Improvements in Collapsible Boxes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th. Dec., 1887
Complete Left, 18th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 22nd June, 1888
PROVISIONAL DIECIICATION
Improvements in Collapsible Boxes.
1, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me from abroad
by John Hotham of Hillside Pennsylvania United States of America) to be as
follows:-
--
This invention relates to what are known as "knockdown boxes," that is to say,
boxes composed of side and end pieces so connected together as to render the boxes
capable of being collapsed or folded into a substantially flat form when empty and
opened or expanded into box form at will.
The
The side pieces are binged at each end to the end pieces and the upper and lower
edges of the side pieces are turned or partially rolled to form flanges with which the
corresponding edges of the top and bottom pieces engage.
and lower
upper
edges of one of the end pieces are turned in for the rear ends of the top or cover
and the bottom of the box to rest on, and the opposite end piece is provided at its
The cover
upper part with lugs which project through slots in a flange of the cover.
is secured in place by pins which pass through these lugs and which may be made in
one with a pair of spring arms that are hinged to one of the end pieces. The bottom
of the box at the front has an upwardly turned flange provided with inwardly
projecting studs which pass through the lower edge of the front end piece, these studs
having holes through which fastening pins pass for locking the bottom of the box in
place. These pins are made in one with a pair of spring arms attached to the inner
surface of the front end piece.
When the box is to be collapsed, the fastening pins are withdrawn and the cover
and bottom drawn end wise so as to disengage them from the flanges on the side
pieces, and the sides and ends which are hinged together may then be folded on one
another.
Datel this 5th day of December 1887.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: 1, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad
by John Hotham, of Hillside, Pennsylvania, United States of America) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to what are known as "knockdown boxes," that is to say
boxes composed of side and end pieces, so connected together as to render the boxes
capable of being collapsed or folded into a substantially flat form when empty, and
expanded into box form at will.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
specification in which figure 1 is a perspective view of the new and improved knock-
down box as it appears when set up and closed. Figure 2 is a central longitudinal
sectional elevation. Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line a
of figure 2 and figure 4 is an end view of the body of the box folded.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
The Invention will first be described in connection with the drawings, and then
pointed out in the claims.
The body of the box is composed of two side pieces a a of sheet metal, and duplicates
of each other, and the two end pieces also of sheet metal. The side pieces a a are
united at their ends to the edges of the end pieces, by the hinges cc which permit the
body of the box to fold into substantially a flat state, as shewn in figure 4, and also
enable it to be easily and quickly set up into box form, as shewn in figure 1. The
upper and lower edges of the side pieces a are turned or partially rolled, to form the
flanges a with which the flanges d'd' of the top and bottom pieces D D engage, to
form secure clasps or joints, as shewn clearly in figure 3. The end piece b of the box
is formed at its upper and lower edges with the inwardly projecting flanges hh to
support the plain ends of the top and bottom pieces D D₁, as shewn in figure 2, and
so that there will be no spaces between the said end piece and the adjacent ends of the
top and bottom pieces. The opposite end piece b' is made plain at its upper and lower
edges and is provided near its upper edge with two fastening lugs which project
outward. The cover D is formed with a flange d² in which the small slots or
openings are cut to receive the fastening lugs when the cover is put in place, as
shewn in figure 2. The lugs are perforated to receive the fastening pins e for
fastening the cover upon the box. The pins e³ are made, in this instance, a part of the
spring arms e held to the outer surface of the end wall by the clasp e², so that the
fastening device for the cover becomes a permanent part of the box, and is always at
hand. The bottom piece D' of the box, is formed with the flange g, provided with the
inwardly projecting studs gg; which are adapted to pass through small openings or

page_text: slots made near the lower edge of the end wall, as shewn in figure 2. The studs g¹
are perforated to receive fastening pins g³ for locking the bottom piece D' to the main
body of the box. The pins g³ are made a part of the spring arms g' held to the inner
surface of the end wall by the clasp g³.
When the box is to be folded, the fastening pins e³ ³ have simply to be removed
and the cover D and bottom D¹ drawn endwise from the flanges a' a' of the side walls a.
This done, the body of the box may be collapsed into nearly a flat state, as shewn in
figure 4, the sides and ends turning on the hinges c.
In order to set up the box, the main body has simply to be aligned upon the hinges c
and the bottom D' slid upon the flanges a¹ so that the flanges d' clasp the flanges a¹,
as shewn in figure 3, which firmly holds the bottom in place, and causes the bottom
to hold the main body from collapsing. The pins g³ may now be inserted and the box
filled. After this, the cover D is to be slid in place, to cause the flanges a¹ and d to
clasp. The pins are then put in place, which locks the cover and also the entire box,
firmly in upright position, so that it and its contents can be safely shipped to any
distance.
When the box is to be returned, the cover and bottom will be simply removed and
the body collapsed, and the whole shipped flat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. As a new article of manufacture, a knock-down box having a main body composed
of sheet metal side pieces a a and sheet metal end pieces bb' hinged together, and the
top D and bottom D¹ united to the edges of the said end and side walls, substantially
as described.
2. The side wall aa formed with the edge flanges a' and hinged to the end walls bb¹
in combination with the top and bottom pieces, D D₁ formed with the edge clasps or
flanges d d¹ to engage with the flanges a¹, substantially as described.
3. The end walls hinged to the side walls a a, the wall being formed with
slots g2, in combination with the bottom D formed with the flange gand provided with
the fastening lugs g¹ and fastening devices g³, substantially as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
4. The end walls and 6' hinged to the side walls, the wall 61 being provided
with the lugs f, in combination with the top D formed with the flange, formed
with the slots d³, and the fastening pins e³, substantially as, and for the purposes,
described.
5. The side walls a a and end walls b and b¹, the latter provided with permanent
springs having fastening pins in combination with the cover D and bottom D' provided
with flanges and fastening lugs, substantially as described.
6. The body of the box composed of the end walls bb hinged to the side walls a, the
latter formed with the edge flanges a' and the end wall provided with fastening
devices, in combination with cover and bottom formed with edge flanges d d and end
flanges d' g, and fastening lugs upon the cover and bottom, substantially as, and for
the purposes, set forth.
Dated this 18th day of May 1888.