IMPROVEMENTS IN ENDLESS PAPER VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND IN THE MODE OR MEANS OF PRODUCING THE SAME
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Arthur Crane, of the Firm of Crane Brothers, of
Westfield, in the County of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, United States
of America, Paper Manufacturers, but at present of Queen's Square, Bloomsbury,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENDLESS
PAPER VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND IN THE
MODE OR MEANS OF PRODUCING THE SAME." A communication from abroad
by Robert Bruce Crane, of the said Firm of Crane Brothers, of Westfield, in
the County of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Paner Manufacturers.
Sealed the 27th August 1878, and dated the 25th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Arthur Crane at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th June 1$78.
JAMES ARTHUR CRANE, of the Firm of Crano Brothers, of Westfield, in the
County of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Paper
Manufacturers, but at present of Queen's Square, Bloomsbury, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENDLESS PAPER VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES, AND
OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND IN THE MODE OR MEANS OF PRODUCING THE SAME" A
coinmunication from abroad by Robert Bruce Crane, of the said Firm of Crane
Brothers, of Westfield, in the County of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, United
States of America, Paper Manufacturers.
This Invention relates to the production of baskets, tubs, cans, trunks, and other
like vessels or receptacles from endless paper, and consists, as applied to the pro-
duction of a basket (for example), in taking an endless sheet of paper when in
a moist state and bending it round so as to form a border at the upper edge
thereof to constitute the rim of the basket, and also shaping the said sheet so as to
form a bottoin to the said basket, the article when finished being thus produced
|without any perceptible joint or seam.

page_text: In carrying out this Invention, an endless sheet of paper is first made in any
suitable manner, as, for example, by conducting a web of paper in its moist state
around rollers and back under the press rolls of a paper machine a sufficient
number of times, until the requisite thickness is obtained, the length of the endless
sheet corresponding or nearly so to the circumference or perimeter of the article to
be produced, and the width being also proportionate, that is to say, equal to the
depth or length, as the caso may be, of the article, with the addition of a sufficient
amount of material with which to form the rim, if required, and the bottom, or
end, or ends of the said article.
The endless sheet thus produced is then taken while or when in a moist condition
and placed upon cones or formers made in segments, and arranged so as to be
capable of expansion and contraction, and if a border or rim is required the upper
edge of the endless slicet is then turned over all round so as to form the said rim or
border, and the lower edge is slit longitudinally at intervals to the requisite depth,
and the several portions thus partially divided are turned down in laps over the
base of the "former" so as to produce the bottom or layer of paper, with some
pulp and glue or other equivalent material being by preference added.
The article on the former is then conveyed to a drying chamber, where it is com-
pletely dried and is subsequently withdrawn, and is removed from the former by
collapsing the latter, when the article may be finished ready for use.
In some cases, the endless body may be made on a former with a bottoni or
closed end at both extremities, and subsequently divided at or about the centre of
its length, so as to form two articles; or if it is required to form a trunk or similar
article, the endless body may be made in this manner, and slit longitudinally so as
to form the lid, hinges being added in any suitable manner.
•
When it is desired to provide a lining for the article, the former itself may bo
made hollow and utilized as such lining.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Arthur Crane in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th December 1878.
JAMES ARTHUR CRANE, of the Firm of Crane Brothers, of Westfield, in the
County of Hampden, Stato of Massachussetts, United States of America, Paper
Manufacturers, but at present of Queen's Square, Bloomsbury, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENDLESS PAPER VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES, AND
OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND IN THE MODE OR MEANS OF PRODUCING THE SAME.' A
communication from abroad by Robert Bruce Crane of the said Firm of Crane
Brothers, of Westfield, in the County of Hampden, State of Massachussetts, United
States of America, Paper Manufacturer.
"
The said Invention relates to the production of baskets, tubs, cans, trunks, and
other like vessels or receptacles from endless paper, and consists, as applied to tho
production of a basket (for example), in taking an endless sheet of paper when in a
moist state and bending it round so as to form a border at the upper edge thereof
to constitute the rim of the basket, and also shaping the said sheet so as to form a
bottom to the said basket, the article when finished being thus produced without
any perceptible joint or sean.
In carrying out the said Invention, an endless sheet of paper is first made in any
suitable manner, as, for example, by conducting a web of paper in its moist state
around rollers and beck under the press rolls of a paper machine a sufficient number
of times, until the requisite thickness is obtained, the length of the endless sheot
corresponding or nearly so to the circumference or perimeter of the article to be
produced, and the width being also proportionate, that is to say, equal to the depth
or length, as the case may be, of the article, with the addition of a sufficient amount
of material with which to form the rim if required, and the bottom or end, or ends
of the said article.
The endless sheet thus produced is then taken while or when in a moist condition
and placed upon cores or "formes" made in segments and arranged so as to be
capable of expansion and contraction, and if a border or rim is required the upper
edge of the endless sheet is then turned over all round so as to form the said rim or
border, and the lower edge is slit longitudinally at intervals to the requisite depth,
and the several portions thus partially divided are turned down in laps over the
base of the "foriner," so as to produce the bottom layers of paper with some
pulp, and glue or other equivalent material being by preference added.
The article on the former is then conveyed to a drying chamber, where it is com-
pletely dried and is subsequently withdrawn, and is removed from the former by
collapsing the latter, when the article may be finished ready for use.
In some cases the endless body may be made on a former with a bottom or closed
end at both extremities, and subsequently divided at or about the centre of its
length, so as to form two articles; or, if it is required to form a trunk or similar
article, the endless body may be made in this manner and slit longitudinally so as
to form the lid, hinges being added in any suitable manner.
When it is desired to provide a lining for the article, the former itself may be
made hollow and utilized as such lining.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now pro-
ceed more particularly to describe with the aid of the several Figures on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings its application to the manufacture of rimmed
baskets, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a perspective view of a
basket, constructed in accordance with the said Invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged
sectional detail of a portion of the same, shewing clearly the construction of the
rim.

page_text: Figure 3 is a perspective view shewing the expansible core with a paper tube
applied.
Figure 4 is a perspective view shewing the manner of forming the bottom of the
article below the end of the core.
A paper tube A of the required thickness and length to form the desired article
is taken in its damp state and applied to the expansible core B, which, in the case
illustrated, is formed of two semi-cylindrical parts with interposed wedges a, by
which the sections of the core may be separated sufficiently to allow the core to be
taken out on the removal of the wedges.
Cores of more than two sections may be employed, and the core may have any
form which it is designed to give to the article.
In lieu of using wedges to set out the sections, screws or levers may be employed
to expand and contract the core.
An exterior rim bis formed by rolling the paper on itself to form a solid volute of
such diameter as may be desired to give to the article its required finish and
strength.
If desired, the rim may be formed by rolling the paper over a hoop, but for
ordinary purposes simply rolling it on itself will give sufficient staunchness to the
body of the article.
The lower end of the paper tube extends beyond the end of the core, preferably
about one-sixth () of the diameter of the article at the bottom. A greater or less
extension however may be employed. If there be a surplus of material left in
forming the bottom the surplus may be cut away by the operator. The side of the
tube beyond the core is then cut into slits, as shewn at c (Figure 4), extending
from the bottom of the core to the edge of the paper.
The paper tube being formed in lamina may be readily split into films of more
or less thickness. The inner of these films are then folded down on to the end
of the core and a thin sheet of paper is laid over them, or, preferably, strips of
paper dare interwoven with them and with one another, extending across the
bottom. The next series of films are then bent down and other strips are inter-
woven with them and the other strips, and so on in succession, until the bottom
is formed of the requisite thickness.
During the operation of forming the bottom, wet paper pulp mixed with sizing
or glue is worked in among the successive filins of which the bottom is formed,
for the purpose of compacting the whole into a homogeneous seamless mass.
When the bottom has been formed it is covered with a coating of the mixed pulp
and adhesive substance, and smoothed off so as to form a finish and coating which
will conceal the parts of which the body of the bottom is made. The surplus
water is then taken out of the bottom by covering it with a porous cloth,
through the texture of which the water will pass when pressure is applied by the
hand, which is swept off by the operator; or, as is preferred, a female form with
channels to admit of the escape of the water may be set on the bottom and
mechanical pressure applied to force out the water.
The core with the paper applied is then set aside to be dried by natural or arti-
ficial heat. When the paper is dried the core is contracted by removing the wedges
or operating the screws. The article thus formed of paper is finished by smoothing,
painting, varnishing, or otherwise, according to taste.
If designed to hold a liquid, the article may be coated with an insoluble coating
or varnish.
Where the article is intended to be metal lined, the metal form is used which
is intended to make the lining instead of the adjustable core.
The article may
be made with or without the volute rim, as preferred. The contraction of the
paper in drying will set it on to the internal lining firmly so that it cannot be
removed.
This process may be applied to the manufacture of trunks, chests, and analogous
articles of paper in the following manner:-In such case the core will be formed of
two parts, cach expansible, as in the case where a single core is used, the parts being

page_text: joined on the line where the top and bottom of the trunk (for example) are in-
tended to connect. The parts of the core being laid together a paper tube is applied
to the core, which in this case is made longer than the coro at both ends or at tho
top and bottom. The ends of the paper tube are then slit, and the ends of the
trunk or the top and bottom, as the case may be, are then formed in the manner
herein-before described. When completed and dried, the paper which will now
inclose the entire core is cut on the line of the division of the two parts of the
core, parallel with the top and bottom, and the parts separated. The cores are
then taken out, and the top and bottom will have been formed in a single piece.
The trunk may then be stiffened and finished according to judgment and fancy.
It is to be understood that in making articles that are intended to be durable,
paper stock of the strongest quality should be used.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, constructing vessels or receptacles from tubos formed of successive
layers of paper, by first distending a tube of thick moist paper upon a core, former,
or pattern, and forming upon the said tube a bottom, or end, or ends of homo-
geneous material without scams, and when a rim is required rolling the paper
upon itself so as to form a volute rim, all substantially in the manner and by
the means herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Arthur Cranc, have to this my Specificn-
tion set any hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, One thousand
eisht hundred and seventy-eight.