Improvements in and in connection with Lid Supports for Boxes and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Lid Supports for Boxes
and the like.
I, LESTER CHAMPION SKINNER, a Citizen of the United States of America,
residing at Cleveland, in the County of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, Student,
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:-
My invention relates to supports for box covers, or lids hinged to their boxes
after the manner of cigar box lids; its objects are to engage the lid at its hinged
edge and support it in any desired open position so as to display the goods con-
tained in the box; to enable the box to be lifted by grasping the lid only and
its contents offered for the inspection of customers, and to afford support for
display cards containing any desired statement relating to the quantity price
and other particulars of the goods contained in the box, either on the inside
of the lid when it is opened or above the back edge of the lid when it is
closed.
It consists of a device shown in the accompanying drawing which illustrates
my invention in the form now preferred by me, but many changes obvious to
and within the skill of a good mechanic might be made in the details thereof
and the shapes of the several parts without departing from the spirit of my
invention as set forth in the claims at the end of this specification.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved lid support.
Figure 2, is a front elevation of the same as viewed in the direction of
arrow 2, of Figure 1.
Figure 3, is a similar elevation as viewed in the direction of arrow 3, of
Figure 1.
Figure 4, is a perspective view of my device.
Figure 5, is a perspective view of a cigar box with its lid open and supported
in open position by my device.
Figure 6, is a similar view of a cigar box with the lid closed and my device
embracing its hinged edge and in position to support a display card.
My lid support consists of a base part a, from one end of which extend
prongs b, and c, at any angle to the base which it may be desired to hold the lid.
The middle prong b, proceeds directly from the base while the two side prongs c, c,
are first bent away from the base at a right angle to their general length to form
abutments d, d, the lengths of which are determined by the thickness of the
lid to be embraced between the middle prong b, on one side and the two side
prongs c, c, on the other side.
The side prongs c, c, have their ends sufficiently sharpened or pointed to enable
them to be thrust through the fabric webbing which constitutes the hinge of
cigar box lids to which my invention is specially applicable while the middle
prong b, may be pointed or otherwise finished with a round or other shaped head
as shown.
The side of the base a, which rests against the back side of the box when it

page_text: is supporting the lid is flat, while raised above and extending parallel with the
surface of its other side are two prongs e, e.
These prongs are formed by slitting and bending up a portion of the metal
of the base itself, as shown. These prongs e, e, are for the purpose of support-
ing a display card, when the box lid is closed, as shown in dotted lines in
Figure 6.
The method of applying my invention to a cigar box lid is shown in Figures 5
and 6. The sharp prongs c, c, of the lid support are thrust between the edge
of the box and the back side of the lid which is thus embraced between these
prongs on its inner side end the middle prong b, on its outer side. In this
position the base stands at an angle, as shown in Figure 6, but when the lid is
thrown open and back, the base contacts with the back side of the box and
prevents further movement in this direction. The box may be moved or lifted
by grasping the lid only, without danger of spilling its contents.
This is a decided advantage in handling boxes packed in the display cases
of cigar dealers where the boxes are so closely crowded that it is difficult to
grasp any portion of them but their lids. The two prongs c, c, which embrace
the inner side of the cover are also designed to afford support for display cards,
when the lid is open, as shown in Figure 5. I prefer to make my lid supports
of metal, preferably soft or ductile steel, and to stamp them from sheets of
such metal and then bend them on suitable blocks or dies. By the use of soft
metal the user of the device may bend them at will to vary the angle of the
prongs relatively to the base.
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. In a lid support the combination of the base adapted to bear against the
back of the box, the two side prongs offset therefrom by their right angled
portions and adapted to bear against the inner face of the lid, and the middle
prong extending from the base and adapted to bear against the outer face of
the lid, the three prongs lying at a suitable angle to the base substantially as
and for the purpose herein before set forth.
2. In a lid support the combination of the base adapted to bear against the
back of the box, the two offset prongs adapted to bear against the inner
surface of the lid and the middle prong adapted to bear against the outer surface
of the lid, the three prongs lying at a suitable angle to the base, with the
card-display prongs struck up from the outer side of the base substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 11th day of July 1899.
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.L.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.