US789490A - Leaf-tobacco-packing case. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

W. DE HAVEN.

LEAF TOBAGGO PAGKING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.11, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

/NVE/V TOR No. 789,490. PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

W. DE HAVEN,

LEAP TOBAGUO PACKING CASE APPLIGATION FILED 13130.11, 1903 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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B V I Tron/v! Y.

' irnn S'rafiin Patented May 9, 1905.

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LEAF-"*TUHAWOO PACKlNC-I; CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,490, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed December 11,1903- Serial No. 184,844.

To u/l/ w/wm if; 772,007 concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Du HAVE N, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster city, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leai".l.obaeco Packing Cases; and I do hereby declare;the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaini-s to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in a leaf-tobacco-packing case of that class in which the two side walls, with the lid and bottom portions between their upper and lower edges, are secured together by rods extending through the width of the case and its side walls adjacent to the corner angles thereof and in which end pivoted plates overlying their corner edges serve to secure the two removable portions of the end Walls of the case in place.

The object of the invention is the production of a simple but eiiective case especially adapted to the packing of the hands of leaftobacco as it is received from the grower by the dealer, the case being produced at a minimum of cost in construction and with a considerable saving in material, in which the tobacco when packedis stored, cured, inspected, sampled, transported, and linally delivered to the manufacturer or consumer; in which the two end wall portions may be bodily removed without withdrawing nails to provide ventilation to the packed tobacco, preventing its fouling or rotting from excessive fermentation during the period of sweating or curing, and which portions may again be replaced and secured without nailing; in which the case without prying ofi' boards or withdrawing nails may be bodily lifted or stripped from the tobacco, leaving it a naked mass or bulk on either the bottom or lid, as for inspection or sampling, and the removed part may be again replaced and secured, also without nailing, and in which provision is made to take the empty case apart, separating it into six sections which may be closely arranged or piled for convenient storage or transportation, all of which may be considered as an improvement upon the invention disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 503,717, granted to me on the 22d day of August, 1893, and extending the scope thereof.

The elements of the invention will severally and at large appear in the following description, and they will be separately or eombinedly set forth or pointed out in the appended claims.

The purposes of the invention are attained by the mechanism, devices, and means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, with similar reference characters to designate like parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a leaf-tobacco-packing case embodying the elements of the invention, showing one form of the end-portion-locking plates in position thereon; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the same, the section being taken on the line a: a: in Fig. 1, showing the lid and bottom portions, respectively above and below, the whole being viewed practically from the right; Fig. 3, a view of the left-hand end portion of the central part of Fig. 2 with the part shown in section removed; Fig. 4, a direct end view of the case, showing the parts in the relative positions in which they appear when slightly separated; Fig. 5, a direct side view of the case, showing the parts in the relative positions in which they appear when slightly separated; Fig. 6, a sectional view of the portions of the parts below the line 52 ;1 in Fig. 4, showing them in the relative positions in which they appear when viewed from above; Fig. 7, a view showing the relative arrangement of the several parts of the case in the respective positions in which they may be placed together for either close storage or convenient transportation; Fig. 8, a side view of a binding-rod as it appears when detached from the case with a thumb-nut on its threaded end and a plan of the nut to the right thereof; Fig. 9, an enlarged perspective view of the case as it appears when separated from the bottom and bodily lifted from the tobacco thereon with the removed binding-rods in lengthwise elevation and showing the preferred form of locking-plates in position on the near end wall of the case; Fig. 10, a perspective view of the bottom with the body or bulk of the tobacco thereon as it appears when the case is stripped therefrom; Figs. 11 and 12, respectively, a direct end elevation and a top view of the portion practically comprehended by the dotted line .2 .2 in Fig. 9 with a modification of the end-portion-securing plate in place; and Fig. 13, a similar elevation of practically the same portion, showing the preferred form of the locking-plate in the position in which it appears when the end portion is unlocked and about to be removed with the pivoting-bolt and the retaining-bolt appearing in section and with dotted lines indicating the locked position of said plate.

As shown in the drawings, the ease of the invention is preferably a rectangular parallelopipedon in form and practically smooth or even in external surface contour, so as to oifer no obstruction to its free or sliding movement on or about a floor or on the surfaces of other cases when a number of them, packed with tobacco, are arranged in tiers, as in storage-warehouses or on wagons and in freight-cars when about to be transported.

Now to meet the required conditions of the invention the side walls A A of the case, said walls having the required dimensions, are each formed by a number of boards a laid side by side, with the inner surfaces of their ends rigidly secured in any approved manner against the adjacent edges of prescribed posts A, so that the extreme edges of said ends shall be flush or even with the outer faces of the posts. The posts have their opposite or free edges through said faces inwardly cut away or rabbeted to the required depth, forming oifset recesses or ledges a to be engaged by the lateral edges of the removable end wall portions and by the end ribs of cleats of the removable lid and bottom portions, both yet to be described, while the extremities of the posts are in such proximity to the upper and lower edges of the side walls that when said lid and bottom portions have their inner surfaces in engagement with the said extremities their outer surfaces will be flush or even with the said edges, and said posts thus secured will serve as strengthening-cleats to said side walls, as well as to form material parts of the end walls of the case.

The lid and bottom portions B B of the case, having the required dimensions, are each formed by a number of boards 6 placed side by side and having the inner surfaces of their.

vid ad with end projecting lips 5', engaging in the offset recesses of said posts when the poi tions B are placed in their respective positions. At the required distances from the boa ds 7) the cleats are provided lengthwise through their bodies with bores 6 registering with perforations (L2, formed through the posts and the adjacent boards a, the latter being provided with counterbores (L3 to the required depth, said bores and perforations conjointly forming openings or rod passage-ways throughout the width of the case, while rods B provided with heads and screw-threads 5*, respectively, at the opposite ends of each and passing through said openings, with the head and threaded end of each in its counterbore (6 and with nuts B screwed home on said threaded ends, serve to securely bind these parts together. It will here be remarked that the cleats being thus rigidly secured to the boards 7) serve to strengthen the lid and bottom portion; that with their extremities abutting against the opposing edges of the posts A and the rods B binding the parts together the cleats serve to brace said posts, and thereby stiffen or strengthen the case; that with their outer faces flush or even with the extremities of said boards 6 they serve to form material parts of the end walls of the case and with the posts A serve to complete surrounding rims or frames to openings adapted to be closed by removable portions of said end walls; that the cleats must be of such a width as to prevent the points of nails securing the boards 7) thereto from entering said rod-bores, presenting obstructions against the free passage of the rods therethrough, and the rods must be of such a length that when they are in place their heads, as well as their threaded ends, with nuts screwed home thereon, will lie entirely within their respective counterbores a, leaving the side walls of the case entirely free from all external projections.

Adapted to be placed into as well as to be removed from the openings between the lid and bottom cleats B and the opposing side posts A in the end Walls of the case when its parts B and A are held together by the rods B are angular portions C, each portion being composed of a number of approved boards 0 arranged side by side and joined by approved strips 0, preferably of sheet metal, which strips are placed against their end edges vertically alined and rigidly secured in any approved manner, said strips serving as cleats to strengthen or stiffen said portions, as well as to engage the offsetrecesses a when the portions are placed in position. The portions C are held in their respective positions, as by locking-plates D D D, the first two allowing them to be removed at pleasure and the third firmly securing them. The plates D D are pivoted and the plates D rigidly aflixed to the outer faces of the posts A, as by round or flat headed bolts (Z passed therethrough, with rea ise nuts (5 on their threaded ends and wholly recessed into the inner faces of said posts, leaving said faces smooth or even or without abrupt projections. The plates 1) D are provided adjacent to their respective pivots with edge recesses (Z for the free passage of said. portions C either into or from their respective end-wall openings, and in the forward or free ends of the plates, through the edges with the recesses (Z are formed curved slots d for the passage therethrough to their respective seating-points of round or flat headed screw-bolts 45*, passed through the bodies of the portions, with nuts (Z on the threaded ends of the bolts, said nuts being recessed or embedded into the inner surfaces of said portions, leaving said surfaces free from abrupt projections. In the 7 plates 1) the forward edges d of the slots are made outwardly and forwardly curving, widening the openings into said slots for the better entrance of the bolts thereinto, and said latter edges, by reason of their engagement with said bolts when said plates are pushed home to their respective seating-points, will materially aid in drawing together the parts A and C should they have become separated, as when rods B" have been withdrawn for any purpose whatever. The bodies of these plates are materially widened in one direction, so that their edges (Z when the plates are in locked positions will overlap the joints between the upper and lower edges of said portions 0 and the adjacent edges of the respective lid and bottom cleats. When the plates 1) are used to permanently bind the parts A and C together, bolts (i with nuts on their threaded ends similar to the bolts (Z, before mentioned, but of less length, serve to secure the respective ends of said latter plates to the outer surfaces of said portions (1.

It will here be observed that the cleats B of the lid portions B and the posts A of the side portions A being removed from within the case to the end walls thereof and with the portions C secured in their respective positions, as shown, the inside of the case will practically be without projections; that when the case is packed with leaf-tobacco the mass or bulk thereof will conform to the said in side; that by unlocking the plates D or 1) and removing the portions C openings will be formed. in the end walls of the case for the free ventilation to the tobacco therein; that by reason of said ventilation the mass of said tobacco will not foul or rot from excessive fermentation; that by withdrawing the lower rods B and unlocking the lower plates 1) or D from the end portionsCthelower portions of the sides A of the case in springing outward from the bulging of the packed tobacco thereagainst will thereby be released from said tobacco; that by reason of said releasing the case may be readily and freely stripped therefrom, leaving the mass of tobacco in a smooth and even bulk upon the bottom of the case, when it may readily be inspected or sampled and after which the case may again be readily replaced over the tobacco without disturbing the regularity of its bulk and be again secured by means of said rods and locking-plates.

It is well known that knockdown packing cases, boxes, crates, and the like are old and well known to the trade in which screw-rods and locking-plates are used to bind the parts together. No claims are therefore made, broadly, to these elements; but

What is considered new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A leaf-tobacco-packing case composed of side wall portions and lid and bottom portions therebetween with the outer surfaces of the latter flush or even with the upper and lower edges of the former portions, the portions having opposing pairs of posts and cleats respectively secured against the inner surfaces and flush with the outer ends thereof to form parts of the end walls of the case leaving openings therein, the posts having offset recesses in their opposing edges and the cleats with their extremities abutting against said edges and having rod passageways therethrough and through said side wall portions to the outer surfaces thereof, headed rods having threaded ends passing through said passageways and having nuts screwed home on said. threaded ends with said heads and nuts fully recessed into said latter surfaces, end wall portions with strengthening-cleats on the end edges thereof freely seated therein to close said openings with said cleated edges in engagement with the said offset recesses, and with locking-plates pivoted to said posts and overlying the edges thereof to removably secure said end wall portions, thus completing the case, all substantially as described and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a leaf-tobacco-packing case of the character described, having the side wall portions with the lid and bottom portions secured together by headed screw-rods with nuts on their threaded ends, all as shown; posts and cleats rigidly secured, respectively, against the inner surfaces of the side wall portions and of the lid and bottom portions flush with the outer end edges thereof to form material parts of the end walls of the case leaving openings in said end walls, said posts having the offset recesses, a, in their opposing edges with the bores, (0 through the ends of the posts and through the side wall portions to the outer surfaces thereof with the eounterbore's, a, in said surfaces, and said cleats with their extremities abutting against said post edges, and having the end projecting lips, b, in engagement with said recesses, a, and having the bores, 79, through the length of their bodies to register with said bores, a", to form rod passage-ways throughout the width of the case, and headed screw-rods passing through said passage-ways with their heads and nuts in their respective counterbores, (4 with end wall portions freely seated against said offset recesses, a, to close said end-wall openings; and with locking-plates provided to removably secure said end wall portions in place; all substantially as described and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a leaf-tobacco-packing case of the character described, having the side wall portions, the lid and the bottom portions all held together as shown, the posts and the cleats secured to the inner surfaces of said portions flush with the outer end edges thereof to form parts of the end walls of the case with openings in said end walls, and the end wall port-ions freely seated therein to close said openings, the locking-plates provided to overlap the edge joints between the said latter portions and the surrounding posts and cleats, said locking-plates having their outer ends pivoted onto the outer faces of said posts, with their inner ends curvingly slotted as shown, said slots to engage on retaining projections from the outer surfaces of the said end wall portions, all substantially as described and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM DE HAVEN. WVitnesses:

HARVEY B. Low, FRED. P. MENTZER.

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