IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOLDING BOXES OR CASES PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Cropper of Budge Row, Cannon Street in the
City of London for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF FOLDING BOXES OR CASES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Cropper at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th August 1883.
SAMUEL CROPPER of Budge Row, Cannon Street in the City of London
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOLDING BOXES OR CASES
The Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of folding
boxes or cases whereby the box or case can be readily folded and packed in a
small compass and as readily formed into a rigid box or case when it is required
to use the same thereby rendering it especially useful for traders and others when
sending articles through the post or other means of conveyance.
In carrying my Invention into effect, wood, cardboard, sheet metal or other
material may be employed.
I form the frame of the box or case with hinges at the junctions of the ends
and sides in order to enable the same to be folded flat or to be placed in the
required position for use and I provide the same with grooves, dowels, projections
or recesses to receive the top and bottom which are formed to slide into position
or are formed with parts to fit the aforesaid dowels, projections or recesses any
suitable means being employed for connecting such parts together.
When constructing the said boxes or cases of wood or other thick material I
form the frame thereof with mitred joints and I hinge two opposite joints on the
exterior and the other two opposite joints on the interior preferably using for such
purposo a strip of woven fabric or leather glued or cemented thereto and when
employing sliding lids or covers I slide such lids or covers into position from
opposite ends or sides thus enabling the opposite sides and ends to be made exactly
alike thereby facilitating manufacture.
When employing cardboard or other similar material I sometimes score the
frame at three joints and hinge it at the fourth whilst the cutting of the parts into
the required forms and the scoring thereof can be effected by suitable dies.

page_text: •
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
' by the said Samuel Cropper in the Patent Office on the 4th February 1884.
SAMUEL CROPPER of Budge Row Cannon Street in the City of London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOLDING BOXES OR CASES
"
The invention has for-its object improvements in the construction of folding
boxes or cases whereby the box or case can be readily folded and packed in a small
compass and as readily formed into a rigid box or case when it is required to use
the same thereby rendering it especially useful for traders and others when sending
articles through the post or other means of conveyance.
In carrying my invention into effect wood, cardboard, sheet metal or other
material may be employed.
I form the frame of the box or case with hinges at the junctions of the ends
and sides in order to enable the same to be folded flat or to be placed in the
required position for use and I provide the same with grooves, dowels projections
or-recesses-to-receive the top and bottom which are formed to slide into position or
are formed with parts to fit the aforesaid dowels, projections-or-recesses any suitablo
means being employed for connecting such parts together.
When constructing the said boxes or cases of wood or other thick material I
form the frame thereof--with-mitred joints and I hinge two opposite joints on the
exterior and the other two opposite joints on the interior preferably-using for
such purpose a strip of woven fabric or leather glued or cemented thereto and when
employing sliding lids or covers I slide such lids or covers into position from
opposite ends or sides thus enabling the opposite sides and ends to be made exactly
alike thereby facilitating manufacture.
When employing cardboard or other similar material I sometimes score the
frame at three joints and hinge it at the fourth whilst the cutting of the parts into
the required forms and the scoring theroof can be effected by suitable dies.
And in order that my said invention inay be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying Drawings
more fully to describe the same.
Figure 1 is a perspective view, Figure 2 is an end view, Figure 3 is a plan with
the lid turned back representing a folding box or case constructed according to my
invention and in its expanded condition ready for use. Figure 4 is a side view
and Figure 5 is an edge view representing the same box or case in its folded or
collapsed condition for stowing away.
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a longitudinal and a transverse section of
one of my improved boxes or cases showing a different method of fitting the top
and bottom or lids thereof. Figure 8 is a perspective view of part of one of my
improved boxes or cases showing a slight modification and Figure 9 is a plan of
one of my improved boxes or cases representing the same as it would appear when
formed of cardboard or analogous material.
a. a'. are the sides, b. b. are the ends and c. c. are the top and bottom or lids.
In the boxes or cases represented at Figures 1 to 8 the side a is connected

page_text: to the end b by an internal hinge d and the side a¹ is connected to the end 6¹ by
an internal hingo d' whilst the sido a is connected to the end b¹ by an external
hinge and the side a¹ is connected to tho end b by an external hinge ď.
When constructing folding boxes or cases of cardboard or of analogous material
as represented at Figure 9 the sides a. a. and ends b. b. are preferably formed of.
a single piece of material in which case I form the joints or hinges at d¹. d. d³. by
scoring the material partially through whilst I employ an internal hinge at d to
connect the ends of such material.
By hinging together the sides and ends in the manner above described they are
enabled to be readily folded so that the parts a and b shall lie flat against the
parts a and b as represented in Figures 4 and 5. Other methods of hinging
may however be adopted so long as the method of folding above described is
retained.
In the arrangements represented at Figures 1 to 5 and Figures 8 and 9 the top
or lid c is hinged by an external hinge e to the side a¹ and the bottom or lid o¹ is
hinged to the side a by an external hinge e¹ thereby enabling the said top and
bottom or lids c. c. to be folded back flat respectively against the sides a¹ and a.
In Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 and 9 the top and bottom or lids c. c. are also formed with
spaces or openings c³ in the ends and fronts thereof to receive corresponding tongues
or projections a b³. formed on the sides a. a¹. and ends b. b'. by which means the
box or case is held perfectly secure against crushing and distortion when in position
for use.
The spacos or openings and the tongues or projections a³. b. may be
formed square as shown in parts of the drawings or they may be of dovetail form as
represented at other parts of the drawings. Instead however of making these
projections a. b. and spaces or openings c³ of the forms shown at Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5
and 9 they may be formed as dowels or pins and holes as represented at Figure 8.
If desired however the top and bottom or lids c. c. instead of being hingod to
the sides a. a. as above described may be formed to slide into position from
opposite ends or sides as illustrated at Figures 6 and 7.
In the Drawings I have represented the various hinges to be formed of strips of
fabric glued in the required positions but other description of hinges may be
employed so long as the various parts of my improved folding boxes or cases
can be folded together and opened out in the manner herein shown and described.
In Figures 1 to 5 I have represented the sides a. a. and the ends b. b¹. where
they are hinged together and the top and bottom or lids c. c. where they are
hinged to the sides a. a. as formed with mitre joints; this construction is the one
I prefer to adopt as it combines a neat appearance with strength and cheapness
but if desired other suitable forms of joints may be employed. By hinging the
top and bottom or lids c. c. to the sides a. a. at opposite angles of the box as
shown I am enabled to use the same shape for both the sides a. a¹. thereby
facilitating construction.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect I would have it understood that what I claim is :-
First Constructing folding boxes or cases with the sides a. a. and ends b. b³,
hinged together in such manner as to enable one side and end to be folded flat
against the other side and end substantially as herein shown and described.
Second-Constructing folding boxes or cases with the sides a. a. and ends b. b'.
hinged together at two opposite corners of the box or case by internal hinges d. d².
and at the other two opposite corners by external hinges d³. d. substantially as
herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Third Constructing folding boxes or cases with the parts thereof hinged
together in such manner that the top and bottom or lids c. c. can be respectively
folded back flat against the sides a². a. and the sides a. a'. and ends b. b. can also
be folded together substantially as herein shown and described, and
Fourth Constructing folding boxes or cases with the sides and ends hinged
together and the top and bottom or lids hinged to the sides in such manner as

page_text: to enable the said boxes or cases to be readily folded for stowage and readily
expanded for use combined with the use of projections a². b. acting in combination
with spaces or recesses c² substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose stated.
In witness whereof I the said Samuel Cropper have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Thirty first day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.