DRUGGISTS’ PILL AND POWDER BOXES (Continued)
In addition to manufacturing tube rolling machines for the
box-makers, James Brown, Jr. & Sons, Manayunk, Philadelphia, are
also making tubes for the trade. Instead of manufacturing the tubes,
or “barrels,” for round boxes in their own plants, some of the
box-makers order the tubes made by concerns like James Brown, Jr.,
& Sons. Afterwards, the box-makers have the finished tubes cut into
rings of the required sizes, and assembled into boxes in their own
plants. There is an advantage, of course, in the box-maker having his
own tube rolling machines.
The finished “barrels” for round paper boxes are cut into rings of
various lengths on a rotary tube-cutting machine which works somewhat
on the principle of a lathe. Some of the larger manufacturers of
round pill boxes have had special cutting machines built for this
purpose. Tube-cutting machines of this kind are supplied by some of
the larger manufacturers of paper box machinery.
In some paper box factories, where small, round and oval pill boxes
are produced as a specialty, the tubes are rolled by hand on forms of
the required sizes. After a tube has been rolled, it is placed on
another form to dry for about twenty-four hours before being cut into
small sections on a lathe. The machine-made tubes are said to be just
as satisfactory as the hand-made tubes. All of the tubes are allowed
to dry thoroughly before cutting them into rings.
COVERING FOR ROUND AND OVAL BOXES.
As previously mentioned, small round and oval boxes are first covered
with Round-work Glazed Paper, having special stretching qualities.
This stock comes in rolls, 24 inches wide. A rotary slitting machine
is used for cutting the paper into widths of the necessary sizes. The
slitting and rewinding machine cuts the large roll into strips, and
these are rewound into small rolls. The operators on the round and
oval boxes make use of the smaller rolls when covering the boxes.
The glazed white or colored paper used for finishing the boxes
also comes in rolls, and the large rolls are cut into sections, or
different widths, on the slitting and rewinding machine, in exactly
the same way as the Round-work Glazed Paper.
In some plants, small covering machines, of special model, are used
by the operators in applying the paper to the sides of round and oval
boxes. In other plants, all of the covering work is done entirely
by hand, the operators working with paste, scissors, and the small,
narrow rolls of glazed paper. This is artistic work, indeed, and it
can be done only by experienced operators.
The hand-operators work on spacious tables, and these are provided
with the tools, gluing-boards, paste-containers, and all of the
material necessary for the making of the round and oval paper boxes.
The operators at intervals rub their fingers on small cakes of
bees’ wax to keep the fingers clear of paste or glue. One operator
continually works at covering the boxes and lids; another works
exclusively at finishing, or rather, covering the sides of the
boxes and lids with strips of colored glazed paper; still another
operator inserts the necks in the boxes. The boxes and lids are then
assembled together, and the completed product is afterwards packed in
large-size paper boxes, usually holding one gross each.
CUTTING ROUND AND OVAL PIECES.
The round and oval pieces of box-board for the tops and bottoms of
the round and oval paper boxes are cut to the proper sizes and shapes
by means of steel dies and a press. A steel die of the required size
and shape is placed over about a dozen pieces of box-board. The die
and stock are then placed under the head of the press; powerful
pressure is applied, and the steel die cuts through the dozen or more
pieces of box-board, cleanly cutting out the disks or ovals as the
case may be. It is necessary, of course, to have a steel die for each
size and shape desired. The manufacturers of small round and oval
boxes have complete sets of steel dies, suitable to all the standard
sizes of work, and these dies are kept in first-class condition so
that they are always capable of doing sharp, clean cutting. Several
different dies may be put under a large press at one time. The square
or oblong pieces of box-board are cut to sizes to conform with the
various sizes of dies so as to prevent as much wastage of stock as
possible. A margin of about one-half of an inch, all-round, will do
for the average die. Steel dies and die-presses can be furnished by
any of the large manufacturers of paper box machinery.
OVAL SHOULDERED PILL BOXES WITH PROJECTING EDGES.
Oval shouldered pill boxes with projecting edges are made much in the
same manner as round shouldered pill boxes with projecting edges,
with the exception that oval forms are used for properly shaping the
boxes and their lids.
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.
[Illustration: Oval Shouldered Pill Box with Projecting Edge--Covered
with enameled paper, leaving four gold edges.]
A particularly beautiful effect is obtained by first covering an oval
shouldered pill box (projecting edges) with gold Round-work Glazed
paper, and by then covering the sides with white, buff, pink or blue
glazed paper. This leaves four gold edges. A striking color effect is
obtained by first covering the box and lid with black paper, and then
covering the sides with lavender glazed paper. Purple and gold make
another pretty color scheme.
ROUND FACE POWDER BOXES WITH DOME TOPS.
Among the most popular face powder boxes are the round ones having
domed tops. Boxes of this design also have projecting edges. Some
are covered with fine, colored and embossed paper, leaving four gold
edges; others are entirely covered with gold paper; others still have
four white or gold edges and are finished with colored glazed paper.
[Illustration: Face Powder Box with dome top--Covered with colored
enameled paper, leaving four gold edges.]
[Illustration: Beck Doming or Embossing Machine.]
The Charles Beck Company, of 609 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, make
a duplex embossing press which has been designed especially for the
“doming” of tops for round or oval face powder boxes. It is a hot
press, and by means of brass male and female dies, it shapes round
or oval pieces of box-board into convex forms for the tops of the
boxes. The Beck Duplex Embossing Press consists of _two_ complete
presses which operate alternatingly. A set of dies is placed in
proper position in each press. The operator places a box-top over
the female die of one press, and as that box-top is being embossed,
the operator places another box-top over the female die of the other
press. In this way there is always a box-top being embossed, either
on one press or the other. The box-top remains between the heated
dies long enough to be firmly molded into a dome.
The printed labels for dome-topped face powder boxes are pasted on
the round or oval pieces of box-board before the embossing is done,
so that the labels will have the same convex form as the box-board.
The covering is done the same as with flat-topped round boxes with
projecting edges.
ODD-SHAPED FACE POWDER BOXES.
Fancy face powder boxes are made in many different sizes and shapes.
Some have mirrors set in on the inside of the lids, so that the lady
using the powder, when traveling, may see her face. Novelty boxes
of this kind are “irresistible” to the fair sex. They are in great
demand, and they bring high prices. Some face powder boxes are square
with round corners; others have shapes like hearts, diamonds, etc.
The odd-shaped boxes usually have wide flanges, or French edges, top
and bottom, sometimes projecting as much as one-quarter of an inch.
The tops are embossed, or are padded with cotton wadding before the
covering is applied. The covering often consists of fine embossed
paper, in rich colors like deep red, royal blue, purple, gold, pink,
and warm brown.
All of these boxes are made entirely by hand from fine grades of
cardboard, although the tops and bottoms are usually of the ordinary
box-board, covered on both sides with glazed paper. Forms are used in
making the odd-shaped boxes, and the work is done by highly-skilled
operators who have had long experience on the one line of product.
PLAIN OBLONG POWDER BOXES.
Small paper boxes of this variety are used extensively by the drug
trade for physicians’ prescriptions calling for powders wrapped in
papers.
[Illustration: Oblong Plain Powder Box--Covered with colored glazed
paper.]
Boxes of this type are made from light-weight Manila, news, chip or
straw-board, and they are cut, scored and folded in practically the
same way as the larger-size set-up boxes. There is a machine on the
market especially designed for cutting corners and scoring blanks for
small boxes of this variety. The corner-cutting and scoring are done
simultaneously, so that the corners and scoring-lines will register
accurately. In fine hand-work, pieces of the glazed covering paper
are cut to the sizes needed. The strips of paper are pasted around
the sides of the boxes and lids, and the edges of the paper are
turned in, top and bottom.
Many small-size, square and oblong pill and powder boxes are now
being made by machines. The Improved Brightwood Automatic Box
Machine, manufactured by the U. S. Automatic Box Machinery company,
of Boston, Mass., will make paper boxes as small as 1 and ½ inches
as well as boxes of larger sizes. Another wonderful device is the
Automatic Box Making Machine, Model 33, manufactured by the New
Jersey Machine Corporation, of New York City. This machine will
automatically make a wide range of small set-up boxes such as are
used for cigarettes, cigars, needles, pins, buttons, clips, pills,
powders, jewelry, garters, etc.
SLIDING BOXES FOR POWDERS AND LOZENGES.
The small-size sliding boxes are also used liberally by the drug
trade, for powders, pills, lozenges, etc.
[Illustration: Sliding Box--Covered with gold embossed paper.]
These boxes are made from light-weight manila, news, chip or
straw-board, both the box and the sliding holder being covered with
glazed paper, or fancy embossed paper. In some instances, the edges
of the slide and box are trimmed, but in most cases plain covering
is done. The box proper is made the same as a small set-up box. The
sliding tops are made the same as the necks for square or oblong
boxes. Nearly all sliding boxes are made by hand.
The sliding tops for this kind of boxes are first made in long
sections, being cut and creased on a regular cutting and scoring
machine to the desired widths. The long sections are then cut into
smaller pieces on a machine like the Robinson Chopper, made by John
T. Robinson Company, of Hyde Park, Boston, Mass. Necks for other
styles of boxes are cut, scored and “chopped” in the same manner.
After the long sections for the sliding tops have been cut into the
proper lengths, the covering is then done. The pieces of cover paper
are cut on a paper cutter to the necessary sizes. The operator first
pastes a sheet of the cover paper around the sides of the slide,
leaving the edges of the paper projecting at each end of the slide.
Then, with scissors, the operator cuts the projecting paper, at each
corner, on an angle. The edges of the cover paper are then turned
in on the inside of the slide. The box is covered the same as a
large-size set-up box, the edges of the paper being turned in at the
top and bottom. The corners of small sliding boxes are not always
stayed, the covering paper being sufficient to hold the corners
together.
Some sliding boxes are covered with white “watered” paper; others are
covered with glazed plaid paper of various colors. Others, still, are
covered with calico paper, or with gold star paper.
OBLONG SHOULDERED POWDER BOXES.
Paper boxes of this model are generally used by druggists for holding
physicians’ prescriptions of powders, but these boxes are also used
for holding capsules, tablets, etc.
[Illustration: Oblong Shouldered Powder Box--Covered with white
enameled paper, and having four gold edges.]
These boxes are made from Manila, news, chip or straw-board, of the
lighter weights, and the side of the stock which will appear on the
inside of the boxes and lids is first lined with white paper. Some
of these boxes are made the same as regular set-up boxes (with the
exception of the neck). Others are made with set-in top and bottom
pieces. The box-board for the inner tops and bottoms of the best
quality boxes are lined with white enameled paper, the stock used for
the sides of the boxes is lined with plain white paper.
In the case of an oblong shouldered box having set-in top and bottom
pieces, forms, or blocks, are used by the operators for holding the
tops and bottoms into position as the trimming paper and covering
paper are applied. The trimming paper is applied first, then the
covering paper is put on, leaving four edges of the trimming paper
exposed.
The necks, or shoulders, are first made in long sections with the aid
of a rotary cutting and scoring machine. The long sections are then
cut into the desired lengths on a machine like the Robinson Chopper.
The outer sides of the necks are now covered with white enameled
paper, and after the paper has been turned in over the inner sides of
the necks, the necks are then inserted in the boxes, held with glue
at the sides.
Small boxes of this style usually are covered on the bottoms with
white enameled paper. The tops of the lids are not covered, the
printed labels used by the druggists serving as coverings. The boxes
and lids of shouldered boxes of this kind are both of the same size.
The trimming and covering is done in various colors of paper.
The greater number of square and oblong shouldered boxes have the
tops and bottoms set in, instead of the box and lid being formed of
solid pieces of box-board, for this reason: The sides for shouldered
boxes are made in long sections, and after the long sections have
been folded to the proper shape, and stayed at one corner, (on the
inside) the long sections are cut into the necessary widths on a
chopping machine. Naturally, by this method, the “frames” for the
boxes and lids are all of the same square or oblong size, on account
of having been cut from the one size material. This means that the
lid and box register accurately.
SQUARE SHOULDERED BOXES.
Square shouldered boxes, for physicians’ prescriptions of powders and
pills, are almost as popular in the drug trade as round boxes.
[Illustration: Square Shouldered Pill and Powder Box--Covered with
buff glazed paper, trimmed with four gold edges.]
Practically all square shouldered pill and powder boxes are made with
set-in tops and bottoms. The sides are first made in long sections.
The long sections are then cut on a chopping machine to the smaller
sizes necessary for the sides of the boxes. The small “frames” are
put on forms; the square blanks are set in, and the trimming paper
is applied which holds the square pieces to the sides. The strips of
covering paper are then pasted around the sides. The necks are made
in long sections, afterwards being cut into the required lengths.
The stock used for the necks is lined on the inner side with white
paper. After the long sections have been cut into smaller lengths,
each small section is covered on the outer sides with white enameled
paper, the paper being turned in over the edges which will appear at
the top of the neck. The necks are then inserted in the boxes, held
with glue at the sides. The lids and boxes are both the same size,
and they register accurately over the neck.
An attractive color effect for a square shouldered pill and powder
box is obtained by first covering the box and lid with red glazed
paper, and then covering the sides of the box and lid with green
imitation wood paper. This leaves four red edges showing.
Some square shouldered pill and powder boxes have hinged lids, so
that in the homes of sick people the covers of different boxes cannot
become interchanged, and wrong directions on the labels of the covers
followed.
SQUARE TELESCOPE BOXES.
The telescope pill and powder box is also popular in the drug field.
The lid and box are both of the same depth, and the lid fits down
over the sides of the box. A box of this type may be over-filled
with capsules or powder papers, the deep lid allowing for the extra
capacity.
[Illustration: Square Telescope Powder or Pill Box--Projecting edges
at bottom--Trimmed with gold paper, and covered with colored glazed
paper.]
Telescopic boxes of this class are made the same as small set-up
boxes in cases where the box does not possess an extension bottom.
When the box has projecting, or French edges, the sides are made
in the same way as the square shouldered boxes, with the exception
that the bottom piece of blank is not set within the sides. In this
case, the square blank is placed against the edges of the body, in
proper position, and the operator wraps the paper in such a manner
as to hold the bottom-piece firmly to the edges of the sides. Some
telescope boxes have projecting edges trimmed with gold paper, and
the sides covered with white enameled, or colored glazed paper. The
inner sides of the box and lid are usually lined with white glazed
paper.
SUPPOSITORY BOXES WITH PARTITIONS.
[Illustration: Suppository Box--Covered with white enameled paper,
four bronze edges--Lined with tin foil.]
Suppository boxes with partitions are made much the same as square or
oblong shouldered pill and powder boxes, with the exception of the
lids being deeper, and the addition of the partitions. Some boxes of
this variety are hinged.
The stock used for the partitions is usually lined on both sides with
white enameled paper, or with tin foil. The interior of the box and
lid is also lined either with white enameled paper, or with tin foil,
to correspond with the partitions.
The Charles Beck company, of Philadelphia, supply a paper box-maker’s
saw which is particularly adapted to the work of sawing slots for
partitions of paper boxes. The E. G. Staude Manufacturing company,
of St. Paul, Minn., furnish the Junior and Standard Slotters which
are adapted to all kinds of slotting work for paper box partitions.
The Staude slotting machines are equipped with automatic feeders, and
they are capable of turning out a great amount of finished product
very rapidly.
The edges of the partitions are glued to the sides and bottoms of the
boxes.