A NEW AND IMPROVED CON- STRUCTION OF AUTOMATON BOX OR RECEPTACLE FOR CONTAINING DOMESTIC, AMUSING. AND USEFUL ARTICLES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Roman, of Brompton, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "A NEW AND IMPROVED CON-
STRUCTION OF AUTOMATON BOX OR RECEPTACLE FOR CONTAINING DOMESTIC,
AMUSING. AND USEFUL ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Roman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th December 1873.
I, HENRY ROMAN, of Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "A NEW AND
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF AUTOMATON Box OR RECEPTACLE FOR CONTAINING
DOMESTIC, AMUSING, AND USEFUL ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
-
The Invention relates more particularly to those classes of articles
taking the form of boxes, cases, or receptacles, and may be employed for
many and various useful purposes, the object of the Invention being
particularly to enable the users of such boxes to obtain with case there-
from any one or more of the articles contained therein.

page_text: As an example or illustration of the Invention and its application
to one particular purpose, I will describe its employment as a match
box.
The framing or body of the box is composed of one piece of wood,
metal, or other suitable material left open at both ends, the top of which
is provided with hinged flaps or lids, and the bottom with a permanent
enclosure. The interior of this body contains a tray which forms a
receptacle for containing the articles with which the box is supplied and
is somewhat shorter than the outer body. The bottom of this tray is
connected by an elastic with the permanent bottom of the body, and
the projecting sides of the tray are reduced in width near their points
of termination, and are so arranged that such projecting parts or
fingers pass through loops formed in the inner surface of the lids or
flaps near to their hinges, and their extremities are bent so as to
form hooks.
Underneath the bottom of the tray supporting the articles contained
in the box are two levers the fulcrâ of which are formed in the outer
body near to the outer corners, so that the longer arms of these levers
project from such fulcra and bear against the bottom of the tray at the
corners thereof furthest from such fulcrâ. The opposite terminations of
these levers are considerably shortened and curved so as to be acted upon
by a yielding outer enclosure or flaps connected to the box at the top
where the hinges of the lids are placed. The lower extremites of these
cnclosures or flaps are acted on internally by the curved ends of the
lever before mentioned, and when in their normal state are kept at their
greatest distance apart by reason of the contracted elastic before
mentioned; and their overlap sides are so constructed that the extent
of their movement is governed by a stud on one flap sliding in a slot in
the other.
:
The action of opening and closing the box may be thus described :-
The side enclosures or flaps of the box when held in the hand are
slightly pressed, and yielding to the gentle force exerted cause the
bottom inner surface of such enclosure to press against the shorter
curved ends of the two levers before mentioned; the action thus
obtained produces a pressure of the levers against the bottom of the
internal tray and so raises the same until the articles contained therein

page_text: are elevated above the level of the box. The hooked terminations of the
sides of the tray at this time press with their upward rise against the
lids or flaps and so cause the same to open simultaneously with the rising
of the tray, thus enabling a part or the whole of the contents which are
now raised above the surface of the box to be removed therefrom with
the greatest ease and facility.
The descent of the internal tray on the release of the pressure upon
the flaps or enclosures is due to the contraction of the clastic, and the
perfect and secure closing of the lids is effected simultaneously therewith
through the medium of the hooked projections of the tray acting on the
inner loops of the lids.
It will be evident from the example thus given of the application of
the Invention, that the same may be used in connection with cigar cases,
needle cases, and numerous other domestic and useful articles with the.
greatest advantage, as the articles contained in such boxes or receptacles
can by a slight pressure of the hand be taken from the same with the
greatest ease and facility.
Again, a further adaptation to boxes of a similar apparatus composed
of internal compound levers similar in construction to a lazy-tong,
which when acted upon by the yielding flaps will eject from the
box such expanding compound levers upon which toys or numerous
devices may be arranged, and so form by their ejectment from and
withdrawal into the box in the manner described, instruction and
amusement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Roman in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th June 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY.
ROMAN, of Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the.
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and suc-

page_text: As an example or illustration of the Invention and its application
to one particular purpose I will describe its employment as a match
box.
The framing or body of the box is composed of one piece of wood,
metal, or other suitable material, the top of which is provided with
hinged flaps or lids, and the bottom with a permanent enclosure. The
interior of this body contains a tray which forms a receptacle for con-
taining the articles with which the box is supplied, and is somewhat

page_text: Fig. 5 represents a similar arrangement, of box to that previously
shewn, but which has adapted thereto as the raising medium a
"lazy-tong" arrangement of levers in licu of the levers shown in
Figs. 2 and 3.
In these Figures the framing or body a is composed of one or more
pieces of metal forming permanent sides, the top opening of which is
provided with hinged lids b, b, and the bottom with a permanent
enclosure c. The interior of this body a contains a tray (which forms
a receptacle or support for the articles with which the box is supplied,
and is somewhat shorter than the outer body. The bottom of this tray d
is connected by the elastic e with the permanent bottom c of the body,
and the projecting sides of this tray are so arranged that they pass
through loops 61, 61, formed on the lids 6 near to their hinges, and their
extremities are bent so as to form hooks.
Underneath the bottom of the tray d levers f, f, are placed, the
fulcra i, i, of which are supported in the body a near to the lower
corners thereof, seen more clearly in Fig. 4. The opposite curved
termination of these levers f, f, are acted upon by a yielding outer
enclosure or flaps g, g, which are connected to the body of the box by
hooked hinges on which are also formed the hooked hinges for the
lids b, b. The lower extremities of these enclosures or flaps g, g, are
acted on internally by the curved ends of the levers f, f, and which
when in their normal state are kept at their greatest distance apart, as
seen in Figs. 2, by reason of the contracted elastic e.
The underlap
extremities of the enclosure or flaps 9, 9, are bent in so as to form stops
which govern the extent of their movement.
The opening and closing of the box together with the action of
simultaneously raising and presenting the articles contained therein, on
reference to the Drawings and foregoing lettered description thereof will
be clearly understood. The side enclosures or flaps 9, 9, of the box a
when held in the hand are slightly pressed, and, yielding to the gentle
force exerted, cause the lower inner surface of such flaps to press against
the shorter curved ends of two leversf, f, before mentioned. The action
thus obtained presses the long arms of the levers against the bottom of
the internal tray & which raises it until the articles contained therein are

page_text: clevated above the level of the box. The hooked terminations of the
sides of the tray d at this time press with their upward rise against tho
lids b, b, and so cause the same to open simultaneously with the rising
of the tray d and assume the position shewn at Fig. 3, thus enabling
part or the whole of the contents which are now raised above the
surface of the box to be removed therefrom with the greatest case and
facility

page_text: substantially described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Roman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
ALEXT. PRINCE,
Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
HENRY ROMAN.. (L.S.)