IMPROVEMENTS IN BOXES FOR HOLDING DENTIFRICE, ROUGE, BURNISHING OR CLEANING POWDERS, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES OR LIQUIDS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOXES FOR HOLDING DENTIFRICE, ROUGE, BURNISHING OR CLEANING POWDERS,
OR OTHER SUBSTANCES OR LIQUIDS." A communication from abroad by
William Henry Hall, of the City of New York, in the County and State of
New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 20th May 1879, and dated the 23rd November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. " IMPROVEMENTS IN BOXES FOR HOLDING DENTIFRICE, ROUGE,
BURNISHING OR CLEANING POWDERS, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES OR LIQUIDS." A com-
munication from abroad by William Henry Hall, of the City of New York, in the
County and State of New York, in the United States of America.
This Invention relates to that class of boxes or receptacles for powders or liquids
in which a small portion of the contents is to be taken up by a brush, sponge, pad,
or the like, and it is intended to obviate the inconvenience at present experienced,
either when, as in a bottle, the brush can take up the powder (for example) only
on a very small proportion of its length, or in a box where the portions of the
contents round the edges are difficult of access, and will also prevent the main
portion of the powder from becoming caked by the introduction of a wet brush.
The Invention consists in making a box with a mouth or opening of sufficient
size to receive easily the whole face of the brush or its equivalent employed to take
up the contents of the box, and in arranging at any convenient distance below this
a shallow receptacle or shelf surrounded by a raised ledge or rim, and of such size
as to leave a clear space all round between it and the sides of the box.

page_text: This shelf is carried in any suitable way from the sides or bottom of the box,
and is inclined all ways towards the centre so as to cause the powder (for example)
to fall to that point, and the box proper is made in two pieces horizontally to
facilitate its being filled.
When it is desired to fill the box or receptacle the cover or upper portion is
removed and the required substance, such as powder or liquid, is then introduced
into the lower part or body of the box; the top being replaced the box is inverted
and quickly reversed, thus leaving upon the shelf a small portion of the powder or
liquid, to which the whole face of the brush can have access through the opening
in the top of the box.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st May 1879.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOXES FOR HOLDING DENTIFRICE, ROUGE,
BURNISHING OR CLEANING POWDERS, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES OR LIQUIDS." A. com-
munication from abroad by William Henry Hall, of the City of New York, in the
County and State of New York, in the United States of America.
The said Invention relates to that class of boxes or receptacles for powders or
liquids in which a small portion of the contents is to be taken up by a brush,
sponge, pad, or the like; and the Invention has for its object obviating the incon-
venience at present experienced, either when, as in a bottle, the brush can take up
the powder (for example) only on a very small proportion of its length, or in a box
where the portions of the contents round the edges are difficult of access, and also
preventing the main portion of the powder from becoming caked by the introduction
of a wet brush.
In carrying out the said Invention in order to effect these objects the box is
made with a mouth or opening of sufficient size to receive easily the whole face of
the brush or its equivalent employed to take up the contents of the box; and at
any convenient distance below the mouth or opening there is arranged a shallow
receptacle or shelf surrounded by a raised ledge or rim, and of such a size as to
leave a clear space all round between it and the sides of the box. This shelf is
carried in any suitable manner from the sides or bottom of the box, and is inclined
towards the centre so as to cause the powder or other contents to fall to that point,
and the box proper is made in two pieces horizontally in order to facilitate its being
filled.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a side elevation of a box
constructed according to the said Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal
section; and Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section of the same.
A is the box, which may be of any size and configuration described, and be made
of metal, glass, millboard, or any other suitable material. It is, as shown,
constructed in two halves (upper and lower), marked respectively a and a', fitting
sufficiently closely together to prevent the escape of the contents, and has in its
upper side an opening A¹ of somewhat greater size than the face of the brush or
pad to be used, this opening being closed by a cover, lid, or stopper B.
C is the shelf, preferably corresponding in shape to the box, but less in size, so as to
leave a clear space all round it, and being either curved somewhat in the shape of a .
spoon, as shown, or made to slope from either end to the centre.
This shelf is surrounded by a rim or raised ledge D, and is carried by suitable
bearers or straps C₁ from the sides or ends of the part a; or it may be mounted on
legs standing up from the bottom of the box.
When it is desired to fill the box the upper half a is detached from the lower
half a', and the latter is then filled with the required substance, such, for example,
as powder (fine or coarse) or liquid.
The parts are then put together, and when use is to be made of its contents the
box is simply inverted and then quickly reversed, thus leaving on the shelf a small
portion of powder or liquid, to which the whole face of the brush can have access
through the opening A', as shown.
The box or receptacle is preferably, as shown on the Drawings, of somewhat
greater length than breadth, but this is by no means absolutely necessary, as it may
be in horizontal section circular, square, or of any other form.

page_text: Although primarily intended for dentifrice of all kinds the said Invention will
be found useful in all cases in which it is required that a small portion of the
contents of any box or receptacle should be taken up by a brush or pad.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First. In a box for holding dentifrice, rouge, burnishing or cleaning powders, or
other substances or liquids, the combination with the box proper of a shelf C,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Second. In combination with the box A formed of upper and lower halves the
shelf C curved or sloped to the centre and having a rim D, all substantially as and
for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)