An Improved Automatic Fastener for Boxes or Baskets.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1892.
Complete Specification Left. 3rd Mar., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Fastener for Boxes or Baskets.
WILLIAM WRIGHT Brassfinisher 2 Saltash Street Plymouth Devon FRANCIS
JAMES PALMER REED Wine Merchant 81 Old Town Street, Plymouth Devon
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I make a spring catch or catches of suitable shape of steel or other suitable
material which I fix in the box or basket in a suitable position, attached to the
cover in a suitable position I fix a staple or staples so as when the cover is closed
the staple or staples force back the catch or catches to allow the staple or staples
to slip over the catch or catches thereby locking the box or basket in a suitable
position I place a case in the box or basket made of metal or any suitable material
inside the case I place a disc or seal corresponding with a hole in the case to open
the box or basket the disc or seal must be broken before it can be opened the disc
can be easily replaced by another at any suitable time.
Dh: Dish dar of Mov 1892.
WILLIAM WRIGHT.
FRANCIS J. P. REED.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Fastener for Boxes or Baskets.
We WILLIAM WRIGHT, of 2 Saltash Street, Plymouth, Brass-finisher, and
FRANCIS JAMES PALMER REED, of 81 Old Town Street, Plymouth, Wine
Merchant, 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 consists in a catch for securing the covers of boxes or baskets,
which catch takes effect in an automatic manner on closing the lid or cover of the
box or basket.
The catch cannot afterwards be released without indication being afforded that
this has been done.
The catch serves, therefore, as a "tell-tale" and, in this respect, as a check
against abstraction of or tampering with the contents of the box or basket to which
the catch is applied. The catch consists of a bar carrying hasps or snugs and
acted upon by a spring which tends to maintain the bar and hasps or snugs in the
locked position. The bar with the hasps or snugs may be fitted in the box or
basket and the staples on the cover, or the reverse may be the case, but under
either of these arrangements the act of shutting down the lid causes the locking
tendency of the opening to be overcome and when the hasps or snugs have passed
over the ends of the staples the spring re-acts and ensures and maintains the
engagement and consequent locking.
In order to disengage the hasps or snugs and staples, the bar carrying the former
must be tilted by means of a tool applied from without. Such tool is inserted in
an aperture provided for it either in the face or cover of the box or basket, but
before the tool reaches the bar it has to penetrate a seal or a piece of card or other
suitable substance contained in a pocket or case fitted to or inserted in the box or
in the cover.
The consequent fracture of the seal or mutilation of the card shows
that the catch has been opened or tampered with. Each time the lid or cover is
closed, a fresh seal or card is previously inserted and cannot be reached except
through the aperture designed for introduction of the opening tool.

page_text: In the accompanying sheet of drawings is illustrated at Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,
our improved spring catch as applied to a box. The arrangement shown in the
said figs. is that under which the locking bar is fitted in the box.
C
Fig. 1 represents a front view of the cover a fitted with staples a. Fig. 2 is a
plan of the box front b. The locking bar c carrying the hasps or snugs c¹ is
supported in lugs in which it is free to turn within limits. By the spring d,
coiled around the bar and fixed thereto at one end and at the other end to one of
the lugs, or to any other hold fast, the bar c is normally kept in the position shown
at Fig. 1 and in the vertical section Fig. 3, that is to say, with the noses of the
hasps or snugs c¹ pressed against the inside of the box front. At or about midway
in the front of the box b is a pocket cut in the wood and closed at back by an iron
plate e. An aperture el extends from the front of the box into the pocket and is
continued through the plate e. Opposite the aperture is a tongue projecting
upwards from the bar c. Prior to shutting down the cover of the box, a
card e, or the like, is inserted in the pocket in the box front. The cover when
closed over laps the top of the pocket so that the card cannot be withdrawn after
the cover is shut down. The card blocks the aperture in the plate e. 'The act of
shutting down the cover brings the staples a' into contact with the hasps or snugs c¹
of the locking bar c and these being bevelled at top, are, by reason of the fall of
the cover, or by pressing it down, acted upon by the staples a¹ in such manner as
to cause the tendency of the spring d to be overcome. Consequently, the rod cis
tilted back and, when the staple ends have passed down clear of the noses of the
hasps or snugs. c', the rod c springs back and the cover is secured. In order to
open the catch and release the cover, a tool, such as is shown at Figs. 4 and 5, is
inserted in the aperture e', the card e is pierced and the leading end of the tool is
pressed against the tongue of the bar c which is thereby forced back and frees
the hasps or snugs c' from engagement with the staples a', as shown in dotted lines
at Fig. 2. The cover is then free to be raised.
It will be obvious that in event of the box being thus opened by unauthorized
persons, the mutilation of the card, or a seal in lieu thereof, affords an indication of
the act.
The
At Figs. 6 to 8 (inclusive) of the drawings, is illustrated a modification under
which the locking bar c with its hasps or snugs c¹ is fitted to the underside of the
cover a of which Fig. 6 is a front or edge view, and Fig. 7 a view as seen from
the underside. Fig. 8 is a plan of part of the upper face of the cover.
staples or ledges for engagement with the hasps or snugs are, in such a case, fitted
in the box or basket. They are not shown in the drawing. It will be clear that
the snap locking action is analogous to that herein before described; the principal
difference being that the locking bar and the staples are transposed.
The methods of applying the card or seal and of disengaging the catch are,
however, different. In the arrangement now under consideration the card fis
placed between the leaves of a metal holder f' of which detached views are shown
at Figs. 9 and 10. This holder has a rectangular aperture in both leaves and
a round one in the under leaf only, as shown. After the card has been placed in
the holder the latter is, while the cover is raised, inserted in a slot provided for
it at or about midway between the ends of the cover, at the front thereof. On the
cover being shut down, the projecting part of the hinge of the holder f¹ is hidden
and protected by a ledge extending round the upper edge of the box or basket so
that the holder cannot be withdrawn when the cover is down. The aperture fin
the holder flies, when the cover is down, over a similar aperture c in the
tongue of the locking bar c and in order to unlock the cover, a tool of the kind
shown at Figs 11 and 12 is applied from above through the open metal throat
Fig. 8, and made to penetrate the card contained, as aforesaid, in the holder
The tool which, for the said purpose, is applied with the cutting edge of the blade
at its leading end to coincide with the major axis of the apertures, is further lowered
until the blade has passed through the aperture in the tongue of the locking
bar c. The tool is then turned through a right angle which brings the blade athwart

page_text: the aperture c, and, on an upward strain being exerted through the medium of the
tool, the locking bar c is tilted so as to free the hasps or snugs c¹ from engagement
with the staples fixed in the box or basket, and, on the upward strain being
continued, the cover is raised. The card holder f¹ is then drawn out by placing
the hooked end of the tool in the aperture f³ in the under leaf of the holder and
drawing outwards.
As an additional precaution, a seal may be placed in the throat g in the cover top
when the card is in place and the cover closed.
In the above described fastenings the snugs or hasps are set more or less vertically
on the locking bar and are tilted therewith. Instead, however, of this arrangement,
the hasps may be horizontal and the locking bar made to move longitudinally
drawing (when so actuated by a key) the hasps longitudinally out of engagement
with the cover staples with which they normally engage through the action of
the spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A catch for securing the covers of boxes or baskets, consisting of a locking
bar, carrying hasps or snugs situated within the box or basket and acted upon by a
spring in such manner that the cover becomes locked by the act of shutting down
and cannot be released without the introduction of a tool or instrument for counter-
acting the locking tendency of the spring and occasioning fracture of a seal or
penetration of a card, or the like, so placed as to obstruct the insertion of such
tool and secured against abstraction, substantially as herein before described with
reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying sheet of drawings.
2. The modified catch for securing the covers of boxes or baskets herein before
described with reference to Figs. 6 to 12, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings,
according to which the locking bar carrying the hasps or snugs is fixed to the
underside of the cover, the card or its equivalent opposing the insertion of the
catch-releasing tool is contained in a holder such as f', and the apertures for
the introduction of the said tool are so situated and arranged that on continuing the
upward strain by which the catch is released the cover is raised.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1893.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Chartered Patent Agent.