Improvements in Cigar Boxes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigar Boxes.
I, JEAN MELACHRINO, of 21, Cockspur Street, in the City of Westminster,
Cigarette Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is the construction of a cigar box, having combined
with it an improved device, or devices, for cutting cigars, a counter or indicator, and
a receptacle for matches.
In practice, I prefer to make the box of such a size as to hold fifty cigars, but I
do not confine myself to this particular size. The box is formed with a hinged
lid, secured when shut by a hook and eye, or pin, or any other suitable form of
fastening.
In one end of the box, towards the front upper edge, a hole is formed of
sufficient size to take the end of a cigar. A steel plate with a similar sized
hole is fitted inside the box and a suitably shaped cutter fitted to the lid, so that
when a cigar is placed in this hole and the lid shut, the end will be cut off and fall
into the box. Instead of a cutter fixed on the lid, I sometimes employ a spring
cutter attached to the inside of the box and arranged to be depressed by the
closing of the lid. I also sometimes attach to the outside of the box a pair of
cutters working on a pivot for the purpose of cutting off the cigar ends, but these
cutters, may, if preferred, be pivoted inside the box.
The indicator or counter is fitted inside one end or side of the box and enclosed
in a suitably formed case. This apparatus in its simplest form consists of a
ratchet wheel, having the same number of teeth as the number of cigars which
the box will contain, thus for a 50 box, the wheel would have 50 teeth. The
numbers 1 to 50 are marked on the wheel and a small aperture is provided in the
case through which one number at a time is visible, or an aperture may be provided
in the box, so that the number will be visible from the outside. A spring pawl is
fitted within the box to engage with the ratchet teeth and it is actuated by the lid,
in such a manner that every time the lid is shut the wheel will be moved one
tooth. A spring pawl is also provided to avoid the wheel rotating in the wrong
direction, and a suitable stop is fitted, which will prevent further rotation when
"50" or the last number on the wheel is visible through the aperture, and
the pawl being unable to be again depressed by the lid, the said lid cannot then
be shut.
In some cases it would be inconvenient if all the numbers were placed upon the
wheel, as it would either necessitate too large a wheel, or would render the teeth
and numbers too small. I may therefore modify the indicating apparatus in the
following manner. In a "50" box the wheel is made with say 29 teeth and shews
the numbers "1" to "29" on its face. A disc is placed in front of the wheel and
rotates on the same spindle. The numbers "30 to "50" are marked on this
wheel and occupy about three quarters of the circumference, the remaining quarter
being cut away.
The ratchet wheel rotates until "29 or the last number
appears, the disc being all this time stationary, a stop on the wheel then engages
with a stop on the disc and carries it round exhibiting the numbers "30"
to "50" when this last number is reached, a stop on the disc arrests any further
motion.
"
The match receptacle is a flat case fitted within the box and a suitable striking
plate is also provided in any convenient position.
-
The main advantages of this improved cigar box, may be summarised as follows:-
The cutters are very convenient being attached to the box, and always at hand
when required, thus dispensing with the use of a pen-knife or other special cutting
device.

page_text: The cutting is clean and uniform and the ends falling into the box keep the floor
table etc., clear from such cut ends.
The indicator will register the number of times the lid of the box has been
shut. If at each opening only one cigar is taken out, it will indicate the number
contained in the box. If the cutter operated by the lid is employed to cut the
cigars, it will indicate the number contained in the box although more than one be
taken out at a time, and when the number "50," or the highest number appears on
the indicator it will show that the cigars are finished, and cannot be rotated further
or the lid closed, as previously described.
Dated this 28th day of November 1890.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cigar Boxes.
1, JEAN MELACHRINO, of 21, Cockspur Street, in the City of Westminster,
Cigarette Merchant, 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:-
The object of my invention is the construction of a cigar box, having combined
with it an improved device, or devices, for cutting cigars, a counter or indicator, and
a receptacle for matches.
In the accompanying two sheets of drawings,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved cigar box, with the lid open;
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, shewing two of the devices for cutting
cigars;
Fig. 3 is an interior cross-section of the box shewing another form of cutting
device; and
Fig. 4 is an elevation of a further modification of the same.
Fig. 5 and 6 are interior cross-sections of the box shewing the construction of the
counter or indicator.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
In practice I prefer to make the box of such dimensions as to hold fifty cigars,
but I do not confine myself to this particular size.
The box A is formed with a hinged lid B, secured, when shut, by a hook
engaging with an eye or pin, or by means of any other suitable form of fastening.
In one end of the box, towards the front upper edge, a tapered hole C is formed,
of sufficient size to take the end of a cigar. A steel plate D, with a similarly sized
hole, is fitted inside the box, and a suitably shaped knife, or cutter blade E, is fitted
to the lid B, so that when a cigar is inserted into this hole from the outside of the
box, and the lid shut down, the end will be cut off by the knife E, and fall inside
the box.
Instead of a cutter E fixed on the lid, I sometimes employ a spring cutter F,
attached to the inside of the box, as shewn in Fig. 3, so that it is depressed by the
closing of the lid B. A hole C is formed in the end of the box and fitted with a
plate D as before.
I also sometimes attach to the outside of the box, see Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of
cutters H H', working on a pivot J for the purpose of cutting off the cigar ends.
They have pieces K K, bent over at their outer ends to receive the pressure of the
fingers in closing them, and work somewhat after the manner of a pair of shears.
Fig. 4 represents a similar pair of cutters of a slightly modified form. In each form
they are shewn in the drawings in the position they would assume when about to be
used, when out of use they can be turned down out of the way and lie flat against
the end of the box as shewn by the dotted lines L in Fig. 2.

page_text: In Figs. 1 and 2 the lower blade H' is provided with an angular notch, and in
Fig. 4 with a circular notch, in which the cigar end to be cut is laid, the blades
are then pressed together by the fingers, and the end thus cut off. These cutters
may, if preferred, be attached to the front or back of the box instead of the end,.
and may be furnished, either in place of, or in addition to the cutters operated by the
closing of the lid, above described. They may also be pivoted to the inside of the
box, so that, when folded down they will be within, and not from any projection
outside the box.
"
The indicator or counter is fitted inside and against one end or side of the box.
In the drawings it is shewn as fitted against the end and is enclosed in a suitably
formed case M, Fig. 1. This apparatus in its simplest form consists of a ratchet
wheel, having the same number of teeth as the number of cigars which the box
will contain, thus for a "50" box, the wheel would have 50 teeth. The numbers "1
to "50" are marked around the face of the wheel, and a small aperture is provided
in the upper part of the case through which one number at a time is visible, or an
aperture may be provided in the box, so that the number will be visible from the
outside; in the latter case the numbers must be marked on the other side of the
ratchet wheel. If desired, both plans may be used, so that the number can be seen
from inside or outside.
A spring pawl is fitted within the box, to engage with the teeth of the ratchet
wheel, and it is actuated by the lid, in such a manner, that every time the lid is
shut the wheel will be moved one tooth. A spring pawl is also provided to prevent
the wheel accidentally rotating in the wrong direction, and a suitable stop is fitted,
which prevents further rotation, when " 50," or the last number on the wheel is
visible through the aperture, and the pawl being unable to be again depressed by
the lid, the said lid cannot be shut.
"
In most cases it would be inconvenient if all the numbers were placed upon the
ratchet wheel, as it would either necessitate too large a wheel, or would render the
teeth and numbers too small. I therefore, in most cases, prefer to construct
the indicating apparatus in the manner shewn in Figs. 5 and 6, the box being
assumed to contain 50 cigars. N is a ratchet wheel rotating on the fixed pivot P,
and provided with 30 teeth, the numbers 1 to "30" being marked around it as
shewn. The spring pawl operated by the lid B may be constructed as shewn, either
in Fig. 5 or Fig. 6. In Fig. 5, Q is a short arm working on the pin R and having
jointed to it the pawl piece S. This piece engages the ratchet teeth with its lower
end, while the upper end receives the pressure of the box lid, T is a coiled spring
which keeps the lower end of the pawl S in contact with the teeth, while a flat
spring V returns the whole device up to a stop W, after it has been depressed by
the lid. The pawl shewn in Fig. 6 is of substantially the same construction, except
that springs TV', formed of small rubber bands, are substituted for the coiled
spring T and flat spring V.
X is a flat spring, engaging with the teeth of the wheel N, to prevent rotation
in the wrong direction. A disc Y, Fig. 6, is placed on the pivot P, in front of the
wheel N. The numbers "31" to "50" are marked on this disc and occupy about
three quarters of its circumference, the remaining part being cut away as shewn.
The ratchet wheel rotates, until say the number "25" appears at the aperture Z
in the case M, the disc X all this time being held stationary in the position shewn
in Fig. 6 by the point of the spring a engaging with its edge. At the next
movement of the wheel N, a pin & thereon, engages with a projection or stop on the
disc Y, preferably formed by bending down a piece c of the edge. The wheel and
disc then rotate together, the latter being carried round by the pin 6 until the
number "50 on the disc appears at the aperture Z, when a projection d on the
disc comes in contact with a pin e, and so prevents further motion.
The spring a
is light enough to allow the disc to slip past it as soon as the pin bengages with
the piece c.
Any convenient distribution of the numbers between the wheel and
disc may be employed, other than that shewn and described.

page_text: If in Fig. 5a stop, as indicated by the dotted lines f, be added to the wheel N,
to arrest its motion by coming in contact with the pin e, when the highest number
on the wheel is reached, it will illustrate the simpler form of the indicating
apparatus first described.
The match receptacle is a flat case y Fig. 1. fitted against the inside of the box,
and a suitable striking plate may also be provided in any convenient position.
The main advantages of my improved cigar box may be summarised as follows:-
The cutters are very convenient, being attached to the box and always at hand
when required, thus dispensing with the use of a pen-knife or special cutting
device. The cutting is clean and uniform, and in the case of the cutters operated
by the lid, as the ends fall into the box, the floor, table &c., are kept clear from
such cut ends.
The indicator will register the number of times the lid of the box has been
shut. If at each opening of the box, only one cigar is taken out, it will indicate
the total number taken out. If the cutter operated by the lid is employed to
cut the cigars it will give the same indication, although more than one cigar be
taken out at a time.
The convenience of a match receptacle combined with a cigar box is obvious.
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 combination with a cigar box, of a cigar-cutter operated by the lid,
consisting of a plate D with aperture C and a knife E, substantially as described
and shewn with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
2. The combination with a cigar box, of a cigar-cutter operated by the lid, con-
sisting of a plate D with aperture C and a spring knife F, substantially as
described and shewn with reference to Fig. 3.
3. The combination with a cigar box, of a cigar-cutter, consisting of blades H H¹,
pivoted to the box, substantially as described and shewn with reference to Figs. 1
and 2.
4. The combination with a cigar box, of a cigar-cutter, consisting of blades H H',
pivoted to the box, substantially as described and shewn with reference to Fig. 4.
5. The combination with a cigar box, of a counter or indicator, consisting of a
ratchet wheel N provided with numbers and rotated by the closing of the lid,
through the medium of the pawl S and furnished with a spring X, stop e and lug f,
substantially as described and shewn with reference to Fig. 5.
6. The combination with a cigar box, of a counter or indicator, consisting of a
ratchet wheel N and disc Y, both provided with numbers, a pawl S operated by
the lid, springs X and a, pin b, projection c, lug d and stop e, substantially as
described and shewn with reference to Fig. 6.
7. In the counter or indicator of a cigar box, a spring pawl, consisting of an
arm Q, pin R, pawl-piece S, springs T and V and stop W, substantially as described
and shewn with reference to Fig. 5.
8. In the counter or indicator of a cigar box, a spring pawl, consisting of an
arm Q, pin R, pawl-piece S, springs T¹ V₁, and stop W, substantially as described
and shewn with reference to Fig. 6.
9. The combination with a cigar box, of a receptacle g for matches, substantially
as described and shewn with reference to Fig. 1.
.10. The combination of a cigar box, a cigar cutter or cutters, a counter or
indicator, and a match receptacle, substantially as described and shewn in the
accompanying drawings.
Tandhi 17th day of Wahmin 1901
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.