US1166048A - Collapsible box. - Google Patents

Description

F. H. HOUGHLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

I APPLICATION men DEC. 4. I914.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

mwms.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. H. HOUGHLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4. 1914.

I Paten ted Dec. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mu messes lates to the manner of folding, bracin tom of the box TT STAT A @FFIUCE.

FRANK H. HOUGHLAN'D, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 LAFAYETTE M. WOOLWIN E, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

Lieaoae.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

application filed December 4, 1914. Serial No. 875,476.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HOUGH- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, Harris county, and State of Texas, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of collapsible boxes of that type ordinarily constructed of pasteboard, orsir'nilar material, for packing purposes, such as are commonly used by tailors, millinery establishments, laundries, etc., whereby such a box is provided having strong and perfect corners and ends adapted to retain their shape and remain closed during use and thus adding materially to the utility of'such a box, as well as to its advantage in use,.all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similarparts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box, without its top, showing a folding or collapsible box of my improved construction as it appears when ready for use, the interior appearance being illustrated at one side of said figure and the exterior appearanoe at the other side, Fig. 2 a detail vertical section on the dotted line 22 in Fig. 3, Fig. 3 a detail horizontal section on the dotted line 33 in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 a plan view of the box blank, the right-hand portion of the figure illustrating the blank be fore it is folded at all, and the left-hand portion showing the box in its collapsed form, Fig. 5 a detail view showing the end of the box partly formed as it is being folded ready for use, and Fig. 6 a similar view with the process of forming still nearer completion.

The box blank is rectangular and of a single sheet of material. The invention reand looking, at the ends, and as each en is a duplicate of the other, a description of one end will suflice for both.

The blank A is out at a point a distance from its edge equal to the height of the sides of the box parallel with each side to a point representing the end of the botforming a flap 10 on each nesses,

- the side and each end of the box. These'flaps are then bent or scored along diagonal lines 11 and are also bent or scored along lines 12, which permits said flaps to be bent inward to extend across the end of the box toward the center thereof with the extreme end fastened by a rivet 13, or other means, to said box end, when the sides 14: are folded inward upon the bottom of the box. The end of the box beyond the line 15 is folded over on top of said ends and the rivets l3 practically extend through the two thickas well as through the ends of the flaps 10. Said portion of the end outside the line 15 is also doubled on a line 16 and again doubled back on a line 17. A pair of parallel slits 18 at a suitable distance apart are cut in the part of the end outside the line 17 and a strip of stifier material, such as wood, 19 is slipped therein for a purpose to be presently described.

In Fig. 4: I show at the right hand end end of the box straightened out, and at the left hand end the construction complete with the end in collapsed form. In forming the end as shown at the left in Fig. t the flaps 10 are folded inward along the lines above described, the sides are also folded inward at the same time, permitted by the break or score in the flap along the diagonal line l1.- The end of the box outside the line 15 is then turned inward and laid flat, as indicated at the left in Fig. 4:. When it is desired to set up the box for use the sides are folded outward, which, at the same time, by reason of the flaps 10 with the end of the box, raises up said ends, as indicated in Fig. 5. The part of the end outside the line 15 doubled and containing the stick 19 is then turned down with its ends inside the sides of the box. The extreme flap beyond the line 17 in the end being folded under engages under the part secured together by the rivets and forms a rigid interlocking connection. The bar 19 is of a length shorter than the box end and serves as a stifi'- ening device which renders the ends of the box stiff at the interlocking corners and capable of resisting an'unusualamount of Wear and strain.

It will be understood, of course, that both ends of the box are duplicates and that the cover, or lid, may be formed in the same manner. A further description of the construction is therefore unnecessary. It will secure by Letters also be seen that when the box is assembled the corners are firmly secured and closed and any danger of the corners opening under strain from the contents is entirely obviated. The sides of the box are braced both against bulging outward or collapsing inward at the corners by the flaps 1O riveted to the end pieces on the one hand, and the outer flap of the end of the box folded within 1said sides on the other hand. By this means an unusual rigid, and at thesame time inexpensive, collapsible box is provided possessing the advantages above mentioned.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to Patent is:

A collapsible box formed of a single sheet of material, which sheet is cut at a point a distance from its edge equal to the height of the side of the box, and parallel with each side back to a point representing the end of the bottom of the box, forming a flap on each side and each end of the box, said flaps being bent or scored along diagonal lines, and also along lines parallel with the normal end of the box, said flaps being bent inward to extend across the end of the box toward the center thereof, and having their extreme ends secured to the end of the box by fastening devices, the ends of the box above the normal top being folded over under the inner face of said flaps, and the fastening devices extending through not only the flaps, but both folds of the end of the box, and the portion adjacent to the outer edge being formed as a second fold adapted to turn under and provided with a reinforcing strip, all substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Memphis, Tennessee this 24th day of November, A. D. nineteen hundred and fourteen.

JOHN L. S'rou'r, JOHN M. FARLEY.

Images