US578669A - Cigarette-box - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.

H. WATKINS.

CIGARETTE BOX.

N0. 5'78,669.- Patented Mar. 9, 1897.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD WATKINS, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CIGARETTE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,669, dated March 9, 1897.

Application filed $eptember 14, 1896. Serial No. 605,753. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD WATKINS, of South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Cigarette-Box, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a class of small portable boxes used for carrying in a safe and convenient manner cigarettes, cigars, or

matches, and has for its object to provide.

such a device which will embody novel details of construction, whereby a cheap and superior box is afforded that may be produced from any available material, such as metal, pasteboard, vulcanite, or celluloid, and be adapted for portage of matches, cigars, or cigarettes, holding the contained goods in a safe manner, and also permitting free access to the contents when this is desired.

The invention essentially consists in the novel details of construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and indicated in the claims.

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

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved box in opened adjustment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an enlarged fragmentary portion of the outer section of the improved box at its rear side and lower end. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the rear edge and lower end on the inner section of the improved box, showing a novel feature thereon. Fig. at is a normally rear edge view of the improved box in closed condition; and Fig. 5 is a sectional side view, essentially on the line in Fig. 4, showing the novel interlocked hinge connection of the two boxsections, that are represented in a closed condition by full lines and in opened adjustment by dotted lines.

The improved box is of a type in which two box-sections are provided, which are placed one within the other, the inner section being adapted for a rocking movement on the outer section to expose the contents of the two-part box, and it may here be specified that the features of the improvement essentially consist in the unique hinged connection of the box-sections and a novel check device to pretion.

vent an excessive swinging movement of the inner box-section when opened.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates the outer box-section, and 11 the inner box-sec- The outer box 10 is substantially rectangular and of suitable dimensions for its service. In detail it is constructed as follows: Two parallel sides a a are held suitably spaced apart by the top edge wall I) and rear edge Wall 0, that is of less length than the side walls a a and permits an opening d to inter vene between said side walls at their lower ends. The opposite or normally front side of the box-section 10 is open with the exception of a cross-bar e at the lower end of said section, the use of which will be hereinafter explained.

The box-section 11 is proportioned in dimensions to permit its slidable insertion within the outer section 10 and adapt it to loosely fit therein, the breadth and length of the inserted section 11 being slightlyless than that of the outer section 10, so that the latternamed part will incase the inner section, as best shown in Fig. 5. The inner box-section 11 is closed on the sides, bottom, and front and rear edges, but is open at the top, and is of reduced length as compared to that of the outer box-section, except on the normally front side of said inner box-section, which front wall 9 extends from the lower end of the outer box-section 10 to the inner surface of its top wall I) when the two-part box is in a closed condition, as shown in Fig. 5.

Preferably there is an integral tab or thumbpieoe h formed on the upper end of the wall g, which is outwardly bent and aifords convenient means for rocking the inner box-section for a purpose which will appear.

The box sections 10 11 are detachably hinged together on their rear walls bya novel and peculiar device that is a prominent feature of the invention, and consists of the following-described construction: A tongue 11 is provided, which is preferably formed integral with the rear wall of the inner box-section 11 by cutting the same loose from the material of said wall except at the lower end of the tongue, and the latter is formed of proper length, having its free end rounded on the edge, as best shown in Fig. 3.

A transverse slot m is formed in the rear wall 0 of the outer box-section 10, and it will be seen that this slot is slightly nearer one side wall a of said box-section. One edge t" of the tongue t' is convex-curved, and said tongue trends slightly toward the side of the inner box-section which slot m is nearest to when the box-sections 1O 11 are placed together. A notch 2' is cut in the convex edge 2' at a point which is the same distance from the lower end of the tongue t' as is the slot m from the lower edge of the rear wall c, wherein it is formed.

In assembling the parts of the improved box, assuming that the inner box-section 11 has been introduced within the outer boxsection 10 and positioned as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, it will be evident that the tongue 2' may have its free rounded end readily inserted through the slot on from the outer side of the rear wall 0 and pass up between the rear walls of both box-sections until the notch i is reached, which will be determined by the impinge of the lower termination of the tongue upon the lower edge of the wall 0. The operator now presses the boxsection 11 laterally, so as to enter the adjacent end wall of the slot on within the notch which will effect an interlocked and hinged engagement of the two box-sections that will permit a free rocking movement of the inner box-section 11 to open or close the box.

As shown by full lines in Fig. 1 and dotted lines in Fig. 5, the front edges of the sides a a on box-section 10 are deeply scalloped at opposite points between the top wall b and the cross-bar e; and it will be seen that when the inner box-section 11 is rocked on its hinged connection with the outer box-section by the manipulation of the tab h such an outward and downward movement of the inner boxsection will be arrested by the cross-bar 6 when the open top of the inner box-section is sufficiently exposed for the inspection or removal of the contents of said inner box-section 11, the concavities 02, produced by scalloping the front edges of the sides a a, conducing to such an exposure.

The peculiar formation of the hinge for the box-sections 1O 11 permits the two portions of said box to be quickly connected or detached, and in case pasteboard is employed to manufacture boxes for carrying cigars or cigarettes by the smoker it will be evident that such boxes may be rapidly produced and the parts readily assembled as required.

It is evident that the improved box may be manufactured of sheet metal or other avail able material for the reception of the matches that are to be carried by the user. In such a case any suitable catch may be provided to hold the box-sections in closed adjustment.

WVhile the tongue 2' is preferably formed integral with the box-section 11, as has been described, it is apparent that it may be separately produced and attached to the box-section mentioned by any suitable means. The provision of the cross-bar e is essential for the efficient operation of the improved box, as it serves to arrest the opening movement of the same at a correct point for a convenient removal of some or all of the contents, as before explained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A portable box, comprising two sections one rockable in the other, and a tongue-andslotconnection between said sections at one edge of each affording a hinge-joint therefor, substantially as described.

2. A portable box for cigarettes and the like, comprising an outer section having parallel walls, a closed top, open at the bottom and partly open at the rear edge, the opposite edge being open except at the bottom where a cross-bar is located, the rear wall of said section being transversely slotted near its lower edge, the other box-section being insertible within the outer section and open at the top, having less length than the outer section except the front wall whereon a tab is formed at the upper end, said inner boxsection having a tongue on its rear wall that is notched on one edge and adapted to detachably interlock with the slot of the outer box-section to form a hinge-joint, substantially as described.

3. A cigarette-box or like receptacle, comprising two sections, one rockable in the other, and both detachably connected by a tongueand-slot connection that affords a hinged joint, the outer section having the forward edges of its side walls scalloped and separated except at the top and back and bottom, a transverse bar' joining the lower portions of said front edges, and serving as a check to limit the outward rocking movement of the inner box-section, substantially as described.

4. In a two-part portable box, the combination with an outer box-section having its rear edge wall of less length than side walls of said box-section, leaving an opening therein below said rear wall, the front of the outer boxsection being open but having a rigid crossbar at the lower ends of its side walls, of an inner box-section having a hinged connection with the outer box-section at the lower edge of the rear wall of said outer box-section, and limited in its outward rocking movement by contact with the rigid cross-bar on the outer box-section, substantially as described.

5. A box having two sections, one received within the other, one of said sections having a tongue in removable connection with the other section, such tongue forming a flexible connection between the two sections whereon they may swing to open and close the box, substantially as described.

6. A box having two sections, one of which has a tongue capable of removable connection with the second section, the tongue forming a flexible connection whereon the two sections may swing to open and close the box, substantially as described.

7. A box having two sections, one With a slot and the second with a tongue, the tongue having a notch in one side and being capable of moving laterally to engage said notch with one end of the slot whereby to flexibly connect the sections, substantially as described.

8. A box having two sections, one of which is received within the other, the innersection having a tongue With a notch in one side and the outer section having a slot receiving the tongue, and the notch of the tongue being engaged with one end of the slot, substantially as described.

9. A box having two sections with a hinged connection and received one within the other, the outer section having its front side, its bottom and a portion of its rear side open, the

terial of the second section whereby the two sections are pivotally connected,substantially as described. I

HOWARD \VATKINS. I

\Vitnesses:

WM. P. PATTON, JNo. M. BITTER.

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