Cartridge box

“ The introduction of breech-loaders into the military service has led to the universal adoption of metallic cartridges. The cases are cylinders of copper or brass, closed at the breech end, and holding both powder and bullet, the latter being retained in the case by a slight crimp. A small quantity of fulminate in the base inflames the powder upon being struck by the firing-pin. England is behind all other nations in the use of the Boxer cartridge, the case of which is made by a wrapping of thin sheet-brass. In the manufacture of metallic cartridges the United States leads the world. ”

“ Instead of having four flaps at the top and bottom, the half slotted carton has only four flaps at the bottom, being covered by a separate lid in the same manner as a set-up paper box. The cover is made of the same kind of double-face corrugated board as the container, and the corners of the cover are stayed. The flaps at the bottom are sealed with sodium silicate, or the joints are sealed with tape. For express shipment, the cover may be tied on. For freight shipment, the cover should be glued on, and completely sealed at the edges with tape. ”

“ Practically all of the large and successful box-making concerns are specializing in some particular line. For example, one large company is specializing on druggists’ pill and powder boxes. Another firm is making fine candy boxes of all kinds. Still another concern is making nothing except folding boxes. The specialty line seems to be “the thing” in these days, and one can easily understand why it would not pay a manufacturer in attempting to make every variety of paper boxes and folding boxes. ”

“ Many set-up paper boxes, which are made for heavy usage, such as for holding hardware, tools, toys, glassware, etc., are wire stapled at the corners instead of having the corners strengthened with Kraft paper, or stay paper. Some box manufacturers are making all of their set-up boxes with wire-stapled corners. ”

“ Some of the larger manufacturers of both folding boxes and cartons are making good use of Kidder automatic printing presses in their printing plants. In some instances the Kidder is being used for printing cartons from large rolls of carton stock, and in other cases the machine is running on big orders of box labels printed from rolls of paper. Box labels may be printed in one or two colors on a special Kidder press, and the machine is equipped with a cutting device for cutting the labels to correct size as they are printed from the rolls of paper. ”

“ For certain articles, like mattresses, for example, the dimensions of a corrugated box may be as great as 100 inches for acceptable freight shipment.
Some of the advantages of these large corrugated shipping containers over ordinary wooden boxes are: light weight, the prevention of breakage to contents, water and air-tight, easier to close and open and easier to handle by all concerned. On account of the corrugated container being firmly sealed with tape, the box is practically safe from freight robbers who find it an easy matter to “lift” the cover-boards of a wooden, nailed box. ”

“ You can always tell an old soldier by the inside of his holsters and cartridge boxes. The young ones carry pistols and cartridges; the old ones, grub. ”

“ By opening flat some carton which is nearly the size and style of the new carton desired, the box maker will have an idea of the layout for the die which will be necessary for the new carton. Follow the measurements taken with the aid of the blocks, and with pencil, ruler, penknife and blank sheet of stock, make up a dummy for the desired folding box. When completed, the flat dummy will appear like this diagram:
This dummy will serve the box maker in measuring off the sizes of steel cutting and creasing rule which will enter in the construction of the die. ”

“ Some operators of covering machines also use a cloth in smoothing the paper as it is applied to the sides of the box. Others use merely the palm of the hand. Attached to the machine is a receptacle for holding tallow which many workers make use of for keeping their hands free from glue. On the new model covering machines the cut-off device is adjustable, up and down, by means of screws, and it can be moved to and from the box-spindle in any desired position, without it being necessary for the operator to leave his or her seat. The cut-off device may be operated by hand by means of a lever. ”

“ All boxes should lock with brass locks. Shun padlocks. A master-key should open all your boxes, even should you have a thousand. Each box should have a pierced metal label slung with wire upon each iron handle. Painted numbers quickly wear out. ”

“ The important features of a cart are the wheels and axle and the tongue; if these are strong and the tongue securely fastened, almost any box will do for the body. Two tongues, nailed or screwed to the sides of the body, probably make the strongest handle, but they are not so good looking as the one shown in Plate 24. If this one is screwed to the box with six 1" screws, two in the tongue and two in each block, it will be strong enough. Some of the nicer boxes to be secured of a grocer will do for a body, tho it is better to make one one's self. ”

“ The demand for holiday boxes, particularly the kind loose wrapped with glazed paper containing holly designs, pictures of pretty girls’ heads, etc., is constantly increasing, and all of this variety of printing would also be needed by the set-up box manufacturer. ”

“ They go in and out so often none of them would even be noticed. Also, I think I know how the transistors and servos were taken out."
Rick stared. "Honest?"
"I think so. Ever notice how the cleaning men work? They have carts. Big ones, made of metal. At one end is a kind of well, for brooms, mops, and the vacuum cleaner wand and tubes. But most of the cart is just a metal box. The sides open. They carry rags, soap, that sawdust stuff for the floor, and so on. Get the picture? The warehouse janitor could have had empty boxes all ready inside his cart. ”

“ It would be impossible to specify type equipment which would be 100 per cent suitable for the printing department of a paper box plant, for the reason that the requirements of every printing department are different. It is safe, however, to install popular type faces like Lining Gothic, Caslon Old Style, Bodoni Bold, Caslon Bold, Cheltenham Bold, Goudy Bold, etc. Much of the label and carton work handled in the box-maker’s printing office is composed of heavy-face type, like Cheltenham Bold for example, and that is why the bold faces mentioned have been suggested. ”

“ No cutting is necessary for the cart, but some of the cardboard left in the cover of the note paper box can be used for wheels. A fifty-cent bit is the right size for the wheels. Lay one on the cardboard, and draw carefully around it with a pencil, cutting four of these wheels with a pair of sharp scissors. Brass paper fasteners will make strong hubs for the little wheels. Pierce a hole through both wheel and box before inserting the fastener, though, to help the wheel to turn. A strip of the box cover glued to the front of the cart serves for the handle. ”

“ Many box-makers are specializing in fancy candy boxes. Their plants are equipped to handle this one line of product to the best advantage. By making a specialty of this line, a great deal of the work can be standardized in such a way that the blanks, wrappers, neck-strips, trimming paper, covering paper, extension bottoms, etc., can be cut to standard sizes. The operators, through working continually on the same styles and sizes of boxes, soon become very efficient, and are [83] capable of producing a larger output than would be the case in a plant that is not specializing on candy boxes. ”

“ The Allen machine, as organized for heading, and making a flange upon, cartridge shells, consists mainly of a mandrel, a die, and a bunter, which are combined together in order to operate. The mandrel is a rod with a shoulder upon it, the rod beyond the shoulder being of such diameter as to enter the cartridge shell which is to be headed with a pretty close fit, and the shoulder being at right angles to the rod, and formed to support the edge of the shell at the open end of the cartridge during the operation of heading. ”

“ On the command Rapid fire, each man will load with dummy cartridges in chargers from the pouch or cartridge pocket, the pocket being buttoned up each time a charger is withdrawn, and aim ten rounds at an aiming disc held to the instructor’s eye. ”

“ It has been only during recent years that manufacturers, advertising men and salesmen have been giving closer attention to the selling power of high grade paper boxes. In days gone by the quality and appearance of paper boxes received little consideration. Some years ago, a plain, commonly-made box was considered good enough for the purpose, but not so in these days. In this age the average buyer would not be interested in a nationally-advertised product if it were packed in a mean-looking box, no matter how excellent the product may be. ”

“ After being cut up into lengths of about 3 inches, the gelatine is rolled up in cartridge paper. Waterproof paper is generally used. The cartridges are then packed away in cardboard boxes, which are again packed in deal boxes lined with indiarubber, and screwed down air tight, brass screws or zinc or brass nails being used for the purpose. These boxes are sent to the magazines. Before the boxes are fastened down a cartridge or so should be removed and tested by the heat test, the liquefaction test, and the test for liability to exudation. ”

“ A murderous contrivance it was;—a veritable infernal machine! Twelve cartridges such as are used in a common pistol, about an inch in length, lay imbedded in a paste of some kind, covered with fulminating powder, and so connected with a bunch of friction matches, a strip of sand-paper, and a piece of linen attached to the lid, that on opening the box the matches would be ignited and the whole exploded. The package was sent to the War Department, and the following report was returned, giving a detailed description of the machine:
WASHINGTON ARSENAL, Jan. 16, 1866. ”

“ As the business grows other machines of greater capacity may be added to the plant. In due course of time the manufacturer could have a double scoring machine, and perhaps an automatic wrapping machine, installed, but it would not be advisable for the box-maker to invest money in such machines unless he controlled enough business to keep them constantly busy. It would be a mistake for the manufacturer to buy an automatic wrapping machine, or other extraordinary equipment, when he is not sure of having sufficient work to provide for such equipment. ”

“ Each box is connected by two wires with the head office at the City Hall, and has its number painted in red, and a notice stating where the key is kept, which is generally the nearest house. The authorities usually confide the key to some person whose premises are open all night, such as the proprietor of an hotel, an apothecary, or a doctor. When the box is opened, nothing is seen but a small hook at the top, the interior being concealed by another iron lid. Under this second lid is a steel cylinder with pieces of ebony let into its circumference to correspond with the number of the box. ”

“ These are very important facts that every paper box manufacturer must keep in mind, and the more attention that is given to the aesthetic side of paper box making, the better for the business in general. The field for fine and fancy paper boxes, as well as for plain boxes, is without limitations. It is a rich, fertile field, and the manufacturer with new ideas and good business management can “plant and grow” all the orders for paper boxes that he may care to handle.
The box-maker with ideas does not have to wait for orders to come to him. ”

“ There are a few implements that are necessary to the use of a breech-loader, which are much simpler than they at first appear. To load the cartridge is required either a short ramrod and a machine for turning over the edges of the case upon the wad, to retain it in its place, or an apparatus, also invented by Jeffries, that combines all the requisites for loading, and by the aid of which a hundred cartridges{38} can be loaded in an hour. ”

“ The forms for the oval boxes are usually made of hard-wood, and they are accurately cut and smoothly finished so that the box and lid will fit nicely together. The covering is done while the box, or the lid, remains on the form. The regular rings, cut from the round tubes are used, and these round rings are easily placed over the oval forms. Extreme care must be exercised by the operator when applying the Round-work Glazed paper to the sides and projecting edges of the oval boxes and lids. The work of setting in the necks is comparatively simple. ”

“ Jars soon came into vogue, and there are quite ancient specimens, especially the old japanned boxes, ornamented with figures in gilt.
There is, of course, a vast difference between the storage jar and the smaller box carried about by the smoker much in the same way as the pouch is now used. Many still prefer metal to other materials, and it is no uncommon thing to see brass and steel boxes in use in industrial districts. Few, however, excepting modern replicas of the antique, are decorated in the way the old Dutch tobacco boxes of brass were in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. ”

“ Then he got tired and sat down, and all at once he thought what fun it would be if the key fitted the box, for it had a little keyhole in it. So he took the little key out of his pocket, and then he blew first into the pipe of the key, and afterwards into the keyhole, and then he put the key into the keyhole and turned it. "Snap!" it went within the lock; and when he tried the hasp, the box was open.
But can you guess what there was in the box? Why, a cow's tail; and if the cow's tail had been longer, this story would have been longer too. ”

“ The machine is designed to apply end-pieces to the bottom and sides of a box, causing the ends to adhere to the in-turned flanges at either end of the box. The body of the box is placed upon the form by the operator with the flanges lying flat upon the surface. The end-pieces are placed in a hopper, and the machine automatically feeds the undermost end-piece forward, applies paste to three edges as it is being fed, registers the end accurately with the box-body upon the form, and then presses the end-piece firmly to the flanges. ”