Improvements in or connected with Metallic Boxes, Cases, Tanks, Cisterns, or the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Metallic Boxes, Cases, Tanks,
Cisterns, or the like.
I, THOMAS BENJAMIN LEECH, of Sunbury, Selsdon Road, Wanstead, in the
County of Essex, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The invention relates to improvements in or connected with metallic boxes,
cases, tanks, cisterns, or the like, and has for its object to obtain a simple, secure,
and inexpensive means whereby the meeting edges of the metal plates forming
the box or the like may be readily united without the necessity for rivetting,
and in such manner that the corners are considerably strengthened and at the
same time rounded so that no sharp edges will project from the surface of the
box or the like.
In carrying the invention into effect as applied to a tea chest for example,
the body of the chest may be formed of a single sheet of metal bent into the
required rectangular form and the meeting edges of this sheet instead of being
united by seaming and soldering in the manner commonly adopted are flanged
or turned back upon the exterior face of the sheet but so as to leave grooves
or channels inside said flanges.
In connection with these flanges is employed a long clip composed of a strip of
steel or other suitable material which in cross section is curved or rounded and
the edges of this clip are turned round or folded towards the body of the clip
but so as to leave narrow grooves or channels between the edges and the
body of the clip and thus the clip may be slidden onto the returned edges
or flanges of the meeting edges of the body of the box in such manner that said
edges will be tightly embraced by the clip and received within the grooves or
channels formed by the folded edges of the latter.
The bottom and if desired the top or lid of the box may be united with the
body in the manner hereinbefore described and instead of forming the body of the
hox of a single sheet of metal said body may if desired be formed of either two
three or four separate sheets similarly joined together at the meeting edges.
By this construction of joint the parts to form a tea chest may be stored in a
comparatively small compass and readily built up into the form of a box whilst
the box may be knocked down with equal facility.
In applying the invention to tanks cisterns or the like, the sheets of metal
forming the sides and bottom are united at the angles by means of the joint
hereinbefore described, and the lower corners of the tank are each strengthened
by means of a bolt or rivet in the manner now adopted with ordinary tanks and
the entire device is then if desired immersed in the galvanising bath so that the
Huid metal runs into the several parts of the joints and besides firmly cementing
them together renders the joints water-tight.
By this method of constructing a tank, cistern or the like the troublesome

page_text: and expensive operation of rivetting the sheet metal together at the seams and
joints is avoided, and a stronger and more reliable joint is obtained.
Dated this 31st day of May 1899
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
Rooms 221/5, Birkbeck Bank Chambers,
Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
Improvements in or connected with Metallic Boxes, Cases, Tanks,
Cisterns, or the like.
I, THOMAS BENJAMIN LEECH, of Sunbury, Selsdon Road, Wanstead, in the
County of Essex, Manager, 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:-
The invention relates to improvements in or connected with metallic boxes,
cases, tanks, cisterns, or the like, and has for its object to obtain a simple, secure,
and inexpensive means whereby the meeting edges of the metal plates forming
the box or the like may be readily united without the necessity for rivetting,
and in such manner that the corners are considerably strengthened and at the
same time rounded so that no sharp edges will project from the surface of the
box or the like.
In carrying the invention into effect as applied to a tea chest for example,
the body of the chest may be formed of a single sheet of metal bent into the
required rectangular form and the meeting edges of this sheet instead of being
united by seaming and soldering in the manner commonly adopted are flanged
or turned back upon the exterior face of the sheet but so as to leave grooves
or channels inside said flanges.
In connection with these flanges is employed a long clip composed of a strip of
steel or other suitable material which in cross section is curved or rounded and
the edges of this strip are turned round or folded towards the body of the strip
but so as to leave narrow grooves or channels between the edges or flanges and
the body of the clip and thus the clip may be slidden onto the returned edges
or flanges of the meeting edges of the body of the box in such manner that said
edges will be tightly embraced by the clip and received within the grooves or
channels formed by the folded edges of the latter.
The bottom and it desired the top or lid of the box may be united with the
body in the manner hereinbefore described and instead of forming the body of the
box of a single sheet of metal said body may if desired be formed of either two,
three, or four separate sheets similarly joined together at the meeting edges.
By this construction of joint the parts to form a tea chest may be stored in a
comparatively small compass and readily built up into the form of a box whilst
the box may be knocked down with equal facility.
In applying the invention to tanks cisterns or the like, the sheets of metal
forming the sides and bottom are united at the angles by means of the joint
herein before described, and the lower corners of the tank are each strengthened
by means of a bolt or. iivet in the manner now adopted with ordinary tanks and
the entire device is then if desired immersed in the galvanising bath so that the
fluid metal runs into the several parts of the joints and besides firmly cementing
them together assists to render the joints water tight.
By this method of constructing a tank, cistern or the like the troublesome

page_text: and expensive operation of rivetting the sheet metal together at the seams and
joints is avoided, and a stronger and more reliable joint is obtained.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more
fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF TITE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a face view or plan of a blank suitable for the construction of the
body of a box such as a tea chest according to the present invention,
Figure 2 is an edge view thereof.
Figure 3 is an inside view of a coacting clip constructed according to the
present invention separately.
Figure 4 is an end view thereof.
Figure 5 is a plan of the body of a box formed of the blank and clip shown at
Figures 1 to 4.
Figure 6 is a side elevation thereof.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a complete box with the top and bottom in
position.
Figure 8 is a vertical section thereof.
Figure 9 is an underside view thereof.
Figure 10 is a transverse section of parts illustrating a corner or angle joint
separately.
Figure 11 is a similar view illustrating a flat joint separately.
Figure 11 is a vertical section taken through a corner of a box illustrating
a method of finishing the same.
Figure 12 is a side elevation of part of a galvanized tank or cistern constructed
according to the present invention.
Figure 13 is a vertical section thereof.
Figure 14 is a horizontal section thereof.
Figure 15 is a vertical section thereof taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 14.
Figure 16 is a side elevation of part of a tank or cistern showing a vertical
joint constructed according to the present invention in combination with a hori-
zontal joint or seam of the old formation and
Figure 17 is a vertical section thereof.
In the several figures in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference, Figures 10 to 17 are drawn to an increased scale with respect to the
other figures of the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1 to 10 represents the body of a tea or other chest or
box which is for example formed of a single sheet or plate of metal as shown
more particularly at Figures 1 and 2 bent upon the dotted lines into the required
rectangular form as shown at Figure 5 and the meeting edges of this sheet
instead of being united by seaming and soldering in the manner commonly
adopted are turned back upon the exterior face of the sheet in the form of
flanges a' but so as to leave grooves or channels inside said flanges a'.
In connection with these flanges is employed a long clip shown more
particularly at Figures 3 and 4 consisting of a strip of steel or other suitable
material which in cross section is curved or rounded and the edges of this curved
strip are turned back or folded towards the inner face of the body of the strip
in the form of flanges but so as to leave narrow grooves or channels be between
the flanges and the body b of the clip.
The clip thus formed is slidden on to the returned edges or flanges a¹ of the
meeting edges of the body a of the box in such manner that the flanges 1 of
the clip are received into the grooves or channels a² of the body and the flanges a
of the body are received into the grooves or channels of the clip and tightly
embraced by the body and flanges thereof as shown more particularly at
Figures and 10.

page_text: The top and bottom of the body a may if desired be closed in the ordinary
manner but in the present example the body is formed with flanges a* along
its lower edges and the bottom is similarly provided with flanges upon which
are slidden clips by the aid of which the bottom e is firmly fixed with the
body a
If desired the mouth of the box and the top or lid d may be similarly formed
and connected by clips such as bor b although in the drawings the box is shown
with a mouth of the usual formation closed by a lid of the ordinary character
whilst it will be evident that instead of forming the body a of the box of a single
sheet or plate of metal as herein before shown and described said body may if
desired be constructed of two three or four separate sheets or plates similarly
joined together at the meeting edges.
In the example given at Figure 11 a vertical joint is shown substantially the
same as that herein before described except that it is assumed to be made in the
centre of one of the sides of the body instead of at a corner or angle thereof.
In the example given at Figure 11ª a method of forming a neat finish to the
corners of a box is illustrated and which consists of the employment of a headed
stude having a split shank e¹ which latter is inserted between the several meeting
parts from the exterior and then spread upon the interior so as to fasten the stud
securely in position.
By the construction of joint hereinbefore described the parts to form a tea
chest or the like may be stored in a comparatively small compass and readily
built up in the form of a box whilst the box may be knocked down with equal
facility.
In the example given at Figures 13 to 15 which represent the application of
the invention to a galvanized tank cistern or the like the parts are substantially
the same as those herein before described with respect to the previous examples
with but trifling exceptions.
In this case the sides a and bottom care united at the angles by means of the
joint herein before described and the lower corners of the tank are each
strengthened by means of a bolt or rivet in the manner now adopted with
ordinary tanks and the entire structure is then if desired immersed in the
galvanizing bath so that the fluid metal runs into the several parts of the joints
and in addition to firmly cementing them together assists to render the joints
watertight.
In the example given at Figures 16 and 17 a combination of the present inven-
tion with the well known S seam is illustrated.
In this case the sides and ends of the tank are at the vertical angles connected
by means of clips whilst the junction of the bottom with the sides and ends
is accomplished by the aid of an S seam and the corners are filled in by rivets +
and the entire structure is immersed in the galvanizing bath as her inbefore
described.
It will be obvious that the invention is capable of further modification without
departing from the spirit thereof.
By the method of constructing a tank, cistein or the like herein before described
the troublesome and expensive operation of rivetting the sheet metal together
at the seams and joints is avoided and a stronger and more reliable joint is
obtained.
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. A box, tank or the like comprising a plate or plates of metal constituting
the sides or body or other parts formed with return flanges at the meeting edges
and a long clip provided with similar flanges sliding onto and embracing and
interlocking with those of the plates substantially as herein shown and described.

page_text: 2. A box, tank or the like comprising a plate or plates of metal formed with
return flanges at the meeting edges, a long clip provided with similar flanges
sliding onto and embracing and interlocking with those of the plates, and filling
rivets at the corners said parts being cemented together by immersion in the
galvanizing bath substantially as herein shown and described.
3. A joint for a box, tank or the like comprising return flanges on the meeting
edges of the parts to be joined and a long clip provided with similar flanges
sliding onto and embracing and interlocking with those of said parts substan-
tially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 28th day of February 1900
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.