An Improved Joint for Uniting the Parts of Boxes, Drawers, and similar Articles.
Year: 1888

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by HENRY LLOYD BEACH, of Montrose, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Gentleman.]
An Improved Joint for Uniting the Parts of Boxes, Drawers, and
similar Articles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 a new and useful joint for furniture boxes and similar
articles and consists of a joint having its grooves and tenons cut in straight diagonal
lines, the grooves in the front section of the jointed pieces, terminating a short distance
back of the front edge of said section so as to form a reinforce or shoulder at the outer
corners of the drawer, box or similar article, whereby the joint is strengthened; and
my invention consists of the improved joint which I shall hereinafter fully
describe.
To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and
use my invention I will now describe its construction and indicate the exact manner
in which the same is carried out.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents a perspective view showing my improved joint.
Figure 2 illustrates the two meeting sections disconnected.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of one end of the front section.
In the said drawing a represents the front section and 6 one of the side pieces or
sections of a drawer, box or similar article each of which sections is provided with
grooves and tongues whose configuration approximates a right angle triangle.
To make this more apparent 1 will refer to Figure 2 and to the side piece b therein
shown, where it will be seen the tongues chave their outer surfaces in line with the
outer surface of the main portion of the side piece. On their inner sides the tongues c
are cut in straight diagonal lines from the bases of the intervening grooves to the
outer points of said tongues.

page_text: The front piece a which may represent the front of a drawer, box or similar article,
is formed with the triangular grooves corresponding with the tongues on the meeting
piece band these grooves instead of extending to or nearly to the extreme front edge
of this front piece, terminate at points sufficiently back of the front edge to leave a
shoulder d against which the outer ends of the tongues on the side pieces rest. The
purpose of forming this shoulder is that it materially strengthens the outer edges of
the front piece, makes a blind joint at the front corners and prevents the wood at
such places from "chipping off" which is very common with many of the dovetailed
joints now in use, at the same time the tongue and grooved sections may be readily
made and put together.
My joint possesses many advantages not obtained by other joints among which may
be noted the additional strength given the joint at its corners by terminating the
tongues on the side pieces at points back of the outer edge of the front piece and
further because I prefer to leave the tongues and grooves exposed at the sides of the
drawer, for as different kinds of wood are generally used in their construction, the
exposure of said parts makes a handsome finish.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First An improved joint for furniture, boxes and similar articles consisting of the
meeting sections a and b, the former being provided with triangular shaped grooves
terminating at points back of the front edge of said section thereby forming a shoulder
and the latter section having tongues of triangular shape adapted to be fitted in said
grooves so as to form a blind joint at the front only, substantially as herein
described.
Second-The sections a and b formed with triangular shaped grooves and tongues
whose inner surfaces are cut in straight lines from their bases to their outer points,
the said section a also having a shoulder formed at the front corners as herein
described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1888.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.