Improvements in and in connection with Packing Cases, Crates, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Packing Cases, Crates, and
the like.
1, JAMES ALLCOCK of 20A Aldermanbury, in the City of London, E.C.,
Umbrella Stick Mounter do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improvements constituting my invention, consist of a method of and means
for constructing packing cases, crates and the like, whereby the whole of the parts
thereof may be quickly and easily placed and connected firmly together, without
the use of nails, screws or the like for that purpose, and when empty, and may be
for the purpose of facilitating emptying, the whole can be easily and quickly taken
apart, and the sections of same packed together in a very small compass until again
required for use.
The objects of my invention are Firstly--that by reason of the entire absence of
the need of nails, screws or bolts (and consequently the usual tools for manipulating
the same) for fastening the parts or sections of the case or crate together, and the
consequent wear and tear usually entailed in the withdrawal of same, the life of the
case or crate is thereby materially prolonged. Secondly-that by reason of the small.
compass into which the sections or parts of the case or crate can be packed when
empty, great economy is effected in the space needed for stowing these in quantities,
and consequently a very material reduction may be expected in the carriers and
railway rates for conveying the same from place to place, and Thirdly-to prevent
the breakage that usually occurs during the transit of returned empty cases as
hitherto made and used.
I carry my invention into effect by forming the top, bottom, sides and ends of
said case or crate, each perfect in itself, and separate and distinct from each other,
and I may use wood or metal, or any combination of both, or wicker, cane, or reeds
woven or interlaced together after the manner of basket work, in the construction
of each, or all, or any of the said parts.
In the upper and lower edges of each of the sides of said case or crate I fix by
any convenient means, any desired number of metallic or other studs or projections,
each or any of which may or may not have a screw thread formed thereon, or a slot
formed therein, the former for the reception of a suitable nut, the latter for a pin
or cotter, and in the bottom and top portions of said case or crate, I form corre-
sponding holes for the reception of the said studs or projections. In the side edges
(and may be the bottom and top edges) of the end portions of said case or crate, I
fix by the same or other means, any desired number of similar or dissimilar pins or
projections, and in the ends of the beforementioned side portions I provide corre-
sponding holes for the reception of these, and the said studs or projections in each
portion, where provided, and the holes in the corresponding portions, would all be
of a standard size, and a corresponding and predetermined distance apart, so that
the sections of any one case or crate may fit the sections of any other case or
crate of the same size, thereby obviating the difficulties that might otherwise arise
through the portions of one case becoming mixed up with those of another.
The case or crate would be fitted together by causing the pins or projections upon
one edge of the sides, to engage with the holes in the edge of the bottom, sufficient
play being allowed in the fit of these to permit the end pieces to be placed in
position, so that the pins or projections thereon may engage with the holes in the
ends of the sides, and may be, the ends of the bottom. The goods may then be
placed and packed therein, and the top portion placed in position, so that the pius

page_text: or studs in the upper edges of the sides and ends, may engage with the holes
therein. The whole may then be bound with a stout cord or rope, or by the means
of metallic bands or clips, and be thereby held firmly together. Or if the before-
mentioned studs or projections be threaded or slotted as stated, nuts or pins may
engage with these for the same purpose.
may, when the sides or ends or both are made of basket work, arrange that the
said studs or projections are formed therewith, so that these may engage, as stated,
with the holes in the top and bottom, whether these be of basket work or otherwise,
and when the parts having holes therein are of wood, I may or may not line these
with metal, as a further means of prolonging the life of the case or crate.
The several parts of any number of said cases or crates, when empty, may be
packed together flatwise to enconomise space and cost in transit, and also to prevent
the breakage that frequently occurs to empty cases and crates as at present made
and used.
Dated this 14th day of September 1893.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Packing Cases, Crates, and
the like.
I, JAMES ALLCOCK, of 20 Aldermanbury, in the City of London, E.C.,
Umbrella Stick Mounter, 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 improvements constituting my invention consists of a method of and means
for constructing packing cases, crates, and the like, whereby the whole of the parts
thereof may be quickly and easily placed and connected firmly together, without
the use of nails, screws or the like for that purpose, and when empty, and may be
for the purpose of facilitating emptying, the whole can be easily and quickly taken
apart, and the sections of same packed together in a very small compass until again
required for use.
The objects of my invention are Firstly-that by reason of the entire absence of
the need of nails, screws or bolts (and consequently the usual tools for manipulating
the same) for fastening the parts or sections of the case or crate together, and the
consequent wear and tear usually entailed in the withdrawal of same, the life of
the case or crate is thereby materially prolonged. Secondly-that by reason of
the small compass into which the sections or parts of the case or crate can be
packed when empty, great economy is effected in the space needed for storing these
in quantities, and consequently a very material reduction may be expected in the
carriers and railway rates for conveying the same from place to place, and Thirdly
-to prevent the breakage that usually occurs during the transit of returned empty
cases as hitherto made and used.
In order that the principle of my invention, and the manner of carrying out the
same may be clearly understood I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings,
but I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the construction and
use of cases or crates of the shape therein shown but may employ the principle
herein described and illustrated, in the manufacture of cases or crates of any size
or shape so as to be adaptable for containing any quantity and every description of
goods for which such cases and crates are usually employed.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the parts of a packing case constructed according
to my invention illustrating how they may be detached from each other.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a closed and packed case composed of the parts
shewn in Fig. 1.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a side view of the parts (Fig. 1) of such a case, illustrating how these
may be packed together for transit as returned empties.
carry my invention into effect by forming the top A, bottom B, sides C, D, and
ends E, F. of such packing cases or crates, each perfect in itself, either or all of
which may be of wood or metal, or any combination of these materials, that is to
say, in large cases made of wood, the parts A, B, C, D, (and may be E, F,) would
be formed of boards placed together edgewise, and in practice I may find it con-
venient to attach these to each other, not by gluing the joints as hitherto, but by
means of metal dowels or pins, which provides that these dowelled or pinned joints
may be easily separated when the case is empty to facilitate package as at Fig. 3,
and in such packing cases, the size of the several parts may require that these be
strengthed, when in use, by suitable braces or battens G, and I may find it
convenient to use iron or other metal for these and other purposes.
Or for light cases or crates or those intended to be used for packing soft goods
where perfect rigidity of the case is not an important consideration, the said
parts A, B, C, D, E, F, may be of wicker, cane, or reeds, woven or interlaced
together after the manner of basket work, still maintaining the principle that cach
part shall be complete.in itself.
In the upper and lower edges of each of the sides C, D, of large cases or crates,
I fix by any suitable means, any desired number of metallic or other studs, pins, or
projections, and in the bottom and top A, B, corresponding holes for the reception
of these, but for small cases, or crates, the ends E, F, only may be provided with
these, as at Fig. 1, in which two such pins H are fixed upon the upper and lower
edges of the said ends, and these would engage with holes J in the bottom B, and
top A, while similar pins H' upon each side of E, F, would fit into similar holes K
in the sides C, D, when the case was put together as at Fig. 2. In small cases or
crates the said pins may be of such a length as not to require the holes J, K, to
extend entirely through the substance of the material as shewn in Fig. 1, but in
large cases or crates where extra strength is required the said pins may be of such
a length as to extend through the said sides, top, and bottom and may be provided
with a screw thread to receive a nut L, or a slot may be formed therein to receive
a cotter or split pin M, as at Fig. 2. Whichever method of arranging the said
pins and holes I may employ, these would be of a standard size, and a corresponding
and predetermined distance apart, so that the sections of any one case or crate, may
fit the sections, of any other case or crate of the same size, thereby obviating the
difficulties that might otherwise arise through the portions of one case or crate
becoming mixed up with those of another.
In the method of arranging the parts shewn by Fig. 1 the case would be put
together by first placing the ends E, F, in position upon B, and then connecting
the sides C, D to E, F, when the case would be ready to receive the goods to be
packed therein, and when this is completed the top A may be placed in position,
with the pins H upon E, F, engaging with the holes J, therein. The whole may
then be bound with cords or ropes N as at Fig. 2, or by that of metallic bands
or clamps O, as shewn in the same figure, and the package be thereby held firmly
together.
I may when the parts E, F, are of basket work as before mentioned, arrange
that the projections H, H, are formed therewith, so that these may engage with
the holes J, K, in A and B, or C, D, whether these be of basket work, or other-
wise, and in like manner when the sides C, D, are of basket work, and provided
with projections for engaging with holes in A and B, the said projections would be
formed therewith, whether A, B, be of basket work or otherwise, and when A B,
or C, D, are of wood, I may line the holes J or K, therein with suitable metal, as
a means of further prolonging the life of the case or crate.
In Fig. 31 illustrate the manner in which the whole of the parts of Fig. 1 may
be packed together flatwise when empty, and it is obvious that the whole of the
parts of several such cases or crates may be packed together in like manner, to

page_text: economise space and cost in transit, and prevent the wholesale breakage that
frequently occurs to empty cases or crates as at present made and used.
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 :-
First. The construction and use of packing cases or crates made of wood, basket
work, or metal, or any combination of these materials, the several parts comprising
the same, being detachable from each other, and capable of being packed together
Hatwise as at Fig. 3, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Second. The construction and use of packing cases or crates composed of
detachable parts, held together by suitably disposed pins or projections H and H',
fixed upon, or formed integrally with, some parts, engaging with holes or apertures.
and K in the other parts, the whole when built and filled being bound together by
ropes or cords N, or metallic clamps or bands 0, or by that of nuts G, screwed
upon the threaded projecting ends of H H', or by cotters or pins M, engaging with
slots therein, or any combination of these methods of securing the whole when filled,
substantially as herein described and shewn by the appended drawings.
Dated this 15th day of November 1893.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.