IMPROVEMENTS IN COVERS FOR BOXES, BOTTLES, POUCHES, LAMP-FILLERS ARTICLES." AND SIMILAR
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lafayette Hubbell, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COVERS FOR BOXES, BOTTLES, POUCHES, LAMP-FILLERS
ARTICLES."
AND SIMILAR
Sealed the 8th March 1877, and dated the 11th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lafayette Hubbell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th December 1876.
WILLIAM LAFAYETTE HUBBELL, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America. "IMPROVEMENT IN COVERS FOR BOXES, BOTTLES, POUCHES,
LAMP-FILLERS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
This improvement relates to a spring cover that is adapted to use upon various
articles needing covers, such, for instance, as match boxes, tobacco boxes, toilet and
other boxes, pouches for tobacco, shot, powder, &c., bottles for sauce, mustard, and
other condiments, lamp-filling tubes, inkstand covers, and many analogous uses.
The cover is made of the size and shape required for the particular article, and it is
to have a flange or rim around it to pass either into the opening or else to surround
the article, and this cover is made to turn aside after it has been raised sufficiently
to clear the flange or rim, and for this purpose the cover is attached to a pivot rod
that is placed perpendicular to the surface surrounding the opening to be covered,
so that the cover can be raised by moving the pivot rod endwise. Around this
pivot rod is a spiral or helical spring, one end of which is attached to the rod, and
the other end to the box, and the spring is under compression so as to press the
cover to its place, and in swinging the cover around to close the opening this spring
is wound up, hence when the pivot rod is raised the spring causes the cover to fly
back out of the way, and when the cover is turned by hand back to place the
spring causes it to close, and the rim or flange prevents it being turned back until
again lifted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Lafayette Hubbell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
June 1877.
WILLIAM LAFAYETTE HUBBELL, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COVERS FOR BOXES, BOTTLES, POUCHES,
LAMP-FILLERS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
This improvement relates to a spring cover that is adapted to use upon various
articles needing covers, such, for instance, as match boxes, tobacco boxes, toilet and
other boxes, pouches for tobacco, shot, powder, &c., bottles for sauce, mustard, and
other condiments, lamp-filling tubes, inkstand covers, and many analogous uses.
The cover is made of the size and shape required for the particular article, and it is
to have a flange or rim around it to pass either into the opening or else to surround
the article, and this cover is made to turn aside after it has been raised sufficiently
to clear the flange or rim, and for this purpose the cover is attached to a pivot rod
that is placed perpendicular to the surface surrounding the opening to be covered,
so that the cover can be raised by moving the pivot rod end wise. Around this
pivot rod is a spiral or helical spring, one end of which is attached to the rod, and
the other end to the box, and the spring is under compression so as to press the cover
to its place, and in swinging the cover around to close the opening this spring is
wound up, hence when the pivot rod is raised the spring causes the cover to fly
back out of the way, and when the cover is turned by hand back to place, the
spring causes it to close, and the rim or flange prevents it being turned back until
again lifted.
In the Drawing Fig. 1 is a section of the lid and the box-shaped end for a
tobacco pouch; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the cover turned aside; Fig. 3 is
a section of a match box with the lid closed; and Fig. 4 is a section of part of the
box with the lid turned aside.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of the cover adapted to close the mouth of a bottle or
similar article; Fig. 6 is a section; and Fig. 7 is a plan of a box or can fitted with
the improved cover; and Fig. 8 is a modification of the device for raising the lid.
The cover is to be of the shape and size to conform to the article upon which it
is to be placed. Said lid or cover a is made with a rim d, either external or
internal, to pass outside or inside the top or end of the box c.
The pivot e, upon
which the cover turns or is swung aside, is at right angles to the plane of the cover,
and at or near one side thereof, and said pivot enters a socket or tube i, and is
provided with a spring o, which is preferably helical, and around the pivot rod e.
One end of this spring is attached to the pivot rod e, and the other end to the
box c, and said spring acts to draw or press the lid a tightly upon the box,
and when the lid is swung around to close the mouth of the box this
spring is wound up, and when the lid is raised by moving the pivot rod endwise,
the spring swings the cover around away from the mouth of the box and in a
plane parallel to the end of the box.
There is a bearing surface at l around the pivot rod at the top of the box, as
shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, & 8, and said bearing prevents the lid being drawn down by
the spring when the lid is turned aside. When the lid is in the position to close it
is moved by the spring which forces the pivot rod e end wise, shutting the lid down
bodily with the rim, either inside or outside the box, and the lid cannot be turned
around until it is again lifted by moving the pivot rod c.
In Figs. 1 & 2 the pivot rod and lid are raised by grasping the projection mon
the top of the lid.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the pivot rod e projects through the bottom of the box and the
lid is raised by pressing upon the projecting button end of the rod.
In Fig. 5 the cover is shown as upon a cylinder or box c adapted to be screwed
to the neck of a caster or other bottle, and the pivot rod is moved endwise by
means of a lever n pivoted to the tube i, which encloses the spring o; in this

page_text: case the tube o is upon the outside of the box or cylinder c. When the cover is
upon an inkstand the tubes c and i, shown in Fig. 5, are shorter, and there will
be a lever like that shown by dotted lines to raise the pivot rod and lid and allow
the spring o to turn the lid aside.
In Fig. 6 the pivot rod e projects through the bottom of the box and forms one
of the legs of the box, and said rod raises the lid when pressed upon by the
finger, or by pressing down that side of the box where said rod is located, if
the box is upon a table, shelf, or other support. There may be a stop t upon
the pivot rod to take against the side of the box c and limit the movement of
the lid, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 7. The pivot rod e may be raised by
the finger-piece v, which is connected to the pivot by a pin passing through a slot
in the box, as shown in Fig. 8.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. A flanged cover for boxes and similar articles connected to a box by means
of an extended pivot and closing spring, and capable of being raised vertically,
and swung laterally, substantially as described.
Second. The tube e, attached at one end to a pouch, lamp, or other receptacle,
and provided with the swinging flanged cover a and spring o, substantially as set
forth.
Third. The combination with the tube or box c of the flanged cover a, pivot e,
and closing spring o, and opening lever u, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. In combination with the flanged cover and spring, the pivot rod e
extended to form a leg, as in Fig. 6.
Fifth. The thumb piece v in combination with the pivot rod e, spring o, and
flanged cover a, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lafayette Hubbell, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 15th day day of May, A.D., 1877.
WILLIAM LAFAYETTE HUBBELL, (L.S.)
Witnesses,
CHA³. H. SMITH, 76, Chambers St., N. Y.
HAROLD SERRELL
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