Improvements in or applicable to Skeleton Packing-cases, Crates, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Skeleton Packing-cases, Crates,
and the like.
I, HENRY SUTTON, of The Orchard, Mile End, Stockport, in the County of
Chester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to crates, skeleton cases or the like, used for the transport
of merchandise.
A crate or skeleton case constructed according to my invention is made with a
rimmed top or lid and lined with cardboard or other similar material (preferably
in box-form) the lining of the body portion of the crate being advantageously
extended above the upper edges of the same so that the said lining will serve as a
rebate for retaining the lid of the crate in its proper position; or the rebates can
be formed on the frame. The upper edge of the body and the lower edge of the
lid must be formed with wooden bars to which the fastening devices can be
attached.
A suitable form of fastening is constructed as follows, that is to say, I form
blocks or keys of a double dovetail or Maltese cross shape adapted to be inserted
into correspondingly shaped recesses formed partly in the upper edge of the crate
and partly in the rim or flange of the lid. One or more of such blocks or keys and
recesses can be made use of on opposite sides of the crate or the like, the blocks
being inserted in the recesses so as to securely hold the two parts together and
when the said keys are removed, the lid may be lifted bodily from the crate. My
keys can be kept in their locked position by seals placed over the same, or springs
or pins may be used for the purpose so as to prevent the box being opened
fraudulently without detection.
.יני.
EL 3
L 1004
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Skeleton Packing-cases, Crates,
and the like.
I, HENRY SUTTON, of The Orchard, Mile End, Stockport, in the County of
Chester, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to crates, skeleton cases or the like, used for the transport
of merchandise.
•
A crate or skeleton case constructed according to my invention is made with a
rimmed top or lid and lined with cardboard or other similar material (preferably in
box-form) the lining of the body portion of the crate being advantageously.

page_text: extended above the upper edges of the same so that the said lining will serve as a
rebate for retaining the lid of the crate in its proper position; or the rebate can be
formed on the frame. The upper edge of the body and the lower edge of the lid
are formed with wooden bars to which the fastening devices can be attached.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packing-case constructed according to the
said invention :
Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 but shewing the lid open and a part of
the frame broken away :
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of the case:
Figure 4 is an enlarged section shewing the rebate for retaining the lid :
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of packing-case:
Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 5 but with the lid removed; and,
Figure 7 is a perspective view shewing clearly the underside of the lid.
a is the body portion of the crate proper, and is the lid thereof both of which
parts are constructed of strips or battens of wood connected in any desirable
.manner. c is the cardboard, zinc or other lining which closes the spaces between
the strips or battens of the crate.
In order to form the rebate for retaining the lid b in its proper position relatively
with the body a of the crate the side portions of the lining c may be extended
above the edge of the body portion so as to project within the lid b, but in practice
I prefer to terminate the said lining at a short distance below the upper edge
of the body portion of the crate, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, and to attach
around and within the said upper edge a strip or band d of sheet metal which
will form the rebate. The lid may be connected to the body a by any
desirable means. As shewn in Figures 1 and 2, the lid is represented as being
hinged to the body a at one edge and adapted to be fixed by means of a hasp e
at the opposite edge, the said hasp being fixed to the body of the crate and designed
to fit over a spring-pin on the lid. Or, if desired, I may employ double dovetailed
blocks ff of the kind shewn clearly in Figure 2A, the said blocks being adapted to
fit in recesses formed partly in the body a and partly in the lid 6 of the crate as
represented by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2.
In the modification of my invention shewn in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the construction
is substantially the same as that hereinbefore described except that the corner-pieces
of the body portion a of the crate are extended up to the top of the lining c (or
the rebate strip d if used) corresponding recesses g, g being formed at the corners
of the lid into which the said extended corners will fit. The lid with these corners
is, advantageously formed by connecting a series of strips or battens h, h of a length
corresponding to the distance between the corner pieces of the body by means of
angle pieces i, i.
Packing-cases or crates of the kind hereinbefore described are well adapted to
have strips of specially prepared or printed paper pasted over the joint between
the body a and the lid 6 so that the lid cannot be removed without damaging such
strips, thus indicating that the cases or crates have been tampered with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A skeleton packing-case, crate or the like having the body portion lined with
a material projecting above the body of the crate so as to form a, rebate for
retaining the lid upon the body, substantially as described.
2. In a skeleton packing-case, crate or the like, the body, and lid of which are
formed of strips or battens and lined with cardboard; zinc or other material, fixing
a band around the inner edge of. the body, portion to form a rebate for the lid,
substantially as described.

page_text: 3. The modification of my invention wherein the corners or angles of the
packing-cases, crates or the like are extended to form projections designed to enter
corresponding recesses in the lid, substantially as described..
Dated this 4th day of January 1895.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.