AN IMPROVED MODE OF ATTACHING HANDLES TO BAGS AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: AN
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Evans, of Brighton Road, South Hornsey;:
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
ATTACHING HANDLES TO BAGS AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 91st Nov 1880 and dated the 28th November 1879.
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Evans at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT EVANS, of Brighton Road, South Hornsey, in the County of
Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED MODE OF ATTACHING HANDLES TO BAGS AND OTHER
ARTICLES."
'
It has been found that when carrying a heavy load in a bag by one of the handles
in common use that a dead strain is thrown upon the arm of the person carrying.
the bag, and also that the contents of the bag are liable to receive an injurious
amount of jolting.
It is the object of the present Invention to remove or lessen these inconveniences.
This I effect by providing an elastic connection between the handle and the bag or
other article to which it is to be attached. The elastic connection may vary in
construction, but that which I have found to answer well is the following:-
Fitted to the frame of the bag, immediately below the points of connection of the
handle, are two metal boxes for receiving metallic or india rubber springs for holding
down a plunger or piston, the rod of which terminates in an eye for receiving a ring.
for coupling the same with the handle.
•
:
In place of this arrangement the metal boxes containing the springs may:
be attached directly to the handle instead of to the frame of the bag, and the
plunger rods connected by a suitable coupling to the frame. This elastic attach-
ment, it will be understood, applies not only to bags with a single handle or a pair'
of handles, but also to rug and trunk straps, portmanteaus, and similar articles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Evaus in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th May
1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT EVANS, of Brighton Road, South Hornsey, in the County of
Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED MODE OF ATTACHING HANDLES TO BAGS AND OTHER
ARTICLES."
It has been found that when carrying a heavy load in a bag by one of the handles
in common use that a dead strain is thrown upon the arm of the person carrying
the bag, and also that the bag, when containing fragile articles, is liable to receive
an injurious amount of jolting.
It is the object of the present Invention to remove or lessen these inconveniences.
This I effect by providing an elastic connection between the handle and the bag or
other article to which it is to be attached. The elastic connection may vary some-
what in the details of construction, but the arrangements which I prefer to employ
are those illustrated in the accompanying Drawing. Fig. 1 shews in side elevation
a ladies' bag handle with my improved elastic connections applied thereto, one of
such connections being drawn in section the better to explain its construction.
a is the handle of plaited leather, the extremities of which are inserted into tubes
b, b, and secured in place by cement; these tubes are divided at or about the middle
of their length by a transverse partition 6, in which a hole is made to receive a
pendent stem c. This stem carries at its lower end a disc cl, and surrounding it is
a coiled spring d. Fitting in the lower end of the tube b is a tube e, which is closed
at its opposite ends; this tube is intended to slide freely in the tube b and to receive
the spring & and also the disc c¹ of the pendent stem c within it. A hole is made
in the upper end of this tube e to allow of the pendent stem passing through it,
which stem is secured by rivetting or otherwise to the division plate b₁. The tube
e is formed at bottom with an eye to receive a ring which connects the handle
through a lugg with the frame h of the bag.
The like coupling arrangement is provided at both ends of the handle. As the
load in the bag draws down the tubes e and compresses the springs therein the
movement of the person carrying the bag will cause the springs to expand and
contract in sympathy with such movement, and thereby appreciably to lighten the
drag of the load upon the arm.
Fig. 2 shews in section a coupling for a handle for rug and umbrella straps. In
this instance a flat handle is adopted, and it is made fast by rivetting to a metal
clip which is binged to the tube b, the tube in this case being closed at top and
having but one compartment, which contains the tube e and its spring d. The stem
c in this example forms a portion of the hinge, and the tube e is connected to the
strap k in the same manner as to the bag frame in Fig. 1.
'
This arrangement, it will be understood, is equally applicable to bags.
Fig. 3 shews a modification which I prefer to employ in connection with gentle-
men's hags where a broad or flat handle is used. In this view the coupling for
one end of the handle is drawn in vertical section, the better to explain its con-
struction. e, e, are the tubes containing the bearing springs d. These tubes are
closed at both ends, and they are fitted to the inner face of the bag frame h, slightly
inclining towards each other, to correspond to the direction of pull of the handle.
The tubes are pierced centrally at top, and corresponding holes are made in the
frame to allow of the stem c sliding freely up and down.
Confined between the top of the tube and a disc c on the lower end of the stein
c is the bearing spring d. The upper end of the stem e terminates in an eye,
through which is passed a link for connecting with the handle by stitching in the
ordinary manner. To secure the tubes e the better to the frame h I provide an
overlapping plate m, which is secured to the tube and frame by brazing and
rivetting.

page_text: Fig. 4 shews in section a slight modification of the coupling Fig. 3, the object
being to adapt it to a round handle. In this instance the stem c is replaced by a
tube c*, into the open end of which the end of the handle is cemented. The
bearing spring & surrounds this tubular stem c*, and rests upon a flange at the foot
of the tubular stem.
Figs. 5 shew an arrangement of internal spring coupling suitable for bag frames,
in which the transverse space is somewhat limited. This arrangement shews a
flattened spring d in place of the coiled spring of Figures 3 and 4. The enclosing
tube, and also the sliding stem, are similarly flattened and broadened to correspond
with the plan of the spring.
A similar advantage as regards contracted space is also obtained by the arrange-
ment shewn at Fig. 6, where two coiled springs of small diameter are used in con-
junction, their sliding stems c being connected by a cross bar c. Pendent from the
middle of this cross bar is a third stem, which serves as a guiding rod and may be
used if thought desirable. Two containing tubes e, e, are provided for the springs,
and they are made fast by brazing to a plate e¹ which is rivetted to the bag frame
h. The action of this spring coupling will be precisely similar to those shewn at
Figures 3, 4, and 5, the frame pressing down upon the springs.
Fig. 7 shows the adaptation of the elastic coupling to a rigid handle of a
travelling box or portmanteau. In this instance the handle a is rivetted directly to
the sliding stem c.
Fig. 8 shews the adaptation of a hinged handle to the spring coupling. In this
instance the ends of the handles terminate in eyes a', through which rings a³ pass
that connect them with the spring enclosing tube e.
Fig. 9 shows a telescopic arrangement of spring coupling, the tubes b and e of the
first described arrangement being connected to opposite ends of the coiled spring d,
so that when drawn apart they will pull upon the spring, the duty of which will be
to retain the two tubes in telescopic connection with each other. The lower tube e
is connected through an eye at its closed end with a staple made fast to the bag
frame, and the upper tube b is connected through an eye carried by the closed end
of the tube, and through a ring with the handle a. In this example the stein c of
the preceding arrangement is dispensed with. It will be obvious that in place of
the coiled spring an india rubber spring may be substituted.
A simple form of elastic connection sufficiently good for ordinary purposes, and
cheaper in construction than those already described, is shewn at Fig. 10. It consists
of a stem c formed with a ring or loop at its upper end, and passing through the
frame h to reach a flat spring d. With the free end of this spring the stem o
connects, it being passed through the same and maintained in connection therewith
but a nut or button c¹.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Mode of
Attaching Handles to Bags and other Articles," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent I claim applying to the handles of bags, portmanteaus,
rug straps, and similar portable articles elastic couplings, in the manner and for the
purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Evans, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty