A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OR ARRANGEMENT OF FOLDING CRATES OR CASES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Robinson Kelsey, of Strutton Ground, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OR ARRANGEMENT OF FOLDING CRATES OR CASES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Robinson Kelsey at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd March 1881.
JOHN ROBINSON KELSEY, of Strutton Ground, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex. "A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OR ARRANGEMENT OF FOLDING
CRATES OR CASES."
The object of this Invention is a new or improved construction or arrangement
of folding or collapsible crates or cases which can be, by means of hinges or joints
at certain parts of their sides, bottom, top, and end pieces, be caused to fold one
upon the other, to be in close contact and made compact for transport purposes,
said pieces being opened out, and brought into extended form for holding goods, and
be rigid to protect the goods placed in them. The fastenings being by screw pins
or other attachments.
For the purposes of my Invention I hinge or joint the two end pieces to one of
the side pieces, and I hinge or joint the bottom to the same side piece, and the
other side piece to the bottom. To this other side piece I hinge or joint the top,
and I fit screw pins to the end pieces to engage into the edges or other parts of
one of the side pieces to hold the several pieces rigidly in position when extended,
the top being loose on its hinges or joints to be fastened down by cords or
otherwise.
The top piece is provided with battens or strips on its under side to stiffen the
upper part when extended, these taking into and against the end pieces and the
two side pieces.
For conveyance as an empty crate or case, the screw pins are unfastened and
the several pieces are folded in and upon one another, the end pieces folding
inwards as to form a compact body occupying very little space. A number of such
crates or cases can be enclosed in one of larger size, and be conveyed in bulk without
increasing cost of transport.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Robinson Kelsey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd September 1881.
JOHN ROBINSON KELSEY, of Strutton Ground, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex. "A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OR ARRANGEMENT OF FOLDING
CRATES OR CASES."
The object of this Invention is a new or improved construction or arrangement
of folding or collapsible crates or cases which can, by means of hinges or joints at
certain parts of their sides, bottom, top, and end pieces, be caused to fold one upon
the other to lie in close contact, and made compact for transport purposes, said
pieces being opened out and brought into extended form for holding goods, and be
rigid to protect the goods placed in them. The fastenings may be by screw pins
or other attachments.
For the purposes of my Invention I hinge or joint the two end pieces A, A, as
shown in the annexed Drawings, Figures 1 and 2, to one of the side pieces B, and
I binge or joint the bottom C to the same side piece B, and the other side piece D
to the bottom C. To this other side piece D I hinge or joint the top E, and I fit
screw pins F, F, or other fastenings to the end pieces A, A, to engage into the
edges or other parts of the side piece D to hold the several pieces rigidly in position
when extended, the top E being loose on its hinges or joints to be fastened down
by cords or otherwise. The top piece E is provided with battens or strips G, G,
on its under side to stiffen the upper part when extended, these taking into and
against the end pieces A, A, and the two sides pieces B, D. This open lath crate
is particularly suitable as a hat crate.
Figure 3 represents a slight modification of the above arrangement. In this
method the end pieces A, A, are hinged to the bottom C, this having on one side
a strip H secured to it to which the side piece B is hinged. The other side piece D
is attached to the bottom C by long strap hinges I, I, and the top piece E to the
side piece D by link hinges J., J. The two end pieces are provided with swivel
hooks K, K, the tops and ends of which when pushed home engage into notches L, L,
and thereby hold the several pieces firmly in position with the exception of the
top E, which can be secured by any suitable attachment, or by cord as found
convenient. The swivel hooks, when the several pieces are loosened, can be turned
over into recesses M, M, within which they engage with a nipping action to hold
themselves therein.
For conveyance as an empty crate or case, the screw pins or other attachments
are unfastened, and the several pieces are folded in and upon one another, the end
pieces folding inwards as to form a compact body, as shown at Figure 4 and
Figure 5, and occupy very little space. A number of such crates or cases can be
enclosed in one of larger size, and be conveyed in bulk without increasing cost of
transport.
Figures 6,7, and 8 represent in perspective a further modification of my Invention
composed of a case, crate, or chest, the several parts being so articulated, linked, or
connected by iron bands N, in which at the division of the case hinges are formed
in the bands themselves.
The folding arrangement of the several parts are slightly different to those of
the previous Figures although the object is the same, the hooks K, K, being used
to hold the ends A, A, and the sides B, D, together, as described with reference to
Figure 3.
The iron bound case or chest, shown at Figures 6, 7, and 8, is specially applicable
for containing and transporting bullion, jewellry, articles of vertu, and other

page_text: valuables, also for the conveyance of articles of merchandise in which secrecy of
contents is essential, special blocks being affixed to prevent abstraction therefrom
during transit.
The bands N may however be wholly or partially dispensed with, the hinges
being of the ordinary or of any special construction as found necessary.
The two arrangements, shown at Figures 2 and 3, are only examples of con-
structions, and I do not restrict myself to making the arrangement, shown at
Figure 2, as an open or lath crate or case, nor to making Figure 3 as a close crate
or case, nor to the use of any material for the said crates or cases, the Invention
being applicable for the use of metal, wood, papiermache, and other material, or
from a combination thereof, substantially as shown at Figure 7.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The arrangement of several parts and their attachment by hinge or other
joints, as shown at Figure 2 of the annexed Drawings, for the formation of a crate
or case for the reception of goods as represented at Figure 1, and that the several
parts may be folded one upon the other, as shown at Figure 4, to reduce the bulk
and facility of storage and transport, as set forth.
Secondly. I claim the arrangement of the several parts, as shown at Figure 3 of
the annexed Drawings, for the formation of a crate or case for the reception of
goods, said parts being readily unfastened and folded in a smaller compass to reduce
the bulk and obtaining facilities of stowing, and for easy transport, as shown at
Figure 5, and as described.
Thirdly. I claim the arrangement of the several parts, as shown at Figure 7 of
the annexed Drawings, for the formation of a case, chest or crate, as at Figure 6,
whether the same be band bound and hinged, as shown, or otherwise hinged for
folding into a small compass, as at Figure 8, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Robinson Kelsey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
TATT
PARTIAN TATT