Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 10th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1887.
We WILLIAM GILL Manufacturer and JOHN TITLEY Crate Maker both of Princess
Street, Bilston in the County of Stafford do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of crates which
are superior to those now made in several respects.
We make the frames of our crates from pièces of square timber which are brought
together by means of tongues formed upon the ends thereof there being two or more
of these but by preference two viz. one at each extremity of the width. The bottom
side and end bars are sawn of an oblong shape from say laths of timber about three
inches broad by one half inch to one inch thick according to strength, and two or
more tongues are formed at each end upon each of these strips at the outside extremities
thereof. Of course these tongues or tenons have square corners which enter round
holes in the posts or rails thus the inside is far more even than with the present crates
and there is absoluting no liability for the bars to twist which endangers the safety of
delicate articles when packed therein. The tops bars may either be made in the way
explained or of the old bars formed into a single tenon. Over the top ends and under
the bottom of each post I may place a square or oblong plate with two corners bent
down the outer sides and secured by nails or screws which greatly preserves and
shields the posts from damage. The nails are driven sideways through our double or
other tenons and the whole securely locked together.
Dated this 4th day of June 1886
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: We WILLIAM GILL, Manufacturer and JOHN TITLEY, Crate Maker both of Princess
Street Bilston in the County of Stafford do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of crates which
are much stronger than those now made and the surfaces for packing are flat and
there is no liability of the sticks to twist and besides they are cheaper.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried into
practice we have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which is illustrated
crate made according to our said invention and from which other examples may be
formed.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate framed together and showing most of the
parts in their complete form.
Figure 2 shews the end of a top or bottom bar drawn out of the post.
Figure 3 shows the end of a top stick drawn out of a top bar.
The posts A A² A³ and A' form the corners of a crate as usual but instead of
morticing the top and bottom bars therein we bore the holes a' therein so pitched that
the outside of two holes are the same width as the top bar B or bottom bar B' or the
intermediate bars B2 and B³. The details of the ends of these bars is shewn at
Figure 2 where the slot is cut out so that the square tenon and 6 will each enter
one of the round holes forcing their way forwards most tightly and effectively. The
end sticks or bars Care like the side except that they are thinner and the holes in the
posts are lower or higher (by preference lower) so as to miss the others the holes a²
being bored for them as clearly shown on the drawing and thus the posts are not
weakened as is now the custom. The sticks or bars D which form the bottom of the
crate are similar to the bars C and the ends are the same as shewn by Figure 2
entering suitable bored holes in the bottom bar B¹ but the top sticks or bars E require
to be cut out more between the tenons at either one or both ends as shewn by
Figure 3 so that they can be pushed through the top bar B and then drawn back a
little to enter the top bar F on the other side. It will however be quite evident that
sticks may be used at some parts in conjunction with the improved mode of bringing
the posts A and top and bottom bars B together as for instance at the end or on the
top or at the bottom or even instead of B2 and B³. But generally we prefer the laths
say about three inches broad by inch to 1 inch thick according to the strength of
crate required and we prefer two tenons as being proportionate though more may be

page_text: used. The top and bottom bars B and B₁ of the sides are generally thicker than the
intermediate ones B2 and B on account of carrying the holes for the top and bottom
sticks and bars. Nails may as usual be driven sideways through the tenons to secure
them from withdrawing and the tops and bottoms of the posts may be preserved
against splitting by the square sheet iron plate H put on with its corners projecting to
turn over the sides where they are secured by nails.
By using the flat sides, ends and square posts the inside of the crate is made even
and the two tenons on the sticks or laths ensure them against twisting which is a bad
fault as the articles contained are sometimes disarranged thereby.
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 we claim is :-
The improvements in the manufacture of crates having posts, bars and sticks
brought together without the ends of the sticks or tenons passing through each other
and to preserve the utmost strength to the material and to avoid splitting or damage
substantially as herein set forth.