An Appliance for Retaining Cigars in Opened Boxes in their Respective Position without Damage.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1896
COMPLETE STECIFICATION.
An Appliance for Retaining Cigars in Opened Boxes in their
Respective Position without Damage.
I, FRANZ XAVER HARDT, of Vilsbiburg, Bavaria, Germany, Merchant, 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:-
As is well known to every vendor of cigars that those cigars which lie in boxes
which have been broached i.e., partly emptied fall among one another or get mixed
together such as when an opened box is taken down from a shelf and offered to the
purchaser, and often when the box is lifted to be again placed in its compartment
on the shelf.
This disorder amongst the cigars has the disadvantage that the cigars are
injured and also do not have the good appearance that they possess when in regular
layers.
This disadvantage is avoided by the contrivance which is the object of this
invention. It consists of a jointed quadrangle or lazy tongs, the bars of which
project beyond the joints and are pointed at the free end. This jointed quadrangle
is laid on the top layer of cigars of the opened box and then opened out until those
pointed ends of the four bars which lie beyond the diverging joints catch in the
opposite sides of the cigar box.
If the jointed quadrangle which the inventor calls a "cigar protector" is placed
in this position the opened box can be inclined without any disorder taking place
amongst the cigars.
A cigar protector" of this kind is represented on the accompanying diagram in
the position that it must have to attain the desired end in an opened box of cigars.
Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of an opened box of cigars with the
"protector" pushed open and lying on the upper layer of cigars.
Figure 2 is a ground plan of the "protector" pushed apart showing its right
and left points in conjunction with the narrow side of the cigar box.
The "cigar protector" consists of four bars of equal length, 1, 2, 3, and 4, of
flat, circular, semi-circular, oval, or any other suitable section. These four bars
can be made of any material, and are joined together by four rivets 5, 6, 7, and 8
connected with one another in such a manner that a jointed quadrangle is formed,
the opposite sides of which are parallel and project beyond the points of junction.
The free ends of the bars are purposely so chamfered or sloped that they present
sharp points which easily penetrate and enter the wood of the cigar box. If the
bars are made of wood, vulcanite, or any similar material, special metal points must
be fixed to the free ends. The rivets on the upper side of the "protector" should
be made with button heads, so that the quadrangle can easily be forced asunder or
pushed together.
When the "protector" is placed on the upper layer of cigars in the position
shown in Figure 1, its points which are situated beyond the right and left joints
catch in the narrow sides of the cigar box, see also Figure 2.
In this position the "protector" prevents the cigars from becoming displaced or
falling out of the box if the latter is inclined or overturned. When it is desired
to remove the "protector" from the upper layer of cigars, it is only necessary to

page_text: take hold of the two rivet heads 6 and 8, Figure 2, and to move them outwards in
opposite directions, as is shown by the arrow.
By this means the joints 5 and 7 approach one another, and the points lying
beyond these joints are withdrawn from the narrow sides of the box. Then the
"protector" is simply raised up in order to reach the cigars.
After taking out the requisite number of cigars, the "protector" is replaced on
the upper layer and the heads 6 and 8 pushed towards one another until the right
and left points of the bars catch firmly in the wood of the cigar box.
The measurements of the "protector" depend upon the size of the cigar box.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
The contrivance shown on the annexed drawings which prevents the cigars in a
box which has been opened from falling into disorder, consisting of a jointed
quadrangle, the bars of which project beyond the points of junction and are acute-
angled or pointed at the free ends, so that on pushing together the jointed
quadrangle which rests on the upper layer of cigars, the free ends of the bars
which are beyond the separable points of junction, penetrate the wood of the cigar
box and hold the jointed quadrangle fast in the box.
watch VILIS
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Franz Xaver Hardt.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Franz Xaver Hardt.