Improvements in Collapsible or Folding Boxes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Collapsible or Folding Boxes.
I, ADOLPHUS SILBIGER, Merchant, of IX, Flüchtgasse, 7, Vienna, in the Empire
of Austria, 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 to arrangements for inter-locking or securing the walls
of collapsible or folding boxes, and has for its object to greatly facilitate the
adjustment of the folding sides which are hinged at different heights so as to
be superposed when folded, and fixing the same in the upright position, at the
same time ensuring their firm connection. The said arrangements serve also
for the firm attachment of the cover, whether the sides be in the upright or the
folded down position by fixing the cover to the folding sides, or to the fixed stub
portions to which they are hinged, whereby the interlocking of the box is easily
performed.
These locking and fixing devices are composed of curved hooks turnable by
means of a key and whose hook portions are eccentric to their pivots, so that
the hooks being attached to one of the parts to be connected and caused to engage
in openings of catch plates fixed on the other part, the eccentric shape of the
hooks will cause them to exert a powerful grip, whereby the two parts will be
drawn very tightly together thus making a close joint and ensuring a secure
connection between the parts of the box to which they are applied.
For connecting the cover with the sides of the stub portions thereof, these
parts may be provided with metal plates carrying screws sockets for the recep-
tion of screw bolts passed through the cover. In either case the inner surfaces
of the box remain perfectly smooth and have no projections so that the packing
of goods therein without damage is a very easy task.
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2 represent the arrangements
for locking or fixing together the parts of a collapsible or folding box, and
Figures 3 and 4 shew a box provided with such locking devices, the one figure
showing the box as set up for use and the other showing it in the collapsed or
folded position.
The locking device shown in Figure 1 consists of a curved hook which is turn-
able by means of a key and the hoc portion of which is eccentric with regard
to its pivot. The disc shaped body part 6 of this hook is mounted with freedom
to turn upon a plate c counter-sunk in the inner face of the box side. The hook
portion of the said disc b when turned by means of a key first passes through an
aperture and then enters a second aperture f in the locking or keeper plate g
fixed to the inner face of the top a of the box, the hook engaging a bridge or
cross-bar e which separates the two openings d and f whereby in consequence
of the eccentrically curved form of the hook a powerful grip on the bridge
piece e is exerted and the parts will be tightly drawn together.
Several such arrangements or devices may be distributed, as shewn in Figure 3,
at the sides of the box, these parts being capable of folding inwards on hinges

page_text: As
at different heights fixed to the stub portions of the sides in such a manner that
the parts when in the upright position are easily adjusted and secured.
shown in Figures 3 and 4 these devices may be employed for fixing the cover
upon the side parts of the box, or when the sides are folded down for securing
the cover which is laid flat upon the stub portions of the sides by fixing it to said
portions.
For fixing the cover upon the box whether the latter be set up or folded the
devices shown in Figure 2 may be used. These consist of a metal plate counter-
sunk and fixed to the inner face of the folding side of the 'box or the fixed stub
portion thereof as the case may be, said plate carrying a screw socket i which
is imbedded in the thickness of the side, in position to receive a screw bolt k
passed through holes in the angle iron bracings 1 of the cover and through the
cover itself.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In collapsible boxes the sides of which are capable of being folded down-
ward towards the inside of the box, the application of curved hooks having
eccentric hook portions and turnable by means of a key, and of keeper plates
having two apertures and a bridge piece for engagement by said hooks, the
hooks being applied to the one part to be connected and the plates to the other
part, for the purpose of securely fixing the folding sides, and of fixing the cover
to the folding or fixed parts of the sides and making a tight joint between the
parts, substantially as specified.
2. The means of securing the covers of boxes provided with the devices claimed
in the first Claim, said means consisting of screw sockets and plates counter-sunk
in the folding or fixed stub portions of the sides and of screw bolts passing
through angle-iron braces on the cover and screwing in said sockets as described.
Dated this 25th day of July 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.