Improvements in the Construction of Boxes and Chests.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1890
TRUVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Boxes and Chests.
I, ROBERT HENRY HEPBURN of Parliament Mansions, Victoria Street, Westininster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to boxes and chests and has special reference to the use in the
construction thereof of metal sheets or plates and wood in combination.
One object I have in view is to so form and arrange the various parts that they can
be readily fitted together by any ordinary workman; the parts can thus be packed in
a small compass for transport to the place where they are to be used and be then put
together.
A leading feature of the invention is that the wooden parts are grooved rabbeted or
recessed to receive the edges, which are either flanged or plain, of the metal parts.
The metal parts may be the top and bottom of the box or chest, the sides being of
wood; or the sides as well as the top and bottom may be of metal in which case there
are wooden frames at top and bottom to receive the edges of the metal parts. The
metal parts consist of tin-plates or other metal sheets and after they have been fitted in
place they are secured to the wooden parts by nails, screws, bolts or rivets.
The construction of my improved boxes and chests will vary according to the
particular purpose for which they are intended.
The invention is specially applicable to the construction of boxes in which to pack
tin plates. When they are intended for this purpose I.make the four sides of the box
of wood and the top and bottom each of a single piece of tin plate or other metal. I
recess the inner edge of the wooden sides at top and bottom so as to form seats for the
top and bottom plates, and I cut vertical grooves in the sides in continuation of the
said recesses to receive inturned flanges on the edges of the plates; I then pass
screws, nails or bolts through the wood and metal. Or the wooden sides may simply
have horizontal grooves made in their inner faces near their top and bottom edges to
receive the edges of the metal plates or sheets which in this case may have a double
or L-shaped flange the first part of which butts against the inside of the box while the
second part enters the groove, screws, nails or bolts being used as before. Or the
wooden sides may simply have grooves or rabbets of triangular or U-section formed
along their top and bottom edges and the metal plates have correspondingly shaped
depressions to fit such grooves or rabbets, screws, nails or bolts being passed either
through the depressed parts of the plates into the wood or through the end of the
plates beyond the depressions. Or the wooden sides may have horizontal grooves
made in their outer faces near their top and bottom edges to receive a return or second
flange on the metal plates which in this case overlap the outer edges of the wooden
sides; screws, nails or bolts are used as before. Or the wooden sides may simply be
recessed at top and bottom on the inner edge to form seats for the metal plates, these
having ont-turned flanges which butt against the side walls of the recesses, screws,
nails or bolts being used as before. With this and others of the modifications the
wooden sides can easily be lined with metal by fitting against them, before the top and
bottom plates are put in position, vertical plates with flanges to fit over the recesses.
Or the wooden sides may, simply have plain vertical grooves in their top and bottom
edges to receive plain inturned flanges on the plates. Or the wooden sides in addition
to vertical grooves as just described may have recesses on their inner faces to form
seats for the plates, in which case the plates will have a triple flange, the first flange
butting against the side wall of the recess, the second fitting upon the edge of the
wood between the recess and the groove, and the third entering the groove. In all
cases the metal plates can be strengthened by forming them with ribs or corrugations

page_text: and in the case of large boxes the top and bottom can be made of several parts united
together by a suitable joint.
Boxes for packing tin plates constructed as above described are inexpensive, readily
put together, strong, and practically air and water tight, while any required marking
can be stamped in the metal parts during the operation of flanging instead of the wood
being hot branded as is now the practice.
In constructing tea chests for which my invention is also specially applicable I prefer
to make the sides as well as the top and bottom of metal; the wooden parts in this
case are therefore top and bottom frames. According to one modification I form a
bottom rectangular frame with a vertical groove in its upper face; in this groove I fit
an out-turned flange on a plate or sheet that forms the bottom of the box and in the
same or in another groove I fit the plain or unflanged edges of plates that form the
four sides. The upper edges of these plates fit into a groove in an open wooden frame,
and above this frame I fit another wood frame which is filled in with a plate the edges
of which fit into horizontal inside grooves of same.
Or instead of fitting the top plate into a second upper frame as just described it may
have an out-turned flange and fit into a groove on the underside of the frame into
which the top edges of the side plates fit. Or according to another modification the
bottom wooden frame may have horizontal inside grooves to receive the plain or
unflanged edge of the bottom plate and vertical grooves to receive the bottom edges
of side plates, the top edges of these plates fitting into a groove in an upper frame,
while a top or second upper frame carries the top plate which is fitted into grooves
therein. Or the chest may be formed of four wooden frames for the four sides and
top and bottom wooden frames each having a plain or unflanged plate or sheet fitted
into inside grooves of same, the six frames being fixed together by screws, bolts or
nails.
I prefer to use fibrous and tough wood for my boxes and chests so that when the
edges or flanges of the metal sheets or plates are inserted they may be gripped with a
spring like tenacity. The joint may if thought desirable be further made air and
water tight by introducing a tenacious cement into the grooves or rabbets.
Dated this 4th day of November 1889.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Boxes and Chests.
I, ROBERT HENRY HEPBURN of Parliament Mansions, Victoria Street, Westminster,
Engineer, 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:-
My invention relates to boxes and chests and has more especial reference to the use
in the construction thereof of metal sheets or plates and wood in combination. One
object I have in view is to so form and arrange the various parts that they can be
readily fitted together by any ordinary workman; the parts can thus be packed in
a small compass for transport to the place where they are to be used and be then put
together.
A leading feature of the invention is that the wooden parts are grooved to receive
the edges, which are either flanged or plain, of the metal parts. The metal parts may
be the top and bottom of the box or chest, the sides or body part being of wood, or
the sides as well as the top and bottom may be of metal, in which case there are
wooden frames at top and bottom to receive the edges of the metal parts. The metal
parts consist of tin-plates or other metal sheets and after they have been fitted in place
they are secured to the wooden parts by nails, screws, bolts or rivets.
The construction of my improved boxes and chests, a number of modifications of

page_text: which are hereinafter described, will vary according to the particular purpose for
which they are intended.
Among the purposes for which the invention is specially applicable is the construc-
tion of boxes in which to pack tin-plates.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is a sectional perspective view of a box adapted
for this purpose.
It will be seen that I make the four sides of the box, three of which
marked a a a are seen, of wood, and the top and bottom b and c each of a single piece
of tin-plate or other metal. I recess the inner edge of the wooden sides at top and
bottom as seen at d, d so as to form seats for the top and bottom plates b, c, and I cut
vertical grooves in the sides a in continuation of the said recesses to receive inturned
flanges e on the edges of the plates; I then pass screws, nails or bolts through the
wood and metal.
Figure 2 illustrates a box in which the wooden sides a simply have horizontal
grooves made in their inner faces near their top and bottom edges to receive the edges
of the metal plates or sheets b, c which in this case may have a double or L-shaped
flange the first part of which butts against the inside of the box while the second
part e enters the groove; screws, nails or bolts being used as before.
Figure 3 illustrates a box in which the wooden sides a simply have grooves of
triangular (or it might be of U-) section formed along their top and bottom edges,
and the metal plates behave correspondingly shaped depressions e to fit such grooves,
screws nails or bolts being passed either through the depressed parts of the plates into
the wood or through the end of the plates beyond the depressions.
Figure 4 illustrates a box in which the wooden sides a have horizontal grooves
made in their outer faces near their top and bottom edges to receive return or second
flanges e on the metal plates be which in this case overlap the outer edges of the
wooden sides; screws, nails or bolts are used as before.
Figure 5 represents a box in which the wooden sides a are recessed at top and
bottom on the inner edge d d as in Figure 1, to form seats for the metal plates bc,
these being plain or unflanged and their edges e entering horizontal grooves made for
the purpose in the wooden sides a, screws, nails or bolts being used as before. With
this and others of the modifications the wooden sides can easily be lined with metal by
fitting against them before the top and bottom plates be are put in position, vertical
plates with Banges to fit over the seats formed by the recesses.
Figure 6 illustrates a box in which the wooden sides a simply have vertical grooves
in their top and bottom edges to receive inturned flanges e on the plates.
C
Figure 7 shows a box in which the wooden sides a in addition to vertical grooves as
in Figure 6, have recesses d d on their inner faces to form seats for the plates bc; in
this case the plates bc have a triple flange, the first flange butting against the side
wall of the recess, the second fitting upon the edge of the wood between the recess
and the groove, and the third e entering the groove. In all cases the metal plates b, c
can be strengthened by forming them with ribs or corrugations as shown in Figure 8,
and in the case of large boxes the top and bottom can be made of several parts united
together by a suitable joint such as shown in Figure 9; in this figure i, i represent
top and bottom wooden liners to protect the top and bottom plates bc in the case of
the box being used to hold tin plates or other heavy goods.
с
Boxes for packing tin-plates constructed as shown in Figures 1 to 9 are inexpensive,
readily put together, strong and practically air and water-tight, while any required
marking can be stamped in the metal parts during the operation of flanging, instead of
the wood being hot branded as is now the practice. It is evident that these boxes can
be utilized for packing or holding other goods than tin-plates.
Figure 10 represents a box or chest suitable for tea which is another purpose for
which my invention is also specially applicable. The sides as well as the top and
bottom of the chest or box are of metal, the wooden parts in this case being therefore
top and bottom frames. The bottom rectangular frame a is formed with a vertical
groove in its upper face; in this groove I fit an out-turned flange e on a plate or
sheet c that forms the bottom of the box, and in the same or in another groove I fit
the plain or unflanged edges of plates kk that form the four sides. The upper edges
C

page_text: of these plates k k fit into a groove in an open wooden frame a¹, and above this frame
I fit another wooden frame a which is filled in with a plate
into horizontal inside grooves of same as shown.
the edges of which fit
Figure 11 represents a chest or box in which the top plate instead of being fitted
into a second upper frame as in Figure 10 has an out-turned flange e and fits into a
groove on the underside of the frame a into which the top edges of the side
plates fit.
Figure 12 represents a chest the same as Figure 11 except that the side plates k k
have shoulders to form seats or supports for the top and bottom plates bc.
Figure 13 represents a chest in which the bottom wooden frame a has horizontal
inside grooves to receive the plain or unflanged edges of the bottom plate e and vertical
grooves to receive the bottom edges of the side plates, the top edges of these
plates fitting into a groove in an upper frame a¹, while a top or second upper frame a²
carries the top plate & which is fitted into grooves therein.
Figure 14 illustrates a chest formed of four wooden frames for the four sides, two
of which frames marked a a are shown, and of top and bottom wooden frames a¹
and a³, each of the six frames having a plain or unflanged plate or sheet fitted into
inside grooves of same; the six frames are fixed together by screws, bolts or nails.
Figure 15 illustrates a box consisting of top and bottom wooden frames with four
metal plates kk forming the sides, these plates being flanged and their flanges entering
internal horizontal grooves of the frames as shown, while the edges of unflanged top
and bottom plates bc enter the same (or it might be other) grooves.
Although the particular modifications of chests or boxes illustrated in Figures 10
to 15 have been specially designed for holding tea it is evident that they can be used
for holding other goods.
I prefer to use fibrous and tough wood for my boxes and chests so that when the
edges or flanges of the metal sheets or plates are inserted they may be gripped with a
spring-like tenacity. The joint may if thought desirable be further made air and
water tight by introducing a tenacious cement into the grooves. The metal and
wooden parts should in all cases be secured together by screws, nails or like
contrivances.
When the boxes are of comparatively small size or are intended to contain com-
paratively light goods, and where lightness is an object and strength of less importance
sheets of a material such as strong cardboard or strawboard can be used instead of the
metal sheets, while mill-board, papier maché or other suitable material may be
employed instead of the wood but in all cases the edges, flanged or plain, of the
sheets, of whatever material they are made will fit as hereinbefore described into
grooves made for the purpose in the material constituting the frames or body parts of
the boxes or chests.
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 :-
1. In the construction of boxes or. chests, the combination with body parts or
frames, of sheets or plates which form the top and bottom, or the top, bottom and
sides of the boxes or chests and fit with their edges, which are either flanged or
unflanged, into grooves made for the purpose in the said body parts or frames,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The several modifications or constructions of boxes or chests represented
respectively in Figures 1 to 9 and herein before described.
3. The several modifications or constructions of boxes or chests represented
respectively in Figures 10 to 15 and hereinbefore described.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1890.
J. C. MEW BURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.