Improvements in Cardboard Boxes, and in the Manufacture thereof.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cardboard Boxes, and in the Manufacture thereof.
I, JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, of Rokeby, Oldfield Road, Altrincham, in the
County of Cheshire, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The improvements forming the subject of this invention relate to that class of
cardboard box which have flapells that fold over the loose end or side pieces to
secure them together, and the object of the invention is to make these flapells
self-fastening so that they will retain their position when once folded over (without
springing back) in a simpler, cheaper and better manner than hitherto.
The invention is an improvement upon that described in my Patent No. 17,092
of 1895. In carrying out the invention I use a stiffening strip of wire, metal
ribbon, or other suitable material, in any of the following, or other suitable
ways:
A strip is placed crosswise over the bend or hinge of the board dividing the
flapell from the other part of the box. This strip is sufficiently soft and ductile
to bend over readily, and yet strong enough to retain its position when bent.
It has been found that when a plain strip is used in combination with an
ordinary bend the flapell will not bend over easily when the strip is outside the
hinge, owing to the fact that the act of bending over is equivalent to a shortening
of the strip, consequently the cardboard is pinched or nipped under the strip, and
the flapell has a tendency to spring back somewhat after bending over.
In the Patent herein before mentioned this is obviated by making a bend or
kink in the strip before attaching it, which gives it a greater length than the
surface of board it covers, and therefore when bent over this extra length is taken
up. In practice this is somewhat expensive, and 1 now do it in one of the
following improved and cheaper ways, in all of which a plain strip is used.
A plain strip of wire, sheet metal, or other suitable material is used without any
bend or kink, both ends being attached to the board, and a hole is punched in the
hinge or bend of the board immediately under the metal cross strip. When bent
over, this strip fits into the hole, and thus the board is not pinched, nor has the
flapell any tendency to spring back because the surface of the board is practically
the same as (or less than) the surface of the strip that covers the adjacent part.
The strip may be attached to the board by any well known mechanism, such
for instance as a wire stitching machine or similar device. The hole may be
punched at the same operation.
The springing back when the flapell is bent over occurs with all forms of
creasing of the board, hitherto used, that is to say if the board is creased on a
Remus or other form of bending machine that does not cut the surface of the
board; also if the board is simply scored in the ordinary way, that is, partly cut
through with a thin knife edge, and also if the board is channel scored, that is
grooved by a saw or other suitable tool. All of these methods of creasing are well
known; and with each one the flapell springs back after bending over unless the
metal strip is applied according to either my previous invention or in the way

page_text: herein before described. In some cases, however, I prefer to obtain the desired
result in another way.
This is done by channel scoring the board with two parallel grooves at a slight
distance apart leaving a solid ridge of ungrooved board between the grooves.
When the crease is made in this way it is not necessary to either make a kink in
the metal wire or cross strip nor punch a hole in the board, therefore a plain strip
will answer the purpose.
Or I may use the following form of cross strip instead:―
A strip is bent in the form of a fork with one shorter and one longer prong.
This is secured to the flapell by clinching, squeezing, or other means, the piece of
board forming the flapell being tightly gripped between the two prongs of the fork.
The long prong of the fork extends across the hinge and is free to shorten or
lengthen as the flapell is bent over or straightened out. The strip may be either
inside or outside the hinge, and no holes are required in the board.
When the flapell is folded over the strip takes the form of a double hook and
forms an effectual fastener. In manufacture these wire forks may be pushed on
to the flapells, either by hand or machine, and compressed or squeezed into the
surface of the board by rollers, presses or other means, or tin or similar metal
strip forks may be secured by either indentations or eyelet holes forced in the
metal, or by short prongs which enter the board, or by other equivalent methods.
Dated this 10th day of March 1897.
Improvements in Cardboard Boxes, and in the Manufacture thereof.
I, JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, of Rokeby, Oldfield Road, Altrincham, in the
County of Chester, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:―
The improvements forming the subject of this invention relate to that class of
cardboard box, which have flapells that fold over the loose end or side pieces to
secure them together, and the object of this invention is to make these flapells
self-fastening, so that they will retain their position when once folded over (with-
out springing back) in a simpler, cheaper and better manner than hitherto.
The invention is an improvement upon that described in the Specification of
my Patent No. 17092 of 1895.
Hitherto it has been found that when a plain strip is used in combination with
an ordinary bend the flapell will not bend over easily, when the strip is outside
the hinge, owing to the fact that the act of bending over is equivalent to a shorten-
ing of the strip, consequently the cardboard is pinched or nipped under the strip
and the flapell has a tendency to spring back somewhat after bending over.
In the latent herein before mentioned this is obviated by making a bend or
kink in the strip before attaching it, which gives it a greater length than the
surface of board it covers, and therefore, when bent over, this extra length is
taken up. In practice this is somewhat expensive, and I am now enabled to
employ a plain strip or clip.
It consists essentially in forming in the cardboard of which the box is to be
made, two parallel grooves, or forming slots or holes over which the metallic
fastening strips will pass, or affixing such strips by one end only, so that when the
flapell is bent over, the metallic strip or clip is not stretched or elongated.

page_text: It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1. Plan of extended blank from which the box is constructed with two
arallel grooves cut along the lines a¹¹.
Fig. 2. Enlargement of a portion of same, showing the grooves.
Fig. 3. Sectional elevation through end of box, showing flapell A closed.
Fig. 4. Perspective view of metal clip B in closed position.
Fig. 5. Plan of extended blank showing holes C punched beneath the metal
lips B.
Fio 6 Eloration
Fig. 13. Perspective view of clip detached.
A stiffening piece or metallic clip B of wire metal-ribbon or other suitable
material, is placed crosswise over the bend of flapell when folded. The strip or
clip B is sufficiently soft and ductile to bend over readily, and yet strong enough
to retain its position when bent.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4. In addition to or instead of the ordinary scores or
bends, I cut two parallel grooves, a a¹, c c¹, at the bend of each of the flapells A.
These grooves are distinct from the ordinary bends, and are preferably in the form
known as channel scoring, a solid ridge of ungrooved board being left between the
grooves. The effect of these grooves is to allow of the material of the board
closing in when being bent over, without extending the exterior surface, and thus
avoid the longitudinal stretching of the metallic strips or clips B, that would
otherwise take place.
Referring to Figs. 5 to 7, the bend of the flapell A is scored or creased in the
usual way, and a plain strip or clip B affixed thereto to hold it when hent.
Immediately under the place in the bend where the metallic clip B crosses it, I
punch a hole or slot into which the strip or clip B fits when bent over, and thus the
board is not pinched along the bent edge, nor has the flapell any tendency to spring
back, for the reason that the surface of the board is practically the same length or
shorter than the surface of the strip or clip that covers the adjacent part, and no
tension is put upon it.
Referring to Figs. 8 to 13. Instead of grooving the board or cutting holes or
slots therein to prevent tension on the metallic clip or strip B, I find that by
securing it at one end only, and leaving the other free, all tension can be avoided,
and the same result obtained of preventing the flapell springing back when bent
over. The end is secured to the flapell by clinching, squeezing or other means,
and the end is left free either on the surface of the board or passed through a
slit or hole punched in it, in which it can move to and fro. The strip or clip B
is thus formed in the form of a fork, the long end of which extends across the
hinge to maintain it in position when folded. The strip B may be placed either
outside the bend of the hinge as in Figs. 10 and 11, the end b being turned inwards,
or it may be inside the bend as in Figs. 12 and 13, the end 6 being turned out-
wards. Both positions are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The forked end 6 engages the
end of the flapell, and may be pushed on either by hand or machine, and be
compressed or squeezed into the surface of the board by rollers, presses or other
means.
The springing back when the flapell is bent over, occurs with all forms of
creasing of the board hitherto used, that is to say, if the board is creased on
a Remus or other form of bending machine which does not cut the surface of
the board; also if the board is simply scored in the ordinary way, that is, partly
cut through with a thin knife edge; and also if the board is channel scored, that

page_text: is, grooved by a gouge, saw, or other suitable tool. All of these methods of creasing
are well known, and with each one the flapell springs back after bending over,
unless the metal strip is applied according to either my previous invention or in
the way herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The method of preventing the flapells or other parts of cardboard boxes spring-
ing back when bent over by applying a plain metallic clip or strip thereto without
longitudinal tension substantially as described.
2. The method of preventing the flapells or other parts of cardboard boxes
springing back when bent over by cutting two longitudinal parallel grooves
therein, and fixing or applying plain metallic strips or clips over the outside of
the bend, substantially as described.
3. The method of preventing the flapells or other parts of cardboard boxes
springing back when bent over by grooving the board in the ordinary way and
cutting holes or slots in the bend into which the metallic cross strips or clips fit,
substantially as described.
4. The method of applying cross strips or clips of metal to the bends of the
flapells or other parts of cardboard boxes to prevent them springing back when
bent over, which consists in firmly securing one end of the strip or clip in a
suitable manner to the board, and leaving the other end free to move when the
board is eat to prevent tension, substantially as described.
1 .
1807
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool & London,, Patent Agents.
Con N ITS Per