Improvements in and relating to Collapsible Packing-cases, Boxes, Crates, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Collapsible Packing-cases, Boxes,
Crates, and the like.
I, ALEXANDER MALCOLM, Publisher, of 34 Ann Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire,
and of 75 Finsbury Pavement, London, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises certain improvements in and
connected with the construction of the metal hinged and securing parts of
collapsible or folding packing-cases, boxes, crates, or other receptacles for goods
or raw material, being improvements upon or developments of the invention for
which Letters Patent No. 15738 Octr. 8 1889 were granted for folding the ends and
sides of the boxes successively over each other in horizontal layers, and which
improvements will make the fittings more convenient and, durable and generally
suitable for various sizes of cases.
One of the main improvements consists in forming the two metal hinged parts
attached to the sides and the bottom of the box for folding the former inwards over
the bottom, both in separate pieces, instead of forming them in one piece with the
strengthening bars of the box. That is, in making the hinged part attached to the
bottom with right angled knee flanges for screwing these to the wood at the corners,
preferably beyond or outside the main strong wood bars of the bottom, and in
kneeing the hinged part up at the ends to the proper height for hinging the knee
joint arm of the other part attached to the sides, to hinge these to said bottom
parts, these side binged parts being screwed by single bar Hanges to the sides near
their ends, also preferably beyond or outside the main strong wood bars of the sides.
The lower ends of these side hinged parts are kneed down round the bottom to abut
against the said flanges of the bottom hinged parts when the sides are folded up
vertically. The ends of these boxes would fold in first between the two sides down
on to the inner surface of the bottom on ordinary folding "strap or "Hap" hinges
screwed on the inside of the bottom and sides. Or when the two ends are greater
in height than the length of the bottom of the box, the second end would be folded
over the first end on hinges having their joint pin kneed up from the bottom, the
thickness of the sides of the box, to so fold in over the other end; and these ends
would preferably have two, three, or more iron bars screwed or otherwise secured
to them outside to strengthen them in preference to wood bars, and have these
projecting up above the top sufficient to abut against the top ends of the box, and
so that the sides would the more easily fold horizontally over these ends and the
bottom, the back side being on higher kneed hinges, so as to fold level on the
opposite side.
"
A further improvement consists in forming flanged parts for screwing to the
centre or other part of the bottom and sides of the box, with swivel studs and eyes
on each other respectively, which take on to each other when the sides are folded
up, and secure the parts by swivelling the heads by a screw driver or otherwise at
right angles to the eye.
By a further improvement the lid part would be attached to one of the sides by
eyes in kneed plates screwed to the upper side and ends of the lid outside the main
wooden bars, these eyes taking on to hooks formed on the upper ends of flange
plates screwed on the outer edge ends of the back side of the box. Similar flanged
plates would be screwed on the top and front side edges of the box, with oblong
eyes in them to take over securing swivel studs on the upper ends of the flanged
plates screwed on the front side at the outer end edges turned by a screw driver or
otherwise the same as those securing the bottom edges and sides of the box, these
latter having kneed arms some distance down from their top edges, to form abutting

page_text: stops for the ends of the box when opened up, and the lid secured down as
described, its ends abutting against the end bars of the box. In this arrangement
only one or two screws would be required to secure the box, each fitted through a
counter sunk eye in a flanged plate screwed to the upper front side of the box, and
taking into a screwed socket fitted into a corresponding flanged plate screwed to
the front upper side of the box, which screw or screws would also secure the lid
when the ends and sides were folded down in horizontal layers over the bottom, the
kneed eyes on the back of the lid being hooked on to the kneed stop parts of the
back side of the box now folded up, the point of the screw or screws each entering
screwed holes formed in the eye securing plates of the front lower side of the box,
these screws thus securing the whole packing case in a collapsed or folded up
position for being returned as empties.
Seals or padlocks might be fitted to these closing screws on the lid when inserted
to prevent them being tampered with.
In some cases as for thin wood boxes the plate or tail arms of the hinged parts,
and of the swivelling studs and their eyes might be screwed on the top or sunk into
the wooden cross bars strengthening the sides of the box; or these tails might be
riveted through the thin sides of the box with thin plates of hoop iron or other
equivalent on the inside of the box; and at the ends of the box these tail plates
might be riveted through the tail plates of the inner hinges of these ends on the
inside. These boxes or cases thus made would be all flat or plain on the inside for
the packing of the goods without injury, or they might have sheet zinc or tin cases
fitted in them as is frequently done.
Dated the 14th January 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Collapsible Packing-cases, Boxes,
Crates, and the like.
I, ALEXANDER MALCOLM, Publisher, of 34 Ann Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire,
and of 75 Finsbury Pavement, London, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, that is
to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises certain improvements in and
connected with the construction of the metal hinged and securing parts of
collapsible or folding packing-cases, boxes, crates, or other receptacles for goods or
raw material, being improvements upon or developments of the invention for which
Letters Patent No. 15738 Octr. 8 1889 were granted for folding the ends and sides
of the boxes successively over each other in horizontal layers, and which improve-
ments will make the fittings more convenient and durable and generally suitable for
various sizes of cases.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the front side, and Figure 2 an end view of a
collapsible box as constructed in accordance with and fitted with my improved
appliances, and Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the box corresponding to
Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the box in its folded down collapsed position; while
Figures 5 to 11 are detail detached views of the improved fittings hereinafter
referred to.
~
Referring to these drawings One of the main improvements consists in forming
the two metal hinged parts H, I, J, shown in side elevation and sectional plan

page_text: "
Figures 5 and 6, and H¹, I¹, J', shown in elevation and plan Figures 7 and 8
attached to the sides D, E, and the bottom C of the box for folding the
former D, E, inwards over the ends A, B, and bottom C, both in separate pieces,
instead of forming them in one piece with the strengthening bars of the box.
That is, in making the hinged parts J and J' attached to the bottom C, with right
angled knee flanges J", J, for screwing, or riveting these to the wood with sunk
plates on the inside at the corners, preferably beyond or outside the main strong
wood bars C', of the bottom C, and in kneeing the hinged parts J. J', up at the
ends to the proper height for hinging the knee joint arms I, I, of the other parts
attached to the sides by joint pins i, i, to hinge these to said bottom parts J, J,
these side hinged parts I, I', being screwed by single bar flanges H, H', to the
sides D, E, near their ends, also preferably beyond or outside the main strong
wood bars D', E', of the sides. The ends A, B, of these boxes would first fold in
front between the two sides D, E, down on to the inner surface of the bottom C,
on ordinary folding "strap or "flap" hinges A', B', screwed on the inside of the
bottom C and ends A, B, as dotted in at circular line 1, 2 in Figure 1, and shown
in Figure 4. Or when two ends A, B, are greater in height than the length of the
bottom C of the box, the second end B, would be folded over the first end A on
hinges having their joint B', kneed up from the bottom, the thickness of the end A
of the box, to so fold in over the other end, analogous to the side D, E, hereinafter
described; and these ends A, B, would preferably have two, three, or more iron
bars A, B screwed or otherwise secured to them outside to strengthen them, in
preference to wood bars, and have these projecting up above the top edge of their
ends A, B, sufficient to abut against the ends of the top or cover F of the box as
shown at F', in Figure 1, or a double thickness of wood or bars may be placed at
these ends projecting up instead of the metal bars A", B". Thus after the
ends A, B, are folded down the sides D, E, would fold horizontally respectively
over these on their hinges I, I', as the back side E is on higher kneed hinges J', 1',
so as to fold level from the opposite side, and as indicated respectively by the dotted
lines 3-3 and 4-4 in Figure 2. As shown in the elevation and plan Figures 7A
and 84, of these hinged parts I, J, I prefer to strengthen these hinged parts by a
short flange or web, to be sunk flush into the side E and bottom C, of the box
at the ends.
A further improvement consists in forming flanged parts C², D2, for screwing to
the centre or other part of the bottom and sides C and D E of the box, with swivel
studs C, and elliptical eyes D' on each other respectively, which take on to each
other when the sides are folded up, and secure the parts by swivelling the heads C'
by a screwdriver or otherwise at right angles to the eyes D³, as seen more
particularly in Figure 1.
By a further improvement the lid part F, would be attached to one of the sides
preferably the back side E, by kneed eyes on plates screwed to the upper side
and ends of the lid outside the main wooden bars F1, these eyes f', taking on to
the hooks, formed on the upper ends of flange plates "screwed on the outer
edge ends of the back side of the box, with checked kneed parts which receive
the plates A" on the back of the ends A, B. And flanged plates D2, D³, shown in
Figure 9, and similar to those D2, D3, previously described, are screwed on the top
and front side edges of the box, with oblong eyes D³ in them to take over securing
swivel studs C³, on the upper ends of flanged plates C³, riveted or screwed on the
front side D, at the outer end edges, said studs C³, being turned by a screwdriver
or otherwise for securing the front ends of the lid of the box, the same as those
described for securing the centre of the bottom edges and sides of the box, and
shown particularly in side view and plan detached Figure 10. These flanged
plates C, have knced arms f4, similar to those f*, before described, some distance
down from their top ends C", to form abutting stops for the bars A" of the
ends A, B, of the box when opened up, and the lid F secured down as described, its
ends abutting and fitting against the end bars A" A" of the box.
In this arrange
ment only one or two screws G would be required to secure the centre of the lid F

page_text: of the box, each fitted through a counter-sunk eye in a flanged plate G¹ screwed to
the upper front side or lid of the box, and taking into a screwed socket at G"
fitted into a corresponding flanged plate G2 riveted or screwed to the front upper
side D of the box, to secure the lid at the centre parts as shown in Figures 1 and 3,
and which screw or screws G would also secure the lid F, when the ends and sides
were folded down in horizontal layers over the bottom, as shown in Figure 4, the
kneed eyes f, on the back of the lid F being hooked on to the kneed stop parts h
of the back side of the box now folded up, the point of the screw or screws G each
entering screwed holes ' formed in the eye securing plates D' of the front lower
side of the box, these screws G thus securing the whole packing case in a collapsed
or folded up position for being returned as empties as shown in Figure 4. Figure 1l
shows a sectional view of the centre part of the lid F, and front side D, of the box,
showing a slightly different mode of fixing it by the long screw G, with a strong
screw thread at g for taking into the upper end G", of the plate G2, with a washer
above this screw for preventing the screw from being removed from the lid F, and
making the small end of the screw G long for taking into the screw hole /¹ in
the plate D of the front lower side of the box for securing the parts all together
when collapsed or folded down to the position shown in Figure 4.
Seals or padlocks might be fitted to these closing screws G, on the lid F when
inserted to prevent them being tampered with.
In some cases, as for thin wood boxes, the plate or tail arms C², D³, and ƒ ƒ³,
and H, H', of the hinged parts, and J, J, of the swivelling studs and their eyes
might be screwed on the top or sunk into the wooden cross bars C', D', E', 'F',
strengthening the sides of the box; or these tails might be riveted through the
thin sides of the box with thin plates of hoop iron or other equivalent on the inside
of the box; and at the ends of the box these tail plates might be riveted through
the tail plates of the inner hinges A', B', of these ends on the inside. These boxes
or cases thus made would be all flat or plain on the inside for the packing of the
goods without injury, or they might have sheet zinc or tin cases fitted in them as is
frequently done.
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 or arrangement and combination of the parts of
collapsible packing cases, boxes, crates, and the like, with bottom and side separate
hinged jointing parts at the lower corners and with securing swivelling pins and
eyes or sockets at the upper ends and lower central parts, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Second. In collapsible packing cases, boxes, crates, and the like, the forming of
the metal hinged parts jointing the corners of the sides and bottom, in separate
pieces with knee flanges and hinging the same together, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Third. In collapsible packing cases, boxes, crates, and the like, the fitting and use
of swivel pins and eyes or sockets for securing the top corners and centre of bottom
to the sides, substantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In collapsible packing cases, boxes, crates, and the like, the fitting and
use of kneed plates with eyes on the lid, in combination with the kneed or flanged
plates on the side corners, substantially as and for the purposes herein described, in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.