Year: 1886

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by SAMUEL M. BIXBY, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, Gentleman.]
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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 handled blacking boxes wherein the box has a recess to
enclose the handle and the handle is made movable for opening out when the box is in
use, and adapted to be at other times pushed into the recess made to receive it.
The handle may be pivoted or hinged or attached in any way so as to be movable.
As shown in the drawing, the recess is formed by extending the box downward to
form a rim a below the bottom of the box; and the handle being attached to the
recess is in this way brought within the dimensions, that is, the height of the blacking
box, and does not project below it. This is the especial feature of my invention.
In the annexed drawing which is designed to illustrate my invention,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a blacking box partly in section showing a form of
handle which I have made and used with success.
Figure 2 shows the box as seen from the bottom with such handle drawn out, and
Figure 3 is a modification.
The box A of the drawing has a rim a projecting below the bottom to form a recess.
B is the movable handle; and is made in this instance of stout wire bent in the form
of a loop or fork. The sides of the loop pass through openings at b made for the
purpose in the rim a, as a guide to steady the handle; and to impart stiffness thereto
when the box is in use a guide C is secured to the bottom of the box within the
guide b. By these means bearings are obtained for the handle a sufficient distance
to secure steadiness and stiffness thereof.
By arranging these bearings within a recess in the bottom of the box, the handle
when pushed in as in Figure 1 is brought entirely within the thickness or length of

page_text: Stop pieces d represent any suitable stop for preventing the handle from being so
pulled out of its place or bearings as to become detached.
In the foregoing improvements I do not restrict myself to the form of handle; nor
of the stop d; nor to the mode of obtaining the recess; the latter may be formed in
other ways, for example, by striking in a groove or grooves directly in the flat bottom
of the box, in which case the rim a could be omitted.
The invention secures at the least cost, a firm, practical and convenient handle; and
which does not in the least interfere with packing for transportation or otherwise.
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 ;-
First. A blacking box having a movable handle arranged to slide or swing into a
recess under the box, adapted to receive it.
Second. A blacking box having a recess beneath, and a movable handle combined
therewith and provided with stops to control the handle when in use as set forth.
Third. A blacking box having a handle which may be drawn out for use, in com-
bination with a recess for receiving the handle formed by a projecting rim as described.