Improved Means for Protecting Boxes, Trunks, and the like against Injury during the Removal, Handling, or Transport thereof.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Protecting Boxes, Trunks, and the like
against Injury during the Removal, Handling, or Transport
thereof.
1, JOHN MILLWARD BANKS, of 6 and 7 Northampton Street, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved means for protecting boxes, trunks and the
like against injury during removal, handling or transport of the same or during
the loading or unloading thereof into or from ships, railways and other vehicles and
the like.
It is well-known that passengers' trunks and like objects are frequently injured
at the corners and edges by the rough treatment which they receive from porters
and others who have the handling of them in transit, and that they are liable
to be subjected to severe shocks or jars which sometimes greatly damage them.
Metal corner-pieces and angle-pieces have been provided for protecting the
corners and edges of such boxes or trunks, and in some cases, pieces of leather have
been fastened on the same at the corners and edges thereof. These pieces of metal
or leather, however, afford but inadequate protection to the corners and edges
against injury by blows or falls, and are of very little if any use for diminishing
the force of shocks or jars due to the boxes or trunks being allowed to fall heavily
upon their corners or edges.
But by my invention I provide for very efficiently protecting the corners and
edges of the boxes or trunks against injury by blows or falls, and at the same time
for deadening or diminishing to a great extent the force of any blows or shocks to
which the said boxes or trunks are liable to be subjected.
For this purpose I provide cushions or pads of india-rubber of such shape that
they can be very readily and conveniently secured to the corners or edges of the
box or trunk, and of sufficient thickness to afford adequate protection and to greatly
diminish the effects of blows or falls.
I secure the said iudia-rubber cushions or pads to the box or trunk by means of
india-rubber solution or other suitable cement or adhesive material, or by means of
screws or nails driven into the said box or trunk through holes in the said cushions
or pads, which holes are suitably countersunk so as to avoid contact of the
said screws or nails with any object when the cushion or pad is compressed by a
blow or fall.
I find it advantageous to take the said cushions or pads by moulding the india-
rubber to such a shape that it will fit the corner or the edge of the box or trunk as
the case may be, the holes, if any, for receiving the screws or nails being also
formed in the operation of moulding.
Dated this 7th day of May 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Protecting Boxes, Trunks, and the like
against Injury during the Removal, Handling, or Transport.
thereof.
I, JOHN MILLWARD BANKS, of 6 and 7 Northampton Street, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, 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 :-
My invention relates to improved means for protecting boxes, cases, trunks and
the like against injury during the removal, handling or transport of the same
or during the loading or unloading thereof into or from ships, railway and other
vehicles and the like.
It is well-known that passengers' trunks and like objects are frequently injured
at the corners and edges by the rough treatment which they receive from porters
and others who have the handling of them in transit, and that they are liable to be
subjected to severe shocks or jars which sometimes greatly damage them or their
contents.
Metal corner-pieces and angle-pieces have been provided for protecting the
corners and edges of such boxes or trunks, and in some cases, pieces of leather
bave been fastened on the same at the corners and edges thereof. These pieces of
metal or leather, however, afford but inadequate protection to the corners and edges
against injury by blows or falls, and are of very little if any use for diminishing the
force of shocks or jars due to the boxes or trunks being allowed to fall heavily upon
their corners or edges.
It is also well known that watches and other delicate objects when carried in
travellers' sample-cases or like receptacles are very liable to injury by reason of
sudden shocks or jars when the said cases are allowed to fall or are laid down too
heavily or forcibly upon a hard surface.
By my invention I provide for very efficiently protecting the corners and edges
of the boxes or trunks against injury by blows or falls, and at the same time for
deadening or diminishing to a great extent the force of any blows or shocks to
which the contents of travellers' sample cases, dressing-cases and other boxes or
trunks are liable to be subjected.
For this purpose I provide cushions or pads of india-rubber, which are of such
shape that they can be very readily and conveniently secured to the corners or
edges of the case, box or trunk, and which are of sufficient thickness and softness
to greatly diminish the effects of blows or falls, and thus afford adequate protection
to the case, box or trunk and its contents.
I secure the said india-rubber cushions or pads to the box or trunk by means of
india-rubber solution or other suitable cement or adhesive material, or by means of
screws or nails driven into the said box or trunk through holes in the said cushions
or pads, or in metal clamping plates used in conjunction therewith, which holes are
suitably countersunk so as to avoid contact of the said screws or nails with any
object when the cushion or pad is compressed by a blow or fall.
I find it advantageous to make the said cushions or pads by moulding the india-
rubber to such a shape that it will fit the corner or the edge of the box or trunk as
the case may be, the holes, if any, for receiving the screws or nails being also
formed in the operation of moulding.
In the accompanying drawing 1 have shown various forms or modifications of my
improved cushion or pad.
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing an india-rubber cushion or pad for the corner
of a box or case.
Figure 2 is an end elevation, and

page_text: Figure 3 a plan showing part of a box or case having applied thereto a cushion.
or pad of the form shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, and
Figure 5 an underside view illustrating the application of my invention to the
edge of a box or case.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation showing one of my cushions or pads adapted to.
be secured to the bottom of a box or case.
Figure 7 is a side elevation, and
Figure 8 an underside view showing another form of cushion or pad for attach-
ment to the bottom of a box or case.
The india-rubber cushion or pad shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is moulded with a
ball a which may be either solid or hollow, and with flanges b projecting from the
said ball, whereby the same may be secured to the bottom, side and end of a box
or case, as shown, for example, in Figures 2 and 3. In the arrangement shown,
holes c are formed in the flanges b, and the cushion or pad is secured in place by
screws d passed through countersunk holes in metal plates e placed against the said
flanges and through the holes c in the said flanges. If desired, however, the-
said cushion or pad may be secured in place by means of india-rubber solution or
cement.
e
The cushion or pad shown in Figures 4 and 5 is intended to be applied to the
edge of the side or end of a box or case. It is moulded in the form of a segment of
a hollow cylinder or tube a' having flanges b so that it can be secured to a box or
case by means of screws d passed through metal plates placed against the said
flanges. By making the exterior of the cushions or pads corrugated as shown
in Figures 4 and 5, they can be made more yielding so that they will serve more
effectually for deadening or diminishing the shocks or blows. Instead of making
the cushion or pad in the form of a segment of a hollow cylinder or tube, I can
make it in the form of a complete tube provided with flanges, or I can make it solid
and of any suitable shape in transverse section.
In some instances, I make the cushions or pads so that they can be readily applied
to the bottom of a box or case. Figure 6 shows a cushion or pad of this kind,
which may be either solid or hollow and which is formed with a circular flange b
and is adapted to be secured in place by screws d passed through a metal ring e
whereby the said flange is held firmly against the bottom of the box. In cases
where more yielding cushions or pads are required, I sometimes make the same with
a number of fingers or prongs f, as shown, for example, in Figures 7 and 8. The
cushions or pads shown in Figures 1 to 5 may also be formed with such fingers or
prongs if desired; or I can make the cushions or pads of other suitable shape or of
spongy india-rubber in order to make them softer or more yielding.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A box, case or similar receptacle having india-rubber cushions or pads.
secured to its corners or edges, substantially as, and for the purposes, above
specified.
Second. An india-rubber cushion or pad adapted to be secured to a box, case or
similar receptacle, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Third. The improved india-rubber cushion or pad formed as described with
reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, or to Figures 4 and 5, or to Figure 6, or
to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawing, for the purposes specified.
Dated the 8th day of February 1897.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,.
Agents for the Applicant.