IMPROVEMENTS IN EGG BOXES OR CASES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EGG BOXES OR CASES." A communication from abroad
by Andrew Henry Lucas, of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, Leland
Frederick Prince, of the same Place, and Richard Litton Edwards, of Brooklyn,
in the State of New York. United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1876.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN EGG BOXES OR CASES."
"
This Invention relates to boxes or cases for the transport and storing of eggs to
obviate the breakage of the eggs, and to provide for their preservation, also to
facilitate the handling of them.
The Invention consists in a perforated box or case provided with a hinged front,
and containing a series of drawers or trays, the bottoms of which are made up of
slats arranged at suitable distances apart to form air-circulating spaces between
them. Cup-shaped cavities or openings are made in the slats for the eggs to rest
in endwise; and the case is furthermore provided with perforated plates or boards
interposed between the drawers, and serving to support the drawers or trays, and
also to prevent the eggs from being jarred or thrown out of their places in the
drawers or trays. Or the eggs may be carried in any other equivalent manner, so
that a perfect circulation of air is kept up throughout the box or case, and around
or about each egg therein.
After the several drawers or trays have been packed with eggs in their cavities
or apertures, and been slid to their places in the box, the front cover is closed and
secured by a screw or other fastening.

page_text: द
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
May 1877.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EGG BOXES OR CASES."
A communication from abroad by Andrew Henry Lucas, of St. Louis, in the State
of Missouri, Leland Frederick Prince, of the same Place, and Richard Litton
Edwards, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to boxes or cases for the storing and transport of eggs to
obviate the breakage of the eggs, and to provide for their preservation against decay,
also to facilitate the handling of the eggs.
The Invention consists in an egg box or case provided with a series of drawers
or trays arranged one above the other, and interposed diaphragms, supports, or
boards, the whole being constructed to hold the eggs separately in position, and to
provide for a free circulation of air around or about the eggs, and throughout the
case. This box or case is provided with a hinged or other opening or closing front,
and the drawers or trays also if desired. The interposed boards or diaphragms
which separate and support the drawers, and serve to keep the eggs in place, are
constructed to maintain a free circulation of air through the box and about
the eggs.
The Invention also consists (in an egg box or case opening in front) of drawers
constructed or provided with a perforated opening and closing and removable top
in combination with a perforated drawer bottom, whereby the eggs are retained in
position or kept from toppling or falling over by lateral support of both their upper
and lower ends.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Fig. 1 represents a view in perspective of an egg box or case constructed in
accordance with one modification of the Invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical longi-
tudinal section of the same..
Fig. 3 represents a view in perspective of an egg box or case constructed in
accordance with another modification of the Invention; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal
vertical section thereof; Fig. 5, a transverse vertical section of the same; and Fig. 6,
a cross section of one of the drawers in said modification detached.
Referring in the first instance to Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing, A is an egg
box or case having a perforated top and sides, also a perforated hinged front cover
A¹, the perforations on said parts being represented by the letters a, a.
The top
of this box or case is provided near its forward edge with a screw b, which when
the front cover A¹ is closed enters a screw box or plate c in said cover to hold the
latter closed.
B, B, represent a series of drawers or trays arranged one above the other within
the case A, and so that they may be placed in or withdrawn from the box or case
through its front when the cover A¹ is opened for the purpose, as shewn in Fig. 1.
These drawers or trays are composed as regards their bottoms of slats arranged at
suitable distances apart to form air-circulating apertures or spaces d in between
them, and are provided with cup-shaped cavities or openings e for the eggs f to sit or
rest in endwise. These drawers or trays are supported and separated from each other
by a series of partitions or interposed boards or plates C, C, fitting grooves in the sides
of the box or case, and having perforations g in them. These diaphragms, boards, or
plates C, C, not only serve to support or carry the drawers, and to provide for a
free circulation of air around or about the eggs, but they also prevent any jarring
motion of the box or case during transport from injuring or breaking the eggs by
reason of the arrangement of said diaphragms or boards over the upper ends of
the eggs in the drawers or trays beneath them.
After the several drawers or trays have been packed with eggs in their cavities
or apertures e, and have been slid to their places in the box or case, the front cover
A' is closed and secured by the screw b or other fastening,

page_text: As the lower drawer or tray of the series of drawers can only be inserted to
its place in the box or case over the strip to which the front cover A¹ is hinged, a
vacant air space is left beneath said lower drawer or tray to which air is admitted
by the apertures a, a, communicating therewith, which air is free to circulate around
or about the eggs through the perforations in the diaphragms or boards C, and
through the apertures between the slats of which the bottoms of the drawers or
trays are composed. In this way a constant circulation of fresh air around or
about the eggs is kept up, thereby preserving .the eggs against decay either when
stored or while being shipped.
Referring in the next instance to Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawing the box
or case A is represented with a perforated top and sides, also a perforated sliding
front A¹, the perforations in these sliding parts which provide for free circulation,
and serve to keep the eggs cool and fresh, being indicated by the letters a, a. The
drawers B, B, which are slid into and out from the box or case on opening or
removing the sliding front A¹ are each constructed with a perforated bottom / for
separate reception and support of the eggs at their one end, and to admit of a free
circulation of air around or about the eggs. The holes e in said bottom, which
receive within them one end of each egg, may either be cup-shaped or of plain
circular form, but it is more convenient and cheaper to make them cylindrical, and
this can more advantageously be done and provision at the same time be made for
effectually restraining the eggs from falling or toppling over by the combination
with said drawers of a perforated top k either hinged to the upper edge of one of
the sides of the drawer, or fitting loosely on the sides within the ends of the drawer.
The holes i in said top k, which may either be of an inverted cup shape or cylin-
drical form hold within them the upper end of each egg, and every facility is
afforded by the top k for the entry and removal of the eggs. The partitions or
diaphragms or boards C between the drawers, and on which the drawers run or rest,
also serve, as in the previously described modification, to guard against injurious or
dangerous play of the eggs, and to keep them down to their places, and so prevent
breakage. These diaphragms C conseguently have a double function, and do away
with special ribs or rails for the drawers to run upon. The ventilating perforations g
in them may either be made by boring holes in said diaphragms or by constructing
the latter in sections of separated slats.
Having now described this Invention of "Improvements in Egg Boxes or Cases,"
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I wish it to be understood that under the above.
in part recited Letters Patent I claim,―
First. An egg box or case provided with drawers or trays and interposed, sup-
porting diaphragms or partitions, the whole being constructed to hold the eggs
separately in position, and to provide for a free circulation of air around or about
the eggs and throughout the box or case, substantially as specified.
Second. In an egg box or case opening in front the drawers B, constructed or
provided with a perforated opening and closing or removeable top k in combination
with the perforated bottom thereof, substantially as and for the purposes herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
H. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)