AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF BOX OR CASE PRINCIPALLY INTENDED TO PREVENT THE SAME BEING OPENED WITHOUT DETECTION to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: to Prevent the same being Opened without Detection.
We, GEORGE BLACKMAN, Cooper and Packing Case Maker, of the Steam
Cooperage, Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex, and JOHN Goss,
Cooper, of 42 Parma Crescent, Lavender Hill, Wandsworth, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "AN IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OF BOX OR CASE PRINCIPALLY INTENDED TO PREVENT THE SAME
BEING OPENED WITHOUT DETECTION to be as follows:-
"
The principal object of our Invention is to so construct boxes or cases for
holding and conveying goods or any kind of merchandise, that they may be closed
in such a manner as to prevent the possibility of their being opened without
clearly showing it, while at the same time such boxes or cases can be easily opened
when required without in any way damaging either the boxes or cases themselves
or their lids, so that such cases and lids may be used again and again for
conveying goods.
For this purpose we secure the bottom, ends, and front and back of the box or
case together, either by nails or screws or other suitable means, leaving the top
open. The two ends and the back extend up a short distance beyond the top of
the front, the height of such extension corresponding to the thickness of the lid to
be applied to the open top. The, two end pieces are cut away at an angle on the
inner side, from the top to the level of the top of the front piece, so as to form an
under cut groove on each end. Each side of the lid is bevelled to fit the under cut
groove in each end piece, so that a dove-tail is formed between the lid and ends,
the lid being capable of a sliding movement between the latter for the purpose of
opening and closing the top of the box or case.
The back edge of the lid has a projecting tongue of any suitable length at its
centre, the width of such tongue corresponding to the thickness of the back piece.
The back piece of the box or case has a part cut away at the top for a distance
and in a position corresponding to the length of the tongue on the lid, so that such
tongue enters the space formed by the part cut away, when the lid is fully closed.
The tongue on the lid is preferably of the same thickness as the lid itself, and the
space to receive it in the back piece, must be of a corresponding depth. The sides
of the tongue are bevelled off, and the edges of the space formed in the back piece
017

page_text: are under cut, so that the tongue dovetails into such space when the lid is fully
closed, the back edge of the lid on each side of the tongue butting against the part
of the top of the back piece which is not cut away.
To secure the lid in the closed position a screw can be driven through its front
side, from the top into the front side of the case, so that the lid cannot be caused
to slide outwards to open the box or case, without first removing the screw, and in
order to prevent this being effected without showing the same, the screw head
may be caused to enter a countersunk hole in the lid, and a seal secured over the
head, so that the screw cannot be removed without breaking such seal. Instead of
the screw a lock or other suitable means may be provided to secure the lid in the
closed position. Similar means for securing the lid may also if desired be applied
to the projecting tongue at the back of the lid, and the back of the box or case.
As the groove cut in each end piece somewhat weakens the projecting top of
same, the latter might be broken away if the lid is tilted upwards or slanted
sideways while sliding in such grooves, and in order to prevent this it is desirable
to strengthen the parts in which the grooves are formed. For this purpose nails
or screws are driven in at suitable distances apart, from the top of the end pieces,
in such a position as to be clear of the grooves therein, so as not to interfere with
the sliding movement of the lid. The parts of the back piece on each side of the
portion cut away at the top, and also the tongue on the rear of the lid, may be
similarly strengthened by driving in nails or screws from the edges into the body
of the back piece and lid respectively.
In order to strengthen the box and prevent the back piece being forced from the
end pieces, angle pieces of hoop iron may be secured at each corner, the nails or
screws by which they are attached being clinched over or rivetted inside the box
or case. The front piece and bottom of the box or case may also be similarly
secured to the ends if desired.
The parts forming the box or case may be of wood or other material suitable for
the purpose, depending upon the use for which it is intended.

page_text: to Prevent the same being Opened without Detection.
We, GEORGE BLACKMAN, Cooper and Packing Case Maker, of the Steam
Cooperage, Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex, and JOHN Goss,
Cooper, of 42 Parma Crescent, Lavender Hill, Wandsworth, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of this invention for "AN IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OF BOX OR CASE PRINCIPALLY INTENDED TO PREVENT THE SAME
BEING OPENED WITHOUT DETECTION," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The principal object of our Invention is to so astruct boxes or cases for holding
or conveying goods or any kind of merchandise, that they may be closed in such
a manner as to prevent the possibility of their being opened without clearly showing
it, while at the same time such boxes or cases can be easily opened when required
without in any way damaging either the boxes or cases themselves or their lids, so
that such cases and lids may be used again and again for conveying goods.
Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a
rear elevation of our improved box or case; Fig. 2 a front elevation, and Fig. 3 a
plan view of same, showing the lid partly open.
For the above purpose we secure the bottom A, ends B, B₁, front C, and back D,
of the box or case together, either by nails or screws or other suitable means, leaving
the top open. The two ends B, B, and the back D extend up a short distance
beyond the top of the front C, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the height of such
extension corresponding to the thickness of the lid E to be applied to the open
top. The two end pieces B, B1, are preferably cut away at an angle on the inner
side, from the top to the level of the top of the front piece, so as to form an under
cut groove on each side, as shown at B², B³. Each side of the lid is bevelled to fit
the under cut groove in each end piece, as shown at E¹, E, so that a dovetail is
formed between the lid E and ends B, B¹, the lid being capable of a sliding
novement between the latter for the purpose of opening and closing the top of the
box or case. If desired the part of the end pieces B, B¹, projecting above the
front C, may be straight on the inner side, in which case the sides of the lid E will
also be straight, so as to slide freely between the end pieces.
The back edge of the lid has at its centre a projecting tongue F of any suitable
length, the width of such tongue corresponding to the thickness of the back
piece D. The back piece D has a part cut away at the top for a distance and in a
position corresponding to the length of the tongue F on the lid E, as shown at D¹,
Fig. 3, so that such tongue enters the space formed by the part cut away, when the
lid is fully closed. The tongue F on the lid E is preferably of the same thickness
as the lid itself, and the space D¹ to receive it in the back piece D, must be of a cor-
responding depth. The sides of the tongue F are bevelled off, and the edges of the
space D' formed in the back piece D are under cut, so that the tongue dovetails

page_text: into such space when the lid is fully closed, the back edge F¹ of the lid on each
side of the tongue F butting against the part of the back piece D which is not
cut away.
To secure the lid E in the closed position a screw G can be driven through its
front side, from the top into the front side C of the case, so that the lid cannot be
caused to slide outwards to open the box or case, without first removing such screw,
and in order to prevent this being effected without showing the same, the screw
head may be caused to enter a countersunk hole in the lid, and a seal G¹ secured
over the head, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the screw cannot be removed without
breaking such seal. Instead of a screw a lock or other suitable means may be
provided to secure the lid in the closed position. Similar means for securing the
lid E may also if desired be applied to the projecting tongue F at the back of the
lid E, and the back D of the box or case, as shown in Fig. 1.
For this
If a groove is cut in each end piece B, B¹, it will somewhat weaken the projecting
tops of same, and the latter might be broken away if the lid is tilted upwards or
slanted sideways while sliding in such grooves, and in order to prevent this it is
desirable to strengthen the parts in which the grooves are formed.
purpose nails or screws H are driven in at suitable distances apart, as shown in
Fig. 3, from the top of the end pieces B, B1, in such a position as to be clear of the
grooves therein, so as not to interfere with the sliding movement of the lid E. The
parts of the back piece D on each side of the portion D¹ cut away at the top, and
also the tongue F on the rear of the lid E, may be similarly strengthened by driving
in nails, or screws from the edges into the body of the back piece and lid respectively,
as shown at H' and H2, Figs. 1 and 3. In order to strengthen the box and prevent
the back piece D being forced from the end pieces B, B₁, angle pieces of hoop
iron I, 1, may be secured at each corner, the nails or screws by which they are
attached being clinched over or rivetted inside the box or case. The front piece C
and bottom A of the box or case may also be similarly secured to the ends B, B¹,
if desired.
The parts forming the box or case may be of wood or other material suitable for
the purpose, depending upon the use for which it is intended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
The improved box or case in which the two ends and the back extend up beyond
the front, so as to permit the lid to slide between the extended portions of such ends
and butt against the extended portion of the back, in which latter a part is cut
away and formed with under cut edges to receive a tongue or projection formed on
the back edge of the lid, the sides of such tongue or projection being bevelled to fit
the under cut edges of the portion cut away in the back, all substantially as and
for the purposes specified.
Datal this 27th day of Novambar 100%