IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXES AND OTHER HOLLOW ARTICLES FROM PAPER PULP, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXES AND OTHER HOLLOW
ARTICLES FROM PAPER PULP, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."-A cominunication fom abroad by Richard
Smith, of Shelbrooke, in the Dominion of Canada.
Sealed the 1st June 1869, and dated the 11th January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th January 1869.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXES AND OTHER
HOLLOW ARTICLES FROM PAPER PULP, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication from abroad by Richard Smith, of
Shelbrooke, in the Dominion of Canada, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved mode of and apparatus for
making boxes and other hollow articles direct from paper pulp, and
consists essentially in forming such articles by forcing a plunger down

page_text: into a mould containing the pulp, after which an outer or annular
plunger surrounding the former one is brought down between the
external sides of the inner plunger and the internal sides of the mould
in order to form the end or top of the box and to compress the sides
longitudinally or in a downward direction. The first-mentioned plunger
works in connection with an internal piston which is provided with an
air inlet valve which allows air to enter beneath the lower end of the
plunger just previous to its withdrawal from the cavity of the completed
box, whereby such withdrawal is greatly facilitated and no tearing of
the box is produced. The first descent of the central plunger into the
mould is effected by a sudden and quick motion in order that the pulp
may be displaced and rise up the sides of the plunger so as to form the
sides of the box, and not be consolidated at the bottom of the mould,
which would be the case if the plunger descended slowly. This dis-
placement of the pulp having been accomplished the plunger may
complete the rest of its descent by a slow motion. Two duplicate
nioulds are employed made in a sliding block which traverses to and
fro along guide ways underneath the plunger on the bed or table of the
machine so as to enable one mould to be supplied with pulp whilst the
box or hollow article is being made inside the other mould and vice
versa, the completed article being expelled by the action of the annular
or cylindrical plunger which forces the box out through the bottom of
t'he mould when it drops on to an endless travelling apron of cloth or
wire gauze. To allow of this action the moulds are each provided with
removeable bottoms. In order to admit of the drainage and free escape
of the water from the pulp in the moulds their sides and bottoms are
channelled and covered with a permanent or fixed perforated or per-
meable lining, the bottoms being moreover perforated underneath such
lining. This machine may be driven either by hand or by any con-
venient prime mover.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her
special license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agreo with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXES AND OTHER HOLLOW ARTICLES
FROM PAPER PULP, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,"
a communication from abroad by Richard Smith, of Shelbrooke, in the
Dominion of Canada, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Henry, Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instru
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Qmce within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent:
}
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say-
The said Invention relates to an improved mode of and apparatus
for making boxes and other hollow articles direct from paper pulp, and
consists essentially in forming such articles by forcing a plunger down
into a mould containing the pulp, after which an outer or annular
'plunger surrounding the former ono is brought down between the
external sides of the inner plunger and the internal sides of the mould
in order to form the end or top of the box and to compress the sides
longitudinally or in a downward direction. The first-mentioned plungot
works in connection with an internal piston, which is provided with an
air inlet valve which allows air to enter beneath the lower end of the

page_text: .plunger just previous to its withdrawal from the cavity of the completed
box, whereby such withdrawal is greatly facilitated, and no tearing of
the box is produced. The first descent of the central plunger into the
mould is effected by a sudden and quick motion in order that the pulp
may be displaced and run up the sides of the plunger, so as to form the
sides of the box and not to be consolidated at the bottom of the mould,
which would be the case if the plunger descended slowly. This dis-
placement of the pulp having been accomplished the plunger may
complete the rest of its descent by a slow, motion. Two duplicate
moulds are employed made in a sliding block, which traverses to and
fro along guideways underneath the plunger on the bed or table of the
machine, so as to make one mould to be supplied with pulp whilst
the box or hollow article is being made inside the other mould, and
vice versa, the completed article being expelled by the action of the
annular or cylindrical plunger which forces the box out through the
bottom of the mould, when it drops into an endless travelling apron of
cloth or wire gauze. To allow of this action the moulds are each provided
with removeable bottoms. In order to admit of the drainage and free
escape of the water from the pulp in the moulds their sides and bottoms
are chanelled and covered with a permanent or fixed perforated or
permeable lining, the bottoms being moreover perforated underneath
such lining. This machine may be driven either by hand or by- any.
'convenient prime mover.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all
the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a side elevation of the improved
machine for making hollow articles from paper pulp, and Figure 2
is a sectional elevation of the same; Figures 3 and 4 shew a mode
of consolidating the sides and top of the article after it has been
moulded, in the machine above referred to, and of embossing the top if
desired.
A is the bed plate and frame of the machine; B, B, uprights which
support the upper portion of the frame to which the gears are attached;
C, a winch representing the driving power of whatever nature it may
be, applied to the shafts of the driving gear; D is a bevel-gear having a

page_text: shaft with a square head a for the reception of the winch C. The
wheel D gears with the bevel gear E which is threaded on its interior
surface, and acts as a nut to raise and lower the cylinder F which passes
into it and is threaded on the upper portion of its outer surface to
correspond with and receive the thread on the inner surface of the
gear E. The downward movement of cylinder F imparts end pressure
to the upper edge of the box, as will hereafter be shown. The gear E
has a groove or dowel in its periphery, which receives the inner edge
of an annular plate R attached to the frame by screws 8, 8. This plato
supports the gear E in its place, while allowing of its free rotation.
II', H', are the moulds united, together and attached to a common bed
plate, which slides in ways W having a reciprocating movement below
the cylinder F. The inner sides of the moulds have vertical grooves in
them covered with a fixed lining of wire gauze. The bottoms of the
moulds are formed in the same way, their grooves connecting with the
lower ends of the side grooves, which thus drain into them. These
bottoms are hinged at to lugs on the bed plate of the moulds and open
downwards, being held up by catches I, I', hinged to the ends of the
same plate, while the box is being made. J is the plunger, which
operates inside the cylinder F; it is a hollow cylinder open at the top
and closed at the bottom by a perforated plate having concentric grooves
below, and covered on the outside by wire gauze; it fits the inside of
the cylinder F, and is the "former" for the inside of the box to bé
produced. In the plunger is inserted a piston packed with an annular
piece of rubber which fits it loosely, so as to allow air to pass around
it. The piston is attached to the lower end of the piston rod K; through
it is an air passage c, in which is a valve o, operating both by its weight
and by atmospheric pressure, to open the passage cand admit air under
the piston. This valve is closed when the bottom of the piston is in
contact with the bottom of the plunger, the valve being then forced
against its scat. A collar d is attached by a screw e on the inside of the
upper end of the plunger J; its office is to prevent the piston from
being drawn out of the plunger when the piston rod K is drawn up,
and to insure the rise of the plunger with the' rod K, after the latter
has rison. far enough to bring the top of the piston into contact with
the lower edge of the collar. The rod K is plain on its lower portion,
as shewn, but threaded above; it has a vertical groove on its side, into
which the end of a scrow pin ; enters to keep the rod from turning
when acted upon by the nut. The thread on the rod K engages with B

page_text: similar thread in the nut N, but passes freely through the bore of the
gear M. The gear M engages with the gear L, whose shaft g has a
square head which receives the winch C, by which it is driven.
Hinged to the upper surface of the gear M are two spring catches P, P¹,
which are drawn together by the spiral spring 8, but can be pressed
apart, and when separated held open by the toggle arms Q, Q'; they
are pressed open by the inclined faces of the nut N, which nut they
receive and hold firmly to the gear M, the pins i, 2, on the bottom of
the nut entering holes in the upper end of the said gear, thus compelling
the nut and gear to turn together.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The mould H is filled
with pulp formed of any suitable material or materials, the filling being
accomplished by hand or otherwise. The lower end of the cylinder F
is then caused to enter the top of the mould just far enough to keep
the pulp from overflowing. The plunger J is next brought down by a
sudden movement till the nut N which had previously occupied the
position shewn in the Drawings is brought down between the catches
P, P', and is firmly attached to the gear M, so as to turn with it. The
effect of this sudden descent of the plunger is to force the pulp to rise
around it on every side sufficiently high to form when compressed the
sides of the box to be made. A slow movement would not effect this
object, but would compress all the pulp in the mould into a solid mass
at the bottom. After the first sudden descent of the plunger it is
gradually forced down far enough to compress and solidify the bottom
of the box. This is done by turning the gears L and M to the latter
of which the nut N became fixed by the first descent of the plunger.
The rotation of the fixed nut forces the plunger down the required
distance to effect the condensation referred to. The cylinder F is then
driven down by turning the gears D and E to give end compression to
the sides of the box. During these operations the water of the pulp
escapes through the gauze lining of the sides and bottom of the mould
into the grooves, by which it is conducted out below into any proper
conduit or receptacle. The piston rod K is next raised until the piston
comes into contact with the collar d which causes the valve ♥ to open
by reason of its own weight and the pressure of the atmosphere, and
allow air to pass freely into the lower portion of the plunger J. Tho
plunger is then raised and in rising leaves no vacuum below it and has no
tendency to tear out the bottom of the box. The catch I is next thrown

page_text: back, the bottom m is brought down at right angles with the bottom
plate of the mould, and the box is thrown out at the bottom of the
mould by the operation of the cylinder F, which is driven down into
the mould and acts against the upper edge of the box. While the:
box is being mado in the mould E the mould H' is being filled
with pulp, ready to be slid under the plunger for a repetition of the.
operation.
In the completo practical machine the parts are driven by power and
the operations are automatic. The boxes delivered from the moulds
are received upon endless aprons of cloth or wire. The moulds can:
be made in halves if preferred and the plunger may be operated either
by a cam, crank, lever, or any equivalent mechanical arrangement.
After the box is formed in the machine it is placed upon a round stud
B, Figures 3 and 4) which rises from a solid base A, the box being
inverted as represented at H in Figure 4. The sliding jaws C, D, are.
then forced against the sides of the box, and the plungers E, F, are
forced between them, the interior faces of the plungers and jaw making'
a completo circle in contact with the whole of the exterior circular
part of the box. The presser G is then brought down upon the bottom
of the box giving it a smooth finish. Any desired figure or inscription
may be cut in the part G and impressed upon the bottom or the top
of the box. The stud B may be perforated as at I so as to admit air
and facilitate the removal of the box. The covers of the boxes are.
finished in the same manner as above.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured.
to mo by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
First. A plunger so constructed as automatically to admit air beneath
its lower end just previous to its withdrawal from the cavity of the
completed box or other hollow article substantially in the manner and
for the purpose set forth.
Second. The formation of the sides of the box by the sudden dis-
placement of the pulp in the mould by the introduction of the plunger.
into it by a quick notion, substantially in the manner described.

page_text: Third. The combination and arrangement of the piston packing r,
air passage c, and valve o, in the manner and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. Discharging the completed box or other hollow article from
the bottom of the mould substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The moulds H made with removable bottoms and permanent {
perforated linings as distinguished from removable linings, substantially
in the manner specified.
Sixth. The ways W in combination with the common bed plate of
the moulds H, H, for the purpose of allowing the latter to have a
reciprocating movement to bring the moulds alternately beneath the 1
plunger in the manner and for the purpose described.
Seventh. The mode of forming the end or top of the box by the
action of the outer plunger as herein-before described.
Eighth. Forming a box or other hollow article from pulp by
forcing a plunger down into the mould containing the pulp, of which 1
the box or other article is to be made as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Ninth day
of July, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.