Improvements in Bag Frames and Fastenings for the same.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 21st Oct., 1891-Accepted, 29th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bag Frames and Fastenings for the same.
I, JOHN BOULTREE BROOKS, of 115 Great Charles Street, Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The fastenings are chiefly intended as auxiliary catches for the ends of the
frame, and I construct them as follows:-
or the box
To the lock-carrying or outer part of the frame, I attach outside the frame a
raised plate or escutcheon with a central hole, through which projects the stud or
button which releases the fastening catch. To the under side of the escutcheon is
fixed a flat rectangular box which projects downwards inside the bag;
may be fixed to the frame itself instead of to the escutcheon, in which latter case
the escutcheon may be dispensed with, when the stud would be covered over by
the leather frame-cover; the leather being left sufficiently loose to allow of the
requisite movement of the stud.
In the front of the box is pierced a hole through which enters the staple which
is attached to the other half of the bag frame; and a second hole is pierced
through the back of the box directly opposite the front one, through which works
the stop-bolt. Inside the box is a sliding catch plate, which is pressed upwards by
a spring under it and which terminates above in the stud or button which projects
above the frame. The centre of the catch. plate is pierced out, and from the lower
edge of the opening thus formed, the catch projects upwards. The parts are so
placed that when the catch plate is at its highest, the catch is opposite to and
between the holes which are in the front and back of the box respectively. To
the back of the box on its outside, is fixed one end of a flat spring of suitable
shape, and to the other end of this flat spring is fixed a horizontal stop-bolt which
works through the hole in the back of the box, and is pressed forward by its
spring.
The action of the fastener is then as follows,-When the bag is closed, the
staple fixed to the one side of the bag frame lies within the box, which is fixed to
the other side of the frame, and is held there by the catch. The stop bolt lies at
the back of the box, with its front end against the staple.
On pressing down the stud, the catch is depressed below the staple, which is
released: and the stop bolt, pressed forward by its spring, throws the staple
out of the box, and remains over and across the catch, thus preventing the catch
from rising again. On the bag being again closed, the staple entering the box of
the fastener, pushes back the stop-bolt, and allows the catch to rise again through
the staple and hold it.
If the automatic action be not desired, the fasteners may be made to work with a
key; in which case the box fixed inside the frame has a nozzle projecting upwards
through the frame cap to admit the key, and a hole in the front of the box to
admit the staple or hook which is fixed to the other side of the frame. Inside
the box, the bolt is held in its place by a spring and is shot forwards or backwards
by the key and thus engages with or is disengaged from the staple.
The next improvement is connected with the staple-plate of the ordinary bag
lock. The staple-plate being usually rivetted to the inner half of the bag frame
and projecting inside of it, is apt to be caught against when inserting the hand
quickly into the bag. To obviate this, instead of fixing the staple-plate firmly to
the frame, I mount it in suitable slides; and instead of fixing the leather tab
which is used for pulling the bag open, to the bag itself, I fix it to the back of the
staple-plate. When the lock is released and the bag pulled open by the tab,the

page_text: Small
When the
staples are drawn back, leaving the inner side of the frame clear.
projections on the staple plate prevent its being drawn too far back.
bag is closed again the usual pressure opposite the lock forces the staples forward
again and into the lock.
It is usual to scollop a piece of metal out of the inner cap of the frame opposite
to the lock to allow the frame to close properly. This weakens the centre of the
frame, so instead of cutting out the piece, I simply bend it upwards or downwards
and fold it completely over quite flat on to the cap again, thereby greatly
strengthening the cap.
In the Gladstone bag frame, a wire rod runs across the bottom of the frame,
connecting the two hinges, and on this wire the hinges are made. In the ordinary
hinge, the two flat metal strips, one from each half of the frame, approach the
hinge directly opposite one another, and as the hinge is formed by curling both
strips round the wire, half the width of each strip of metal has to be cut away at
the hinge. To avoid thus cutting away half the strength of the metal, I take the
strip from one side of the frame directly to the wire and curl it over; but as the
strip from the other side approaches the wire, I curve it bodily sideways before
carrying it to, and curling it over the wire, so that at the hinge the outside edge of
the one strip lies against the inside edge of the other, thus gaining a hinge of
double the length and strength of the usual pattern.
In brief bag and similar frames, where the hinge just described would be an
objection on account of its length, Í form the hinge as follows-I twist round the
edge of each of the strips of metal, so that the width of the end is at a right angle
with the width of the strip; drill a hole through the ends of both strips, place
them side by side and fasten a rivet through them.
Dated this 28th day of January 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bag Frames and Fastenings for the same.
I, JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS, of 115 Great Charles Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain detail improvements in bag frames, and consists
first, in the end fasteners or catches; secondly, in the middle locks or fasteners;
thirdly, in shifting staple plates, or combined movable staple plates with tab
connections, by means of which latter, the inner frame or inner cap, is opened from
the outer one; fourthly, in strengthening the lock clearance, of the inner cap, and
fifthly, in the joints or hinges.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents partly in section, and partly
in elevation, a bag frame, having both end and middle fasteners or catches, and
also hinges or joints uniting together the respective caps, by the side or inner
framings of them constructed and arranged according to my invention.
The said frame of the bag, which is shown closed, has the left hand fastener or
catch in section, in order to show the central pusher directed and working within the
middle of it, and the staple catches, taking through a central piercing, and upon
the middle stud, erected from the bottom of the said piercing.
Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical section of an end fastener and bag
frame, with the caps closed, and upon the dotted lines A B Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a like sectional view as Figure 2, but with the bag
open, or the inner and outer component frames, technically known as the caps,
separated.
Figure 4 represents a back elevation of the middle lock or fastener, whose shoot
and spring are made combined, or all in one piece.

page_text: Figure 6 represents a transverse section of the said middle lock or fastener part, on
the dotted lines E F Figure 1.
Figure 7 shows a like sectional view as Figure 6, but with the bag frame open,
and the movable or sliding staple plate, withdrawn.
Figure 8 shows a plan of the said movable staple plate, with a portion of the
inner cap separately.
Figure 9 shows a plan of the middle portion of the frame of the inner cap, which
is usually cut away to make clearance for the lock fitting, on the closing of the bag
or bag frame.
By my improvements, the clearance has a roll edging, or is strengthened by the
turning in, or folding under, of the metal of the said clearance, instead of the same
being cut away.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 9.
a is the outer frame or cap, consisting of a skeleton angle framing, and is the
inner cap and like framing, jointed together, with the vertical sides or inner
fastenings a, b, of them, connected together at their terminal ends by hinged
joints c, formed by turning the extreme ends a³, 63, of the said sides or inner
end a², 6, at right angles respectively to the planes of the said sides, and then
united, or a joint formed, by a pin or rivet c².
Each of the end fasteners or catches, consists of a fixed frame d connected to the
top web of the cap a, and having an inwardly depending rectangular frame d³,
directed through the inner cap b.
Working within the middle of the said frame d, is a pusher e, with the head
thereof, protruding outwardly through the top, and with the plate e², working
within the rectangular space, comprehended by the sides d².
The middle of the said plate e, has an opening e, which, when the staple plate
is removed, or the bag frame opened as in Figure 3, is partially filled by a block,
the
carried by a spring, so that, when the said block is in the said opening e³,
pusher is prevented from rising, and which pusher is normally pressed up by
springs g, and the staple plate h, secured, by the peg e', at the bottom of the
opening e, taking into the eye 2, of the staple plate, hence the fastening.
Thus, by the closing of the frame, or the passing of the inner cap b, into the
outer one a, the extreme end of the staple plate pushes the block, outwardly and
from above the peg e, when on the eye of the staple plate coming coincident with
the said peg, the pusher rises, by the springs g, hence the fastening.
To open the frame, depress the pusher e, when the inner cap can be removed
from the outer one, and on the retiring of the staple plate, the block, auto-
matically takes its place, and prevents the pusher from again rising, until the bag
is again closed, see Figure 3.
The middle lock or fastener, consists of a carrying plate i, with sliding key way
post j, having locking bar 2, of the ordinary construction.
k, k², is a combined shoot and spring, for fastening the lock, and for retaining the
shoot in its shot or unshot positions, after the shoot has been withdrawn or shot by
the key as usual.
The staple plate of the said middle lock, is made to perform the function of both
a staple plate, and a tab carrier, and the object of this part of my invention, is to
withdraw the staple plates from the inside of the bag or frame, flush, or nearly so
with the fittings, so that the hand, in passing into the mouth of the bag, does not
come in contact with outstanding parts or staple plate ends, as is now common in
bags with fittings of the ordinary construction.
is the staple plate, with stop ends 12, eyes 13, and with
through guide holes or openings 6, of the inner cap.
tab 16.
Thus, when the bag is fastened, the act of closing the
staple plate, which becomes fastened as in Figure 6.
the branches, working
is the loop of the pull-
caps, pushes inwards the

page_text: The unlocking of the fastener, the pressing inwards of the key-way post j, and
the opening of the frame by the pulling of the table, pulls outwardly the staple
plate, hence the removal of obstruction or outstanding parts from the mouth of, or
entrance to, a bag, as in Figure 7.
The metal of the middle of the outer frame approximate to the lock, is made
strong by folding undermost the metal, which is removed for the clearance, see
Figure 9, and which thickening or rolling over of the metal, is indicated by the
letter, of which the sections are clearly shown at Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 10 represents a "Gladstone "bag, provided with modified forms of end
fastening attachments, and also a modified form of joint for inner frames of the
caps.
In this joint, the ends of one of the sides of the caps, are cranked out of the
plane of the ends of the other side, instead of cranking the ends of both sides at
right angles, as in the previous arrangement of joint.
Figure 11 is an end view of the joint, and Figure 12 is a horizontal section of
one of the end fasteners.
a is the outer cap, and, the inner one, with both the ends 3, of the sides 63,
rolled into joints, and connected to a pivot axis and stay c².
The ends a³, of the sides a², of the outer cap a, are cranked or bent inwards,
clear of the joint, and rolled into joints a', which encircle the pivot axis and
stay, approximate to and inside the parts encircled by the joints .
The end fasteners, which are locking ones, are locked and unlocked by the direct
action of the key upon the bolt or shoot.
Thus d is an end fastener, with sliding pusher 2, having at its inner end a plate,
which is blocked by a stump or stumps 4, (as usual with middle fasteners) carried
by a combined shoot and spring k, 2. The part, of the said shoot is, when shot
as in Figure 12, adapted to engage behind the hook part of the staple 1, which is
carried by the inner cap b, whilst the fastener is carried by the outer cap a,
and
further, the key stump is marked d³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
-
First In a bag frame end or auxilliary fastener, consisting of a frame, having
working within it a pusher, impelled upwards by a spring or springs, and having
within it, an opening, with a peg on its lower side, which engages with a staple
plate, when the frame is closed, but impinges against an automatic block, when
the frame is open, hence the retaining of the pusher in its compressed position,
which is released by the said staple plate, pushing away the said block in advance
of the fastening, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly The automatic blocking of the pusher, by an introduced or spring
block or catch, on the retiring of the staple plate or plates, substantially as
described and set forth.
:-
Thirdly In combination with bag frames and their end fasteners, as herein
described, of bolts or shoots, having their retaining or action springs, made integral
or in one piece, substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly-In bag frames, making the joints of them, from the ends of the sides
of the frames, and by turning the same at right angles to the planes of them, as set
forth in Figures 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, and marked a³, b³, €2.
Fifthly In bag frames, making the staple plates of them, loose, sliding or
movable, so as to admit the inner ends or parts of them, being drawn inwards,
substantially as, and for the purpose, as described and set forth in Figures 6, 7
and 8.
:-
Sixthly In bag frames, strengthening the edges of the lock clearances, by
folding or rolling the metal of the same undermost, or uppermost, as set forth in
Figures 6, 7 and 9.

page_text: Lastly-In the joints of "Gladstone" bags, cranking the terminal ends of the
side or inner frame of one of the caps inwardly, out of the plane of the side or inner
frame of the other cap, and connecting the said ends together, by a pin, or by an
axis, substantially as set forth in Figures 10 and 11.
Dated this 14th day of October 1891
JOHN BOULTBEE BROOKS,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.