US403685A - John f - Google Patents

Description

(-No Model.)

- J. P. MARSHALL.

BOX FOR MATCHES, 6m.

No. 403,685. Patented May 21 1889 16 fi z) M1 I El /i. I I

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

Jonx 1i MARsnALL, or mice, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR 'ro JOHN H. FINKS, or SAME PLACE.

BOX FOR MATCHES, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,685, dated May 21, 1889.

Application filed March 5, 1389. Serial No. 301,95'7- (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN F. MARsHALL, of aco, in the county of McLennan and State of Texas, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Boxes for Matches and other Articles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to boxes or cases of the class having folding securing flaps or covers; and my object is to provide boxes of simple construction in which may be packed and secured and protected matches, cigarettes, cigars, stick-candy, pencils, and other articles, and from which the articles may readily be removed one or more at a time, as desired, without destruction or injury of the boxes.

To this end my invention comprises, as hereinafter to be more fully explained, a box or case open at one extremity for insertion and removal of its contents, and provided with a slot or opening extending from its open extremity to or nearly to its opposite extremity to permit access to and removal of its contents, and having a folding flap or cover adapted to close its openings and be detachably secured so as to effectually confine and protect the contents of the box.

In the accompanying drawings, which show a box suitably constructed in accordance with in yinvention, Figure 1 is a view iifperspective, with the cover of the box opened and extended. Figs. 2 and 3 are a plan view and a side elevation, respectively, of a box of somewhat modified construction. Fig. 4 represents, 011 a reduced scale, a prepared blank for formation into a box.

As in this instance shown, and as I prefer to construct it, the box is made of straw-board or thick paper from a blank creased to predetermine the various lines upon which the box-body A is folded into shape, as well as the lines upon which the flap or cover B flexes in closing and opening. At one extremity the box-body is open, as at C, and a finger slot or opening, D, at front extends therefrom to or nearly to the opposite closed extremity of the body. At either side of this slot D, and extending from the open to the closed extremity of the body, are the permanent front portions or walls, a a, of the box-body. The body-lip E, which folds over upon the boxbody for closing it at one end of the fingerslot, is securely pasted (it may be riveted 0r secured by eyelets, if desired) to the body at opposite sides of the slot. The securing flap or cover B, in opening and folding over the openings C D, flexes on the creased lines o and (Z. Perforations may be made along these lines, if desired.

The flap, although shown as much wider, may, if preferred, be made of a width from the crease d to its lip I) only sufficient to cover the finger-slot. hen the cover is closed, its lip 17 is engaged with the body and held in place in suitable Way, as by insertion into a securing recess or pocket formed at e by the finger-slot within the body-lip E. Other Ways of detachably fastening the cover when closed may be resorted to-such, for instance, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3, which show an ordinary paper-fastener, H, for securing the cover to the body, the fastener being passed through the body-lip E and through a hole in the cover and clinched.

A strip or plate, I, of paper, wood, metal, &c., is preferably, but not necessarily, placed in the box, closing the finger-slot to more effectually protect the contents of the box, and also facilitating the insertion of the fastening-lip 1) into its recess by preventing contact of this lip with the articles in the box. Vhen this plate is not employed, a strip may be secured, as by pasting, to the box-body inside and across the finger-slot opposite to the body-lip E, thus providing a snugly-fitting securingrecess for the securing-lip of the cover and guarding against its contact with the contents of the box.

The articles-matches, for instanceare placed in the box so as to extend in the direction of their length transversely to or crosswise of the finger-slot. Then the matches, &c., are wanted for use, the box is held with the open extremity upward, the cover is released and the box opened, the protecting plate, if employed, is removed, and with finger and thumb the articles are taken out, one or more at a time, as wanted. The finger-slot affords ready access to the articles in the box as they are diminished by consumption.

Vhen used for matches, the boxes in which the matches may be packed and completely confined for protection by the manufacturers also serve as mateh-safes. By providing one or more holes, J, in the box-cover, the box may be hung up in convenient position. One or more of the exterior surfaces of the box may be sanded to provide for readily lighting the matches by striking them on such roughened surfaces.

Boxes or cases may be made in accordance with my invention of greatly-varying dimensions and capacity to adapt them for use as packing-cases for many different articles to which ready access may be had for inspection and removal, and the boxes, instead of being composed of paper, may be made in Whole or in part of other materials, such as thin flexible sheet metal, leather, disc.

The box-bodies maybe made of stiff metal, glass, Wood, &c., and the cover of paper, flexible sheet metal, leather, &c., or of rigid material provided With suitable joints for folding.

I claim as my invention 1. The box or case having the respectively open and closed opposite extremities, the finger-slot extending between them, the permanent front portions or walls at opposite sides of said slot extending from the open to the closed extremity, and the securing flap or cover for closing the slot and open extremity to confine and protect the contents of the box or case, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The box or case open at one extremity and closed at the opposite extremity, having the finger-slot and the permanent front portions or Walls at either side thereof extending from the open to the closed extremity, and With the securing flap or cover having the bodyrengaging lip and completely closing the open extremity and slot, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

J OHN F. MARSHALL. Witnesses:

M. M. BAGGERs, (Drum. 11. LEDRUM.

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