IMPROVEMENTS IN WOODEN BOXES, AND IN MACHINERY AND PROCESSES FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joshua Womersley, of Norwich, in the County of
Norfolk, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WOODEN BOXES, AND IN
MACHINERY AND PROCESSES FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joshua Womersley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st September 1881.
JOSHUA WOMERSLEY, of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WOODEN BOXES, AND IN MACHINERY AND PROCESSES FOR MANUFACTURING
THE SAME.
”
This Invention has for its object improvements in wooden boxes and in machinery
and processes for manufacturing the same.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, No. 3141 in the year
1872, I described a method of making the four sides of a wooden box from a
board of suitable width and length in which were cut three transverse V shaped
grooves passing nearly but not entirely through the board. I have found in
practice that this method of construction has serious objections. The sides of the
grooves being straight, it is necessary in order to be able to fold the board to leave
a very small thickness of wood at the angle, and when the board is folded this
small thickness of wood is bent into a sharp right angle, so that frequently a
fracture of the wood results. In order to avoid this defect I now leave a much
greater thickness of wood, and to make it possible to fold the board I cut the
bottom of the groove of a circular form, the tops of the two sides being still cut
V shaped, but the angle of the V is preferably somewhat less than a right angle.
Thus, when the board is folded the tops of the groove abut firmly against each
other, and tension being put on the wood left at the bottom of the groove it
assumes a rounded instead of an angular form as heretofore, so that there is much
less danger of breaking the fibre of the wood, and even if some of the fibre is
broken there still remains sufficient to make a strong joint.
In order to cut the grooves of the above mentioned form I modify the machine
described in my former Specification by mounting the tools in the cutter blocks in

page_text: pairs, one tool of each pair being shaped like an ordinary gouge to form the bottom
of the groove and the other tool consisting of two straight cutters inclined to each
other at nearly but not quite a right angle to form the tops of the two sides of the
groove.
In order still further to lessen the danger of breaking the fibre in folding the
board I now whilst the board is still flat soften the wood left at the bottoms of the
grooves. I prefer to do this in the following manner :-At the end of the table of
the machine on which the boards are grooved I place an endless travelling band,
which receives the grooved boards and carries them over a hot plate or through a
heated chamber. Before the boards arrive at the heated plate or chamber, water,
preferably hot steam or other fluid, such as glue, is introduced into the grooves,
and the boards are then carried by the endless travelling band over the hot plate
or through the hot chamber, and thus the wood at the bottom of the groove is
thoroughly damped and softened and the board can readily be bent. When thus
made the angles of the box are very strong and usually do not require either nails
or glue. The fourth angle of the box at which the two ends of the board meet
may either be formed by bevelling the two ends, as described in my former
Specification, or may be a butt joint. This joint requires to be nailed, glued, or
otherwise fastened.
Although I have only described the construction of four sided boxes, it is
evident that my improvements are applicable to boxes having any other number of
sides.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joshua Womersley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th March 1882.
JOSHUA WOMERSLEY, of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN WOODEN BOXES, AND IN MACHINERY AND PROCESSES FOR MANUFACTURING
THE SAME"
This Invention has for its object improvements in wooden boxes and in machinery
and processes for manufacturing the same.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, No. 3141, in the year
1872, I described a method of making the four sides of a wooden box from a board
of suitable width and length, in which were cut three transverse ✓ shaped grooves
passing nearly but not entirely through the board. I have found in practice that
this method of construction has serious objections. The sides of the grooves being
straight, it is necessary in order to be able to fold the board to leave a very small
thickness of wood at the angle, and when the board is folded this small thickness
of wood is bent into a sharp right angle, so that frequently a fracture of the wood
results. In order to avoid this defect I now leave a much greater thickness of
wood, and to make it possible to fold the board I cut the bottom of the groove of a
circular or flattened form, the tops of the two sides being still cut V shaped, the
angle of the V being a right angle or slightly less. Thus, when the board is folded
the tops of the groove abut firmly against each other, and tension being put on
the wood left at the bottom of the groove it assumes a rounded instead of an
angular form as heretofore, so that there is much less danger of breaking the fibre
of the wood, and even if some of the fibre is broken there still remains sufficient to
make a strong joint.
In order to cut the grooves of the above mentioned form I modify the machine
described in my former Specification by mounting the tools in the cutter blocks
in pairs, one tool of each pair being shaped like an ordinary gouge to form the
bottom of the groove, and the other tool consisting of two straight cutters inclined
to each other at nearly but not quite a right angle to form the tops of the two
sides of the groove.
In order still further to lessen the danger of breaking the fibre in folding the
board I now whilst the board is still flat soften the wood left at the bottoms of
the grooves. I prefer to do this in the following manner:-At the end of the
table of the machine on which the boards are grooved I place an endless travelling
band, which receives the grooved boards and carries them over a hot plate or
through a heated chamber. Before the boards arrive at the heated plate or
chamber, water, preferably hot, steam, or other fluid, such as glue, is introduced
into the grooves, and the boards are then carried by the endless travelling band
over the hot plate or through the hot chamber, and thus the wood at the bottom
of the groove is thoroughly damped and softened and the board can readily be
bent. When thus made the angles of the box are very strong and usually do not
require either nails or glue. The fourth angle of the box at which the two ends
of the board meet may either be formed by bevelling the two ends, as described in
my former Specification, or may be a butt joint. This joint requires to be nailed,
glued, or otherwise fastened.
Although I have only described the construction of four sided boxes it is
evident that my improvements are applicable to boxes having any other number of
sides.
In order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a full size view of the groove, which I now cut in the boards, and
Figures 2 show the board when grooved and bent, from which it will be seen that
the tops of the groove abut firmly against each other, whilst the wood left at the
bottom assumes a rounded form; Figures 1× and 2× are similar views of the board
as formerly cut and folded.
Figures 3 and 4 are side and end views of the cutter block which I now employ,
and Figures 5 and 6 are side and end views of the gouge and angular cutter; the
latter if preferred may be made in two pieces.
Figure 7 shows a side view, Figure 8 an end view, and Figure 9 a transverse
section of the machine which I employ for softening the wood left at the bottom
of the groove; a is an endless band, which receives the boards as they are pushed
off the table of the grooving machine; b, b, b, are three tubes, which convey water
or other fluid into the grooves; c, c, c, c, are chambers heated by steam;
d, d, d, d, are pipes conveying the condensed water on the band a in order to
damp it. The endless band passes over the tops of the chambers c.
chambers are placed trays of sawdust, so as to prevent waste of heat.
Over the
I am aware that it has often been proposed to steam or damp sheets or pieces of
wood, so that they may be easily bent, but damping the whole of the board would
be inconvenient in making my boxes, because it would then be necessary to dry
them again after being folded, whereas when only the bottoms of the grooves are
damped no drying is necessary.
Having thus described the nature of my said improvements, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim in the manufacture
of the above described class of wooden boxes,-
First. Cutting the grooves of such a form that the fibres of the wood at the
bottom of the groove can assume when bent a rounded form instead of an angular
form as heretofore.
Second. The arrangement of the cutters for forming the grooves, substantially as
described.
Third. Softening the wood by fluid or steam at the bottom of the groove.
Fourth. The arrangement of machinery for softening the wood at the bottom of
the groove, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joshua Womersley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.