IMPROVEMENTS IN BOXES FOR HOLDING JEWELLERY AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1869

page_text: I ETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Williams, of Broad Street,
Golden Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BOXES FOR HOLDING JEWELLERY AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 18th February 1870, and dated the 30th August 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick
Williams at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 30th August 1869.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK WILLIAMS, of Broad Street, Golden Square,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOXES FOR HOLDING JEWELLERY AND
ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in boxes for holding jewellery
and other articles, by means of which the contents are held in greater
security, and access thereto is facilitated when the box is open.
It consists, 1st, in the application in such boxes of a spiral, flat, or
other spring or springs serving to operate a movable frame or case within
[Price 8d.]

page_text: the box provided with drawers or shelves for containing the jewellery
or other articles, said movable frame being used for the purpose of
facilitating access to the contents of the dra wers. When spiral, flat, or
other metal springs are employed I prefer to place them beneath the
inner rising case before mentioned. This case is held down when the box
is closed by a spring catch at either side, and when released therefrom
by the person opening the box the springs below the inner frame or case
will cause the same to rise. The drawers or shelves rest on ledges formed
on the inner and movable case in the usual manner. The front of each
drawer is bevilled at the upper edge, which is slightly raised, and when
the box is closed and the shelves are pressed down closely the one on
the other this bevilled edge is received in a corresponding recess in the
shelf or drawer above, so that the shelves cannot be drawn out until
they are separated by the rising of the inner case, as before mentioned,
thereby avoiding injury to their contents by attempting to draw out the
shelves before separating them. The bottom of each of these drawers
is further made movable, and may be provided with an elastic or spring
bearing, so that should a large article be placed in one compartiment
of a drawer the bottom of the drawer above will yield and so prevent
injury thereto, at the same time that small articles will be held with
equal security by the aid of the usual padding. In this mauuer the
jewellery or other articles may be placed in the various compartments of
the drawers without regard to their depth, as a large or small article
will be equally pressed upon by the movable bottom of the drawer
above. Instead of using metal springs to operate the inner case india-
rubber may be employed for the same purpose, in which case I prefer
to place, the spring in a recess formed at the sides of the inner case
instead of below it, one end of the india-rubber being fastened to the
lower part of said case, and the other end to the upper part of the box
proper, so that when the box is closed these springs will be put in
tension and so raise the inner case, when it is released from the spring
catches as before mentioned after opening the box. These spring catches
are arranged as usual at the sides of the box, but each is operated by
means of a projecting piece in front. These pieces are similar in shape
to the metal pieces usually employed in such jewel boxes to prevent the
sides warping by engaging in a recess in the hinged front, which pur-
pose they also serve. Each consists of a metal plate pivoted at the front
edge of the box, to one end of which plate is attached a rod provided
with a bevilled end for operating the spring catches and so releasing the

page_text: rising case. Instead of using spring catches for the purpose of securing
the movable case when the box is closed the same obiect may be attained
by making said movable frame to fit tightly in the outer case when nearly
down, where it will be held until again partially raised by hand. The
springs then come into action for raising said movable frame the same. as
by making said movable frame to fit tightly in the outer case when nearly
down, where it will be held until again partially raised by hand. The
springs then come into action for raising said movable frame the same. as
before.
The second part of my Invention consists in the application in such
jewel boxes of a fireproof safe, which I prefer to conceal in the lower
part of the box by the following arrangement:-The lower part of the
box is divided from the upper part (containing the rising case and
drawers before described) by a horizontal partition, beneath which are
placed springs bearing against a false bottom sliding in grooves in the
ends of the box. The safe, which is made fireproof by any suitable
means, is of rectangular form, and exactly fits into the lower part of the
box. On applying the latter on the safe, and releasing the false bottom
from the catches which hold it in position, said false or sliding bottom
will be displaced and raised so as to compress the spring before referred
to between it and the horizontal partition. Another set of spring catches
engage with recesses in the sides of the safe and hold it securely within
the box. These catches are operated in a precisely similar manner to
those retaining the inner rising case and drawers first described, and are
connected with the lower ends of the same metal plates. When access
is required to the safe the catches holding the same are released by
applying pressure to the lower ends of the said pivoted plates or push
pieces, when the safe can be withdrawn from the jewel box proper by
raising the latter and leaving the safe behind. I prefer to cover and
ornament the false bottom of the box precisely like the bottom of the
safe, so that when the latter is withdrawn and the false bottom forced
outwards by the springs it cannot be readily ascertained whether the
safe is contained in the box or not, the false bottom being firmly secured
in position by its spring catches. In place of a fireproof safe I may
substitute a writing or dressing case therefor, which would be arranged in
the lower part of the box in a precisely similar manner to that described
with reference to the safe. When neither the safe or either of the cases
mentioned is kept in the box the vacant space may be utilized as a
receptacle for papers, for which purpose I provide the horizontal
partition before referred to as separating the upper and lower parts of
the box with an opening by which the papers can be introduced after

page_text: removing the drawers in the upper part of the box. If desired I
may also make the entire box fireproof, in which case the safe in the
lower part would of course be dispensed with, the drawers in the rising
case being increased in number or depth to fill up the space vacated by
the safe.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Frederick Williams in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th February 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FREDERICK WILLIAMS, of Broad Street, Golden Square, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Frederick Williams, Her special licence
that I, the said William Frederick Williams, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Frederick
Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BOXES FOR HOLDING JEWELLERY AND OTHER ARTICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Frederick
Williams, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Frederick Williams, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the two Sheets

page_text: thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to improvements in boxes for holding jewellery
and other articles, by means of which the contents are held in greater
security, and access thereto is facilitated when the box is open.
It consists, first, in the application in such boxes of a spiral, flat, or
other spring or springs serving to operate a movable frame or case within
the box provided with drawers or shelves for containing the jewellery
or other articles, said movable frame being used for the purpose of
facilitating access to the contents of the drawers. When flat metal
springs are employed I prefer to place them beneath the inner rising
case before mentioned. This case is held down when the box is closed by
a spring catch at either side, and when released therefrom by the person
opening the box the springs of the the inner frame or case will cause
the same to rise. The drawers or shelves rest on ledges formed on the
inner and movable case in the usual manner. The front of each drawer
is bevelled at the upper edge, which is slightly raised, and when the box
is closed and the shelves are pressed down closely the oue on the other
this bevelled edge is received in a corresponding recess in the shelf or
drawer above, so that the shelves cannot be drawn out until they are
separated by the rising of the inner case as before mentioned, thereby
avoiding injury to their contents by attempting to draw out the shelves
before separating them. The bottom of each of these drawers is further
made movable, and may be provided with an elastic or spring bearing,
so that should a large article be placed in one compartment of a drawer
the bottom of the drawer above will yield and so prevent injury thereto,
at the same sime that smaller articles will be held with equal security by
the aid of the usual padding. In this manner the jewellery or other
articles may be placed in the various compartments of the drawers
without regard to their depth, as a large or small article will be equally
Instead of
pressed upon by the movable bottom of the drawer above.
using metal springs to operate the inside case india-rubber may be
employed for the same purpose, in which case I prefer to place the
spring in a recess formed at the sides of the inner case instead of below
it, one end or part of the india-rubber being fastened to the lower part
of said case, and the other end or part to the upper part of the box
proper so that when the box is closed these springs will be put in
tension and so raise the inner case, when it is released from the spring

page_text: catches, as before mentioned, after opening the box. The spring catches
are arranged as usual at the sides of the box, but each is operated by
means of a projecting piece in front. These pieces are somewhat similar
in shape to the metal pieces usually employed in such jewel boxes to
prevent the sides warping by engaging in a recess in the hinged front,
which purpose they also serve. Each consists of a metal plate pivoted
at the front edge of the box, to one end of which plate is attached a rod
provided with a bevilled end for operating the spring catches and so
releasing the rising case. Instead of using spring catches for the pur-
pose of securing the movable case when the box is closed the same
object may be attained by making said movable frame to fit tightly in
the outer case when nearly down, where it will be held until again
partially raised by hand. The springs then come into action for raising
said movable frame the same as before.
The second part of my Invention relates to the application in such
jewel boxes of a fireproof safe, which I prefer to conceal in the lower
part of the box by the following arrangement:-The lower part of the
box is divided from the upper part (containing the rising case 'and
drawers before described) by a horizontal partition, beneath which are
placed springs bearing against a false bottom sliding in grooves in the
ends of the box. The safe, which is made fireproof by any suitable means,
is of rectangular form, and exactly fits into the lower part of the box.
On applying the latter on the safe, and releasing the false bottom from
the catches which hold it in position, said false or sliding bottom will
be displaced and raised so as to compress the springs before referred to
between it and the horizontal partition. Another set of spring catches
engage with recesses on the sides of the safe and hold it securely within
the box. These catches are operated in a precisely similar manner to
those retaining the inner rising case and drawers first described, and are
connected with the lower ends of the same metal plates. When access
is required to the safe the catches holding the same are released by
applying pressure to the lower ends of the said pivoted plates or push
pieces, when the safe can be withdrawn from the jewel box proper by
raising the latter and leaving the safe behind. I prefer to cover and
ornament the false bottom of the box precisely like the bottom of the
safe, so that when the latter is withdrawn and the false bottom forced
outwards by the springs it cannot be readily ascertained whether the
safe is contained in the box or not, the false bottom being firmly secured

page_text: in position by its spring catches. In place of a fireproof safe I may
substitute a writing or dressing case therefor, which would be arranged
in the lower part of the box in a precisely similar manner to that
described with reference to the safe. When neither the safe or either of
the cases mentioned is kept in the box the vacant space may be utilized
as a receptacle for papers, for which purpose I provide the horizontal
partition before referred to as separating the upper and lower parts of
the box with an opening by which the papers can be introduced after
removing the drawers in the upper part of the box. If desired I
may also make the entire box fireproof, in which case the safe in the
lower part would of course be dispensed with, the drawers in the rising
case being increased in number or depth to fill up the space vacated by
the safe
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings are part sectional side elevations
of jewel boxes, showing the disposition of three different kinds of springs
for operating the inner rising case; Figure 4 is a similar elevation of a
box provided both with an inner rising case and fireproof safe, the
position occupied by the latter being indicated by blue lines; Figure 5
is a part sectional elevation of the same with the safe removed and the
movable or false bottom lowered into position; while Figures 6 and 7
are detached views of the drawers or shelves.
A, Figure 1, is the inner rising case containing the drawers or shelves
in which the jewellery or other articles are placed. This case works in
guides in the outer case B forming the box, in which it may be raised
when required by means of springs of india-rubber arranged in pairs at
each side of the box, one of which is shown in Figure 1. a, a, are the
india-rubber springs, whose ends are firmly secured to the sides of
the box by the plates or otherwise, each spring being doubled and
passing under a plate c at the edges for its reception, and capable of
sliding vertically in a suitable groove d, in which it is placed with the
spring, as shown. The inner rising case A is firmly connected to the
plates c. which are secured on the outside of said case A by screws or
pins inserted from the inside. When the inner case A is depressed in
order to close the box the plates c are also lowered and the rubber
springs a put in tension. When thus depressed the case A is prevented
from rising by spring catches e at either side. (These catches are

page_text: omitted in Figures 2 and 3 for the sake of clearness.) Each catch e is
carried on a plate f (seen in Figure 4) recessed in the sides of the outer
case B, through which plate f the nib of said catch projects and engages
with a corresponding recess formed in the side of case A. Each catch e
is withdrawn to release case A by means of a push piece g pivoted at
the front edge of the box B, and bearing against the end of a rod h
working in guides also carried on plate f, and recessed in the sides of
box B. The end h¹ of this red h is bevelled and bears against the blade
of the spring catch e, which is bevelled to correspond, so that on moving
rod h to the position shown in red lines, by applying pressure to the
push piece g, the nib will be withdrawn from the side of case A, which
(both push pieces being operated simultaneously) is then left free to be
raised by the contraction of springs a to the red line position.
Figure 2 shows the mode of applying spiral springs to raise the inner
case A when required, and Figure 3 shows flat springs as applied for
the purpose. The spiral springs a are placed on vertical guide rods i,
fixed at the bottom to box B, and recessed in vertical grooves d in the
inside of said box as in the former case. These guide rods i
pass through
eyes j, which work thereon, and are firmly secured to the sides of
case A. These eyes j bear on the spiral springs a and compress them in
grooves d when the case A is closed down, the latter being secured by
catches, and when released is raised by the springs as before. To pre-
vent injury to the jewellery by the drawers or shelves in which the
jewellery is placed being drawn out before they are separated by the
rising of case A. I provide the front or back edge of each drawer with
a ridge l, which may be bevelled, and when the box is closed and the
drawers pressed down on one another is received in a corresponding
recess in the bottom edge of the drawer k above, as shown in Figure 7,
so that the drawers are locked together until their separation by the
rising of case A.
Another improvement consists in making the bottom m of the drawers
movable within the sides , as shown in red lines, so as to press equally
on the articles contained in the drawers. For this purpose I may
suspend the bottom m, which is padded on either side as usual, midway
of the depth of the sides by means of elastisc n attached thereto and
to the drawer, as shown. In this manner a resilient action is imparted
to the bottom m either in the upward or downward direction, as shown
in red lines, the extent of the motion in either case being limited

page_text: by the ridges formed along the inner edges of the drawer. In lieu
of this arrangement I may employ a double bottom m, m¹, to each
drawer, with spiral springs o between them, as shown in Figure 7, and
either with or without a central fixed division for the springs of each to
bear against. These bottoms m, m¹, are retained in position by ridges
as before.
The second part of my Invention, relating to the arrangement of such
jewel boxes for the reception of a fireproof safe, is illustrated in Figures 4
and 5. The upper part of box B is separated from the lower part by a
horizontal partition C, in the space beneath which the safe is received,
a sliding false bottom D being provided to enclose this space when the
safe is removed from the box. Springs E are provided between par-
tition C and false bottoin D in order to press down the latter to the
position shown in Figure 5, where it serves as a bottom to enclose the
space vacated by the safe F, which may then be used for other purposes,
access being had thereto by removing the drawers in the rising case A
and raising partition C. This movable bottom D slides in guides G in
the ends of the box, and when the safe is in place in the box said
bottom I is raised up to partition C. compressing springs E between
them, as seen in Figure 4. Spring catches q are provided to retain the
safe in the box by taking into recesses in the sides of the latter, which
catches also serve to hold the bottom D firm when in the position shown
in Figure 5. These catches q are released by similar rods / operated by
the lower ends of push pieces g, each of which is pivoted on the centre,
their upper ends serving to release the catches holding the rising case A,
as before. In this arrangement the fall-down front u is hinged on a
level with the partition C, forming the bottom of the upper part of
the box, and the push pieces are received in the usual recesses g¹ in
the front, and answering the purpose of the fixed metal plates, whose
position they occupy in preventing the warping of the sides of the box.
Instead of operating the catches q by the aid of the push pieces g and
rods h I may apply pressure to the upper ends of said catches through
movable plates r hinged beneath the handles usually provided for lifting
the jewel case, as shown in partial section at Figure 8. These plates
bear directly against the upper ends of the catches q, and on pressure
being applied thereto the lower ends are disengaged from the safe For
bottom D, as the case may be. To prevent the safe being removed
without opening the lid of the box I provide a safety rod s at each side,

page_text: whose lower end is bevelled and takes behind the upper end of each
catch I. also bevelled. This rod s projects at the upper edge of the box,
as shown, and when the lid is closed and locked forms a stop to prevent
the plater being depressed to release catches q. By pivoting plate »
at the centre it may serve as a means to release the catches for retaining
the rising case A in lieu of the push piece before described.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. Raising the inner case of boxes for holding jewellery by the aid
of springs, substantially as shown and described. I also claim the
arrangement of spring catches for retaining the rising case in position
when closed.
2ndly. I claim the improvements in the drawers of such jewel boxes
described and illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 of the Drawings.
3rdly. I claim arranging a jewel box for the reception of a fireproof
safe, dressing case or writing case, the whole combined substantially as
shown and described. I also claim the arrangement of spring catches
for retaining the said safe or case in the jewel box.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Williams, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
W. F. WILLIAMS. (LS.)