IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MILLINERY AND OTHER BOXES AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Hesketh Hughes at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1878.
HESKETH HUGHES, of Homerton, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MILLINERY AND OTHER BOXES AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
The first part of this Invention relates to forming a box which shall be capable
of being packed in an exceedingly small space, and which can be of varied strength
to suit the purposes for which it may be required.
In carrying this part of my Invention into effect, I take a sheet of straw or card-
board and score it in the ordinary way, but in lieu of cutting out the corners I
simply cut down one side of each corner and thus form four flaps to the box. An
extension piece is hinged or otherwise fastened to the ends or sides (or both if
preferred) of the box, such extension piece folding over the corner pieces before
mentioned and securing the box in shape. The lid of the box is formed in a
similar manner.
The hinges or joint pieces may be made of cloth, leather, or metal, according to
the requirements of the case. It is also obvious that the box may be made in
separate pieces if desired.
The second part of my Invention relates to improvements in metal joints for the
corners and edges of boxes whereby they are rendered stronger and more durable
than as at present constructed.
By these improvements also I am enabled to use the cardboard in separate pieces
covered on both sides, the metal joint simply finishing the box, and thus a great
saving of labor is effected.
According to one improvement I take a strip of metal of suitable thickness and
fold it so as to form two grooves or receptacles at right angles to each other, into
which the cardboard is inserted and fastened by pressure.
Another improvement consists in perforating a flat strip of metal so that flaps at
required intervals can be turned over and a groove or receptacle formed for the
reception of the cardboard, or the flaps may be inserted in corresponding slits or
grooves in the cardboard and made to form clips by pressure.

page_text: A further improvement consists in forming corner pieces having slits through
which a thin strip of metal, or wire, or string, may be passed to encircle the whole
of the box either externally or internally or both. When a metal strip is employed
it may be embossed either for ornamenting the box or for tightening it, and at the same
time for advertising or labelling the box. The corner pieces will in most cases be
of the entire depth of the box. If string be used glue would also be employed. A
cross piece forming a kind of tic bar may be employed to further strengthen the
box.
These corner pieces may be formed with projections or clip pieces folded at a right
angle to the corner pieces and cut at an angle of about 45 degrees, so as to form a
sharp point which will enter the cardboard of the box by pressure.
The machinery or tools which I employ for the purpose consist of a sort of press
partly overhanging the table to admit of placing the box on a suitably formed
base, upon which the metallic corner pieces are placed and forced through the card-
board by means of corresponding tools in the plunger.