IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKAGES OR RECEPTACLES FOR TOBACCO AND OTHER ARTICLES LIABLE TO HEAT
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Francis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
June 1864.
I, EDWARD FRANCIS, of Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, Grocer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PACKAGES OR RECEPTACLES FOR TOBACCO AND OTHER ARTICLES LIABLE TO HEAT,"
to be as follows (that is to say):-
This Invention has for its object certain improvements applicable to
packages or receptacles for containing manufactured tobacco and other articles
liable to heat when laid in bulk, and consists in ventilating the said packages
or receptacles by dividing the packages or receptacles into parts by means of
open wirework, or perforated plates of metal, or other suitable substance, and
forming the packages or other receptacles with air valves at the tops and
bottoms or in the sides thereof, by which arrangement the contents of the
packages or receptacles are divided by means of the perforated slides or
stages, the object being to allow spaces for air at the tops and bottoms or
ends, and fitting the said air spaces with air valves, which may be opened
or closed at pleasure to prevent the heating of the contents. The perforated
partitions, in the case of square packages or receptacles, may be made to

page_text: slide into grooves formed in the sides thereof, and in case of those of a cylin-
drical or other form they may rest on ledges, or be held in position by spring
catches, or the edges of the perforated or openwork frames may be held in posi-
tion by being provided on the edge with studs, which take into openings formed
in the inside of the outer casing, and be held in position by a small bolt or
spring catch. A convenient spring catch for this purpose may be formed by
bending a piece of wire or slip of metal, so as to form a recess to receive the
edge of the perforated plate or openwork frame, and securing one end thereof
by turning it at a right angle, and driving it into the sides of the package or
receptacle when of wood, or securing it by sawdering or by riveting when of
metal. This spring catch may consist of a piece of wire or slip of metal bent
to a form like that of the letter V or U, and formed with an arm projecting
from the top of each limb at an angle, and of such a length as will allow them
to be in contact with the sides of the packages or receptacles, one end of
which is secured thereto, and the other allowed to play freely thereon, or any
other convenient means may be used to hold the perforated plate or open
framework in position which will allow of their being readily removed or
placed in position.
.
In applying this Invention, say, to a cylindrical package, a wirework or
perforated grating is placed a short distance from the bottom; then the
requisite quantity of tobacco or other material to be preserved is placed
thereon, when a second grated or perforated partition is introduced, which is
held in position in any of the ways herein-before described, or in any other
convenient way; then a further quantity of the tobacco or other material is
introduced into the package, when a third grating is inserted, and so on to
any number that may be desired, taking care to introduce the last openwork
frame or plate so as to prevent the contents of the package being in close
contact with the cover; the object being to form an air chamber at the two
ends or sides, and into which the air valves open.
In lieu of the perforated or openwork dividing plates or stages, open-ended
tubes of a cylindrical or other convenient form may be used perforated with
jet openings, or formed of wire gauze, or other suitable open or pores
material which will allow the air to circulate freely therethrough. In this
modification the perforated or openwork tube is formed the full length of the
interior of the package or other receptacle, and is placed in the interior of
the package or receptacle, so as to pass through the centre of the contents
thereof; the air valves being placed so as to open into the interior of the
perforated tube.

page_text: In the case of large packages and receptacles, two or any greater number
of these perforated or openwork tubes may be used placed concentrically to
each other, and in which case, if desired, additional air valves may be used.