An Improvement in Collapsable Cardboard Boxes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Collapsable Cardboard Boxes.
WILLIAM HOPPEN, 3, Washington Terrace, Mutley, Plymouth, Printer's
Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows; -
"
The said improvement being & formed by an arrangement in the method of
fixing the sides thereof and complying it into an usable shape.
•
The same method being studs or fasteners of metal placed in cardboard that
has been scored & cut so that when the sides are bended & raised into position
it will form a complete cardboard box.
The cover being a seperate piece of cardboard & made in the usual manner of
cardboard box covers.
The improvement is that cardboard cut and scored in the usual way can be
put together by the following method and when so done will form a cardboard
box.
The method being that metal studs and metal slots or eyelets are fixed per-
manently into cardboard that has been cut and scored and that when this card-
board is so bended the studs will meet the slots or eyelets so that then the studs
can be pressed into the slots or eyelets simply by the pressure of finger and thumb
and which when done will forn a cardboard box, these studs can be undone
from the slots or eyelets by simply-pulling them apart & then the cardboard
will fall out flat as before it was so bended.
Dated this 20th day of August 1898.
WILLIAM HOPPEN.
3, Washington Terrace, Mutley, Plymouth.
An Improvement in Collapsable Cardboard Boxes.
I, WILLIAM HOPPEN, of 3, Washington Terrace, Mutley, Plymouth, Printer's
Traveller, 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 the present invention is to construct a box in such a manner that
it may be readily folded into position for use as a box and retained in that position
and that when desired the various parts may be readily disconnected and unfolded
so that it will assume a flat shape for transport or storage.

page_text: In carrying my invention into effect I take a sheet of cardboard or other similar
material and cut it to such a shape that when folded it will assume the shape of
a box. The meeting lines of the various parts will be scored, grooved or creased
to facilitate the folding, and certain parts of the cardboard will be provided with
studs or buttons and other parts will be provided with corresponding slots, eye-
lets, or holes so that when the box is folded for use the studs may be pressed
through the slots, eyelets or holes and thus retain the box in the required form.
When it is desired to return the cardboard or other similar material into its
flat condition the studs or buttons will be withdrawn from the slots, eyelets or
holes.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully to
describe the same.
Fig. 1 represents a sheet of cardboard or other similar material
cut into the necessary shape and suitably scored, grooved or creased to produce
the body of a box; Fig. 2 is a side view and Fig. 3 is an end view of a box
body made from the sheet of material shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section drawn
to an enlarged scale of part of a box showing the stud or button pressed through
an eyelet and Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4 but showing the stud or button
pressed through a plain hole.
As shown in Fig. 1, a is the bottom of the box, bb are the sides and c c
are the ends thereof. The ends are provided with flaps c¹ to which are
attached in any suitable manner a number of studs d. These studs as shown in
the drawing are attached to the cardboard by opening out and clenching the
material on the opposite side to the head of the stud. The sides of the box are
eyeletted or provided with holes 6' which correspond in position with the studs
when the cardboard or other similar material is folded into the form of a box.
The studs, which are of very slightly larger diameter than the eyelets or holes,
are then pressed through the holes and retain the box in its proper form.
When it is desired to return the cardboard into its original flat condition the
studs are withdrawn from the eyelets or holes and the sheet is opened out and the
various parts folded on each other as may be convenient.
When it is desired to make up a box and return it to its flat condition frequently,
it is desirable that the holes should be provided with metal eyelets as described
in the Provisional Specification but I have found that simple holes answer the
purpose very well and last for a considerable time especially when the box is
not fastened up and unfastened many times.
I wish it to be understood that the form of box herein described and shown in
the drawings is merely given by way of example and that other forms of boxes
may be made in a similar manner. Also that when desired the lids may be
formed in a like manner.
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;-
-
A collapsable box made from a sheet of cardboard or other similar material
having certain parts provided with studs and other parts provided with corres-
ponding slots, eyelets or holes to receive the studs substantially as herein shown
and described and for the purpose stated.
2. A collapsable box made from a sheet of cardboard or other similar material
having flaps attached to the sides or ends, said flaps being provided with studs
capable of being pressed through slots, eyelets or holes formed in parts of the
box corresponding with the studs, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. The method of removably connecting the various parts of a box made from
cardboard or other similar material consisting in attaching studs to certain parts
thereof and forming slots, eyelets or holes in other corresponding or juxtaposed

page_text: parts, the said studs being capable of being pressed through the slots, eyelets or
holes and of being withdrawn therefrom, substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 20th day of December 1898.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.