Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 11th May, 1895
I, EDGAR DREDGE of 15 Edmund Place, Aldersgate Street London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Referring to my Patent No. 1734 of 1891, in which I protected a folding case
with a metal frame, I now find that for various light uses, such as for containing
articles of millinery and the like,-the metal frame can be dispensed with; and
the necessary rigidity obtained by means of interior folding stretchers or supports.
My improved folding box has sides and ends which fold inwards, the ends
being of cloth or leather or chain mail, or other flexible material, and the sides of
some stiff substance jointed in a horizontal line at about half their height. Or
the sides may be flexible and the ends jointed if preferred, as this is immaterial;
the bottom being stiff or rigid in either case.
Inside the flexible ends (or sides) I place the folding stretchers which consist
of rigid pieces of cardboard wood or other suitable substance. These stretchers
are of the same size as the end or side to be stretched or stiffened, and serve to
keep them distended to their full extent, and supported against any external
pressure. They are hinged to the bottom of the box and fold up and down thereon
as required.
If preferred strings may be attached to the stretchers and passed through holes
in the flexible ends or sides, so that when the box is expanded, they can be readily
pulled into position, and these strings may be utilised as ties for holding down the
cover.
The cover may be of the ordinary loose flanged kind to lap over the edges of the
box, or may be hinged on one side by means of cloth or otherwise, so as to be
inseparable from the box.
When required, the folding ends can be arranged with angular cornerpieces,
separately attached, but meeting together with an open centre, and in this way a
less flexible material can be employed. The stretchers can also be perforated if
desired, or made of open wire work on a stiff frame, so as to admit air. In this
form the box would serve for the conveyance of birds or other live animals, or
goods requiring air in transit such as flowers and the like. Similarly for use as a
hand-box or travelling case or portmanteau, handles straps or fastenings can be
added for securing the contents.
My folding box can be folded into a flat compact layer of the thickness of the
material employed. No fastening is needed to preserve its rigidity or shape.
Dated this 31st day of December 1894.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: EDGAR DREDGE of 15 Edmund Place, Aldersgate Street, London, England,
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:-
This invention relates to folding boxes and baskets suitable for milliners and
others, and consists in constructing the package with a firm bottom to which the
sides and ends are hinged or connected by flexible ligatures or links, so that they
can fold on the said bottom and lie in layers thereon, the whole thus making a
compact bundle of small dimensions, which if desired can be conveniently placed in
or on the cover or lid.
A most important consideration in the construction of folding boxes, is to ensure
the necessary rigidity when they are distended or opened up.
In effecting this I employ flexible outer ends or bands for the most part,
together with interior stretchers or supports, attaching them by folding joints, so
that there shall be no loose pieces.
My improved folding box has thus sides and ends which fold inwards, the ends
being made of some flexible material or its equivalent, inside which is a stiff stretcher
or support, and the sides being formed of some rigid substance connected to the
flexible ends or bands.
The sides are in some cases jointed in a horizontal line at about half their
height.
Or, if preferred the sides may be flexible and the ends rigid and jointed, as it is
immaterial whether the sides or ends are flexible, the bottom being stiff and firm
in either case.
Inside the flexible ends or bands I place the folding stretchers, which consist of
rigid pieces of cardboard, wood or other suitable substance.
These stretchers are made of a suitable size so as to stretch or stiffen the flexible
ends and serve to keep them distended to their full extent, and supported against
external pressure. They are hinged to the bottom of the box and fold up and
down thereon as required.
The lid may be of the ordinary loose flanged kind to lap over the edges of the
box, or may be hinged on one side by means of cloth or otherwise so as to be
inseparable from the box.
Beneath the lid stop-pieces can be fixed to keep the stretchers in an upright
position when the box is opened up.
When preferred the stretchers can be secured in position by projecting stop-
pieces of card or other suitable material, over which the stretcher is pushed or
slipped, so as to engage therewith, and become locked thereby in position. The
stretchers can also be perforated if desired, or made of open wirework on a stiff
frame, so as to admit air.
In this latter form the box would serve for the conveyance of birds or other live
animals, or goods requiring air in transit, such as flowers and the like.
A travelling box or case could be arranged conveniently on my system, and the
same might be composed of one or two of the folding compartments with a stiff
bottoin placed vertically common to both.
Handles, straps or fastenings can be added for securing and carrying the box or
case or its contents.
My folding box can be folded into a flat compact layer of the thickness of the
material employed.
No separate fastening is needed to preserve its rigidity or shape.

page_text: I will now describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a box constructed on my system.
Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 2 shows an end elevation of the box shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation of same.
Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a box suitable for millinery or other
light purposes constructed on my system, and also shows the ends or sides partly
folded.
a. a., are the flexible ends or sides.
b, b', are folding sides of cardboard or other suitable material.
f.f., are catch pieces or stops which detain the folding sides b, b¹, in position
when the box is open.
Fig. 4 shows an enlarged plan view of two corners of the box shewn in Fig. 3,
with the folding ends in place, and displays the manner by which the same are kept
in position by the catch pieces or stops f, which may be bevelled as shewn or
merely straight pieces of cardboard or other material.
Fig. 5 shows a. perspective view of the box shewn in Figs. 3, and 4, when
completely folded.
Fig. 6 shows a side elevation and Fig. 7 an end elevation of a large crate or
hamper in which the height is greater than the width.
The sides 1, 2, are in this case hinged at z in any suitable way and fold inwards
as shown in dotted lines (Fig. 7).
Fig. 8 shows a method of dispensing with the flexible sides shewn in Figs. 3, 4,
and 5, and employing one or more stout tapes, cords, chains or the like as
shewn by g
Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal cross section of the lid shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
el el are stops.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a a are the flexible ends. b. 6¹ are the ends or
sides folding inwards one on top of the other. c, c¹ are hinges permitting the sides
and ends, to rise and fall (Figs. 1, and 2).
e, is a lid with special strip e' to keep the ends b, rigid when the box is open.
Referring to the boxes shewn in Figs. 3, 4, & 5, the stop e¹ is dispensed with
and the boxes are provided instead with a special catch-piece or stop, by means
of which the sides, are kept in place when the box is open. is a special
catch-piece or stop which may be tapered off at one end placed in the upper
corners of two sides of the box to hold the two ends rigid while open. This is
effected by pushing them past the catch-pieces or stops f, which engage with and
detain or lock the ends.
Fig. 8 is a tape, rope, or chain, or some suitable equivalent which may serve
in place of the flexible ends a. a., several of these bands may be employed, if
preferred.
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,
In a folding box, case, basket or the like, the combination of a rigid bottom with
folding flexible ends or their equivalents, and folding rigid sides, or conversely,
flexible sides and rigid ends, with folding stretchers to fit inside said flexible ends,
said ends and sides being hinged to said bottom, and constructed to fold inwards
thereon; also with a hinged or loose cover, and stops to sustain said stretchers in
position, as herein described and set forth.
Dated this 11th day of April 1895.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Patent Agent.