Improvements in Boxes Made of Cardboard and other Materials, and having Separate Easily Accessible Compartments.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
TROYEDIONAL DEMOLITICATION.
Improvements in Boxes Made of Cardboard and other Materials,
and having Separate Easily Accessible Compartments.
JOHN RICHARD GREEN, of Warstone Button Works Birmingham trading as
Plant & Green do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in placing two or more boxes (rectangular preferred)
without the lids on, one on the top of another-each succeeding box forming the
lid of the box next underneath it. I provide a lid for the top box of the series &
join them together, on one of the sides only, with a piece of cloth or other flexible
material, which forms a hinge for each box to open on. I pierce a hole through
each of the boxes, & of the top lid, these holes to be in the same straight line &
pass an elastic cord, or small spring, through each of the holes. I then attach it
in tension to the bottom compartment & the lid-thus keeping each compartment
firmly closed. To open any compartment you have only to lift the box immediately
above it on the opposite side to the cloth hinge. When you have abstracted the
article you require, the elastic cord, or spring, closes the compartment.
Dated this 27th day of November 1895.
JOHN R. GREEN,
Trading as Plant & Green.
Improvements in Boxes Made of Cardboard and other Materials,
and having Separate Easily Accessible Compartments.
I, JOHN RICHARD GREEN, of Warstone Button Works, Warstone Lane,
Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Button Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 consists of the improvements hereinafter described in cardboard
and other boxes for containing or storing small articles such for example as linen
and other buttons, hooks and eyes and the like, whereby a series of small boxes
are combined or arranged so as to form a compound box or cabinet. Compound
boxes or cabinets constructed according to my invention are especially useful
where it is desired to separate different kinds of articles or different sizes of the
same article stored in the box so as to facilitate the ready removal of any article
desired from the box.
I will describe my invention in connection with a cardboard box.
In making a box according to my invention I take a series of two, three or other
number of shallow cardboard boxes or trays, preferably of a rectangular figure in
plan, and arrange them in a tier, that is, one above another, so that the open top
of each box or tray excepting the top box or tray, is closed by the bottom of the
box or tray immediately over it. The top or highest box or tray is provided with

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an independent cover or lid. The series of trays and the top lid are connected or
hinged together at one side, preferably one of the longer sides, by a flexible hinge
so that the cardboard box may be opened at any one of the series of trays by
raising at the opening side the lid or tray or series of trays immediately abore
it. Each tray may be divided by a vertical division or divisions into two or more
compartments.
In order to prevent the accidental opening of the box and to ensure its
automatic closing after use, I connect the lid of the box to the bottom of the
lowest tray by an elastic cord or metallic cuiled spring, a small opening being
made in the bottom of each of the intermediate trays for the said elastic cord or
coiled spring to pass through.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing shows in perspective a cardboard box
made according to my invention consisting of a tier of four small boxes or trays
hinged together;
Figure 2 represents a cross section through the box when closed and
Figure 3 represents a cross section through the box when open.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 show in perspective (drawn to a smaller scale than
Figures 1, 2 and 3) the said box open at the first, second, third and fourth trays
respectively. Each of the small boxes or trays of the compound box or cabinet
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 is divided into two divisions or compartments.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
a, b, c, d are the first, second, third and fourth trays of the series of divided trays
which together with the lid a² make up the essential parts of the box constituting
my invention. The lid a² and series of trays a b, c, d are connected or hinged
together at one side by pasting or otherwise securing a strip of strong paper or
fabric on the said side. A hole e is made in the lid and in the bottom of each of
the trays the said holes being preferably coincident or in line when the box is
closed. Through the said holes e, e an india rubber ring or elastic cord his
passed the said ring or cord being secured in a state of tension to the lid a²
and to the bottom of the tray d by short wires marked respectively f, g crossing
the holes e, e in the lid a² and bottom of the tray d. The said wires f, gare
concealed and are at the same time protected from displacement by the trade
or other labels with which the lid and bottom of the box are covered as will
be best understood by reference to Figure 1 where the middle portion of the label
on the top of the box is removed for the better exhibition of the said wire f.
Although my invention is especially useful in its application to the storing of
different sizes of the same article, such for example as buttons of different sizes yet
'boxes constructed according to my invention may be employed for holding in
their different compartments different articles as well as different sizes of the
. same article.
Although I have only described and represented my invention in connection
with a cardboard box yet I wish it to be understood that boxes made according
to my invention may be constructed of other materials such for example as wood,
thin sheet metal and the like. And although I have only described and shown the
method of preserving the box closed by an elastic cord or like spring, yet I wish
it to be understood that I do not limit myself thereto as the lid and series of trays
may be connected together by spring closing hinges.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention ;-
The improvements in cardboard and other boxes herein before described and
represented in the accompanying drawing the said improvements consisting in
providing the said boxes with separate compartments or divisions, in which different
kinds of articles or different sizes of the same article may be stored by arranging
a series of divided or undivided trays or shallow boxes one upon another and

page_text: providing the top tray with a lid the lid and series of trays being connected or hinged
together at one side and being provided with a spring closing device substantially
as described and illustrated.
Dated the Twenty-eighth day of July 1896.