Improvements in Collapsible or Folding Boxes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 23th Jan., 1899
DE BOTICATION.
Improvements in Collapsible or Folding Boxes.
I, ROBERT DANN COLE, of 58, Booterstown Avenue, Dublin, in the County of
Dublin, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows;-
This invention relates to collapsible boxes of cardboard, pasteboard or the like
which can be folded up flat when empty, and occupy a small space for the purposes
of packing or storage. The object of the invention is to provide a box which
will fold inwards on its own bottom, thereby packing into a very small space,
also one in which the use of string, cord, clips, hooks or other appliances to bind
the whole together when the box is in use are not necessary, and yet the box will
be as strong or stronger than any collapsible box in which such appliances are
required.
In one arrangement, I take a sheet of cardboard or a blank of the required size,
and score or bend it longitudinally and transversely for forming the sides and
ends of the box, continuing such scores to the outside edges of the blank so that
the scores intersect each other at their points of crossing. I also cut or slit the
cardboard blank longitudinally from the edges thereof to the point of intersection
of the scores. When this is done the sides and ends can be turned up vertically
to form the sides and ends of the box, the flaps formed by the longitudinal
cutting or slitting of the blank being folded flat against the turned up ends and
rivetted at one part thereof, thus forming as it were an auxiliary end to the box.
These flaps have diagonal scores arranged in such a manner, that when the box
is collapsed these pieces will fold on their diagonal scores, or when the blank is
formed into a box then the folds unfold and become flat, the turned up ends to
which the diagonal scored flaps are rivetted, keeping the flaps from folding so
long as the ends remain upright. To complete the box, I prefer to form an
abutment or bead on the inside faces of the sides of the box against which the
adjacent edges of the ends catch, and so keep the box open. These can be
stamped out of the substance of the blank or made separate and attachable. The
scored flaps can be lengthened if desired so that the two flaps constituting each
pair, may meet in the centre of the ends, and give a better appearance to the box
than if there was a space between them.
The mode of using this improved collapsible box is as follows.--
To fold up the box all that is necessary is to release the edges of the ends from
engagement with the abutments or beads on the box sides, then fold the two ends
inwards on the bottom, the end flaps folding diagonally at the creases and causing
the sides to also fold inwards on the bottom and overlap the ends, the nature of
the material enabling the sides to bend somewhat as they are being folded down.
Without this flexibility of the sides, it would of course be impossible for the box
to fold. To form the article into a box again, the converse action takes place,
the ends being turned up, which action causes the sides to turn up also. The
edges of the ends come in touching contact with the sides, and are locked by
the abutments or beads on the inside faces of the latter. This firmly locks the
ends and sides in position, and keeps the box in its extended form while preventing
it collapsing accidentally.

page_text: In thus describing my invention it will be obvious that certain alterations can
be made without departing from the principle thereof. Thus instead of forming
the box out of one piece or a single blank of cardboard as above described, it may
be made out of more than one piece, which will be useful where sheets would
cut much to waste or in other cases. For example the ends of the box may be
made separate from the bottom and sides but rivetted to the former so as to fold
inwards on the bottom. They are also rivetted to the sides at their edges and
scored or hinged thereat. In such case the flaps are dispensed with, but the ends
themselves are scored diagonally, in such manner as to enable the sides and ends
to fold inwards simultaneously on the bottom. To the ends inside the box, I rivet
at one part, auxiliary unscored end pieces either made in one piece or two pieces
whichever is preferred. These are adapted to come in touching contact with the
sides when the box is opened into its extended form, and be locked by the abut-
ments or beads on the inside faces of the sides.
It is quite possible however to make the diagonally scored ends, and these
auxiliary end pieces in one piece, for which purpose I take a blank for each end
of the box and score or crease it near each extremity diagonally on one face, and
then score or crease it transversely on the opposite face at points between the
diagonal scores, a hinge or flap being left between the transverse scores to enable
that portion of the blank to be rivetted or hinged to the bottom. The blank
having been thus scored, it is folded transversely on its transverse scores, so that
the edges at the folds will, when the blank is rivetted or hinged to the bottom,
come in touching contact with the sides. The folds are rivetted near the diagonal
creases so that the folded material will not separate. This done the blank is
folded on its diagonal creases but in the opposite direction to the other ones, and
the ends of the bank rivetted or hinged to the box sides. There are other modi-
fications I could introduce, but the above will be sufficient to show that certain
alterations can be easily made in my box without departing from the nature of
the invention described, and that such alterations will be an infringement of my
specification.
The lid of the box may be constructed if desired on a similar principle to the
body of box, or it may simply be a lid of any ordinary_construction, or it may be
a folding lid attached to the sides or ends of the box. In the lid however I prefer
to use, I take a blank and score or crease it longitudinally and transversely
continuing such scores to the outside edges of the blank. I cut the blank longi-
tudinally from the edges to the point of intersection of the creases, and turn the
sides and ends up vertically to form the sides and ends of the lid. The loose flaps
formed by the cutting are folded flat against the turned up ends and rivetted
thereto. The sides of the cover are creased or scored diagonally near each corner,
and this enables the sides to fold diagonally on these creases flat on to the lid,
together with the lid ends. In use the putting of the lid on the box, keeps the
sides and ends extended. This construction of lid might be used for the box itself,
but I do not prefer it.
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I, ROBERT DANN COLE, of 58, Booterstown Avenue, Dublin, in the County of
Dublin, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to collapsible boxes of cardboard, pasteboard or the like
which can be folded up flat when empty, and occupy a small space for the purposes
of packing or storage. The object of the invention is to provide a box which
will fold inwards on its own bottom, thereby packing into a very small space, also
one in which the use of string, cord, or other like appliances to bind the whole
together when the box is in use are not necessary, and yet the box will be as strong
or stronger than any collapsible box in which such appliances are required.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is the blank out of which I produce one form of my collapsible box;
Figure 2 the said blank made up into a box;
Figure 3 an alternative construction of my improved box;
Figure 4 the blank from which this box is made;
Figure 5 the box collapsed;
Figure 6 the box lid;
Figures 7 and 8 further alternative constructions of my improved box.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, I take a sheet of cardboard or a blank (Figure 1)
of the required size, and score or bend it longitudinally at B and transversely at C
for forming the sides and ends of the box, continuing such scores to the outside
edges of the blank so that the scores intersect each other at their points of
crossing. I also cut or slit the cardboard blank longitudinally at D, from the
edges thereof to the point of intersection of the scores. When this is done, the
sides E and ends F can be turned up vertically to form the sides and ends of
the box, the flaps G formed by the longitudinal cutting or slitting D of the blank
being folded flat against the turned up ends and rivetted thereto at H, thus
forming as it were an auxiliary end to the box. These flaps G have diagonal
scores I arranged in such a manner that when the box is collapsed these pieces
will fold on their diagonal scores, or when the blank is formed into a box, then
the folds I unfold and become flat, the turned up ends F to which the diagonally
scored flaps G are rivetted keeping the flaps from folding so long as the ends F
remain upright and their edges abut against the upright sides at L. To complete
the box, an abutment or bead may be formed on the inside faces of the sides of
the box against which the adjacent edges of the ends catch and so keep the box
open or these abutments may be replaced by the clip J pivotted at j and designed
to clip the two parts G and F together. If the abutments be used they can be
stamped out of the substance of the blank or made separate and attachable. The
scored flaps G constituting each pair meet in the centre of the ends, and thus give
a better appearance to the box than if there was a space between them.
The mode of using this improved collapsible box is as follows:-
To fold up the box, all that is necessary is to release the edges of the ends F
from engagement with the abutments or beads, on the box sides E, or turn the
clip J so as to allow F and that part of G which is not rivetted thereto to separate
then fold the two ends F inwards on the bottom K, the end flaps G folding
diagonally at the creases I and causing the sides E to also fold inward on the
bottom K and overlap the ends, the nature of the material enabling the sides to
bend somewhat as they are being folded down. Without this flexibility of the
sides, it would of course be impossible for the box to fold. To form the article
into a box again, the converse action takes place, the ends being turned up, which
action causes the sides E to turn up also. The edges of the ends F come in
touching contact with the sides E and are locked by abutments on the inside faces
of the latter or by the clips J. This firmly locks the ends and sides in position
and keeps the box in its extended form, while preventing it collapsing accidentally.
In thus describing my invention, it will be obvious that certain alterations can
be made without departing from the principle thereof. Thus instead of forming

page_text: the box out of one piece, or a single blank of cardboard as above described, it
may be made out of more than one piece, which will be useful where the sheets
would cut much to waste or in other cases. For example, the ends of the box
may be made in three pieces 1, 2, 3 (see Figures 3, 4 and 5) separate from the
bottom K and sides E, the pieces being rivetted at 11 21 and 31 to the sides at their
edges and scored or hinged at M. In such case the pieces 2 and 3 are scored
diagonally at I and rivetted to the ends pieces 1 at 0 in such a manner as to
enable the sides and ends to fold inwards simultaneously on the bottom in the
same way as the box in the preceding figures. The end pieces 1 are adapted to
come in touching contact with the sides E at L when the box is opened into
its extended form, and be locked by the pivotted clips J. The dotted line V
indicates that a bead may be placed there for the clip J to catch behind. It is
often advisable however to make the diagonally scored ends in one piece, for
which purpose I take a blank G for each end of the box (see Figure 7) and score
or crease it at I diagonally and then score or crease it at C on the opposite face,
the hinges or flaps thus formed enabling these portions of the blank to be rivetted
at C and hinged to the bottom and sides. F is an auxiliary end piece rivetted
at H to the diagonally scored ends G, the edges of which come in touching contact
with the sides E when they are opened to form a box. J are the pivotted clips.
There are other modifications which I could introduce, but the above will be
sufficient with one more example (Figure 8) to show that certain alterations can
be easily made in the box without departing from the nature of the invention
described, and that such alterations will be an infringement of my specification.
Thus in Figure 8, the ends instead of being rivetted to the bottom, as shown in
Figure 7, are made in one piece with the bottom, whilst the sides, which are
provided with the flaps E¹, are rivetted to the bottom at E2. The end flaps G are
scored diagonally at and rivetted to the ends F at H.
The lid of the box may be constructed if desired on a similar principle to the
body of the box, or it may simply be a lid of any ordinary construction, or it may
be a folding lid attached to the sides or ends of the box. In the lid, however, I
prefer to use a blank and score or crease it longitudinally at P and transversely
at Q, continuing such scores to the outside edges of the blank. I cut the blank
longitudinally at P from the edges to the point of intersection of the scores, and
turn the sides R and ends S up vertically to form the sides and ends of the lid,
the loose flaps T formed by the cutting are folded against the turned up ends S
and rivetted thereto. The sides R of the cover are creased or scored diagonally
at U near each corner, and this enables the sides to fold diagonally on this
crease U flat on to the lid together with the lid ends. In use, the putting of the
lid on the box, keeps the sides and ends of the lid extended. This construction
of lid may be used for the box itself, but I do not prefer it.
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. The improvement in collapsible or folding boxes made from a blank or
blanks of cardboard so scored and made up as to form the sides, bottom and ends
of the box, such improvements consisting in forming the ends of the box of two
thicknesses of material, one (the outer) having diagonal scores or creases arranged
in such a manner that when the box is collapsed, these pieces will fold on their
diagonal scores, while the other (the inner) to which the outer ones are rivetted
at such a part as not to interfere with the folding of the former, have no such
diagonal scores but are adapted at their end edges to come in touching contact
with the sides, and constitute a foundation or reinforcement which will prevent
the box accidentally collapsing and also strengthen it, substantially as described.
2. A collapsible or folding box whose ends (or sides) are formed with diagonal
scores arranged in such a manner that in collapsing they will fold inwards thereon,

page_text: on to the bottom and cause the sides to also fold inwards on the bottom and
overlap the ends, the nature of the material enabling the sides to bend somewhat
as they are being folded down, in combination with a reinforcing or locking
piece adapted at its end edges to abut or come in touching contact with the
adjacent sides of box, and prevent the box accidentally collapsing, and means for
locking the said reinforcing piece to or releasing it from, the diagonally scored
ends, substantially as described.
3. In collapsible cardboard boxes, the folding end (or side) pieces formed with
diagonal scores arranged in such a manner that the box will fold inwards thereon,
locking pieces adapted at their end edges to abut against or come in touching
contact with the adjacent sides of the box, and means for catching or clipping
the said locking pieces and the folding end pieces together to hold the box open,
substantially as described.
4. A collapsible or folding box, of cardboard or the like, made and constructed
substantially as set forth.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.