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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.