US671333A - Folding box or crate. - Google Patents

Description

ATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM DAVY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

FOLDING Box OR CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,333, dated April 2, 1901. .tpplication filed December 24, 1897. serial No. 663,322. llo model.)

To ctZZ w/wnt it may concern:

Be it known. that I, WILLIAM DAVY, a sub.- ject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 97 Wood street, city of London, England, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes or Crates, (patented in Great Britain, No. 4,752, dated February 22, 1897,) of which the following is a specification. 1

The object of this invention is to construct the body of a box or crate in such manner that the sides can by suitable hinges be folded upon the upper surface of the bottom and the two ends, also hinged to the bottom, be folded downward and under to lie upon the under surface of the bottom, the said ends into which the end edges of the side pieces can be lodged, when the several parts are folded upwardly to form the body of the boxor crate for the reception of goods, the lid having ends, beads, or flange-strips to lock the parts together for transport when bound by a cord.

Boxes or crates constructed as above set forth can, when the sides and ends are folded upon the bottom, be so reduced in bulk and the parts lie so fiat in contact that a box or crate when opened out and having the dimensions of, say, thirty-six inches long, twenty four inches wide, and twenty-four inches deep can by folding be reduced from twentyfour inches to two inches deep, including the thickness of the lid which packs over it.

The right-angled flanges of my corner-strips are bent slightly inward, so that when the two sides are folded upwardly their end edges are pinched and held sufficiently tight to retain them and the ends of the box in a vertical position during the packing or insertion of the goods.

The hinging of the two sides of the box or crate is from the inside and the hinging of the two ends from the outside.

I have not referred to fastenin gs other than by cords; but any kind of fastener can be adopted, if so desired.

It will be understood that the metal corner-strips give great strength to resist rough usage and add to the solidity of the article as a box or crate.

* To hold the ends of the box in position while being packed, a stretcher, bar, or the like may be employed.

The annexed drawings clearly show my invention.

Figure 1 is an isometric-a1 perspective elevation of a box in a closed condition ready for transport and supposed to be filled with goods; Fig. 2, a similar perspective elevation with the lid removed and the two ends folded downward. Fig. 3 represents the several parts of the box folded in close cont-act ready (when corded) to be stored or to be transported, or returned empty. This figure shows the reduction in bulk to which such box is capable.

A is the bottom to the inner face edges B B. The two longer sides 0 G are hinged to fold inwardly. Thetwo ends or shorter sides D D are hinged in any appropriate manner to the outer or under surface of the ends E E of the bottom A and are adapted to fold downwardly and under said bottom. F F F F areangled strips of metal secured to the side edges G G Gr G of the ends D D, the spaces H H H H forming pockets for inclosing the end edges I II lot the two longer sides 0 O. The exposed lips J J J J of the angled metal strips F F F F are inwardly inclined, so that when the ends D D are folded upwardly said inclined lips nip the ends of the sides 0 O to hold the ends D D and also the sides 0 C upright to constitute the body of the box, a lid K, with end cleats or ribs L L, only being sufficient to retain the several parts temporarily together.

Anymeans of fixing the parts can be adopted, such as cords bound around the box for transport, and during the filling of the box ifthe lidD be canted over at the back for the ribs L L to bear against the two ends D D while the box is being packed said ends D D will be prevented from folding outwardly. The cleats or ribs L L and the corner-strips H H constitute the sole means for holding the crate or box assembled. These cleats'or ribs are only on the opposite ends of the top or lid D, by reason of which the lid may be tent to obtain access to the contents of said box or crate without possibility of the latter collapsing. Besides this, the lid may be canted to any extent and the same peculiar advantage will follow.

I do not propose to employ clips or hooks or other kinds of fasteners with my improved folding box; but such can be fitted, if so desired.

The box is intended chiefly for light and delicate articles of merchandise-such as gloves, silks, hosiery, and the 1ikeit being general for manufacturers and warehousemen in sending such goods to customers to have the boxes returned as empties and which from their bulk in the ordinary way are subject to heavy charges for return freightage, besides requiring immense storage room to hold them in stock for future use, whereas with my improved box the bulk of the box for the return is so reduced thatfreightage should be reduced in proportion. Again, in the storing of such boxes only a tithe of room will be required, and from the closeness of the several parts of each box they are rendered more handy and oifer greater facilities for being stacked on edge or on one another.

For cratesi. 6., boxes of skeleton frames such as are used for the conveyance of bottles, gas-glasses, crockery, and the like-this invention is also specially applicable.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isp In a folding box or crate, a bottom, sides 'hinged to the upper sides of the bottom and its edges arranged to fold downward thereon,

ends hinged to the under side of the bottom at its ends and arranged to fold against the under side of the bottom and to be raised to a position between the sides at the ends of the latter, corner-strips attached to the edges of said ends and provided with approximately right-angled flanges located at a distance ment with the ends during such side movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM DAVY.

Witnesses:

EDMUND S. SNEWIN, WILLIAM OSWALD BROWN.

Images