Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
I, JOSEPH BENNETT BROWN, of 51 Bold Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Ladies' Outfitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has for its object a collapsible box for millinery or other articles,
which can be folded up 'flat when empty and occupy a very small space for the
purposes of packing or storage.
In carrying my invention into effect, the plan I prefer is to form the four sides
collapsible, in such a manner that they will fold, when so required, into the space
of one side. For this purpose they are hinged together at the edges. The bottom
of the box is not attached to the sides, but is made separate and moreover is rather
smaller than the sides, so that it will fit within the latter. The lid or cover is
made in a somewhat similar way except that it fits onto the top, instead of like
the bottom, fitting inside. A string is passed through holes punched in the bottom
and carried up the sides to the top of the box, where the ends are fastened by
means of a suitably combined handle and clip, which enables the box to be easily
carried and morcover binds the whole firmly together.
The mode of action is as follows:
To fold up the box, all that is necessary is to disconnect the string and remove
the lid, lift off the sides from the bottom, then fold up the sides flat so as to occupy
only the space of one side, and lay them flat inside the bottom. The lid is then
put on in place so as to cover the collapsed part, and the collapsed box will occupy
a space an inch or less in thickness, very convenient for the purposes of packing or
storage.
I have described one way in which the invention may be carried into effect, but
it is obvious that once given the general idea alterations may be made without
departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus instead of forming the box with
four sides, any suitable number of collapsing sides may be used, and the top and
bottom of the box shaped accordingly.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Collapsible Boxes for Millinery or other Articles.
I, JOSEPH BENNETT BROWN, of 51 Bold Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Ladies' Outfitter, 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 has for its object a collapsible box for millinery or other articles,
which can be folded up flat when emply and occupy a very small space for the
purposes of packing or storage.

page_text: In carrying my
vention into cеCL, form the sides of the box collapsible in
such a manner that they will fold when so required into the space of one side.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
P
Figures 1 and 1 illustrate a square box, the parts being shown separate and the
sides of the box folded;
Figure 2 another view of the same with the sides opened out and showing how
the bottom can be permanently secured so as to adapt it to stock purposes,
Figure 3 a view of the complete box when in use.
Figure 4 illustrates a rectangular box constructed according to my invention, the
lid, sides and bottom being shown apart;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the sides of the box ;
Figure 6, a view showing the sides of the box in a collapsible state or partly
folded.
Figure 7 shows the box empty and folded up for packing or storage purposes..
Referring to Figures 1, 1, 2 and 3, A represents the lid of the box, B the sides
or collapsible portion, C the bottom with substantially rigid shallow sides and D a
string or cord for binding the whole together. As before mentioned the four sides
of the box are formed collapsible in such a manner that they will fold, when so
required, into the space of one side. For this purpose they are hinged together
at the edges or corners b. The bottom C of the box is not attached to the sides B,
but is made separate and moreover is rather smaller than the sides, so that it will
fit within the latter. The lid or cover A is made in a somewhat similar way
except that it fits onto the top, instead of like the bottom, fitting inside. Å
string D is passed through holes punched in the bottom C and carried up the sides
to the top of the box, where the ends are fastened by means of a suitably com-
bined handle and clip E, which enables the box to be easily carried and moreover
binds the whole firmly together. It is obvious that to strengthen the box if
required to be used for stock purposes, the said binding string D may, instead
of being fastened by a handle such as E, be looped to the knobs or studs F fixed
on the inside of the two opposite sides of the box, as clearly shown in Figure 2,
thus forming a support for the bottom to prevent it falling out.
The mode of using this improved collapsible box is as follows-
To fold up the box, all that is necessary is to release the string D by discon-
necting it from the combined handle and clip E on the studs F, and remove the
lid A, lift off the sides from the bottom C, then fold up the sides flat, as shown
in Figure 1, so as to occupy enly the space of one side, and lay them flat inside
the bottem, the nature of the material of which the shallow sides of the bottom
is composed enabling them to stretch slightly to receive the folded sides of the
box. The simplest way of doing this is to allow two opposite corners to come
together as indicated in Figure 1, so that the sides will lie flat, and then fold
these flat sides B as shown in Figure 1, so that the four sides shall occupy the
width of one side. The lid is then put on in place so as to cover the collapsed part,
and the collapsed box will occupy a space an inch or less in thickness, very convenient
for the purposes of packing or storage. When thus packed, the bottom, top or
collapsed sides cannot be crushed or injured, but will be solid enough to resist any
ordinary pressure or weight.
I have described one way in which the invention may be carried into effect, but
it is obvious that once given the general idea alterations may be made without
departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus instead of forming the box with
four sides, any suitable number of collapsing sides may be used, and the top and
bottom of the box shaped accordingly. An example of this arrangement is shown
in Figures 4 to 7 inclusive, which show the invention applied to a rectangular
box. In these figures the box is formed with the five sides B B B B B hinged
at The other letters of reference are the same as the other figures
and will be understood by reference to the preceding description.
The method of folding is as follows-'
This side Q1 full incised an
21

page_text: rigid side B, the side B then folds onto side B' until the corner 6 meets the
corner b, and the sides B and B having in the meantime straightened out, lie
flat against the sides B and B which completes the folding. This folding of the
sides, enables the same to lie flat inside the bottom C, occupying a space of only
half an inch or less in thickness. The advantages of this for packing or storage
purposes will be obvious.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. The improvements in collapsible boxes for millinery or other articles, which
consist in forming the bottoms of such boxes separate from the sides and smaller
so as to fit inside the latter and maintain the sides in place, and in hinging the
sides together at the corners, whereby such sides can be collapsed and laid flat in
the bottom of the box, and the box re-made without unmaking any of its joints,
substantially as described.
2. A collapsible box such as described in Claim 1, in which instead of forming
the box with four sides, it is formed with five sides hinged together at s
and in such a manner that the sides of rectangular boxes can be folded to
fit in a rectangular bottom so as to occupy but a very small space, substantially as
set forth.
3. The combination with a collapsible box such as described in Claims 1 and 2,
of a binding cord or string D looped or fixed to the bottom of the box and
adapted to engage studs F on the inside of the box to support the said bottom C,
or in conjunction with the handle and clip E to bind the whole box together and
serve as a handle for carrying the same.
4. The improved manufacture of collapsible boxes for millinery or other articles
substantially as set forth.
AT
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.