Stocking boxes are all of the set-up type. Some have shoulders, others are on the telescopic pattern, some are made with ordinary lids. The stock is usually lined with white paper. The covering is often done with colored glazed paper. In some instances, the edges of the lids and boxes are trimmed with paper of another color. Sometimes fancy laces are placed in fine stocking boxes. The label of the stocking manufacturer is placed on one end of the box.
When putting on the lids of finished stocking boxes, or in fact, when placing on the lids of any oblong boxes, the operator can save time by setting on the lid over the narrow way of the box, rather than by placing the lid over the long way of the box.
OYSTER AND ICE CREAM BOXES.
Some concerns are making a specialty of ice cream and oyster boxes, and special automatic machines are used for printing, scoring and cutting the boxes to the required specifications. Oyster and ice cream boxes are made from Manila tag-board, and the inner side of the board is given a coating of sodium silicate (liquid glass) so as to make the boxes “water tight” to a considerable extent. Boxes of this class may be produced on cutting and creasing presses, with dies made of steel cutting and creasing rules, but as stated, this work is usually done on special machines having great speed capacity. An oyster box is glued and folded together, while an ice cream box is usually wire-stitched at the sides, and is equipped with a handle of tape. Oyster pails, and paper dishes are also wire stitched. We refer to paper dishes used by grocers for holding loose jelly, pepper sauce, lard, etc. The oyster pails have wire handles. These specialties offer a big field for the box maker who may also include milk bottle tops in this line.
SUIT, HAT AND FLOWER BOXES.
There is a promising field for numerous box makers who would care to specialize in the manufacture of suit, hat and flower boxes. We refer to folding boxes of this variety which are made with lock corners and slits, and which may be produced from single pieces of box board in a very simple manner. The Hobbs Creasing Machine, and the Hobbs Lock Corner Cutter, have been especially built for this work. On these devices the blank stock is creased and cut in such a way that both the lids and boxes may easily be folded together without staying, gluing or wire stitching.
Plain suit, hat and flower boxes are made from folding Manila boxboard and practically all of the plain boxes are made on the telescopic pattern. No covering is done.
GRAINING BOARD FOR SUIT, HAT AND FLOWER
BOXES, ETC.
Handsome effects are produced by graining boxboard for suit, hat and flower boxes, etc. Jute or Manila is generally used when graining is done. Charles Beck Company, of Philadelphia, supply a Rotary Printing Machine which has been designed for producing various kinds of graining. This device is equipped with an intaglio printing roller, inking rollers, fountain, feed-board, etc., and the sheets of boxboard are printed by the intaglio process on the order of this illustration:
