Improvements in Opening and Closing the Lids of Boxes for Containing Small Articles, which Improvements are Applicable to the Opening and Closing of the Lids of
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in Opening and Closing the Lids of Boxes
for Containing Small Articles, which Improvements are
Applicable to the Opening and Closing of the Lids of
I, JAMES WILLIAM WOOD of Balsall Heath Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Watch Maker do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OPENING AND CLOSING THE LIDS OF BOXES FOR
CONTAINING SMALL ARTICLES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE
OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE LIDS OF WATER JUGS AND OTHER LIKE VESSELS,"
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the opening and closing of the lids or covers of boxes
for holding matches and other small articles, and also for opening and closing the
lids or covers of jugs and other like vessels, consisting essentially of a hinged top,
which is opened by the pressing inwards of a stud or button; the return movement
being effected by a spring which again closes the lid.
My said invention consists of the combination or arrangement of parts herein-
after described, by which great simplicity of construction and efficiency of action
in the opening and closing of lids or covers applied as described are secured and
are little liable to get out of order.
For convenience of description, I will describe my invention as applied principally
to a metallic match box.
In constructing and arranging the lid or cover of a box according to my
invention, I take a box preferably, of a rectangular figure having rounded corners
with its bottom closed, and its other end or top being left open, and upon this open
top, I joint a lid or cover near one of the sides thereof. The jointed end of the
lid or cover is provided on its underside with a loop or short arm, which extends
beyond the joint or centre upon which the lid turns. This loop or short arm is
loosely connected to the free end of a flat spring, extending down the one side of
the box. A pusher stud is also connected to the said flat spring, which passes
through the metal of the box, and when pressed inwards by the thumb or finger,
the lid or cover springs open, and is held in that position so long as pressure is
applied, but on pressure being relaxed upon the said stud, the lid or cover falls by
the force of the spring pressing back the short arm on the underside of the lid or
[Price 6dI

page_text: cover, and thereby closes the open mouth of the box. Instead of employing a
separate spring within the inside of the box as before described, the same result
may be attained by slitting the box longitudinally so as to make the spring from
the metal of the box itself.
The action for opening the box is as follows, the lid being in its normal position,
covering the open end of the box. In order to open the box, it is only necessary
to press the stud protruding through the side of the box, when the spring attached
to it is pressed forward, its free end which is loosely connected to the short arm on
the lid of the box is made to move forward upon the the joint upon which it turns,
and so raising the lid, leaving the mouth of the box open or free for its contents to
be extracted. On ceasing to press the stud or pusher, the spring returns to its
normal position, and closes the lid by the return movement of the short arm,
actuated by the spring.
When I apply my invention to the opening and closing of the lids of watch
makers oil boxes, the spring for producing the return motion may be dispensed
with, by making the weight of the lid effect its own return movement. And when
motion is to be communicated at a distance, a rod is employed, turning upon a
fulcrum, which acts upon the short arm of the lid.
In applying my invention to the opening and closing of the lids or covers for
boxes or cases for holding small articles, Artists' pallets, water-jugs and the like,
differs in no essential respect from its application to a match box or a Watch
Makers oil box, as herein before described.

page_text: Improvements in Opening and Closing the Lids of Boxes
for Containing Small Articles, which Improvements are
I JAMES WILLIAM WOOD of Balsall Heath Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick Watch Maker do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OPENING AND CLOSING THE LIDS OF BOXES FOR
CONTAINING SMALL ARTICLES WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE
OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE LIDS OF WATER-JUGS AND OTHER LIKE. VESSELS
دو
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to the opening and closing of the lids or covers of boxes
for holding matches and other small articles, and also for opening and closing the
lids or covers of jugs and other like vessels, consisting essentially of a hinged top,
which is opened by the pressing inwards of a stud or button, the return movement
being effected by a spring which again closes the lid.
My said invention consists of the combination or arrangement of parts herein-
after described, by which great simplicity of construction and efficiency of action
in the opening and closing of lids or covers applied as described are secured and are
little liable to get out of order..
For convenience of description, I will describe my invention as applied principally
to a metallic match box.
In constructing and arranging the lid or cover of a box according to my
invention I take a box preferably of a rectangular figure having rounded ends with
its bottom closed, and its other end or top being left open, and upon this open top,
I joint a lid or cover near one of the ends thereof. The jointed end of the lid or
cover is provided on its underside with a loop or short arm which extends beyond
the joint or centre. This loop or short arm is loosely connected to the free end of
a flat spring extending down the sides of the box. A pusher stud is also connected
to the said flat spring which passes through the metal of the box, and when pressed
inwards by the thumb or finger, the lid or cover springs open, and is held in that
position so long as pressure is applied, but on pressure being relaxed upon the said
stud, the lid or cover falls by the force of the spring pressing back the short arm
on the underside of the lid or cover, and thereby closes the open mouth of the box.
Instead of employing a separate spring within the inside of the box as before
described, the same result may be attained by slitting the box longitudinally so as
to make the spring from the metal of the box itself.
The action for opening the box is as follows, the lid being in its normal position,
covering the open end of the box.
In order to open the box, it is only necessary to press the stud protruding
through the side of the box, when the spring attached to it is pressed forward, its
free end, which is loosely connected to the short arm on the lid of the box is made
to move forward upon the joint upon which it turns, and so raising the lid, leaving
the mouth of the box open or free for its contents to be extracted. On ceasing to

page_text: press the stud or pusher, the spring returns to its normal position, and closes the lid
by the return movement of the short arm actuated by the spring.
When I apply my invention to the opening and closing of the lids of watch
makers oil boxes, the spring for producing the return motion may be dispensed
with by making the weight of the lid effect its own return movement.
In applying my invention to the opening and closing of the lids or covers for
boxes or cases for holding small articles, Artists' pallets, waterjugs and the like,
differs in no essential respect from its application to a match box or a Watch
Maker's oil box, as hereinbefore described.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation, and figure 2 in longitudinal vertical section, a
match box constructed according to my invention, the lid being closed. Figure 3
represents the match box with the lid open, effected by the pressing inwards of the
pusher, which protrudes through the metal of the box. Figure 4 is a vertical cross
section of figure 3, so as to better exhibit the joint and spring arm, which opens
and automatically closes the lid of the box. Figure 5 is a front and side elevation
of the spring separated from the box or shell. Figure 6 is a plan and elevation of
the lid of the box.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in figures 1 to 6 of the
Drawings.
a is the box which is of a rectangular figure and open at its top. b is a lid or
cover turning upon a fulcrum at c, the knuckle c³ is prolonged into a short arm c³
extended beyond the fulcrum c; and to the end of this short arm, a flat spring &
is connected, which constitutes the opener and closer of the lid-The upper end of
the flat spring d is looped for attaching it to the short arm c³, while its other part
follows the contour of the inside of the box. e is a pusher or stud passing through
the metal of the box and connected to the spring; and when the said pusher is
pressed inwards by the thumb or finger, the lid or cover of the box springs open as
represented in figure 3, and is held in that position so long as pressure is applied,
but immediately pressure is relieved upon the said stud, the lid or cover auto-
matically closes by the force of the spring, which forces back the short arm c³,
turning the lid upon its fulcrum and closes the box,
Instead of employing a separate spring within the inside of the box, as repre-
sented in figures 2 and 3, I slit one end of the box longitudinally so as to make
the spring or lid opener and closer out of the metal of the box itself, as represented
in figures 7, 8 and 9. fis the spring opener and closer of the lid, cut from the
metal of the box g; this opener and closer f forms an arm which is actuated by
the pusher h. The end of this arm is linked to the extended joint of the lid as
before described.
The opening of the lid of the box is effected as follows.
By pressing inwards the pusher / protruding through the side of the box, the
spring fattached to it is pressed forward, which, turns the lid b upon its fulcrum c
and so uncovers the open end of the box. On ceasing to press the pusher h, the
spring returns to its normal position and closes the lid by the return movement
and prolongation of the joint actuated by the spring f.
In figure 10 the spring for opening and closing the lid only extends down one
side of the box, and is rivetted thereto at its lower end.
In figure 11 the box is opened and closed by the pusher being directly connected
to the underside of the lid of the box, and attached to the lid on the front side of
the fulcrum or joint, instead of at the back as before described. is the combined
pusher and lid lifter attached to the depending arm j, 'and k is the fulcrum upon
which the lid turns; so that by pressing inwards the pusher stud 2, its stem or
link which is loosely connected to the depending arm j, presses upwards the lid
which turns upon its fulcrum k and remains in that position so long as pressure
is applied to the pusher, but immediately the pusher is liberated, the lid falls by its
own weight and closes the box.

page_text: Figure 12 is a modification of my invention applied to a watch maker's oil box;
the said figure 12 shows the lid closed, while figure 13 shows the lid open.
Figure 14 is a plan of figure 12, and figure 15 is a plan of figure 13. To open the
lid or cover figure 12, it is only necessary to press the pusher end m when the
lid n covering the oil receptacle is opened, by the turning of the lid opener o upon
its fulcrum o². On relaxing pressure, the parts resume their normal positions, and
the lid falls by its own weight.
In applying my invention to the opening and closing of the lids or covers of
boxes or cases for holding small articles, artists pallets, water-jugs and the like,
differs in no essential respect from its application to a match box or a watch
maker's oil box as described and represented.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The improvements in the opening and closing of the lids of boxes for
containing small articles in the manner herein before described and illustrated in
figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 of the accompanying Drawings; whereby the pressing
inwards of a pusher stud turns the lid of the box upon its joint or fulcrum, and so
opens the said box, the closing being effected by the return movement of the spring
or lid opener, the parts being arranged, combined and operating in the way aud for
the purpose as described and set forth.
Secondly. Making the spring or lid opener and closer of boxes for containing
small articles, out of the metal of the box, as described and set forth in figures 8
and 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The improvements in the opening of the lids of boxes by means of a
pusher, the stem or shank of which is attached directly to the underside of the lid.
The closing of the lid being effected by its own weight, as described and illustrated
in figure 11 of the accompanying Drawings; also the modifications figures 12, 13,
14 and 15 applied to a watch maker's oil box.