Year: 1898

page_text: I, FRANZ AUSPITZ, of II Rembrandstrasse No. 32, Vienna, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of cases of wood or metal, the bottom
and lid of which may be removed, while the four side parts, as also the halves
of two of these side parts opposite to one another are so hinged together as to
enable them to be folded flat together.
The setting up of the parts to a rigid case, which may be either of cubical or
prismatic shape, is performed by fastening the lid and the bottom on to the
side parts by means of sliding bolts, which enter slots in metal bands attached to
the side parts, the bottom being drawn tight against the sides by the act of
fastening on the lid, with the result that a rigid and securely closed case is
produced.
For the above purpose, the four sides of the box or case are connected together at
the corners by hinges, and two of the opposite sides are divided vertically down the
middle into two parts, connected together by hinges arranged so that these divided
sides can fold together in an inward direction, between the two other sides, which
can thus lie flat against them. On the inner surface of each of the four sides are
secured two vertical metal bands, which are attached by screws passing through
slotted holes in the bands, so that these are capable of shifting longitudinally to
a slight extent.
The metal bands also have a horizontal slot in their ends, which project up
beyond the edges of the sides and enter corresponding recesses formed in the
inner surface of the lid and bottom, which are strengthened at the edges for
this purpose by external battens. Similar strengthening battens are also provided
at the vertical edges of the side pieces.
On the cover and bottom are fixed sliding locking bolts that are made to
engage with the slots of the bands as follows. The one sliding bolt of the bottom
is fixed on a sliding piece to which is pivoted one end of a link that passes
diagonally across the corner of the bottoni to a pivoted disc that carries a sliding
bolt at the adjacent side of the bottom, and is so arranged that when the first
named bolt is slid outward so as to engage with the slot of the band, the consequent
motion of the connecting link causes a partial rotation of the disc and a
forward motion of the other sliding bolt, which thus also engages with the slot
of the corresponding hand at that side of the box. The sliding bolts are of a
broad wedge shape tapered in thickness towards the outer end, and have a
shoulder at the inner part, so that, after shooting forward the pair of bolts in the
above described manner at each corner of the box until the shoulder of the bolt
passes beyond the slot of the band, and then shifting all the bands longitudinally
to a slight extent, the bolts will be locked in the slots by their shoulders, and the
bottom is thus securely fixed on the box.
The lid of the box is provided with the same locking bolt mechanism as the

page_text: bottom, and the wedge shaped bolts in being forced into the slots of the bands
draw these upward with a wedging action, and thereby draw the bottom by micans
of its bolts tight against the under side of the box. The bolts of the lid are locked
in position as follows. The sliding piece carrying the two locking bolts on one
side of the lid, has a flanged slot, into which when the bolts are shot forward
enters a metal eye fixed to the batten of the lid, the flanges of the slot have
holes which are thus brought in line with the said eye. In the combined holes
of the eye on the sliding piece of the bolts, is then secured a lead plug, the
projecting ends of which are stamped flat by plumbing dies and constitute
plumbing seals, being marked with the name of the firm, date of sending, &c.
The lead plug may have a central iron pin for strengthening it.
When the above described box is folded flat together, the top and bottom
are laid flat on the opposite surfaces of the folded sides, and the parts are secured
together by means of wire loops or hasps, hinged to the edges of the bottom and
made of such a length that they extend across the folded box and fit on to the
projecting ends of the metal bands of the lid.
The sides of the box may be provided with projecting tongues which enter
corresponding recesses in the top and bottom, and thus insure their correct
position in fitting them on.
Dated this 29th day of August 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, FRANZ AUSPITZ, of II Rembrandstrasse No. 32, Vienna, Engineer, 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 the construction of cases of wood or metal, the bottom
and lid of which may be removed, while the four side parts, as also the halves
of two of these side parts opposite to one another are so hinged together as to
enable them to be folded flat together.
The setting up of the parts to a rigid case, which may be either of cubical or
prismatic shape, is performed by fastening the lid and the bottom on to the
side parts by means of sliding bolts, which enter slots in metal bands attached to
the side parts, the bottom being drawn tight against the sides by the act of
fastening on the lid, with the result that a rigid and securely closed case is
produced.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a case, open at the top, constructed according
to my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section along the line of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section along the line y-y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan
of the case with part of the cover removed showing the fastening device of the
cover on the right hand open and that of the bottom on the left hand closed.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the case folded. Figs. 6 and 7 show details of the
case in plan and cross section respectively and Fig. 8 shows the locking device
these figures being drawn to an enlarged scale.
The four sides 1, 1, 2, 2, of the box or case are connected together at the
corners by hinges 4 and two of the opposite sides 2, 2, are divided vertically
down the middle into two parts, connected together by hinges 3 arranged so

page_text: that these divided sides can fold together in an inward direction, between the two
other sides 1, 1, which can thus be flat against them. On the inner surface of
each of the four sides are secured two vertical metal bands 7, 8, which are
attached by screws 10, passing through slotted holes 9, in the bands, so that these
are capable of shifting longitudinally to a slight extent.
The metal bands also have a horizontal slot 11, in their ends, which ends
project up beyond the edges of the sides and enter corresponding recesses formed
in the inner surface of the lid and bottom, which are strengthened at the edges
for this purpose by external battens 6.
Similar strengthening battens 5, are also provided at the vertical edges of the
side pieces.
On the cover and bottom are fixed sliding locking bolts 13, 15, (Figs. 4, 6
and 7) that are made to engage with the slots 11, of the bands as follows. The
one sliding bolt 13, of the bottom is fixed on a sliding piece 12, to which is pivoted
one end of a link 14, that passes diagonally across the corner of the bottom to a
disc 17 pivoted on the pin 16. This disc carries a sliding bolt 15, at the adjacent
side of the bottom and is so arranged that when bolt 13, is slid outward so as
to engage with the slot 11 of the band, the consequent motion of the connecting
link causes a partial rotation of the disc 17, and a forward motion of the sliding
bolt 15, which thus also engages with the slot of the corresponding band at that
side of the box. The sliding bolts 13, 15 (Fig. 7) are of a broad wedge shape
tapered in thickness towards the outer end, and have a shoulder 18, at the inner
part, so that, after shooting forward the pair of bolts 13 in the above described
manner at each corner of the box until the shoulder 18 of the bolt passes beyond
the slot 11 of the band, and then shifting all the bands longitudinally to a
slight extent, the bolts will be locked in the slots by their shoulders, and the
bottom is thus securely fixed on the box.
The lid of the box is provided with the same locking bolt mechanism as the
bottom, and the wedge shaped bolts 18' in being forced into the slots of the bands
draw these upward with a wedging action, and thereby draw the bottom
by means of its bolts 13 and 15 tight against the under side of the
The sliding
box. The bolts of the lid are locked in position as follows.
onl one side of the lid, has a
piece 12, carrying the two locking bolts
flanged slot 21, into which when the bolts are shot forward enters a metal
eye 20 of a plate 19 fixed to the batten 6, of the lid (Fig. 8); the flanges
of the slot have holes 22 which are thus brought in line with the hole 23 of
said eye.
In the combined holes of the eye and the sliding piece of the bolts, is then
secured a lead plug 24, the projecting ends of which are stamped flat by plumbing
dies and constitute plumbing seals, being marked with the name of the firm, date
of sending &c. The lead plug may have a central iron pin 25 for strengthening it.
When the above described box is folded flat together the top and bottoni are laid
flat on the opposite surfaces of the folded sides as at Fig. 5, and the parts are
secured together by means of wire loops or hasps 27, hinged to the edges of the
bottom and made of such a length that they extend across the folded box and fit
on to the projecting ends of metal tongues on the lid.
The sides of the box may be provided with projecting tongues which enter
corresponding recesses in the top and bottom, and thus insure their correct position
in fitting them on. For the same purpose a rebate 26 (Fig. 7) along the edges of
the lid and bottom, into which the sides of the case fit, will suffice.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a collapsible case or box, the combination of ends 1 hinged to divided
folding sides 2, sliding bands 7, 8, with slotted ends sliding on the ends and sides
and engaging in notches in the lid and bottom, and locking bolts 12, 13, 15, 16,

page_text: on the cover and bottom engaging with the said locking bolts substantially as
described.
2. In a collapsible case or box a fastening device for fixing the bottom and
lid to the sides consisting in a sliding bar 12, carrying wedge shaped bolts 13,
which bolts are provided with a shoulder and are capable of engaging with
slots 11 in bands so attached to the side of the box that they can be moved
longitudinally to a small extent, the said sliding bar 12, being connected by
links 14, to one arm of a lever 17, pivotted on the bottom or lid at each of the
two adjacent sides of the box, the other arm of the said lever being attached
to a bolt 15, whereby when the bar 12, is slid outward to engage bolts 13, with
slots 11, bolts 15 are at the same time slid outward to engage with the corre-
sponding slots, substantially as described.
3. In a collapsible case or box such as is referred to in the first and second
claims, securing the sliding bolts 12, 13, in the locked position by means of a
tongue 20 fixed to the lid, which tongue fits into a flanged slot 21, on the sliding
bar 12, when the bolts 13 are in the locked position, and is secured in such
slot by a plumbing seal 24, substantially as described.
4. A collapsible case or box combined and operating as herein described with
reference to the drawings.
Dated this 25th day of May 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.