
or pass over the projecting joints of the body..
In some cases, I form ribs upon the opposite flanges of the cap when adapted to
enter the body and corresponding recesses in the body or vice versa so that the
projections may snap into the recesses and securely retain the cover in place, and,
I also, in some cases, form ribs upon those flanges of the caps which are outside the
tube, such ribs serving as distance pieces to keep the boxes apart when a number
are packed together to prevent the labels being damaged by friction.
These caps or covers having been placed in position upon the open ends of the
box I seal them and the joint of the box by means of a label or wrapper of paper
or woven fabric gummed upon one surface and which I lap around the box or case
so as to meet and wholly or partially cover the caps or covers, or, I may pass the
label or wrapper around the complete box or case in the opposite direction, but, in
all cases, I so arrange it as to completely seal the junctions of the caps or covers
with the body of the box.
In some cases, I form two or more of the flanges of the caps, or covers, with ribs
or projections to come against the ends of the body and form stops.
When it is desired to empty the box of its contents, or to obtain access thereto,
it is simply necessary to run a knife round the wrapper or label of one of the caps
or ends when the same may be removed.
When the contents are completely withdrawn the box or case may be collapsed
by removing the second cap or cover by cutting the label as above described. The
two ends which have been clipping the body together being withdrawn the body
sheet can be disjointed at the meeting edges and the bodies of a number of boxes
can then be nested, so that the whole device may be packed in a very small compass
for transport.
In the same manner the flattened or collapsed bodies and covers can be supplied
to the user who can readily expand and unite them at their joints as they are
required for use.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.

page_text: Figure 6. is a horizontal section of a box showing a modified form of joint.
Figures 7. 8. and 9. are similar views representing further slight modifications.
Figures 10. 11. 12. and 13. represent vertical sections of various modified forms
of lid and co-acting parts of the box.
Figure 14. is a horizontal section representing a modified form of box.
Figure 15. is a vertical section of part thereof.
Figure 16. is a horizontal section of a box representing a further slight modifi-
cation.
Figure 17. is a vertical section of part thereof.
Figure 18. is a vertical section taken at right angles to Figure 17.
Figure 19. is a horizontal section representing a further modified form of box.
Figures 20, and 21. are similar views to Figure 19. but representing slight
modifications thereof.
Figure 22. is a horizontal section representing a further modification.
Figure 23. is a vertical section thereof.
Figure 24. is an exterior view taken at right angles to Figure 23.
Figure 25. is a vertical section of a portion of a box representing a further
modification.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1. to 5, a. represents the body of the box which is formed
of a sheet of metal bent into a rectangular form so as to constitute a tube open at
the ends and which may be of square oblong or other suitable shape according to
the purpose for which the box is required to be employed.
The meeting edges of the metal plate a. are formed with returned ends located
upon the interior of the tube and one of such meeting edges or returned ends is
formed with a bead a¹ and the other with a clip a to embrace the bead a¹ so that
when the box is required for use the meeting edges may be instantaneously and
firmly united.
In order to close the ends of the box a. caps or covers b. are employed formed of
metal plate of a shape corresponding with the ends of the body a. and formed with
rims or flanges 61 62 split at the corners and these caps or covers b. are fitted upon
the open ends of the tube or body a. with the flanges or rims 6' at opposite sides
entered within the open ends of the tube or body a. and with the corresponding
flanges at right angles thereto fitting upon the exterior of the body a. which may
be recessed or indented to receive them as shown at Figures 2. and 3, or, the rims
or flanges 6' 6 of the caps b. may be caused to fit either wholly inside or wholly
outside the ends of the body a. but in all cases the rims or flanges 61 6 should be
split at the corners and those flanges fitting inside the body a. should be formed
with notches or openings therein as indicated at 63 to receive or pass over the
projecting joints a a² of the body.
These caps or covers b. having been placed in position upon the open ends of the
box as hereinbefore described they and the joint of the box a. are sealed by means
of a label or wrapper which is formed of paper or woven fabric gummed upon one
surface and which is lapped around the box or case as indicated by the dotted
lines c. so as to meet and wholly or partially cover the caps or covers b. or the
label or wrapper c. may be passed around the complete box a. in the opposite
direction, but, in all cases, it should be so arranged as to completely seal the
junctions of the caps or covers b. with the body of the box a.
When it is desired to empty the box a. of its contents or to obtain access thereto
it is simply necessary to run a knife around the wrapper or label c. of one of the
caps or covers b. when the same may be removed.
When the contents are completely withdrawn the box or case a. may be collapsed
by removing the second cap or cover b. in the manner above described the meeting
edges of the body a. may then be readily disjointed by releasing the bead a' from
the clip a after which, by slightly opening out or expanding the sheet forming the
body a; a number of such bodies may be nested one within the other so that they

page_text: will occupy little space either for storage or transport whilst the covers b. may De
similarly treated as will be readily understood.
In the same manner the flattened or collapsed bodies a. and covers b. can be
supplied to the user who can readily expand and unite them at their joints as they
are required for use.
In the example given at Figure 6: the meeting edges are turned in at an angle
and arranged in a similar manner to that represented at Figure 1. but in this use in
lieu of forming a bead upon one meeting edge and a clip upon the other the one a¹
is left plain and the other a is bent somewhat in the form of a hook so as to
embrace it.
In the example given at Figure 7. a somewhat similar arrangement of parts a¹
and a to that represented at. Figure 1. is employed but in this case the joint
instead of being located at one of the angles of the body a. of the box is arranged
to occupy a suitable position in one of the sides thereof.
In the example given at Figure 8 the joint is located in a similar position to that
represented at Figure 7. whilst the form of the joint is almost identical with that
represented at Figure 6. but in this case the parts a¹ and a³ are bent so as to lie
parallel with the side of the box a. and consequently occupy little space upon the
interior thereof.
In the example given at Figure 9. the joint is again similarly located but in this
case the meeting edges a' a² are both bent into the form of a¹ in the previous
figure whilst in order to complete the joint a long clip a³ is employed which
embraces the parts a¹ a² and slides into position therein.
In the example given at Figure 10. a slightly modified form of lid or cover b. is
shown which, whilst being generally in principle the same as that represented at
Figures 4. and 5, differs in that the flanges b' are bent into an inverted U-shape so
as to embrace the corresponding edges of the body a. of the box.
In the example given at Figure 11, the body a. of the box is formed with
internal ribs a and the inside flanges b¹ of the cover b. are provided with corre
sponding indentations or grooves 6 to engage the ribs a' so that the projections aª
may snap into the recesses b* and securely retain the cover b. in place.
In the example given at Figure 12, the reverse arrangement is adopted, that is to
say, the body a. of the box is formed with projecting ribs at and the outside
flange of the lid or cover b. is provided with indentations or grooves 6.
In the example given at Figure 13, all the flanges of the cover b. enter the box a.
and are therefore lettered 6' and each flange is provided with a projecting rib b
and the several ribs encounter the end of the tube or box a. and whilst acting as
stops to limit the extent to which the flanges a' enter the box a. also serve as
distance pieces to keep the boxes apart when a number are packed together and
thereby prevent the general body of the labels becoming damaged by frictional
contact. Or, in the case of a cover provided with two inside flanges b' and two
outside flanges 6, ribs b' might be formed upon the outside flanges.
In the example given at Figures 14, and 15, three sides of the body a. of the box
are formed of a single plate whilst the fourth side is formed of a separate plate a
the edges of the body a. and the plate a being bent in a similar manner to that
represented at Figure 9. the plate a being similarly slidden into position whilst a
cap or cover b. of a similar character to that represented at Figures 4. and 5. is
shown applied thereto.
In the example given at Figures 16, 17, and 18, the box is similar to that
represented in the last preceding figures except that the plate a' is shaped to lie
flush with the joints and the end of the body a. with the exception of the plate a! is
formed with horizontal flanges as to hold the cover b. in position. The cover b. in
this case is adapted to slide into position and for this purpose it is on three sides
bent so as to form grooves to engage the flanges a whilst the fourth side is
provided with a downwardly extending flange to facilitate its removal from
the box
The system hereinbefore described of forming the body a. of the box is best

page_text: adapted for boxes of comparatively small size but when the box is required of
large dimensions the body a. is formed of several plates united with capability of
easy disconnection.
In the example given at Figure 19. a box of this character is represented the
four sides of the box being formed of separate plates, two opposite sides a. being
provided with return flanges a' whilst the other sides a are at their edges bent
into the form of grooves a to receive the flanges a' the several parts being held
together at one or both ends by an external cap b. such as that represented at the
upper part of Figure 23.
In the example given at Figure 20. the box a. is constructed in a similar manner
to that lastly hereinbefore described but in this case the plates a' are formed
slightly recessed.
In the example given at Figure 21. the edges a¹ of the sides a. are bent into hook
form and the edges of the plates a' are correspondingly bent to engage those of the
plates a. so that internal pressure will tend to hold the parts together.
In the example given at Figures 22, 23, and 24, a similar principle is adopted
but in this case the edges of the plates a. and those of the plates a' are shaped in a
similar manner to the corresponding parts in Figure 14. so that they require to be
slidden into position and render the box capable of withstanding both internal and
external pressure. In. this case the bottom cover b. is on two sides turned over
at to engage corresponding parts as formed on two sides a. of the box, so that it
may be slidden into position whilst the upper end of the box is closed by an
external cover b. of ordinary character except that it is slit at the corners to
facilitate folding.
In the example given at Figure 25, the body a. of the box is formed in a similar
manner to that hereinbefore described with respect to Figure 19, but in this case
the cover b. is formed with flanges 6' turned over so as when slidden into
position to embrace corresponding parts a' formed on the two sides a. of the body,
and this arrangement is best adapted for use when the label is lapped transversely
around the box a, the projecting bead formed by the parts a¹ serving to protect the
label from injury.
The method of collapsing and packing boxes of the character described with
respect to Figures 14. to 25. will be readily understood from the description herein-
before given with respect to Figures 1. to 5, and I therefore do not think it
necessary to enter into any further description thereof.
I have hereinbefore shown and described the best means that I am at present
acquainted with for carrying my invention into effect but I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details thereof as it is evident
that the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a collapsible box, a body formed of a single sheet of metal bent into the
required form and provided at its meeting edges with corresponding parts of a
suitable joint adapted to be readily engaged and separated, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. In a collapsible box, a body formed of several plates the meeting edges of
which are provided with corresponding parts of suitable joints adapted to be
readily engaged and separated, substantially as herein shown and described and for
the purpose stated.
3. In a collapsible box, a body formed of one or more plates, the meeting edges
of which are provided with corresponding parts of suitable joints adapted to be
readily engaged and separated, in combination with suitable removeable ends or
covers adapted to hold the parts of the body in position, substantially as herein
shown and Joohed and fro the suunase stated.

page_text: 4. In a collapsible box, forming the body or the ends or covers with projecting
beads to serve as a protection for a label lapped around the box, substantially as
herein shown and described.
5. In a collapsible box, a body formed of one or more plates, the meeting edges
of which are provided with corresponding parts of suitable joints adapted to be
readily engaged and separated, in combination with removeable ends or covers
some of the flanges of which enter the interior of the box and others of which
embrace the exterior thereof, substantially as herein shown and described.
6. In a collapsible box, a body formed of a single sheet of metal bent into the
required form and at its meeting edges formed with returned ends located upon the
interior of the body, such meeting edges being furnished with corresponding parts
of a suitable joint adapted to readily engage and separate, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose stated.
7. In combination with a collapsible box, a cover or covers formed with
descending flanges split at the corners, substantially as herein shown and described
and for the purpose stated.
8. In a collapsible box, the combination of ribs or recesses upon the box and
corresponding parts upon the descending flanges of the covers or ends, substantially
as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this Nineteenth day of December 1892.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.