Grocers' Caddies.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
Grocers' Caddies.
I, CORNELIUS TOOHEY, of 123 California Street, in the City and County of
San Francisco, State of California U.S.A., Tea Broker and Importing Agent,
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:-
My invention relates to that class of containing vessels comprising a top or
body, and a self-delivery base, used by grocers for containing tea, coffee, spices, etc.
and known as "caddies."
My invention consists first, in adapting the original wooden case or box in which
the goods, such for example as tea, coffee, spices, etc., are packed, to be readily and
effectively combined with a self-delivery base, to which any number of successive
cases or boxes may be applied, thus enabling the retailer to use one base with
many tops or bodies, and to have a complete caddy without being under the
necessity of transferring the goods from the original package, for the reason that
the original package itself forms the top or body of the caddy by being applied to
the base as its contents require to be used.
My invention also consists in connection with the original package whether it be
of wood or metal, or whether it be but a metallic lining for a wooden case, and
with a self delivery base to which said original package is fitted, of a means for
easily and effectively connecting and disconnecting the package and base.
On the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box or case of the kind in which tea is
packed the usual paper covering being torn away in part to show the wooden
character of the box, and its lower or removable end a being shewn separated
therefrom.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the self-delivery base. .
Figure 3 is a view of the caddy complete.
Figure 4 is a detail section showing the detachable connection between the box
or case and the base.
Many goods in the trade such as coffee, spices, teas etc., are usually packed in
wooden cases or boxes. This is especially true of teas packed in the Orient for
importation into England. These boxes or cases are easily made by the natives,
and being sanctioned by long usage have come to be regarded as essential to the
tea trade. Such a box or case I have represented by A. To adapt it for use as
the top or body of a caddy, one of its ends a is readily removable.
The self-delivery base B of the caddy is a casing of any material preferably
metal. Its upper portion is open and is so constructed that it will readily receive
and support the lower open end of the wooden box or case A. This construction
may be of any suitable character providing a rest for said box or case.
It may
receive and support the box or case directly and flat upon it, or it may have an
outside shoulder or ledge, but the form I prefer is the internal ledge bas bere
shewn. Within the base is the usual inclined shield 6' and in the front of the base
is the usual door b³.
Now the grocer being possessed of one of these so-called self-delivery bases, can
fit as many original boxes or cases thereto successively as he may please. He has
only to remove the end a of the wooden box or case and then to set the said box
or case down upon the open top of the base and thereupon he has a complete caddy
as I have shewn in Figure 3.
Any suitable fastening may be employed to connect the two parts of the caddy.

page_text: I have here shewn the spring catches C, engaging the sockets a' in the box or
case and disengaged by push buttons c.
The sockets al may be made in any suitable manner.
I have here shewn them
as made by small metallic plates covering openings in the box edges.
This fastening or any suitable fastening applies not only to the connection of the
wooden cases or boxes with the self-delivery base, but also to the connection of the
original package to the base, whether said package be of metal or whether it be
but the lining of a box or case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A grocers' caddy formed by the adaptation of the original wooden package,
case or box, to an independent self-delivery base, by removably fitting the
package, case or box to and supporting it upon the base, the two communicating
with each other.
2. A grocers' caddy comprising an original package, or the lining thereof,
forming the top or body of caddy, and an independent self-delivery base upon the
top of which the original package or lining is supported and with which it
communicates, the two being detachably connected by the suitable catches
substantially as described and illustrated.
•
3. A grocers' caddy comprising an original package or lining having a
removable end and forming the top or body of the caddy, an independent self-
delivery base having an open top with a ledge upon which the package is
supported, and the spring catches and sockets for detachably connecting the two,
substantially as described.
4. A wooden box or case designed for the packing of teas, coffees, spices and
other grocers' commodities, and having its edges formed with sockets for the
reception of catches adapted to unite said box or case with a base substantially as
and for the purposes described.
5. A self-delivery base of a grocers' caddy having catches adapted to connect
a top or body to said base, substantially as described and illustrated upon
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twelfth day of January 1894.