Chapter XXVIII: Boxes and Cooperage

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SPECIFICATIONS FOR BOXES -- COOPERAGE SPECIFICATIONS -- GOVERNMENT
SPECIFICATIONS FOR PACKAGES -- REFRIGERATOR BOXES.

=Specifications for Boxes.=--Of the many supplies needed about a packing house, one of the most important is boxes into which the finished products are packed ready for shipment. Where they are used in such large numbers, it is very essential to have a box suitable for the products which will be packed into it without waste of room, sufficiently strong to withstand handling in transit and at the same time of minimum weight on account of freight charges.

The kind of lumber used for packing boxes varies in different localities. Cottonwood is the best and wherever available, should be used. The packing house industry has created a very important outlet for this otherwise almost worthless wood. It has no natural flavor and is very desirable for lard, butterine boxes, etc. It is used for making the small-sized packages into which lard is drawn direct instead of using pails or tubs. Boxes for these purposes are usually dovetailed and have a sliding cover. Where cottonwood is not available white pine is used, although in this case it is necessary to use thicker lumber, which as a consequence makes the boxes heavier. The following list gives the kind of boxes, inside measurements, thickness of lumber in the sides, top, bottom, ends and cleats, where necessary. The figures are applicable to cottonwood only:

PORK PACKING BOXES.

CANNING DEPARTMENT BOXES.

===========================+====================+====================+
| Inside | Thickness |
| measurement | of lumber |
| in inches | in inches |
|------+------+------+------+------+------+
| | | | | Top | |
| | | | | and | |
Contents |Length| Width| Depth| Sides|bottom| Ends |
---------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
24 2¹⁄₂-lb. cans ox | | | | | | |
tongues | 24¹⁄₈| 12¹⁄₄| 9¹⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 3-lb. cans ox tongues | 24³⁄₈| 12¹⁄₄| 10¹⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
6 6-lb. cans ox tongues | 18¹⁄₄| 12¹⁄₄| 6¹⁄₂| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
12 6-lb. cans ox tongues | 18¹⁄₄| 12¹⁄₄| 13 | ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 ¹⁄₂-lb. cans ox tongues| 17¹⁄₈| 8⁵⁄₈| 4³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
6 6-lb. cans lunch | | | | | | |
tongues | 18¹⁄₄| 12 | 7 | ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
36 2-lb. cans roast beef | 17³⁄₄| 12⁷⁄₈| 13¹⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
48 1-lb. cans roast beef | 17¹⁄₄| 12⁷⁄₈| 9³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 2-lb. cans English | | | | | | |
brawn | 16 | 8⁷⁄₈| 9⁷⁄₈| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
6 5-lb. cans chipped beef| 10¹⁄₂| 7 | 3¹⁄₂| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 ¹⁄₂-lb. cans Vienna | | | | | | |
sausage | 11³⁄₈| 8³⁄₄| 6¹⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 1-lb. cans Vienna | | | | | | |
sausage | 11⁷⁄₈| 9 | 9¹⁄₈| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 ¹⁄₂-lb. cans veal loaf | 16¹⁄₂| 9 | 3³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 1-lb. cans veal loaf | 14⁷⁄₈|10³⁄₁₆| 6¹⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 1-lb. cans chipped beef| 17¹⁄₄| 12⁷⁄₈| 5¹⁄₂| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 2-lb. cans roast beef | 16¹⁄₂| 11 | 12 | ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 2-lb. cans chipped beef| 15⁷⁄₈| 9 | 11¹⁄₂| 1 | 1 | 1 |
12 2-lb. cans roast beef | 16¹⁄₂| 11 | 5⁷⁄₈| 1 | 1 | 1 |
6 14-lb. cans chipped | | | | | | |
beef | 24¹⁄₂| 13¹⁄₈| 14 | ⁵⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 2-lb. cans chipped beef| 16 | 8⁷⁄₈| 9⁷⁄₈| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
12 2-lb. cans chipped beef| 16 | 8³⁄₄| 5 | ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁵⁄₈ |
24 1-lb. cans chipped beef| 13¹⁄₄| 13¹⁄₂| 4 | ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁵⁄₈ |
24 2-lb. cans tall roast | | | | | | |
beef | 17³⁄₄| 12⁷⁄₈| 9 | ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 2-lb. cans flat roast | | | | | | |
beef | 22 | 11 | 8³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
12 2-lb. cans flat roast | | | | | | |
beef | 16¹⁄₂| 11 | 5⁷⁄₈| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
48 1-lb. cans lunch tongue| 17¹⁄₄| 13 | 9⁵⁄₈| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 1-lb. cans lunch tongue| 17¹⁄₄| 12⁷⁄₈| 4³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
48 ¹⁄₄-lb. cans boneless | | | | | | |
ham | 15³⁄₈| 10¹⁄₄| 3³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁵⁄₈ |
24 ¹⁄₂-lb. cans boneless | | | | | | |
ham | 12¹⁄₄| 9 | 4³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁵⁄₈ |
24 ¹⁄₄-lb. cans boneless | | | | | | |
ham | 10¹⁄₄| 7³⁄₄| 4³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁵⁄₈ |
12 ¹⁄₄-lb. cans boneless | | | | | | |
ham | 7³⁄₄| 5¹⁄₈| 3³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁵⁄₈ |
12 2-lb. cans chipped beef| 15⁷⁄₈| 9 | 5⁷⁄₈| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁵⁄₈ |
48 1-lb. cans chipped beef| 17³⁄₄| 10³⁄₈| 8 | ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
12 2-lb. cans roast beef | 17³⁄₄| 12⁷⁄₈| 4¹⁄₂| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁵⁄₈ |
24 1¹⁄₂-lb. cans ox | | | | | | |
tongues | 22 | 11 | 7¹⁄₂| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
24 1³⁄₄-lb. cans roast | | | | | | |
beef | 22 | 11 | 8 | ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
12 6-lb. cans chipped beef| 18¹⁄₄| 12¹⁄₄| 12³⁄₄| ³⁄₈ | ³⁄₈ | ⁷⁄₈ |
---------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+

SAUSAGE PACKING BOXES.

LARD REFINERY BOXES.

SMOKED MEAT BOXES.

BEEF CUTTING, OFFAL AND FREEZER BOXES.

===========================+====================================+
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Contents | Remarks |
---------------------------+------------------------------------+
Loin butts |... |
Loin strips |... |
Beef tenderloins |... |
Beef rolls |... |
Beef kidneys |... |
Beef livers and beef knobs |... |
Ox tails |... |
20 pcs. plucks and hog | |
livers |... |
Small ox tongues |... |
5 lbs. hog brains |... |
15 pieces sheep plucks |... |
10 lbs. beef brains |... |
5 lbs. beef brains |... |
100 pieces lamb tongues |... |
200 lbs. ice case |3-in. ice space on sides and bottom |
100 lbs. ice case |3-in. ice space on sides and bottom |
150 lbs. ice case |3-in. ice space on sides and bottom |
12 pieces sheep plucks |... |
80 lbs. brains ice case |3-in. ice space on sides and bottom |
Large ox tongues |... |
50 pieces lambs tongues |... |
5 lbs. hog brains iced |... |
---------------------------+------------------------------------+

FRESH PORK PACKING BOXES.

DRY SALT AND SWEET PICKLE PORK PACKING BOXES.

=Cooperage Specifications.=--The following specifications will serve for all kinds of cooperage used throughout a packing house and makes a very satisfactory package for the different requirements:

SIX-HOOP NO. 1 TIERCES.

Staves 33³⁄₄ inches long
Heads 20¹⁄₄ inches wide
Bilge 79¹⁄₂ inches circumference
Chime ⁷⁄₈ inch

Six iron hoops.
Head hoops 1³⁄₄ inches wide, No. 18 iron
Quarter hoops 1¹⁄₂ inches wide, No. 19 iron
Bilge hoops 1³⁄₄ inches wide, No. 18 iron
Heads ⁷⁄₈ inch thick
Staves ³⁄₄ inch thick

WOOD-BOUND BEEF TIERCES.

Staves 33³⁄₄ inches long
Heads 20¹⁄₄ inches wide
Bilge 79¹⁄₂ inches circumference
Chime 1¹⁄₈ inches

Hoops: First wooden hoop on bilge; then one iron hoop; then five
wooden hoops; then one iron hoop; then one chime hoop on each end.

Staves ³⁄₄ inch
Heads ⁷⁄₈ inch

LARD TIERCES.

Staves 33¹⁄₂ inches long
Heads 20¹⁄₄ inches wide
Bilge 79¹⁄₂ inches circumference
Chime 1¹⁄₈ inches

Two-thirds of the tierce to be covered with wooden hoops for prime
steam lard.

Staves ³⁄₄ inch
Heads ⁷⁄₈ inch

EIGHT-HOOP TIERCES.

Same specifications as six-hoop tierces, with two more hoops on, that
is, one additional hoop on each end, 1¹⁄₂ inches wide. No. 19 iron
used for prime steam and export refined lard, two weights for latter;
on tierce weighing seventy-seven pounds, figure 17 per cent tare; on
tierce weighing seventy-two pounds, figure 16 per cent tare.

IRON-BOUND OAK PORK BARRELS.

Staves 30 inches long by ⁵⁄₈ inch thick
Heads 17¹⁄₂ inches wide by ⁷⁄₈ inch thick
Bilge 69 inches circumference
Chime 1 inch

Six iron hoops, No. 18 iron.
Head hoops 1¹⁄₂ inches
Quarter hoops 1¹⁄₄ inches
Bilge hoops 1¹⁄₂ inches

WOOD-BOUND OAK PORK BARRELS.

Just the same as iron-hoop pork barrels, but covered with wooden
hoops--no iron hoops--in two and four series.

ASH PORK BARRELS.

Same specifications as iron-bound pork barrels put up bound with both
wood and iron, wood being most expensive.

BASSWOOD LARD EXPORT HALF BARRELS.

Staves 22 inches by ⁷⁄₁₆ inch
Head 14³⁄₄ inches wide by ¹⁄₂ inch thick
Bilge 56 inches circumference

Three wooden hoops on bilge, then one-quarter hoop, then one iron
collar hoop (No. 20 iron, 1 inch wide), then one wood chime hoop at
each end.

WOOD-BOUND BASSWOOD TIERCES FOR EXPORT CASINGS.

Staves 36 inches long by ³⁄₄ inches thick
Head 22¹⁄₄ inches wide by ⁷⁄₈ inch thick
Bilge 86 inches in circumference
Chime 1¹⁄₈ inches

One head; one bilge hoop of No. 18 iron, 1³⁄₄ inches wide; one
quarter hoop, 1¹⁄₂ inches wide, No. 18 iron, at each end; one chime
hoop 1³⁄₄ inches wide No. 18 iron; balance, wooden hoops.

NO. 19 SLACK BARRELS.

Staves 30 inches long
Head 18 inches wide
Bilge 75 inches in diameter

Three patent wooden hoops on each end.

SLACK TIERCES FOR STEARINE.

Staves 35 inches long
Heads 23³⁄₄ inches wide
Bilge 89¹⁄₂ inches
Chime ³⁄₄ inch

Two patent wood hoops on each end, and two on each bilge.

WOOD-BOUND HOG BUNG TIERCES.

Staves 31 inches by ³⁄₄ inch
Heads 20¹⁄₄ inches by ⁷⁄₈ inch
Bilge 79¹⁄₂ inches in circumference
Chime 1¹⁄₄ inches

Two iron collar hoops (No. 18 iron, 1¹⁄₂ inches wide); twelve wooden
chime hoops.

EIGHTY-POUND PIGS FEET PACKAGE MADE OF WHITE PINE AND BIRCH.

Staves 19³⁄₄ inches long
Heads 1¹⁄₄ inches wide
Bilge 49 inches
Chime ³⁄₄ inch

Three wooden hoops on each bilge and three on each head.

FORTY-POUND QUARTER BARREL PACKAGE MADE OF WHITE PINE OR BIRCH, FOR PIGS FEET, TRIPE AND OTHER OFFAL.

Staves 17 inches long
Heads 10⁵⁄₈ inches wide
Bilge 38¹⁄₂ inches
Chime ⁷⁄₈ inch

Two head hoops and two bilge hoops of wood each end.

=Government specifications for Packages.=--The following are the government specifications for packages containing pork or beef:

The packages must be made entirely new and of the best seasoned heart-of-white oak staves and headings: The staves shall not be less than ⁵⁄₈-inch thick and the headings not less than ³⁄₄-inch thick. They shall be three-quarter hooped over, including galvanized iron hoops with the best hickory hoops, and each one-half barrel shall have on it four galvanized iron hoops; one of 1¹⁄₄ inches in width to each bilge and one of 1¹⁄₈ inches in width on each chime, and each shall be ¹⁄₁₆-inch thick.

Each half barrel shall have a capacity of sixteen gallons and must be branded, if it contains beef, by burning on its head “Navy Beef,” name of the contractor, name of packer’s brand, and on the bung stave, the letter “P.”

=Refrigerator Boxes.=--In the shipping of fresh meats which are to be sent by express, or where small quantities are sent in insufficient amounts to warrant the use of a car, thousands of refrigerator boxes are used. In such cases a good refrigerator box is made necessary in the handling of the product to the trade--a box that will stand the abuse, wear and tear in shipping and at the same time one that is not excessively heavy, adding unnecessarily to the express charges. The dimensions given below are for wooden boxes which are generally made of 1-inch clear pine lumber, the corners being securely fastened with angle iron, or with heavy galvanized iron, and the covers put on with specially strong hinges as the boxes meet with a great deal of hard usage and when filled must necessarily be strong in order to withstand the jar and strain.

A galvanized iron box containing the meat is placed inside of the wooden box, leaving about two inches of space around it and four inches of space on top. The meat to be shipped is packed tightly into the galvanized iron box, which is then placed in the wooden box and the space around the sides and top filled with crushed ice. In this condition meat will keep fresh in hot weather for from thirty-six to forty-eight hours under ordinary conditions.

The following dimensions are those generally in use for the different sized wooden boxes enumerated:

Capacity Inside measure, inches
50 pounds 26 × 16¹⁄₂ × 9
100 pounds 24 × 18 × 14
100 pounds 26 × 18 × 13
200 pounds 34 × 18 × 18¹⁄₂
200 pounds 34 × 20 × 16
300 pounds 38 × 24 × 19
500 pounds 42 × 28 × 18¹⁄₂

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The modern packing houseChapter XXVIII: Boxes and Cooperage

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