Improvements in and relating to Boxes for Bottled Beverages.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Boxes for Bottled Beverages.
I, WILLIAM HARRISON PRICE, Real Estate Agent, a citizen of the United States
of America, residing at 1313 Corcoran Street, in the City of Washington, District
of Columbia, United States of America, 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:-
-
This invention relates generally to an improvement in boxes of the class designed
to contain bottled beverages, such as beer or the like.
The object of the invention is the production of a sectional top or cover for the
box of such construction as to be available with the ordinary boxes now in use, the
cover being adapted to disappear when operated to open the box and to be locked
when in a closed position by simple means carried by the box.
With this and other minor objects in view our invention consists, primarily, in a
box having a cover made in two sections, each adapted to be raised on its outer edge
as a hinge and dropped down between the bottles and the side of the box.
The invention also consists in certain details of construction and combinations of
parts, which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings
and then pointed out in the claims.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of our improved box closed,
partially broken out for illustration of certain interior parts. Figure 2 is a trans-
verse vertical section of the same, taken near one end, showing the positions of the
cover sections when the box is open. Figure 3 is a broken longitudinal section of
the same, showing the cover sections in the open positions. Figure 4 is a perspec-
tive view of one of the cover sections.
Referring to the drawings, A represents my improved box, having a bottom 1,
sides 2, and ends 3, the bottom being provided with the usual bottle-receiving rack 4,
all of the ordinary construction.
In providing a box with my improved cover we secure to each end of the box a
cleat 5, slightly less in length than the interior width of the box, thus leaving a
narrow space between the ends of the cleat and the sides of the box, as at 6,
Figure 2.
The cover B is made in two sections 6 and 61, each preferably equal in width to

page_text: half the width of the box. Each section is formed at each end with a longitudinal
groove or channel 7, into which fits a wire 8, having its upper end bent at a right
angle 9 and driven into the section, and its lower end formed into a hook 10, as
shown. This wire not only serves the purpose of a hinge, as hereinafter described,
but by its length and position in the section effectively prevents the latter from
warping. The sections are adapted to slide down in contact with the sides of the
box, fitting in the spaces 6 and being guided by the ends of the cleats 5, the lower
end of each section resting upon the upper edge of the bottle-rack, as shown in
Figures 2 and 3. When desired to place the sections in positions to serve as a
cover, they are raised by the user grasping them in the finger notches 11, the
upward movement being continued until the hooks 10 engage suitable studs 12,
driven or otherwise secured in the ends of the box, this engagement forming a
hinge for the cover-sections at the extreme of their upward movement, and permits
them when released to fall forward upon the cleats 5, forming a cover for the box,
as shown in Figure 1.
When the sections are in place to cover the box, they are locked in closed
position by catches 13, one on each end of the box, each catch comprising a metal
plate inserted between the upper edge of the end of the box and the metal binding
strip 14 for the end, the plate being guided by pins 15, passing through slots 16,
formed in it, thus permitting the plate to be readily moved forward or backward
when desired to lock or unlock the sections, as will be evident from the drawings.
Although we have shown the catch as comprising a plate, it is evident that a
rectangular wire catch would be equally applicable, as the only result desired is
to guard against accidental movement of the sections.
In order to permit my cover to be applied to boxes of the ordinary width now in
use, I form in each section a series of concave recesses 17, so as to permit the
section to readily pass the bottles in the racks next the side, as the sections slide
down between the side of the box and the bottles and there is not sufficient space.
ordinarily for a cover of proper thickness without these recesses.
At the meeting edges of the cover-sections I form a label receiving recess 18 of
sufficient depth to receive a number of superimposed labels. By this construction
when the beer has been placed in the box at the brewery the brewer or bottler
may place a label or trade mark in the recess 18, and thus insure the delivery of
the contents of the box undisturbed, as the sections cannot be moved without
destroying the label. By forming the recess of some little depth a number of
labels may be successively placed therein without removing the previous ones.
Although I have shown the label receiving recess as round in shape it is evident
that it may be of any shape suited to the particular label to be applied.
Heretofore the use of the boxes for purposes foreign to their intended use, such
as for garbage and ash receptacles, has been a source of frequent complaint on
the part of the bottlers, and we overcome this objection by forming a series of
holes 19 in the bottom of the box, these holes being preferably arranged one
beneath each bottle rack 4, thereby effectively preventing the use of the box for
any other purpose than that of a receptacle for bottled beverages.
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 1
claim is:-
1. In a box for bottled beverages, a cover made in two sections adapted to
disappear within and on opposite sides of the box, each side sections having
a hook on each end, and studs secured in the ends of the box with which the
hooks are adapted to engage, whereby the sections are given hinged connection
with the box when in use.
2. In a box for bottled beverages, a cover made in two sections adapted to
disappear within and on opposite sides of the box, each of said sections having
hinged connection with the box only when in position to serve as a cover, and
cleats secured at the ends of the box forming supports for the sections when in

page_text: place as a cover, the ends of the cleats serving as guides for the sections during
their operation to open and close the box.
3. In a box for bottled beverages having a bottle rack within it, a cover made
in two sections adapted to disappear within and on opposite sides of the box and
rest on said rack, each of said sections having hinged connection with the box
only when in position to serve as a cover and being formed with a series of concave
recesses on its inner surface, said recesses being so located that when the section is
within the box they will be in line and extend above the cells of the rack, all sub-
stantially as described and for the purposes stated.
Dated this First day of November 1897.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.