Improvements in Collapsible Boxes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Collapsible Boxes.
We, WILLIAM BLAKE, HENRY BLAKE, and JOHN ALEXANDER BAR-
THOLOMEW, trading as Blake & Mackenzie, of School Lane, Liverpool, and
WILLIAM EDWARD WALMSLEY, of 8, Hyde Road, Waterloo, both in the
County of Lancaster, Printers and Stationers and Manager respectively, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, & in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in collapsible boxes, whereby
boxes of a square or oblong shape, and made of wood or other suitable material of
considerable thickness, may be so constructed as to be readily collapsible, without
unmaking any of their joints.
The invention may be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is an isometric view of one of our improved boxes with both halves of
the lid thrown back.
Figure 2 is a plan view showing the box in its collapsed condition, one half of
the lid not being shown for the sake of clearness, in the drawing.
Figures 3 and 4 are sections on lines a x and y y respectively, Figure 1.
A, is the bottom of the box, B, C, D and E are the four sides thereof. F F is
the box lid formed in two pieces hinged to opposite sides of the box. The box, as
shown in the drawings, is constructed of wood, but it may be made of any other.
suitable material and of any thickness required.
All four sides of the box have their ends bevelled or cut away, at an angle of 45°,
as seen at G, Figure 1, and these ends are hinged together by means of strips G¹ of
cloth or other suitable material secured in such a manner as to allow them to open
outwards at the joints.
The two sides D and E are cut down diagonally at an angle of 45°, as shown
at H, Figure 1, and hinged along these diagonal cuts, by cloth or other suitable
material H', in such a manner as to fold over inwards.
The lower edges of the sides D and E and the adjacent or corresponding edges
of the bottom A are also bevelled or cut away at an angle of 45°, as at J, Figure 3,
and are also hinged together with cloth or other suitable material J in such a
manner as to open outwards as shown in Figure 2.
The lower edges of the sides B and C need not necessarily be bevelled or fixed
in any way to the adjacent or corresponding edges of the bottom A, though, if
desired, strips of cloth or any other pliable material may be applied to these parts
to exclude dust or air.
The upper edges of these sides B and C are, however, bevelled or cut away at an
angle of 45, and the adjacent or corresponding edges of the two portions of the
lid are similarly bevelled, as seen at K, and are jointed together by hinges of cloth
or other suitable material K¹ in such a manner as to open outwards.
When the box is in its collapsed condition, it appears as in Figure 2 and lies
within the space of three thicknesses of the inaterial employed, or a little more,
according to the thickness and manner of fixing the various hinges.
The box may be opened up or brought into shape by lifting the sides B and C to
a perpendicular position.
This draws up the other sides D and E to a similar position, the box then
appearing as in Figure 1.
When opened, as shown in Figure 1, the box may be held in that position either
temporarily or permanently in various ways. By the method shown in the drawings,

page_text: the two sides D and E are connected by one or more cords L, which are inserted
into notches' in these sides D and E, and held therein by knots on the ends of the
cords just outside the notches, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3.
The box may
also be held in position by flexible rods or tapes connecting the two sides D and E,
or by rigid rods of any suitable material temporarily fixed along these sides D
and E, or by one or more rods, tapes or cords fixed across one or more corners of
the box.
When the box is set up, as shown in Figure 1, the two halves of the lid can be
brought over and the box closed, the sides of the lid then resting within the sides D
and E of the box upon small projections M, so that the lid serves to keep the box
rigidly in position.
The lid may, if desired, be made entirely in one piece hinged to one side only
of the box, but, by this arrangement, a larger area is occupied by the box
when collapsed, or the lid may be made in either one or more pieces and
not fixed in any way to the box, but adapted to rest upon the upper edges of all the
four sides B, C, D and E, it not being necessary, in this case, to bevel or cut away
the upper edges of the sides B and C as when the lid is hinged in the manner
shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. When the lid is constructed so as to lie upon the
upper edges of all the sides, as just described, projecting ribs or blocks inay be
secured on the inner surface of the lid, the said ribs or blocks being adapted to fit
against the inner faces of the sides of the box and thus keep these sides firmly in
position when the lid is laid or fastened on, and, in this case, the projections M may
be dispensed with.
We do not confine ourselves to the use of cloth or other flexible material for the
various hinges, as brass or other suitable metal can be used, if required for stronger
boxes, nor do we limit ourselves to the angle of 45° for the bevelled edges, as it will
be obvious that they may be bevelled at other angles, especially when constructing
boxes having the sides, bottom or lid of different thicknesses.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
The combination of diagonally cut sides bevelled edges and hinges substantially
as described, which allow a box made of thick material as herein described to be
collapsed and re-made without unmaking any of its joints.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1890.
WILLIAM EDWARD WALMSLEY.
Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.