IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKING CASES OR BOXES FOR HOLDING OR PACKING BOTTLES OR BOTTLED LIQUIDS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Hope at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th August
1865.
I, JOHN HOPE, of Bridge Street Brewery, Reading, in the County of Berks,
Bottler, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS
IN PACKING CASES OR BOXES FOR HOLDING OR PACKING BOTTLES OR BOTTLED
LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first, to improvements in the arrangement of the
divisions of packing cases or boxes for packing or holding bottles or bottled
liquids so that the bottles may either be placed in a vertical or horizontal
position, according to the nature of the contents, it being of great importance
to pack port wine in a horizontal position, and bottled ale or malt liquor in
a.vertical position.
For this purpose in. carrying out my improvements I construct à packing
case or box with transverse bars or divisions, each division consisting of
several separate bars or narrows strips (by preference of wood) retained with
spaces between them at suitable distances apart in grooves cut or formed in
the opposite sides of the case or box. The lower transverse bars of a case
constructed according to my Invention for packing or holding one dozen
bottles (which number may however be varied by varying the size of the case
or box) are formed with several slots, recesses, or cross cuts for receiving and
holding the longitudinal moveable dividing bars which serve to divide the
transverse chambers into separate divisions suitable for holding a bottle and

page_text: separating or supporting it apart from the bottles contained in the adjoining
divisions of the case. The position of the moveable longitudinal dividing bars
resting in the slots in the transverse bars is the means by which the series of
chambers or recesses are arranged suitable for receiving and holding the
bottles either in a vertical or in a horizontal position. When the case is
intended for holding the bottles in a vertical position the longitudinal bars of
each tier or division are placed and rest in the recesses cut in the transverse
bars so as to divide the transverse chambers equally into vertical chambers or
recesses suitable for holding and retaining each bottle in a vertical position in
the separate divisions of the case thus formed. But when it is desired to pack
the bottles in a horizontal position, the longitudinal bars are first raised out
of the slots or cross cuts in which they rest, and are slid up against the side
of the box between the transverse bars, a row of bottles can then be laid
horizontally at the bottom of the box or case and between each transverse
division. The longitudinal dividing bars are then placed in the cross cuts
or slots in such a position above the first layer of bottles that the next layer
may be laid and rest on such longitudinal bars without touching the bottles
below or at each side. Separate horizontal recesses may thus be formed one
above the other for supporting and isolating each bottle contained in a case
constructed and arranged in this manner. The upper ends of the case are by
preference bound with hoop iron and are formed with grooves to receive a
sliding lid or cover, which is secured by a cord passed through the lid and
through the upper edge of the case or box, a recess being formed on the lid
for sealing up and securing the ends of the cord. The hoop iron is formed
with a recess opposite the ends of the grooves so as to give additional security
to the cover when slid into the grooves. Cases constructed and arranged as
above described when placed or packed upon each other will serve to form
bottle racks or bins.
I would remark, that I am aware that cases or boxes have been previously
made with fixed divisions to separate the bottles contained therein, but such
cases were only suitable for receiving and holding the bottles in one of both
positions, and were not capable of being arranged or adapted to hold bottles
both in vertical and horizontal positions as herein described according to my
Invention.