Improvements in Collapsable Boxes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1899
Improvements in Collapsable Boxes.
I, DUNCAN FISHER, of 8, Hampden Terrace, Mount Florida, Glasgow, Box
Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention relates to collapsable paper-board boxes such as are generally
used for packing millinery and drapery goods and it is an improvement upon
and development of my prior Patent No. 3045 of 1892.
In order that the said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a plan of a cardboard box with the sides opened out flat.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the same box showing the sides d and e folded down on
top of the bottom a and the sides b and c partially turned down under the
bottom.
Fig. is a plan view of the body of the box when folded up.
Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the body of the box when folded up.
Fig. 5 is a side view of the expanded box complete.
Fig. 6 is a side view showing two collapsed box bodies (see dotted lines)
enclosed in two lids l, k.
Fig. 7 shows one part of a spring clasp or button and Fig. 8 shows the other
part of the clasp or button.
Referring to the drawings:-
The collapsable box consists, as in accordance with my prior patent aforesaid,
of a bottom part a and four sides b, c, id, e. The sides may be hinged to the
bottom in any well known manner, such as by strips of linen or the like f; or
the sides may be made in one piece with the bottom of the box and be scored
at the joints so as to be capable of bending or turning. The sides b, c, have
hinged flaps g, g', whilst the sides i, e, have pieces of cardboard h secured to
them at h by wire staples or such like. The hinged flaps g, gl, are provided
with male parts i of coupling clasps or buttons (or their equivalent) and these
male parts, when the box is expanded, are capable of locking into female parts j
fitted at each outer corner of the sides d, e.
The construction of the coupling clasp or button is clearly shown at Figs. 7
and 8, the male part i (Fig. 8) consisting of a metallic ball-headed stud secured
to the cardboard by means of a flange and a washer 23. The ball head is
hollow and is cut out, at 3, at intervals apart so as to give it a spring action.
The female part į merely consists of a metal button recessed at j¹ and secured
to the cardboard by the flanges 3, 3. The parts are coupled together by merely
pushing the ball head of the part i into the recess j' of the part with the result
that the spring action of the ball head holds the parts firmly together; but, of
course, not so firmly as to prevent the parts being pulled asunder.
When fitting the parts together so as to make a complete expanded box the
sides c, d, and e are first raised up and the flaps g, g', inserted into the spaces
left between the corresponding cardboard pieces h, h, and the sides d, e. The

page_text: fourth side b is then raised up and its flaps g, g' entered into the spaces behind
the corresponding pieces h, h, of the sides d, e. Thereafter the four sides are
securely locked together by means of the clasps or buttons, j. Finally, to
complete the box, the cover k is fitted on as shown at Fig. 5. In this fig. the
dotted lines g¹, g₁, indicate the hinged flaps.
Whenever it is desired to collapse the box all that is necessary is to remove the
lid and pull the parts of the clasps asunder and then release the hinged flaps g, g¹,
from the pieces h and fold the sides d, e, down on top of the bottom a (see Fig. 2)
and the sides b, c, underneath the bottom a. When thus collapsed the box-body
will appear as at Figs. 3 and 4.
Two collapsed box-bodies are, by preference, inserted in two lids, one for each
box body, in the manner shown at Fig. 6, where the collapsed box-bodies are
indicated by the dotted lines. is the lid for one box and k the lid for the
other."
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 consider novel and desire to claim is;-
.
1. The improved collapsable paper-board box having its parts rade substan-
tially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings
annexed.
2. The locking together of the sides of collapsable paper-board boxes by means
of metallic clasps or buttons (i, j) or their equivalent, substantially as herein-
before set forth.
Dated this 10th day of Auomet 1800.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.