IMPROVEMENTS IN COLOUR BOXES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Foxall of Drummond Street, Euston Square in
the County of Middlesex, Japanner. for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COLOUR BOXES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Foxall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October 1883.
THOMAS FOXALL of Drummond Street Euston Square in the County of
Middlesex, Japanner "IMPROVEMENTS IN COLOUR BOXES."
The present improvements constitute a development of the invention described
in the specification of my Patent dated 13th January 1883 N° 208.—In that
specification I have described the formation of a set of spring clips by notching and
bending a single strip of metal whereby an entire row of colour pans may be
securely held in place without the necessity for intervening partitions.
In some cases I find that partitions between the colour pans are preferred
though their insertion increases the cost of production, and to meet this preference
I have devised certain alterations and additions.
The first of my present improvements consists in the formation, at the time of
stamping out the notched strip of metal above referred to, of small lateral extensions
or ears at one or both sides of the tongues of metal in the notched strip, and the
bending of these ears at right angles or nearly so to the said tongues, whereby
provision is made for preventing any sideway displacement of the colour pans.
The ears in fact serve the purpose of small partitions between the colour pans.
The next of my improvements consists in dividing my notched strips into short
lengths comprising only one or two tongues of metal,-in bending the tongue or
tongues out of line with the rest, so as to constitute a spring, and in fixing these
short lengths in a vertical position at the ends or sides of, or between the colour
pans, in such a manner that the spring tongues of one fixed length will securely
hold the colour pan in place against the rigid portion of the next adjacent
length, or against the side of the box. Pairs of such notched and bent lengths
may be fixed back to back with their spring tongues inclining outwards, and may
be placed between two or more of the colour pans, so as to securely hold the same
Price Gd1

page_text: in position. In this case I preferably cut away the plain fixed partitions or
dividing strips, to allow of the colour pans being easily removed when empty.
This arrangement holds the colour pans some eighth of an inch apart, and in
cases where such an interval between the pans is undesirable, I make use of
the following arrangement of spring clips, which constitutes the third head of my
invention.
I form short lengths of any suitable spring metal, such as hard brass, or it may
be steel, tinned, terminating in scrolls or curved ends which are bent approximately
at right angles to the body of the strips and act as springs; and I preferably fix
these spring strips in pairs so that their bodies are set on edge between the colour
pans, and their spring ends press against the ends or sides of the pans and hold
them securely in place.
These last two arrangements may be combined, when great security for the pans
is required, and in this case the straight lengths of metal are notched to form
tongues which are hent slightly outwards, while the scroll shaped or spring ends
of the metal strips remain unaltered. By this combination the colour pans may be
gripped by elastic metal partitions on three sides.
The spring ended strips above described may, if desired, be used singly instead
of in pairs, between the colour pans; and may he undercut for a part of their
straight portion to give greater elasticity to the spring end. A portion of the upper
part of the straight portion may be caused to overbang slightly to prevent the
colour pan from rising.
In some cases it is desirable to slide the pans into position, and in this case
I form V-shaped spring partitions with lips at their upper ends, beneath which
lips the edges of the colour pans will slide and be securely held thereby. I
preferably notch these V-shaped partitions so as to divide the spring sides into a
series of independent springs, whereby provision for the inequalities in size of
whole or half pans is afforded.
The bases of the V-shaped partitions or spring clips may be enlarged to
pyramidal or cylindrical form in cross section, to give more spring and to afford a
more secure attachment to the bottom of the box. The spring tongues described
in the first head of my invention may similarly receive a longitudinal groove or
corrugation close to their bases, to give them increased elasticity. To facilitate the
withdrawal of the pans from beneath the lips of the V-shaped partitions without
unduly increasing the width of the box, the lips may be cut away toward the
outer ends of the partitions so as to allow the pans to be lifted up and drawn out
obliquely

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Foxall in the Patent Office on the 29th April 1884.
THOMAS FOXALL of Drummond Street Euston Square in the County of
Middlesex Japanner "IMPROVEMENTS IN COLOUR BOXES"
The present improvements constitute a development of the Invention described
in the Specification of my Patent dated thirteenth January One thousand eight
bundred and eighty three N° 208. In that Specification I have described the
formation of a set of spring clips by notching and bonding a single strip of metal
whereby an entire row of colour pans may be securely held in place without the
necessity for intervening partitions.
In some cases I find that partitions between the colour pans are preferred,
though their insertion increases the cost of production and to meet this preference
I have devised certain alterations and additions which I will now proceed to
describe in detail with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
The first of my present improvements consists in the formation at the time of
stamping out the notched strip of metal above referred to, of small lateral extensions
or ears at one or both sides of the tongues of metal in the notched strip and the
bending of these ears at right angles or nearly so to the said tongues, whoreby
provision is minde for preventing any sideway displacement of the colour pans.
The ears in fact serve the purpose of small partitions between the colour pans.
This improvement is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying
Drawings, Fig: 1 being a plan view of a box so fitted, Fig: 2 a section on the line
Fig: 1, and Fig: 3 a section on the lino y y of Fig : 1.
A is the notched strip of metal so formed and bent that a row or series of spring
tonguos a a is formed adapted to bear against the several colour pans and retain
them in place by pressing them against a rigid portion of the box.
a' a¹ are the small lateral extensions or ears formed in one with the spring
tongues a a, and bent approximately at right angles thereto.
I have shown these ears on one side only of each of the tongues a a but strips of
metal such as A might be stamped out with extension pieces on both sides of the
tongues.
The strip A is secured by soldering its base to the bottom of the box as described
in the Specification of my Patent above referred to.-In bending up the tongues of
metal a a I prefer to bend then around a wire or round-edged strip so that they
take the curved shaped at their bases shown best in Figures 2 and 3, as by thus
forming the tongues I obtain greater spring and durability.-The colour box here
shewn is adapted for whole pans set transversely of the box, or half pans arranged
side by side in pairs, the said whole pans or pairs of half pans boing prevented from
shifting by the metal cars a¹ a¹.
The next of my improvements consists in dividing my notched strips into short,
lengths comprising only one or more tongues of metal, in bending the tongue or
tongues out of line with the rest so as to constitute a spring, and.in fixing these
short lengths in a vertical position at the ends or sides of, or between the colour
pans, in such a manner that the spring tongues of one fixed length will securely.
hold the colour pan in place against the rigid portion of the next adjacent length
or against the side of the box.
This improvement is illustrated in Figures 4 to 8 of the Drawings, Fig: 4 is a
plan view of the box Fig: 5 a section on the linex Fig: 4, Fig: 6 a section on
the line y y Fig: 4, and Figures 7 and 8 are detail views of a trebly notched
division strip or partition, with the tongues of metal depending, instead of having.
their free ends upwards.

page_text: In these Figures B are the notched division strips and b b the spring tongues
which hold the colour pans C in place by pressing them against the rigid portions b¹
of the next adjacent division or other fixed part of the box, as shewn in Figures 4
and 5.
•
The arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8 is adapted for colour pans having
straighter sides than those ordinarily used and provided towards their lower portion
with grooves or notches in which the inverted spring tongues b b can obtain a
bearing.
Pairs of such notched and bent lengths may be fixed back to back with their
spring tongues inclining outwards and may be placed between two or more of the
colour pans so as to securely hold the same in position.-I preferably cut away the
plain fixed longitudinal partitions or dividing strips to allow of the colour pans
being more easily removed when empty after the manner commonly known and
practised
This duplex spring arrangement holds the colour pans some eighth of an inch
apart, and in cases where such an interval between the pans is undesirable I make
use of the following arrangement of spring clips which constitutes the third head
of my Invention and is illustrated in Figures 9, 10 and 11 of the Drawings.
I form short lengths d of any suitable spring metal such as hard brass or it may
be steel tinned terminating in scrolls or curved ends d' d' which are bent
approximately at right angles to the body of the strips and act as springs, and I
preferably fix these spring strips in pairs so that their bodies are set on edge
between the colour pans as shewn in the plan view Fig: 9, and their spring ends
press against the ends or sides of the pans Ċ and hold them securely in place.
The two last described improvements may be combined as illustrated in Figures
12 and 13 when great security for the pans is required, and in this case the straight
lengths of metal are cut or notched to form tongues b b which are bent slightly
outwards, while the scroll. shaped or spring ends d' d' of the metal strips remain
unaltered. By this combination the colour pans may be gripped by elastic metal
partitions on three sides.
The spring ended strips above described may if desired be used singly instead of
in pairs between the colour pans, and may be undercut for a part of their straight
portion as shewn in Figures 10 and 15 to give greater elasticity to the spring end-
A portion of the upper part of the straight portion may be caused to overhang
slightly to prevent the colour pan from rising.
Figures 14, 15 and 16 show my scroll ended spring partitions arranged in
another way. In this case the fixed abutment for the pans is formed by the
longitudinal partition e of the box instead of by the side e¹ thereof, and the scroll
spring heads b' are arranged close to the side of the box instead of towards its
centre.
Fig: 17 shews in plan view an arrangement of scroll ended spring partition
similar to that shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11.-The extreme ends of the spring
scrolls are however made flat, like those in Figures 15 and 16, the better to grip
the colour pans and press them against the side of the box.
Having now set forth the nature of my said Invention of "Improvements in
Colour Boxes" and explained in what manner the same may be carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim:
First-The adaptation to colour boxes, of notched metallic strips bent so as to
form a row or series of elastic tongues a a, and provided with extensions or car
pieces such as a¹. al, for the purpose of securely holding the colour pans in place,
and preventing their endway or sideway displacement, substantially as described
with reference to Figures 1. 2. and 3 of the Drawings.
Second-The adaptation to colour boxes, between the colour pans, of rigid
transverse partitions or divisions, the said partitions being notched or cut and bent
so as to form elastic tongues of metal for securely holding the colour pans in place,
as described with reference to Figures 4 to 8 of the drawings.

page_text: Third:-The adaptation to colour boxes of transverse partitions terminating in
curved or scroll shaped ends, which act as springs, and press against the ends or
sides of the pans, and securely hold them in place, as described with reference to
Figures 9 to 17 of the drawings.
Fourth-The adaptation to colour boxes of transverse partitions so cut and
bent as to form elastic tongues, and terminating in curved or scroll shaped spring
ends, as described with reference to Figures 12 and 13 of the Drawings, for the
purpose set forth,
Fifth: In a colour box, a transverse partition rigidly secured to the box
terminating in a curved or scroll shaped end or ends, and partly undercut to secure
greater ela-ticity to the said end or ends, as and for the purpose described and
shewn in Figures 10 and 15 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Foxall have hereunto set my hand and
seal the twenty sixth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
THOMAS FOXALL (LS.)