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HOW PAPER BOXES ARE MADE
A Practical and Instructive Book Telling
How the Beginner May Manufacture All
Kinds of Paper Boxes, with Special
Chapters on the Printing Department for Paper Box
Plants, Embossing, Gold-Leafing, Label Work, etc.
With 100 Illustrations
by
ROBERT F. SALADE
Author of “Plate Printing and Die
Stamping,” “How to Make Cutouts,”
“Newspaper Men of the Night,” etc.
Published by
The Shears Publishing Company
Lafayette, Indiana
1920
Copyright, 1920
Shears Publishing Company
LaFayette, Indiana
LIST OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
Introduction. Great Growth of the Paper Box Industry. The Field for
Attractive and High Quality Boxes. Creating Orders by Submitting
New Ideas for Boxes. Plain “Set-up” Paper Boxes--Kinds of Materials
Used. How “Set-up” Boxes Are Made. Kinds of Machines Used, etc.
Page 7
CHAPTER II
Plain “Set-up” Boxes (continued). Modern Methods of Working.
Various Kinds of Cover Paper. Gold-Edged Paper Boxes. The Stokes &
Smith Automatic Wrapping Machine. Extension Bottom Boxes. Properly
Grouping the Machines to Save Time and Labor. Larger Size Paper
Boxes With Flanges and Mitered Corners.
Page 21
CHAPTER III
Plain Paper Boxes With Flanges. Effecting a Saving of Stock. How
the Blanks Are Mitered. Efficiency in the Production of Hand-Made
Paper Boxes. Kinds of Paste and Glue Used. Equipment Required for a
Small Paper Box Plant. The Advantages of Specializing.
Page 37
CHAPTER IV
Druggists’ Pill and Powder Boxes. Round Pill and Powder Boxes.
Round, Shouldered Pill Boxes With Projecting Edges. Plain, Round,
Shouldered Magnesia Boxes. How the Tubes, or “Barrels,” for Round
Boxes Are Made.
Page 51
CHAPTER V
Druggists’ Pill and Powder Boxes (continued). Covering Paper for
Round Boxes. Cutting Round and Oval Pieces of Box-Board for Tops
and Bottoms. Oval Shouldered Pill Boxes With Projecting Edges.
Round Face Powder Boxes With Dome Tops. The Doming Machine.
Odd-Shaped Face Powder Boxes. Plain Oblong Powder Boxes. Sliding
Boxes for Powders and Lozenges. Oblong Shouldered Powder Boxes.
Square Shouldered Boxes. Square Telescope Boxes. Suppository Boxes
With Partitions.
Page 65
CHAPTER VI
Candy Boxes. The Increasing Demand. Specializing in Fancy Candy
Boxes. How the Machines May Be Arranged to Speed Production. Plain
Paper Candy Boxes. Telescope Candy Boxes. Lacing. Shouldered Candy
Boxes With Extension Tops and Bottoms. Trays for Candy Boxes. Flat
Candy Boxes. Round Candy Boxes With Extension Edges. Large, Round
Candy Boxes With Dome Tops. Large, Odd-Shaped Candy Boxes. Art
Candy Boxes.
Page 81
CHAPTER VII
Miscellaneous Paper Boxes. Wedding, Party and Banquet Boxes.
Jewelry Boxes. Handkerchief, Garter, Suspender, Necktie and
Collar-Button Boxes. Cut-out Inserts. Cigarette Boxes. Stocking
Boxes. Oyster and Ice Cream Boxes. Oyster Pails. Paper Dishes.
Suit, Hat and Flower Boxes. Graining Board for Boxes. Round Hat
Boxes. Suit Cases and Traveling Bags. Pocket Cigar Cases. Boxes
for Hardware, Glass, Tools, Picture Frames, Toys, etc.
Page 101
CHAPTER VIII
Folding Boxes and Cartons. Equipment Required for a Small Cutting
and Creasing Plant. Kinds of Stock Used for Folding Boxes. Making
the “Dummy” for a Folding Box. Kinds of Furniture Used in Blanking
Out the Steel Rule Dies. Steel Cutting Rules and Creasing Rules.
Work-Bench for the Folding Box Maker. Steel Rule Cutting and
Bending Machines.
Page 117
CHAPTER IX
Folding Boxes and Cartons (continued). Making a Cutting and
Creasing Die. Blanking Out the Steel Die. Making Steel Dies for
Cut-Outs. Cutting and Creasing on Platen Presses. Making Ready a
Steel Cutting and Creasing Die. Putting on the Feeding Guides.
Corking the Steel Die Form. Feeding the Sheets of Box-Board.
Stripping. Gluing Folding Boxes. The Gluing Machine. Cutting and
Creasing on Cylinder Presses. Making Ready a Steel Cutting Die for
Advertising Novelties, etc.
Page 137
CHAPTER X
The Printing Department for a Box-Making Plant. Equipment Necessary
for a Medium-Size Printing Department. Kinds of Machines. The Type
Equipment. Hartford and John Thomson Platen Printing Presses.
Cylinder Presses. The Kidder Automatic Printing Press. C. & P.
Press With Miller Feeder. Kinds of Work Done in the Printing
Department of a Paper Box Plant.
Page 159
CHAPTER XI
The Printing Department (continued). Time-Saving Suggestions.
Printing in Gold Size and Bronzing Box Wrappers. Burnishing.
Printing in Gold Ink. Gold Leafing for Box Wrappers. Embossing on
Platen Presses. The Hartford Electric Plate Heater. Making the Male
Die for Hot or Cold Embossing. Kinds of Composition Used for Male
Dies. Making Ready for Embossing. Special Process for Printing
Glazed Box Wrappers. Imitation Plate Printing and Steel Die
Stamping. Patented Printing Base for Cylinder Presses.
Page 179
CHAPTER XII
Corrugated and Fibre Products. The Great Field for Corrugated Boxes
and Paper Cans. The Making of Paper Cans. The Equipment Required
for Making Paper Cans. How Corrugated Paper Boxes Are Made. Various
Kinds of Machines Used. Regular Slotted Carton. Center Special
Slotted Carton. Overlap Slotted Carton. Full Flap Slotted Carton.
Half Slotted Carton With Separate Cover. Double-Wall Carton. Double
Cover Box. Telescope Box. Double Lined Slide Box. Single Lined
Slide Box. Double Slide Box. One-Piece Folder. Two-Piece Folder.
Corrugated Paper Tubes. Partitions. Printing Cartons. The End.
Page 199
HOW PAPER BOXES ARE MADE
CHAPTER I
Within the last few decades the paper box manufacturing industry
of the United States has grown to tremendous proportions, due of
course to the ever-increasing demand for paper boxes of every kind
imaginable. The manufacturers have kept in steady progress with
the times, and so efficiently have they organized and managed the
industry that today it ranks among the largest and most important
in the country. The business is rapidly developing on every side.
New uses for paper boxes are constantly being discovered. In many
instances, paper boxes, on account of their neatness, lighter weight
and economy, are taking the places of those made of wood or tin.
Comparatively few people outside the industry ever stop to consider
the fact that the paper box business has been responsible for the
success of many another business. Manufacturers of the many different
varieties of packaged-goods which are sold over the counters of
retail stores, advertising experts and salesmen, know well that
attractive, graceful paper boxes help wonderfully in _selling_ the
goods. But, the buying public in general gives little thought to this
truth. With the exception of advertising and first class printed
matter, handsome paper boxes today are one of the greatest selling
forces in business.
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. This explains why we see such a large number of display
advertisements on bill-boards, in the street cars, and in newspapers
and magazines, including the statement, “Packed in a Neat Box.”
In the present time, after a large manufacturing concern has
perfected all arrangements for making perhaps, a new breakfast
food, a new perfume, toilet soap, candy, tooth paste, or some other
desirable article, the next step that is taken to market the product
is in organizing a good sales force. Then, the manufacturers consult
with one of the big advertising agencies for the purpose of launching
a national advertising campaign. Among the first features of the
campaign to receive close study by the advertising experts is the
style and appearance of the paper boxes which are to contain the
product in question. Often, many different shapes and colors for
the containers are planned and tested before the right design and
color scheme are decided upon. The broad-minded manufacturer will
not object to paying substantial prices for attractive paper boxes
any more than he would object to paying high prices for advertising
in newspapers and magazines, as the advertising men can easily prove
to him the fact that beautiful paper boxes will help in selling the
goods.
QUALITY IS ESSENTIAL.
This does not mean that any manufacturer could succeed with the
aid of attractive paper boxes in selling anything that is not of
good quality. He would possibly sell an inferior article, by means
of advertising and appealing paper boxes, for a limited time, but
the public would soon learn whether the article was good or not.
But, the manufacturer of a high grade product may always depend on
good advertising and attractive paper boxes to help him in making a
success of his business, and this is the point that the writer wants
to make clear to the reader. The psychology of a handsome paper box
is something wonderful. Women, particularly, delight in buying candy,
perfumes, and many other things packed in beautiful paper boxes and
tied with colored ribbons. Men, too, derive pleasure through buying
goods packed in attractive boxes. All of us like dainty packages,
whether we admit the truth or not.
When paper boxes are made and used for the purpose of carrying goods
to retail dealers, in cases where the dealers unpack the merchandise
and sell it in loose form to the public, it is not necessary, of
course, to have such fine boxes as those which go into the possession
of the buying public. Large size shirt and hosiery boxes, for
example, seldom pass into the hands of customers of retail stores.
Boxes of this class should be neat, strong and of good appearance,
but there is no reason for having them expensively finished. The
larger-size boxes which are to be found upon the shelves of retail
shops are usually covered with glazed paper, in colors such as buff,
red, light blue, pink, etc. Store-keepers prefer boxes covered with
glazed, colored paper for the reason that colors, and the high gloss
of the paper help in making their sales-room look attractive.
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. Hundreds of manufacturers in various lines of business are
willing and ready to consider suggestions in the way of unique and
handsome paper boxes which may mean increased sales of the goods
or articles that they are marketing. The demand for “dust-proof,”
“germ-proof,” “damp-proof,” and the trade-marked folding paper boxes
is without end. Box-makers who are in a position to offer new-style
containers of this character will have no reason for complaining
about “slack seasons.” The fiber container field also offers
unlimited possibilities to the manufacturer of fiber products.
This is the age of progress. Creative salesmanship is now needed
in every line of business. The box manufacturer in these days must
give more of his time and thought than in the past to the subject of
creative salesmanship. He should work hand-in-hand with merchants,
sales managers and advertising experts when big selling campaigns are
being planned. The United States is just entering the greatest period
of prosperity in the history of the country, and without question the
paper box industry is to enjoy its proper share of this prosperity,
but the box-maker who fails in keeping abreast with the times will be
in danger of “falling by the wayside.”
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
Creative salesmanship, standard cost systems, efficient plant
management, and the matter of procuring a sufficient supply of
skilled labor are among the most important questions of today which
must receive deep study from the box manufacturers in general.
With these serious questions in mind, the writer has prepared this
text book on the subject of Paper Box Making for the purpose of
helping the progress of the industry in every way possible. Before
attempting this work, the writer spent considerable time in several
of the modern paper box factories, studying the mechanical equipment,
labor-saving methods, ordinary working operations, etc. Several of
the larger plants where paper box machinery is designed and made,
were also visited. In this manner, valuable data for this book were
secured.
The main purpose of this book is to _teach_ beginners, or
apprentices, the practical work of paper box making. We are not
so egotistical as to believe that we can make a trained paper box
maker with the aid of printed matter, but at least we can try to
offer simple, practical information which we hope will be helpful to
beginners. We shall try to do our very best in making the technical
facts plain and understandable, and if we succeed in giving the
reader a clear, general idea of how paper boxes are made, we will be
well satisfied.
May we suggest to employers, superintendents and foremen in the paper
box industry to place this book in the hands of apprentices for
study? It may even be possible to present copies of the book to young
men and young women who are not working in the industry, but who may
desire, after reading this volume, to engage in the interesting work
of paper box making. This is merely a suggestion, but it may be of
some value in gaining new apprentices.
This book will include information on Plain Paper Boxes, Fancy Paper
Boxes, Round, Oval and Odd-shaped Boxes, Cutting and Creasing for
Cartons, The Label Printing Department, Fiber Containers, and on
other subjects of this character. It would be almost impossible for
anyone to describe all of the many different kinds of plain, fancy
and folding boxes that are being made at the present time, so we will
merely describe the regular line of paper boxes that are considered
as standard in the trade.
PLAIN “SET-UP” PAPER BOXES.
The term “set-up,” applies to paper boxes which are covered with
separate lids. Folding boxes do not come under this term for the
reason that they are glued together at one side, and remain in
flat form until the time when they are used as containers, cut out
sections of the sheet then being folded to serve as “lids.” In other
words, a folding box is complete in one piece, while a set-up box (a
shoe box, for example), is of two parts, the box and the lid.
A set-up box must be cut, creased, folded, stayed and covered before
it is complete. The lid also must be cut, creased, folded, stayed and
covered.
Various kinds of boxboard are used for the making of plain paper
boxes, but the three principal kinds used are called “Chip-board,”
“News-board” and “Straw-board.” Chip-board is made from pulp formed
of all kinds of waste paper. News-board is made from pulp formed
of old newspapers. Straw-board is made from straw. These three
different kinds of boxboard come from the paper dealers, or from
the mills, in various sizes and thicknesses to meet all of the
requirements of the box factory.
Chip-board is more generally used for all kinds of plain paper boxes.
It is of gray color, and it has rather a rough surface. When the
boxes are to be of good quality, like a candy box for instance, the
chip-board is lined on one side with white news paper, or white book
paper. This lining is done before the boxboard is cut and creased in
shape for making the boxes. Many of the larger box-makers do their
own lining on a special machine called the Parry Liner, which has
been designed especially for the purpose. Other box-makers send the
boxboard to outside concerns who make a specialty of lining board for
the trade.
Chip-board, news-board or straw-board, when used for the making of
ordinary boxes--shoe boxes, for example--is not lined. Better-class
boxes, such as are used for holding collars and cuffs, silk shirts,
handkerchiefs, neckwear, writing paper, and “white goods” of many
varieties, should be lined with white book paper.
The first step toward the making of a paper box is in deciding on the
proper measurements. The specifications must indicate the length,
width and depth of the box, as well as the length, width and depth
of the lid. The length and width of a lid, for a plain set-up box,
must of course be slightly larger than the length and width of the
box. To ascertain the correct sizes of both the box and its lid, the
box-maker first makes models, and after these have been approved, the
regular work of making quantities of the boxes is commenced.
[Illustration: Robinson Double Rotary Cutter and Creaser.]
The full-size sheets of boxboard are fed into a scoring machine which
cuts and creases the sheets to the proper dimensions. Several pieces
of board, of the size required for the boxes, or lids, are cut from
the sheet with one operation. The machine is equipped with a series
of rotary knives and rotary scorers, which can be moved and adjusted
to the positions desired. The rotary scorers are like dull knives,
and are set up a little higher than the cutting knives; thus they
score the sheet instead of cutting completely through it.
Single scoring machines, which score and cut the sheets of boxboard
in only one direction, are used in some of the box-making plants.
In other plants double scoring machines, which score and cut the
sheets in both directions, are in service. The double scoring machine
is naturally a big time-saver on large orders for the simple reason
that it cuts and scores, _both ways_, on the sheet without it being
necessary for the operator to feed the sheets through the machine a
second time.
The cut and scored blanks, when in flat form ready for cornering and
folding, appear like this:
[Illustration: Figure 1. Showing blank for paper box, cut to proper
size, scored, but with corner-pieces not yet removed.]
The next operation is in removing the corner pieces from the blanks.
This work is performed with the aid of a cornering machine. There are
single, double and quadruple cornering machines in some of the larger
plants, but the single and double cornering machines seem to be the
most popular. The single cornering machine removes only one corner
from the blank with one operation; the double cornering machine cuts
out two corners with a single operation and the quadruple machine
removes all four corners with one operation.
[Illustration: Power Double Cornering Machine.]
The cornering devices are equipped with cutting knives, arranged so
that they may easily be adjusted. The guides may be adjusted so that
many different sizes of corners may be cut out of the blank stock. As
many as twenty or more blanks may be placed under the knives at one
time. The double cornering machine has two sets of knives and guides
which are adjustable to provide for the various sizes of blanks. In
the same manner the knives and guides of the quadruple machine are
adjustable to provide for many different sizes of stock and also
various sizes of corners.
When feeding the blanks into the single cornering machine, it is
necessary, of course, for the operator to feed the sheet four times
before all of the corner pieces have been removed.
When the four corner-pieces have been removed from a sheet of stock,
the blank has the following appearance:
[Illustration: Figure 2. Showing blank for paper box, cut to proper
size, scored for folding, and with corner-pieces removed.]
Some of the box-makers who make a specialty of fine, small-size
set-up boxes for the drug trade, jewelers, etc., have machines which
score the blanks, and cut out the corner-pieces simultaneously.
This device is for small work only, and its principal advantage is
accuracy. When scoring and cornering small-size blanks separately,
it is often difficult to have this scoring line in perfect alignment
with the corners. On this special type of scoring and cutting machine
it is necessary for the operator to feed one blank at a time. Cutting
and creasing of this kind can also be done on cutting and creasing
presses, with dies formed of steel cutting and creasing rules. This
process will be explained in another article.
After the blanks have been cut, scored and the four corner-pieces
removed, the blanks are then bent upwards on all four sides so as
to put them in form for the staying machine operation. Several of
the blanks can be bent partly into shape with one operation. The
operator of the staying machine then takes each blank and properly
shapes it into the form of a box as the stay paper is applied to
each corner. The staying machine is equipped with a roll of narrow
Kraft paper which is gummed on one side. The machine is also equipped
with a water-pan and a roller which moistens the gummed paper as it
passes along. The operator places one corner of the box in position
on the machine; the head of the machine descends and affixes a strip
of the stay paper on the outside corner of the box. The operator
then turns the box in rapid succession while the machine “stays” the
other three corners of the box. The cutting of the stay paper to the
proper size is an automatic operation, and the device can be adjusted
to cut off any length of stay paper. The stay paper placed on the
outside corners of the box, holds the box together.
[Illustration: Power Corner-Staying Machine.]
In the case of very small boxes and lids, the stay paper is attached
by hand, although the machine is adapted to small-size as well as
large-size boxes.