A NEW OR IMPROVED T DER
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Drew, of Regent Circus, Piccadilly, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
T DER"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Drew at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th March 1873.
I, JOHN DREW, of Regent Circus, Piccadilly, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A
NEW OR IMPROVED COMPENDIUM OR RECEPTACLE APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS USEFUL
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The Invention is designed for the purpose of supplying passengers
travelling in the compartment or compartments of railway or other
carriages with a portmanteau that will at one time partake both of the

page_text: nature of a receptacle or box for containing luggage (that may be in
constant and immediate requirement whilst travelling) and a small self-
supporting table, upon which chess, cards, or other similar games may
be played to beguile the tediousness of the time whilst travelling; or the
box, if desired, may be employed for containing refreshments, off the top
of which when formed into a table the same may be partaken.
The improvements consist in constructing a box or receptacle, say for
example about fifteen inches square and nine inches deep, with under
sliding supports and expanding or sliding top or flaps, in the manner
and for the purpose or purposes following:-The base or bottom of the
box is proxided with sliding pieces or legs, and the top with a sliding or
expanding leaf or flap, the whole of which when not required for use
takes up no visible space beyond that of an ordinary box or portmanteau.
When it is desired to make use of the box as a table for the purposes of
"play" or support for refreshments when travelling, for example, in a
railway carriage, the under supporting slides with which in this instance
the box is supplied in lieu of legs are drawn out, in which state they
form rests or supports that reach across and bear upon either side of
railway carriage seats or the chairs of the persons presiding at such
table. In order now to transform this top or lid of the box into a table a
duplicate top, leaf, or flap with which the lid is supplied is now turned
over, being connected by a flexible or leather hinge at its joining edges;
the other half or portion of the lid still covering the top of the box,
and connected thereto by studs sliding in slots, is now drawn off the same a
distance that will admit of the previously turned over leaf or flap to rest
equally with the one drawn off on the top of the box, or two flaps may
be used, thus forming a secure bed or foundation upon which articles
may be securely placed, and on which chess, cards, or other games may
be comfortably played. The surface of the table for the purposes of play
may partake of the design of a chessboard, and may be also perforated
or otherwise indented for counters or scoring the game.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Drew in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
DREW, of Regent Circus, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, send
grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Drew, Her special licence that
I, the said John Drew, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Drew, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED COMPENDIUM OR
RECEPTACLE APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, th esaid John Drew, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Drew, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, and accompanying Drawings, that is to
say:
The Invention is designed for the purpose of supplying passengers
travelling in the compartment or compartments of a railway or other
carriage with a portmanteau that will at one time partake both of the
I nature of a receptacle or box for containing luggage (that may be in
constant and immediate requirement whilst travelling) and a small self-
supporting table, upon which chess, cards, or other similar games may

page_text: be played to beguile the tediousness of the time whilst travelling; or the
box, if desired, may be employed for containing refreshments, off the top
of which when formed into a table the same may be partaken.
The improvements consist in constructing a box or receptacle, say for
example about fifteen inches square and nine inches deep, with under
sliding supports and expanding or sliding top or flaps, in the manner
and for the purpose or purposes following:-The base or bottom of the
box is provided with sliding pieces or legs, and the top with a sliding or
expanding leaf or flaps, the whole of which when not required for use
takes up no visible space beyond that of an ordinary box or portmanteau.
When it is desired to make use of the box as a table for the purposes
of play or as a support for refreshments when travelling, for example, in
a railway carriage, the under supporting slides with which in this
instance the box is supplied in lieu of legs are drawn out, in which state
they form rests or supports that reach across and bear upon either
side of railway carriage seats or the chairs of the persons presiding at
such table. In order now to transform the top or lid of the box into
a table a duplicate top, leaf, or flap with which the lid is supplied is now
turned over, being connected by a flexible or leather hinge at its joining
edges; the other half or portion of the lid still covering the top of the
box, and connected thereto by studs sliding in slots, is now drawn off the
same a distance that will admit of the previously turned over leaf or flap
to rest equally with the one drawn off on the top of the box, or two flaps
may be used, thus forming a secure bed or foundation upon which
articles may be securely placed, and on which chess, cards, or other
games may be comfortably played. The surface of the table for the
purpose. of play may partake of the design of a chessboard, and may
be also perforated or otherwise indented for counters or scoring the
game.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained
in detail I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings made about one-
fourth the ordinary size, similar letters of reference being marked on
corresponding parts on all the Figures alike.
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of the compendium when used as
a table, having the supporting slides drawn out; Fig. 2 represents a
front view of the same, shewing the manner in which it is supported
transversely between the seats of the carriage; Fig. 3 represents a plan

page_text: view of the same when the lid is opened; Fig. 4 represents a similar
view with the hat and provision case withdrawn, shewing the internal
arrangement for stowing away articles serviceable for luncheon and
toilet; and Fig. 5 represents the external view of the compendium
as it would appear in its normal state when closed up packed for
travelling.
In these Figures a, a, is the box or receptacle, the base or bottom of
which is supplied with slides b, b, which form supports or legs, and the
upper part of the lid or cover is provided with leaves or flaps c, c, the
whole of which when not required for use occupy no visible space beyond
that of an ordinary box or portmanteau, as seen at Fig. 5.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the compendium is shewn as a table employed during
travelling for the purposes of play or as a support for refreshments.
When used in this manner the slides b, b, are drawn out so as to extend
across and rest upon either side of the railway carriage seats, as seen in
Fig. 2, or the compendium may be used elsewhere and be supported by
and rest upon the chairs in a similar manner to that above described.
In order now to transform the top of the lid into a table the leaves or
flaps c, c, are turned back until they rest upon a plane with the now
exposed level of the lid top, the surface of which may partake of the
design of a chessboard. The interior of the compendium is made
serviceable for containing articles suitable for travellers.
Figs. 3 and 4 show as an example one arrangement how the interior
of the box can be fitted up. Fig. 3 shews its appearance when first
opened. In this view d is the hat box, into the well of which the hat and
provision case e are placed, the provision case e being supported by the
arms ff, resting in indents formed in the sides of the compendium so as
not to touch the hat. On removing the provision case e and the hat box d
the interior then exposed will be similar to that shewn at Fig. 4, and in
which it will be seen that the whole of the interior space not occupied
by the hat box d contains pockets and nests for supporting and holding
articles for the toilet and requisite for luncheon.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
distinctly understood in conclusion that I claim, constructing a box or
portmanteau that will combine therewith the means of being transformed
into a self-supporting table, in the manner and to be employed for the

page_text: purpose as herein substantially set forth, and fully illustrated in the
Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Drew, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
JOHN DREW. (L.S.)