Improvements relating to Trunks, Portmanteaus, Jewel and Writing Cases, Travelling, Dressing, and other Bags, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Trunks, Portmanteaus, Jewel and Writing
Cases, Travelling, Dressing, and other Bags, and the like.
I, EDWARD BRONSDON Advertising Agent and Contractor of 5 Wine Office
Court Fleet Street London, E.C. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
A complete and novel bag, made with a wire frame in two sections, jointed at a
given point fitted with springs, and covered with leather or other suitable material.
The top section slides up and down, working on the wire frame hinged to the lower
section. The angle wire of the lower section has a "stop" groove which holds the
top section at right angles to the lower section when open. A portion of the wire
frame extends through the top of the bag, forming part of the handle or carrier.
Trunks, boxes, and portmanteaus and the like are to be made of tin, zinc, iron or
similar material on the same principle, either with angle iron, zinc, or wire frames.
The bag opens in the front and at the top with the flap falling downwards, or to
be opened upwards according to the shape, size, or pattern of the bag or case, the
top section falling back to right angles, as above.
Whether open or closed the bag has practically the same cubical interior, for
example the closing of the bag does not reduce its interior capacity to any
appreciable degree.
The hinges and telescopic frame are between the inner and outer case and do not
protrude in the interior, the contents are thus protected from damage and are
entirely unaffected by opening and closing the bag.
The handle or carrier of the bag is so constructed that its weight is equalised
and borne by the wire frame which extends over the entire bag, without straining
the joints or affecting the lock.
The bag has one, two, or more compartments or divisions in each section all of
which remain perpendicular when open.
The bag and the wire frame with springs and joints for which invention is herein
claimed shall apply to all kinds of travelling bags, dressing bags, jewel cases, cabin
trunks, portmanteaus and bags for the various commercial trades, for example,
publishers and advertising agents ironmongers, grocers, watchmakers and jewellers,
etc. etc., and for commercial purposes the different sizes, shapes and patterns shall
be named after the trades for which they are most suitable for example, the
Kentbury publisher, the Kentbury ironmonger, and in like manner for all trades.
These terms shall imply a bag made with wire frame as indicated, and suitable
to fit the need of the particular trade for which it is intended.
The bag shall be made with or without a double action lock, by which one
portion may be unlocked, and opened, while the other part remains locked and
closed, this will be performed by one lock and key.
The handle or carrier shall be straight or circular, and for cabin trunks,
portmanteaus and heavy examples, shall be inade without the cross handle.
The bag shall be made in different sizes and shapes as to height width and depth,
with the wire telescopic hinge either square, circular, round or tubular, and for
some examples it must be fastened to the outside of the bag.
Dated this 28th day of May 1892.
EDWARD BRONSDON.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Trunks, Portmanteaus, Jewel and Writing
Cases, Travelling, Dressing, and other Bags, and the like.
I, EDWARD BRONSDON, Advertising Agent & Contractor of 5 Wine Office
Court, Fleet Street, London E.C. do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
of
My invention relates to a new construction of travelling and other bags,
portmanteaus and the like which I term the "Kentbury bag," the main feature of
which is that there are pivotted to each end of the framework of the lower part
the bag, at a point preferably somewhat to one side of the centre line thereof, metal
bars or rods that pass up through slots in the separate upper part or top of the bag,
such top being connected on one side to the lower part of the bag by the flexible
covering thereof, so that on turning the side bars upon their pivots over to the side
on which the top is connected to the lower part, such top will turn over with them
into a position at right angles to the closed position, thus leaving the mouth of the
bag entirely open, while the interior of the top which is provided with fittings of
any kind is also readily accessible. The opening movement of the top is by
preference effected automatically by means of a suitable spring or springs which
force it open as soon as the lock or other fastening is released.
The two pivotted bars or rods either have their upper ends connected by a rigid
bar that forms the handle of the bag, or they may be formed with eyes or loops to
which a flexible handle is attached. Thus the advantage is gained of having the
handle strongly attached to the framing of the bag instead of only to the hinged
top thereof, as is usual.
The loose top may be variously constructed, thus, it may have the front side
where the lock or fastening is situated formed as a hinged flap, to turn up and so
leave the interior exposed on that side or preferably, the top is made entirely open
on that side, and a flap for closing the same is hinged to the frame of the lower
part of the bag and is secured to the top of the bag by a lock or other fastening.
The top might also be made with all four sides closed.
.
In order that my said invention may be readily understood, I will describe by
way of example one or two modes of constructing a bag according to the same as
shewn on the accompanying drawings.
In the construction shewn in section at Fig. 1 and in perspective views at
Figs. 2 and 3, A is the framing of the lower part of the bag which may be of wire
or band metal and which at each end is provided at B B, preferably somewhat to
one side of the vertical centre line, as shewn, with two pivot studs to which are
pivotted the lower ends of thin flat bars or plates C C which extend up through
slotted holes D in the flat side rims of the bag, and through narrow openings E in
the top F of the bag, and project up beyond this when in the closed position as at
Figs. 1 and 2, so as to serve for the attachment of a bar shaped handle G.
The top F is open at the front side and is connected to the lower part of the
bag at the back by the leather or other flexible covering thereof. To the front of
the bag is hinged a flap H which closes up against the top F as shewn at Figs. 1
and 2, to which it is secured by a lock or other fastening.
To the frame A of the bag is secured at one end a blade spring I the free end
of which bears against a ledge J on the end surface of the top F, so that when this
is closed down, the spring will be in a bent position, and consequently when the
lock is opened, the spring will automatically throw the top open, into the position
at right angles to the bag shewn at Fig. 3, thus leaving the entire opening of the

page_text: bag free. In this motion the bars C will also turn on their pivots in following the
top, which will slide outward upon the bars, until the further motion of the latter
stopped by coming in contact with the ends of the slots D, or by a stop groove
in the metal frame so that the top will then be held in the position at right angles,
as shewn. The top may be provided with fittings for stationery, toilet articles or
other objects, and similar fittings may be provided on the inner side of the flap H
if desired. This flap instead of being hinged to the bottom part of the bag as
shewn, may also be hinged to the top F so as to form the fourth side thereof, as
indicated by dotted lines H' at Fig. 3.
In the modification shewn at Fig. 4, the side bars are replaced by rods K
having eyes at their lower ends turning on the pivots B and passing up through
sockets M fixed to the ends of the head. To the rods K are also fitted helical
springs L through which the rods K pass, and which have their upper ends arrested
by the sockets M and the lower ends by the pivots B so that as the top is closed
down the sockets M compress the springs L by a telescopic action which con-
sequently forces the top open when the bag is unlocked. The upper ends of the
rods K are formed with loops K' to which are attached the ends of a flexible
handle N. Instead of arranging the springs to act in compression, they may be
made to act in tension, as shewn at Fig. 5; for this purpose the bars C are made
with slots into which are fitted the helical springs L the upper ends of which are
fixed to the bars, while the lower ends are fixed to any convenient part F1 of the
top F, so that when the latter is closed down, the springs L are extended, and
consequently they draw the top into the open position when the bag is unlocked.
The springs can be covered in by caps O fixed to the bars C.
It will be evident that the above described invention may be applied in a variety
of modified forms to bags, trunks or portmanteaus of all kinds and shapes in which
a top part is required to open clear of a lower part, the accompanying drawings
being only intended as examples of such applications.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
1-A travelling or dressing bag, case, portmanteau or like receptacle having
two side bars or rods pivotted to the lower part of the bag and passing through
openings in a separate top part which is connected to the lower part on
one side by the fabric of the bag, so that on opening the top part the side bars or
rods will turn on their pivots while the top will slide outward upon the same, until
the bars are arrested by suitable stops, so as to hold the top in a position at or
about right angles to the lower part substantially as described.
2-In a travelling bag or the like constructed as set forth in the first claim, con-
necting the side bars outside the top part by a piece forming a handle, substantially
as described.
3 In a travelling bag or the like, constructed as set forth in the first claim,
forming the one side of the top part open, and providing on the bottom part a
hinged flap that closes against the open side of the top part, substantially as
described.
4-In a travelling bag or the like constructed as set forth in the first claim,
forming the one side of the top part hinged so as to open, substantially as
described.
5 In a travelling bag or the like constructed as set forth in the first claim, the
employment of springs so arranged as to cause the top part to open automatically
when unfastened, substantially as described.
6-Constructing travelling bags and the like substantially as herein described
with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
7-Constructing travelling bags and the like substantially as herein described
with reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings.

page_text: 8-The modified construction of spring action herein described with reference to
Fig. 5 of the drawings.
Dated this 28th day of Muh 1002
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.