IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPPING CASES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SHIPPING CASES 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 shipping cases and especially to that class of the
same which are adapted to fold up and it has for its object to provide means
whereby the folding sections will be held together in a safe and secure manner and
may be folded into a very small space when it is desired to return the case to the
owner.
With these objects in view the said invention consists in securing the sides
together by spring catches or locks and in hinging the several sections in such a
manner as to allow folding of the same, one, upon the other in the smallest space
possible and in certain details of construction and combination of parts as hereinafter
set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings
.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved shipping case in its closed
position.
Figure 2 is a similar view a portion of the case being open to show the manner
in which the case is unpacked.
Figure 3 is a view of the case in its closed position ready to be returned to ita
owner.
'
Figure 4 is a detail view showing the operation of the spring catch.
Figure 5 is a sectional view.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
Referring to the drawings A is the bottom of my improved shipping case,
having cross pieces a secured to the underside thereof at each end, the ends B Bi
of the case being hinged to the upper face of the bottom so as to be capable of
folding flat against the same. Vertical strips b b¹ are secured to the outer face
of the ends B B¹, on each side, the strips 6 of the end B extending upward beyond
the same, and connected by a cross bar C said cross bar and the extended ends of

page_text: the strips b. fitting within a cut away portion c of the strips b' flat against the
end B¹ when the case is folded.
D D¹ designate the sides of the case having vertical strips d d' secured to and
extending along the same on their opposite ends. Hinges e connect the strips d of
the side D to the cross pieces a of the bottom the adjacent ends of the strips d and
the cross-pieces being beveled or chamfered as at f to permit a tight fit when the
parts are connected to form the box or case.
The side D¹ is hinged directly to a cleat g secured to the bottom so as to allow
the said side to fold over, the ends B B¹ the other side folding against the underside
of the bottom. E designates the cover or top piece comprising two sections or
parts h h¹ provided with cross pieces i i¹ on each end, the section or part / being
hinged directly to the side D so as to fold against the inner face of the same while
the cross pieces 1 of the other section or part h¹ are extended as at j and hinged
at the extensions to the strips d¹ of the side D¹ thus permitting the said section h¹
to fold flat against the exterior face of the side D'..
In securing the sides and ends of my improved case together I use improved
catches or locks, the construction of which is as follows:-
Rods F project from the sides of the ends B B₁ and are provided with beveled
catches which extend or work through sockets in the ends of sides D D'.
To one side of the sockets are pivoted levers G which engage at their front ends
with the catches k projecting through the sockets said levers being provided with
a bearing piece H near their centre. Above the levers are projections I of the sides
D D¹ coiled springs J being secured at one end to a lug m depending from the
projections and at the other end to a lug n projecting from the upper end of the
bearing piece H.
To the inner face of the levers G are secured headed studs K which work in
elongated slots L in the sides D D¹ operating rods M being secured to the
heads of the studs K and working vertically in guides O attached to the interior
face of the sides.
From the foregoing description the operation of the locks or catches will be
readily understood. By catching hold of the upper end of the rod M and drawing
the same upward the lever is disengaged from the catch k and the spring J is
compressed and when the rod M is released the spring exerts its power and causes
the return of the lever to its normal position. By means of this construction the
levers will always be in position to be operated by the insertion of catches / through
sockets L the levers fitting partly over the sockets and adapted to move aside in an
upward direction through the yielding of springs J.
It will be seen that each corner of the case is provided with the spring catches
or locks the rods F with the beveled catches projecting from the ends B B¹ while
the locking levers are attached to the sides D D¹, all portions of the locking
mechanism being concealed from view by suitable enclosing frames Z attached to
the upper corners of the sides and recessed to permit the free movement of the
spring pressed lever.
Headed screws or screw eyes N attach the lid or cover sections in place and work
through suitable metallic sockets o in the sections h h¹ and the ends B B' said screw
or screw eyes being readily detached when it is desired to unpack the contents of
the case.
In place of the screws or screw eyes I may use pivoted hooks which may
Le attached to the ends B B¹ and catch at their ends through screw eyes secured to
the lid or cover sections.
It will be apparent that I may also use the spring catches or locks to hold the
cover in place thus employing eight locks for each case the operation and functions
of all the catches or locks being the same. The operation of my invention can be
readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the
annexed drawings.
When the shipping case containing the merchandize has reached its destination
the section or part of the cover is released by withdrawing the screws or other
fastenings for the same and the spring catches or locks on each end of the side D

page_text: are released so as to allow said side to drop down in the position shown in Figure 2
when the contents of the case can be readily taken out as desired.
If it is desired to return the shipping case to the owner as is generally, the case,
the other section of the cover is permitted to drop down against the outer face of
side D' the spring catches or locks of said side being released thus allowing the
ends B B¹ to fold flat against the upper face of the bottom A, one of the sides D¹
folding over the ends B B¹ while the other side D folds against the underside of
the bottom each side carrying a section of the cover as shown.
To the underside of the section h' of the cover are attached straps N' which
when the sections of the case are folded together in the position shown in Fig. 3
will engage or connect with projections or studs p secured to the other section of
the cover.
Thus the parts will be held securely together in their folded position
and there will be no danger of separating the same when it is desired to return the
folded case to the owner.
If it should be desired to use the case again for the shipment of merchandize the
side D¹ is raised together with the ends B B¹ the spring locks at the corners
automatically holding the parts in upright position. A certain quantity of the
merchandize may be placed in the case one of the sides being open for that purpose
and then the other side D is locked in place, the remainder of the case being filled
to the desired hight the sections of the cover or lid being secured in place by the
means before stated.
When locked in this position the case will be held firmly together at all corners
and there will be no possible danger of the sections separating for any cause
whatever.
The advantages of my invention are obvious.
By means of the improved shipping case shown the merchandize contained
therein may be easily removed since there will be no necessity of using force to
separate the case such as is used in separating the common boxes ordinarily
employed in shipping merchandize.
When the entire contents of the case has been removed it can be folded into the
position shown in Fig. 3 and forwarded back to the owner, a label holder P being
secured to both the inner and outer faces of the section h¹ of the cover in which
suitable cards or labels containing the name and address of the receiver and consignor
of the case are placed to be used in forwarding and returning the said case.
When the shipping case is properly constructed it will be much stronger than
the ordinary nailed case and can be used until worn out. A large shipping house
using say twelve hundred cases a year could transact their business with one
hundred of my cases thereby saving the cost and storage of eleven hundred cases.
When the case is folded together it occupies a very small space and may be packed
together in piles until used.
Other advantages of my invention are apparent and need not be particularly´
pointed out here.
.
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 shipping case, the ends folded flat against the bottom and the sides each
carrying a section of the cover one of the sides extending over the folded ends while
the other folds flat against the underside of the bottom as and for the purpose set
forth.
•
2 In a shipping case, the ends hinged to the upper face of the bottom and the
sides each carrying a section of the cover, one of the sides being hinged to the
bottom in such a manner as to fold against the underside of the same and the other
side being hinged to a cleat extending up from the bottom so as to fold over the
ends the two sections folding over the sides and the parts being secured in this
position by means of suitable straps as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a shipping case, the ends hinged to the upper face of the bottom and
folding flat against the same one of the ends being provided with a cross bar

page_text: .
overlapping the other end and the bottom having cross pieces secured to its
underside in 'combination with the sides provided with vertical strips one of the
sides being hinged to a cleat projecting up from the bottom and the other side
having hinges connecting its vertical strips to the cross pieces of the bottom and
the cover or lid formed in two sections or parts, one section being hinged to each
side so as to fold flat against the inner, and outer faces of the same as and for the
purpose set forth.
4. In a shipping case, the sides and ends hinged to the bottom in any suitable
manner beveled catches or rods projecting from the ends and extending through
openings or sockets in the sides and a spring pressed lever engaging with the
catch and arranged to hold the parts in place as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a shipping case the sides and ends hinged to the bottom in any suitable
manner beveled catches or rods projecting from the ends and extending through
openings or sockets in. the sides, a spring pressed lever engaging with the catch
and provided with an operating rod as and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a shipping case, the sides and ends hinged to the bottom in any suitable
manner beveled catches or rods projecting from the ends and extending through
openings or sockets in the sides, a spring pressed lever, engaging with the catch, a
rod or projection attached to the lever and working in a slot in the sides of the
case and a rod attached to the head of said projection and working in guides on
the interior of said sides as and for the purpose set forth.
7. In a shipping case, the ends folding flat against the bottom and the sides
carrying a section of the cover one of the sides extending over the said ends and
the other side folding flat against the underside of the bottom, beveled catches
projecting from the ends, and spring pressed-levers engaging with said catches as
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated thin twelfth day of February 1884.