Improvements in and relating to Wooden Boxes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wooden Boxes.
I, PETER STUART BROWN, of Bothwell Park, Bothwell, in the County of Lanark,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the manufacture of boxes from multiple-ply
veneer or like boards in an improved manner whereby convenience of transport
of the prepared material from which the boxes are fashioned and facility in
making up the boxes therefrom are ensured, as well as increased stability and
efficiency when in use.
Under the invention the sides of the box are made from a single board of
multiple ply veneer or similar light material of a length equal to the perimeter
of the four sides and of a breadth equal to the depth of the box to be produced.
At the lines which subsequently form the corners of the box the board is grooved
transversely with V-shaped grooves which cut into about two-thirds of the
thickness, leaving intact the remaining third or outer ply of the veneer which
is formed of flexible wood or other like material capable of bending without
breaking through. Over the back of the board in the line of each of these
grooves is or may be secured a strengthening strip or band of sheet metal,
canvas or other strong and flexible material which is secured by nails or riveting
or by prongs formed on the strap or by nailing or cementing or otherwise. The
grooved side of the board which forms the inside of the box may be covered with
a lining of lead or tinfoil, or tinned or leaded steel which would be secured to the
board by the nails or rivets which hold the strengthening strips or bands.
In forming the box the board is folded or bent inwards at each groove without
breaking through the uncut ply or thickness of the board so that the edges of
the grooves form mitre joints, and the sheet metal straps bind together the
sides of the box and protect the corners over which they are thus strained and
tightly held. The ends of the board which meet and form an unsecured corner
are bound together by strips doubled over upon themselves and held by a slotted
tube forming a slip joint or by a hooked joint, or other means. When a slip
joint is used for closing the fourth corner of the box it is preferably made by
folding inwards into U-shape to the inside of the board the corner strap attached
to each side along the line of jointing. Over the folded-in parts of the straps a
slit tube which may be of triangular, rectangular, cylindrical or oval section is
slipped endwise, the whole of this tubular slip being within the corner of the
box and serving to fill or partially fill up the space at the meeting ends of the
box and inside this tube may be driven a rod of suitable section to practically
fill the tube. In light boxes and with specially strong and flexible wood for the
bending ply, the metal or canvas strip over the joint is omitted.

page_text: The straps or bands of sheet metal or other flexible material may however be
secured over the grooves, and the grooved board bent to form the box with the
grooves on the outside and protected by the metal straps as corner pieces, the
metal strap in that case being pressed into the V before nailing, which gives
sufficient material to form the bend. In this case the slip joint is formed either
on the inside or on the outside of the box.
A wooden veneer or other bottom and a lid are fitted over the ends of the box
and each is held in place by means of a strip of sheet metal secured around
the edges of the sides forming lips to overlap the bottom or lid. This strip is
folded upon itself along its outer edge to form a double or triple thickness of
such stiffness that when the strip is folded over the lid it may hold it securely
in place.
Under another modification the vencer or other board from which the box
is made instead of being adapted to form only the sides is cut or made with
projecting angular parts, each of which forms a quarter of the bottom or lid,
the latter being thus made up of four pieces abutting or meeting diagonally. The
board is folded at the V grooves to form the four sides which are secured as
before described; and then the projecting angular pieces at each end are folded
over on their grooves to rest on an inner wooden or metal plate or cross laid in
the end of the box, the angular end parts being connected to the sides by metal
straps or canvas in the same manner as the sides are bound together. At the
centre where the end boards meet they are retained by a rivet, or by a like
device passed through the inner plate or board and having a head adapted to
engage the four sectional end pieces, or having a slotted plate driven over it to
lock the end pieces.
In all these modifications special or ordinary internal fixings for carrying
bottles or similar contents, may be prepared to engage with recesses or pro-
jections in or upon the sides, ends, bottoms and tops, the whole engagement being
effected by the one action of sliding the corner joint into position and thus
locking the whole.
Dated this 2nd day of Juna 1808
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Wooden Boxes.
I, PETER STUART BROWN, of Bothwell Park, Bothwell, in the County of Lanark,
Manufacturer, 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 has for its object the manufacture of boxes from multiple-ply
veneer or like boards in an improved manner whereby convenience of transport
of the prepared material from which the boxes are fashioned and facility in
making up the boxes therefrom are ensured, as well as increased stability and
efficiency when in use.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 being an
edge view and Fig. 2 a plan of a board to form four sides of a box. Fig. 2 is a
view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of board. Fig. 3 is a plan shewing this

page_text: board folded and held together, to form the four sides of a box, by a slip joint.
Figs. 4 and 5 are views corresponding respectively to Figs. 1 and 3 but shewing
a slightly different method of making the box. Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to
Fig. 2 and shewing the manner of cutting a veneer board to form a complete
box and Fig. 7 shews said board folded and secured to form a box.
Under the invention the sides of the box are made from a single board A of
multiple ply veneer or similar light material of a length equal to the perimeter of
the four sides and of a breath equal to the depth of the box to be produced. At
the lines which subsequently form the corners of the box the board is grooved
transversely with V-shaped grooves a¹ on one side of the board as shewn at Fig. 1,
or on both sides as shewn at Fig. 2 which cut into about two-thirds of the
thickness, leaving intact the remaining third or inner or outer ply of the veneer
which is formed of flexible wood or other like material capable of bending without
breaking through. Over the back of the board in the line of each of these
grooves is or may be secured a strengthening strip or band b of sheet metal,
canvas or other strong and flexible material which is secured by nails as shewn
or riveting or by prongs formed on the strap or by nailing or cementing or other-
wise. The grooved side of the board A which forms the inside of the box may be
covered with a lining of lead or tinfoil, or tinned or leaded steel which would be
secured to the board by the nails or rivets which hold the strengthening strips
or bands.
In forming the box the board A is folded or bent inwards at each groove
without breaking through the uncut ply or thickness of the board so that the edges
of the grooves form mitre joints as shewn at Figs. 3 and 5, and the sheet metal
straps bind together the sides of the box and protect the corners over which they
are thus strained and tightly held. The ends of the board A. which meet and
form an unsecured corner are bound together by strips doubled over upon them-
selves as at 6, Fig. 1, and held by a slotted tube forming a slip joint c, as
shewn at Fig. 3, or by a hooked joint or other means. When slip joint is used
for closing the further corner of the box it is preferably made by folding inwards
into U-shape to the inside of the board the corner strap 6 attached to each side
along the line of jointing. Over the folded in parts of the straps the slit tube c
which may be of triangular, rectangular, cylindrical or oval section is slipped
endwise as shewn at Figs. 3 and 5, the whole of this tubular slip being preferably
within the corner of the box and serving to fill or partially fill up the space at
the meeting ends of the box, as shewn at Fig. 3; and inside this tube may be
driven a rod of suitable section to practically fill the tube. In light boxes and
with specially strong and flexible wood for the bending ply, the metal or canvas
strip over the joint is omitted.
The straps or bands of sheet metal or other flexible material may however, as
shewn at Figures 4 and 5 be secured over the grooves a and the grooved board A
bent to form the box with the grooves a on the outside and protected by the
metal straps 6 as corner pieces, the metal strap in that case being pressed into
the V before nailing, as shewn at Fig. 4, which gives sufficient material to form
the bend. In this case the slip joint is formed either on the inside, in which case the
ends of the board A are formed as shewn at Figure 1, or on the outside of
the box, in which case the ends of the board A are formed as shewn at Fig. 4.
A wooden veneer or other bottom and a lid are fitted over the ends of the box
and each is held in place by means of a strap D of sheet metal secured around
the edges of the sides forming lips to overlap the bottom or lid, as shown at
Figure 7, this method of securing the lid to the body of the box being applicable
to all the other modifications. This strip is folded upon itself along its outer
edge to form a double or triple thickness of such stiffness that when the strip
is folded over the lid it may hold it securely in place.
Under another modification the veneer or other board A from which the box
is made instead of being adapted to form only the sides is cut or made with
projecting angular parts a² each of which forms a quarter of the bottom or lid,

page_text: the latter being thus made up of four pieces abutting or meeting diagonally. The
board is folded at the V grooves a¹ to form the four sides which are secured as
before described; and then the projecting angular pieces a² at each end are
folded over on their grooves to rest on an inner wooden or metal plate or cross
laid in the end of the box, the angular end parts a² being connected to the
sides by metal straps or canvas in the same manner as the sides are bound
together. At the centre where the end boards a² meet they are retained by a
rivet D', as shewn, or by a like device passed through the inner plate or board
and having a head adapted to engage the four sectional end pieces, or having a
slotted plate driven over it to lock the end pieces.
In all these modifications special or ordinary internal fixings for carrying
bottles or similar contents, may be prepared to engage with recesses or projections
in or upon the sides, ends, bottoms and tops, the whole engagement being effected
by the one action of sliding the corner joint into position and thus locking the
whole.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. For use in the manufacture of wooden boxes a box blank composed of a
board of multiple ply veneer or like material grooved or partially cut through
at the lines which are designed to form the corners of the boxes and having
secured thereto over the lines of grooving straps or bands of sheet metal or other
flexible material substantially as described.
2. A wooden box having its four sides made from a single board of multiple
ply vencer grooved or partially cut through on one side at the lines which form
the corners and protected on the opposite side by means of straps or sheet metal
or other flexible material or by a thickness of the veneer, the board being bent or
folded at the grooves to form mitre joints whilst the straps when provided form
protective corner pieces, substantially as described.
3. A wooden box having its four sides made from a single board of multiple
ply veneer grooved or partially cut through on one side at the lines which form
the corners and protected on the opposite side by means of straps of sheet metal
or other flexible material or by a thickness of the veneer, the board being bent
or folded at the grooves to form mitre joints whilst the straps when provided form
protective corner pieces, and being secured at the fourth corner by a slip joint
or like means substantially as described.
4. A wooden box having its four sides made from a single board of multiple
ply vencer grooved or partially cut through on one or both sides at the lines which
form the corners the said grooves being covered on the outer side by straps of
sheet metal or other flexible material, and the board being folded at the grooved
lines so as to draw the straps tightly over the cut faces of the grooved parts and
form protective corner pieces, substantially as described.
5. A wooden box having its four sides made from a single board of multiple
ply veneer grooved or partially cut through on one or both sides at the lines
which form the corners the said grooves being covered on the outer side by
straps of sheet metal or other flexible material, and the board being folded at the
grooved lines so as to draw the straps tightly over the cut faces of the grooved
parts and form protective corner pieces, whilst the fourth corner is secured by a
slip joint or like means, substantially as described.
6. In a wooden box constructed as described the mode of securing the corner
or corners by a slip joint enclosed by the sides of the box substantially as
described with reference to Figures 3 and 5 of the annexed drawings.
7. A wooden box made as described from a single grooved board of multiple
ply veneer secured at its ends by a slip joint and having its ends or lid and
bottom secured thereto by strips of sheet metal stiffened at the edges and folded
down thereover.

page_text: 8. A wooden box having its four sides and its ends or lid and bottom formed
from a single board of multiple ply veneer cut, grooved and folded as
described.
Dated this 1st day of March 1899.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.