A Folding or Collapsable Packing Case.
Year: 1898

page_text: A Folding or Collapsable Packing Case.
ALEXANDER THOMSON, Cabinetmakers' Draughtsman, 108, West Regent Street,
Glasgow, Lanarkshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-:
My invention consists of a folding or collapsable packing case made of wood,
metal or other material. The same being constructed so that the four corners,
formed by the junction of the sides and ends, are hinged in such a way, that, when the
split lids are folded back, and the bottom, (which is hinged on one edge) is pulled
up, the whole structure can be folded flatly together, and occupies very little space.
The split lids when shut down, are locked by means of two pivotted clasps,
working into segmental slots cut in the opposite half of lid.
The bottom of case when shut down, is rigidly kept in position by resting on a
fillet, fixed along the lower edge of the corresponding side of case.
And locked on its upper surface when it is so resting on the fillet, by means of
one or two pivotted, falling check bars, these check bars when dropped, into
position, are locked in their turn by means of a crossbar fixed accross the under-
side of lid so that when the lid is shut down, the pivotted bar or bars cannot swing
either to the one side or the other.
The edge of the case bottom opposite the edge kept firm by the above pivotted
falling bars, is kept rigidly in its position both in relation to the side of the case,
and in its place for folding purposes, by means of hinges fixed to the bottom of
case, and the side of case.
Dated this the Nineteenth day of September 1898.
ALEXANDER THOMSON, Cabinetmakers' Draughtsman, 108A, West Regent Street,
Glasgow, Lanarkshire, 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 invention consists of a folding or collapsable packing case made of wood,
metal cardboard, or other material.
As set forth in the accompanying set of drawings which illustrate the principles
as applied to a wooden packing case.
(When the same folding or collapsable principles are applied to cases or crates
[Price 8d.1

page_text: made of wickerwork, metal, cardboard, or other material, modifications in their
construction are of course made, to meet the requirements of the different natures
of the materials used in their construction.)
Fig. No. 1 is a plan, showing the sides and ends of the case, connected at the
corners by hinges, and opened out to its full capacity for use. Thus providing a
system of keeping the corners permanently hinged in the same way, whether the
case is adjusted to its full size for use cr when it is folded up flatly for storage, or
transit as an empty.
Fig. No. 2 is a plan, showing the sides and ends of the case partly folded or
collapsed by latteral pressure (after the hinged bottom has been pulled up) without
disconnecting in any way the sides and ends.
Fig. No. 3 is a plan, showing the sides and ends of the case, when it is completely
folded flat, as it is intended to be stored, when not in use or when being returned
as an empty.
Fig. No. 4 is a cross section of the case showing the action of the hinged bottom,
which has the halves of its hinge plates, fixed to the case back and the case bottom
respectively. Thus providing an arrangement whereby the bottom can be raised
by means of a simple loop or flush handle, and be folded back into the recess
marked " a on Fig. No. 1. Or be lowered, to rest on the fillets marked "b" on
Fig. No. 4. These fillets being affixed to the lower parts of the back, and front of
the case, to sustain the case bottom both along its hinged, and free edges.
"
Fig. No. 5 is an inside view of the case front showing the action and position of
check har "c" and also the position of the locking bar "d" (which is fixed to
the inside of the case lid) when it is shut down. And also shows how the case
bottom is made in two transverse thicknesses, the lower thickness, being bevelled
or thinned away at each end so as to be thin enough (when the bottom is pulled up
and folded back into recess a" and the sides and ends collapsed) to fit into the
narrow space left between the faces of hinge plates see Fig. No. 6 which is an
enlarged view of same.
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Fig. No. 7 is a perspective view of the case illustrating the working of locking
bar d" and pivotted check bar C both of which are contrived to keep the case
bottom rigidly in position when the case is opened out and arranged for ordinary
use.
Fig. No. 8 is intended to show the working of the pivotted clasps for keeping
the lids together and shows mode of securing same either by means of cord threaded
through the eyes on top surfaces of the clasps and tied, or alternatively by driving
in screw nails (keeping them a few turns from being driven home) after the clasps
have been pushed from one end of the slot to the other, the drawing Fig. 8 shows
the clasps so pushed up and the lids locked or firmly held together.
31
From this it will be seen that to open the lids, the cord threaded through the
clasp yes must first be removed or alternately the screw nails marked "i" taken out
this will allow the clasps working on their pivot pins (as shown at Fig. No. 9)
to be pushed along the slots from k to "/" see dotted lines on Fig. No. 8 thus
freeing the lids from each other, and allowing the case to be opened. Single lid
boxes merely have their lids screwed down. The hinges used to fasten the single
or double lids to the case are ordinary hinges, or shackle and strap hinges.
Fig. No. 9 is an enlarged and alternative drawing of the pivotted clasps showing
the eye for receiving the fastening cord formed in one piece with the top arm of the
clasp.
Fig. No. 10 is an enlarged view of the hinges used to join the sides and ends of
the case, showing a continuous pivot pin "e which is meant to fill up the gaps,
between the hinge plates, that would otherwise appear when the case was opened
out and in use.
Fig. No. 11 shows an L shaped metal bracket used for strengthening the bearing
fill men which the case bottom rists when the case is opened out for use.
On refering to Fig. No. 1 it will be seen that the stiffening bars marked "F" are
fixed on the inside of both the back and the front of the case so as to form recesses

page_text: marked "
a" into one of which the case bottom is folded back when it is desired
to collapse the case.
"
"
The opposite recess a" providing a space in which the pivotted check bar
(marked C on Fig. 5) can be fixed and have room to rotate as the opening out,
or the folding up, of the case may require.
"
66
"
On refering to Fig. No. 10 it will be seen that the hinges used, are ordinary
'flap or edge" hinges, with the knuckles fitted into the four corners of the
case, but having their pivot pins marked e carried continuously both
through the hinges themselves, and also through the spaces between
the hinges, thus filling up the open slots that would otherwise
appear between the hinges, and forms a continuous metal bead at the case corners.
And also obviates the necessity of having heavy hinges fixed all the way from top
to bottom at each corner (on the principle of piano fall hinges) thus lessening the
weight of such hinges, and making them more applicable for use in the construction
of packing cases. In cases where very close corners are desired, small lengths of
tubing of the same diameter as the hinge knuckles, are slipped on the continuous
pivot pins e "in the spaces between the hinge plates.
"
By this means filling up the slots to the exact thickness of the hinge knuckles.
To erect the case for use, all that is required is, to square the sides and ends as
shown at Fig. No. 1, and cause the hinged bottom to fall down and rest upon the
bearing fillets "6" as shown at Fig. 4 where the bottom is kept firmly in position
(to sustain the weight of goods placed in the case, and provides a strutted frame
to fix and keep the case body rigidly in its proper form) by swinging down the
check bar " C as shown at Fig. 5. Or otherwise the toe at bottom end of check
bar "c" can be stopped against a block fixed on the upper surface of the case
bottom. The check bar "c" being in its turn locked by the folding down of the
locking bar "d" which is attached to the inside of the lid when the latter is shut
down as indicated by Fig. 5.
To collapse the case, the process described for erecting the case is simply
reversed, viz., rotate or push back the checkbar "c" until it assumes a horizontal
position as indicated by dotted lines and arrow on Fig. 5.
Then pull up, and fold back the case bottom into recess
Fig. 4.
65
a" as shown at
Then flatten the sides and ends by means of a latteral movement either from right
to left or from left to right, as indicated on Fig. 2 and the whole case assumes the
folded up form as shown at Fig. 3.
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. The system of keeping the corners permanently hinged, in the same way whether
the case is adjusted to its full size for use or folded up flatly for storage or transit
as an empty. Thus securing the collapsable features by a latteral movement; either
from right to left, or from left to right without disconnecting in any way the
sides and ends of the case.
66
"
2. Fixing the upright stiffening bars "F" on the insides of the case, thus form-
ing the necessary recesses " for the hinged bottom to fold back into, when the case
has to be folded flat and also to provide a space for the pivotted check bar "c" in
which it can rotate and be kept clear of the other parts of the case.
3. The method of having the case bottom made in two transverse thicknesses the
inder thickness being bevelled or thinned away at each end so as to fit into the
confined space between the hinge plates as shown at Fig. 6.
4. The arrangement of the hinged bottom being made to fall into position rest-
ng upon the bearing fillets " on Fig. No. 4. By these means sustaining the
weight of goods placed in the case and also provides a firm frame to fix, and keep
he case body rigidly in its proper form.
5. The system of adapting pivotted check bars as "" Fig. 5 to keep the case

page_text: bottom down and fixed in its proper position. This being accomplished by means
of the toe shown at the lower end of the check bar " c," being swung into a mortice
cut out of the upper thickness of the case bottom, see lower segmental dotted lines
Fig. 5. Or otherwise the toe at bottom end of check bar "C' can be stopped
against a block, fixed on the upper surface of the case bottom. Thus preventing
check bar "c" from moving further than is needed in one direction, and the
locking bar "d" when the lid is shut down prevents it from moving in the opposite
direction, thus providing a double locking arrangement, to keep the check bar "c"
at the plumb and the bottom firmly in its place.
6. The contrivance of the continuous pivot pin "e" (as applied to corner hinges)
with the tubing fitted round same which forms a continuous metal bead at the case
corners. And obviates the necessity of having heavy hinges fixed all the way from
top to bottom at each of the case corners. Thus lessening the weight of such
hinges and making them more applicable for use in the construction of packing
cases.
7. A simple and strong way of securing the tops or lids, when it is convenient
to have them in two pieces. By means of pivotted clasps working in segmental
slots as shown at Figs. 8 and 9. These pivotted clasps being secured, when the
case lid is shut down, by cord being threaded through the eyes, formed on the
upper arms of the clasps, and then tied or alternatively the clasps can be fixed in
their locking position by driving in screw nails to within a quarter of an inch or so
of being flush with the lid, both of which methods of keeping the clasps in the
locking position are shown at Fig. 9.
Dated this First day of December 1898.