US286157A - Butter-box - Google Patents

Description

A. SWEATTV BUTTER ox.

(No Model.)

Patented Oct. 2, 1.883.

INVENTOR:

62 nywea/fi ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ATHERTON SYVEATT, OF \VEBSIER, NEWV HAMPSHIRE.

BUTTE R-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,157, dated October 2, 1883. Application filed July 28,1883. (No modell) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ATHERTON SWEATT, of WVebster, in the county of Merrimac and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and Improved Butter-Box, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to knockdown boxes adapted for the economical transportation of food products and other merchandise; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong, and inexpensive box or package of this character more especially adapted for the shipment of butter.

The invention consists in a contrivance of the box with folding sides and a cover having a retaining flange-strip for locking the fold ing parts about the contents of the package, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents my improved butterbox in perspective view, and with the sides and ends let down and the cover lifted. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the box with the butter packed therein, and as held in the temporary frame employed for holding the sides and ends in place before the cover is applied; and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation on the line 00 a, Fig. 2, with the cover in place on the box. i

I make the improved box of a bottom, a, ends b, of the same length as the bottom, and sides 0, of a length equal to that of the bottom a, and the thickness of the two ends I); and I hinge the parts a b c to each other and so that the ends and sides may fold up against the edges of the bottom into vertical positions, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; and I make the ends and sides Z) c narrower than the full outside height of the body of the box, so that the screw-eyes d and staples e, which I prefer to employ for hinging the parts a b c to each other, may have a secure fastening in the edges of these parts and be contained in the angular spaces f all around the edges of the box-bottom a, thereby permitting the set-up boxes to be packed closely upon and against each other when a number of them are packed away in a largercase or crate, a special object being to provide a box or boxes of a size to snugly hold small and measured quantities of butter-say from three to six pounds or moreso that the butter may be sold to consumers in the original package and in prime condition.

I make the cover 9 of the box large enough to fully overlap the upper edges of the ends and sides I) c, and fix to the cover all around the thin strip h, made preferably of metal, so as tobe strong and occupy but small space sidewise, while it will project downward asa flange to overlap the ends and sides for locking them firmly about the butter in the box.

In using the improvement I set the body of the box in any suitable square frame, 2', having thumb-screws k, or any approved hooks, buttons, or other contrivance adapted to hold the box ends and sides I) c in a vertical position against the outward thrusts of packing the butter in the box, and so that the cover 9 will fit closely when applied; and when the ends and sides I) c are thus stayed in position I line the interior of the box with thin cloth or wood-pulp paper, Z, wet with brine, and then pack the butter m solidly to the top, whereupon the lining Z is lapped over the top of the butter, and the cover 9 finally applied, as in Fig. 3, when the outer clampingdrame, 2', may be removed, and the packed box is ready for shipment; and upon removing the cover 9 the sides and ends may readily be folded down, as in Fig. 1, and the lining Z removed from the butter, which retains unbroken the form of the interior of the box, and may be cut to advan tage and without waste, or served without cutting, according to the size of the box, in either case having its original freshness and presenting a clean, nice appearance.

The empty boxes maybe returned to the dairyman either in the folded or setup condition, as in Fig. 3, or the open box-bodies, as in Fig. 1, may be laid one upon the other and the covers packed separately, in either case permitting the return of the boxes for re l filling at small expense; or the boxes may be made sufficiently cheap to be used for the shipment of butter but once, if desired.

Hinges of any approved form may substitute theeyes and staples (7 e, or eyes and staples alone maybe used, as most economical or convenient: 1 Having thus described my invention, What 5 I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A butter-box constructed with a bottom,

(I, folding ends and sides I) 0', and a cover, 9,

having the fixed flange-strip h for locking the 10 ends and sides in folded positions, substantially as shown and described.

angle-spaces f, and a cover, 9 having the fixed 1 5' flange-strip 71, substantially as shown and described.

ATHERTON S\VEATT.

\Vitnc'sses:

F. L. SWEATT, \V. J. SIMPsoN.

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