Collapsible box.

Application filed September 8,1903. Serial No, 172,389. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rosa Alice Crutchfield, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and 5 State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Collapsible Box, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to knockdown or foldable boxes designed especially for use in storio ing clothing or other household goods, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character which when set up for use will be strong and durable, one which may be readily collapsed 15 and folded into compact form for shipment or storage, and one in which the lid or cover may when so desired and when the device is to be employed for household purposes be upholstered to give the box a neat finished ap. 20 pearance and adapt it for use as a couch.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 25 a perspective view illustrating one form of embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts detached. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another form of embodiment of the invention. Fig. 4 is a 30 sectional detail view.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the base of the box composed of any suitable material and of any desired form, though preferably rectangular, as herein shown, and sus3 5 tained by casters 2, disposed one at each corner. The sides and ends, which, conjointly with the base, constitute the body of the box, are removably attached to the base and to each other in the following manner: Attached to theup.4° per face of the base at its transverse center and adjacent to its opposite ends are hingeleaves 3, which when the parts are assembled register with coincident leaves 4, attached to the inner faces of the end walls 5, the leaves 45 3 and 4 being detachably connected by removable pintles 6.

Attached to the side walls 7 upon their inner faces and adjacent to their opposite ends are hinge-leaves 8, which register with coin cident leaves 9, attached to the inner faces of 50 the ends 5, adjacent to the ends of the latter, said leaves 8 and 9 being detachably connected by removable pintles 10. The 'side walls 7 each consist of a pair of sections hingedly connected, as at 11, to permit them to fold 55 one upon the other.

indicates the box-lid, which comprises side walls 13, end walls 14, and top transverse connecting-bars 15, which when the device is employed as a couch may sustain the usual 60 springs and upholstering material. Secured to one of the side walls of the top is a pair of hooks or other hinge members 16, which engage eye members 17, carried by one of the side walls 7 of the body, whereby the top is 65 hinged to the body and adapted to swing backward to permit access to the interior of the latter. When the.lid 12 is turned backward, it may be secured in such position by means of hooks 18, pivoted to the inner faces of the 70 side walls 5 and adapted to engage eyes 19, carried by the end walls 14 of the lid.

Attention is here directed to the fact that the removable ends 5 and the sections of the removable sides 7 are of uniform length and cor- 75 respond to the internal transverse diameter of the lid 12. Thus it will be seen that the ends 5 and sides 7 may be readily removed, as above explained, and packed into the lid 12, for the open side of which the base 1 will 80 under such conditions form a closure, thus permitting the device to be readily collapsed and reduced to compact form for storage or shipment.

In the form of the device illustrated in Fig. 85 3 the base 1' is provided with longitudinal grooves 20, disposed approximate to its side edges for the reception of corresponding tongues 21, formed upon the lower edge of. the sides 7', while the ends 5' are provided 90 upon their lower edges with similar tongues 22, adapted to engage corresponding grooves 23, formed transversely of the base adjacent to its end edges. To assemble the parts in this form of the device, the ends are first engaged 95 with the base by an endwise movement of the former, and the sides 7' are likewise engaged by an endwise movement and after being

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765,356 brought to the proper position are locked against further movement by removable pins or pintles 23, adapted to be inserted downward through vertical openings 24, formed 5 through the sides and engaged at their lower ends with registering openings 25, formed in the base, it being apparent, of course, that the ends will be fixed against movement, owing to their abutment with the sides. In all other io respects the construction and operation is identical with that above described. It is to be particularly noted that in this form of the device the sides will, owing to their tongueand-groove connection with the bottom, be 15 firmly and rigidly held to maintain the sections of the sides against relative displacement, and, furthermore, that in both forms the lid or cover may be upholstered in any appropriate manner to impart to the box a fin20 ished attractive appearance and adapt it for use as a couch when employed for household purposes.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produce a device of simple construction 25 which will be efficient in operation and one which is admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view. It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein set forth, inasmuch 30 as minor changes in the form, proportions, material, and manner of assemblage of the parts will come within the spirit and scope of my invention.