IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE OR FOLDING BUCKETS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE OR FOLDING BUCKETS to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to flexible or folding buckets.
»
The buckets of this class at present employed are defective because they always
allow the liquid which they hold to escape, however much care may have been
bestowed upon their manufacture.
This loss is due to several causes; viz the non-impermeability of the fabric
employed, the vertical seam serving to close the cylindrical piece or body of the
bucket; and the seam forming the joint of the bottom with the vertical wall. Also
the bucket remaining continually moistened the thread which is employed for the
seam, even when pitched, rots, and the natural rigidity and thickness of the fabric
used causes the folds formed, when the bucket is folded, to be worn rapidly by
friction etc.
The object of this invention is to obviate all these inconveniences.
This improved bucket comprises four essential parts. The side walls, the bottom,
the upper edge and the lower edge. The side wall is formed of a cylindrical piece
of fabric made of cotton, flax, hemp, jute or the like woven without a seam on a
circular loom; or it may be formed of felt or like materials, which are particularly
well suited for this purpose.
The side wall is made impermeable as usual.
The lower end of this side wall is folded so as to surround a string of hemp or
the like and to form a shoulder. The upper extremity also forms a shoulder and
surrounds a ring or hoop..
The bottom is formed of metal and can be covered with a colouring substance,
varnish, tin or with any material obviating oxidation, upon one or both of the two
surfaces. The metals which can be employed with the greatest advantage are,
sheet iron or sheet steel, white or galvanized iron, copper, German silver, brass,
nickel, zinc or aluminium.

page_text: The latter metal is especially applicable by reason of its lightness, and its
inoxidability in contact with the air and water.
The central portion of the bottom is provided with a circular cavity in which is
soldered a movable cap designed, in case of need, for passing the handle of the
bucket through, or a packing band when the bucket is folded. The outer edge of
the bottom is bent around the shoulder at the lower end of the cylindrical piece
thus a joint is obtained which is absolutely impenetrable for the water.
The upper edge which forms the opening of the bucket is also covered with a
metal collar. It presents the form of a ring, soldered or not, of a diameter equal to
that of the cylindrical piece forming the side wall and is bent over the shoulder
formed at the upper part of the body.
In the bucket now in use the handle is not movable. This is inconvenient, and
it prevents, moreover, the bucket being used for giving water to horses.
In the new bucket the handle is formed of two leather bands secured to the
bucket by means of bolts upon which they can turn. One of these bands passes
through a wooden piece forming a gripe, and is connected with the other band by
a buckle.
The three parts which constitute the handle can be reduced to a
minimum length of the diameter of the bucket, or they can be elongated. In this
latter case the handle with its gripe can be turned down around the vertical portion
of the bucket, thus leaving the upper opening entirely free.
The improved bucket, like the former buckets, is capable of being folded, but it
differs essentially therefrom in that the seam is obviated and that the linen can be
made absolutely impermeable.
As there are no pitched or unpitched threads no deterioration can occur through
permanent humidity. The cylindrical part being made impermeable or of perfectly
tight fabric, it is no longer requisite to employ strong or rigid linen.. The cylin-
drical piece can thus have sufficient suppleness to avoid its folds being worn by
friction. Finally, the handle which I have described can be used much better for
all purposes than that of the bucket at present used.
I can vary the bucket, above described by forming the bottom of a cylindrical
piece of fabric.
Dated thin oond dat oos

page_text: Improvements in Flexible or Folding Buckets.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE OR FOLDING
BUCKETS," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to flexible or folding buckets.
The buckets of this class heretofore employed are essentially defective because
they always permit the liquid which they hold to escape, however much care may
have been bestowed upon their manufacture.
This loss or escape is due to several causes amongst which are the following,
viz―the permeability of the fabric employed, the vertical seam serving to close
the body of the bucket and the seam forming the junction of the bottom with the
vertical walls or sides. In use the bucket remaining continually moist. the thread.
which is employed for the seam, even when pitched, rapidly rots. The natural
rigidity and thickness of the fabric used causes the folds formed when the bucket
is folded to be worn rapidly by friction.
The object of this invention is to obviate all these inconveniences.
The improved bucket is represented open or unfolded in vertical section in
Figure 1 and in plan in Figure 2. and closed or folded in side elevation in Figure 3
and in plan in Figure 4; it has four essential parts, viz:-The side walls A, the
bottom B, the upper edge C and the handle D. The sides or walls A are formed
of a tubular portion made of cotton, flax, hemp, jute Ramic or China grass or the
like woven without a seam on a circular loom, or it may be formed of felt or like
material, suitable for the purpose.
If the sides or walls A of the bucket are made of cotton, it preserves all its
flexibility when moist or wet; but there is one inconvenience, because cotton
fabric has little resistance and, moreover, it does not possess, like hemp, flax or
Ramie, the property of contracting under the action of water or moisture.
Consequently if, in the manufacture of the tubular part or body of cotton the
loom fails to beat or in the case of defects which cause breaks or spaces between
the threads, these imperfections cannot be caused to disappear, whilst on the
contrary they disappear of themselves if the fabric is of hemp, flax or Ramie, by
reason of the contractibility of these materials. On the other hand a fabric of hemp,
flax or Ramie becomes very rigid when it is wetted, it therefore possesses but little
flexibility so long as it contains any trace of moisture and consequently the bucket
cannot be folded while moist or wet.
I therefore make my bucket from a fabric the whole or a part of whose warp is
of flax, hemp or Ramie and the weft of which is of cotton thread. I obtain in this
manner a body or tubular part composed of a mixed fabric which presents at the
same time the qualities of cotton as regards flexibility and those of hemp flax or
Ramie as regards contractibility under the action of water.
The fabric A is rendered impermeable as usual.
The lower end of this body or tubular part is folded (Figure 6) so as to surround
a string or cord a of hemp or a round cord of leather.

page_text: The upper extremity (Figure 5) also forms a shoulder and surrounds a ring or
hoop b. These materials are well adapted by their nature to cause a perfect
adherence of the fabric with the said materials under the pressure of the setting
of the upper metal ring C and of the bottom B which is likewise of metal. The
bottom B is formed of metal which can be turned on a lathe, and can be covered
with a colouring substance or varnish or trimed or coated with any material which
will prevent oxidation, upon one or both of its surfaces. The metals which can be
employed with the greatest advantage are sheet iron or 'sheet steel, white or
galvanized iron, copper, German silver, brass, nickel, zinc or aluminium.
The latter metal is especially applicable by reason of its lightness and its
inoxidability in contact with the air and water.
Thus constructed, the bottom rests upon the four portions c c c c. The central
portion of the bottom is pressed inward to form a circular cavity in which is
soldered a movable cap e designed, in case of need, for passing the handle of the
bucket through; or a packing band when the bucket is folded. The outer edge of
the bottom Figure 6 is bent around the shoulder at the lower end of the body or,
tubular part, the stuff forming a double thickness upon the metal.
Thus a joint is
obtained which is absolutely impenetrable by the water.
In some cases, another setting (Figure 7) is employed, that is to say, The
bottom B is bent along the whole of its edge g; the fabric A encloses this edge
and over the fabric is placed a metal ring which is caused to press the fabric
against the said edge. In order that this joint may be made tight, between the
fabric and the metal and along the entire circumference are inserted one or two
leather rings which give the necessary flexibility. The bucket rests upon the
ground by means of the metallic ring m.
The upper edge C Figure 5 which forms the opening or mouth of the bucket is
covered with a metal collar or ring, soldered or not and of a diameter equal to that
of the body or tubular part. The upper part of the body or tubular part forming
the shoulder is provided with a hoop b which enters the ring the outer portion of
which is fitted upon the said shoulder, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing.
In the bucket now in use the handle is not movable. This is inconvenient, it
prevents the use of the bucket for giving water to horses and cannot be utilized
when the bucket is folded.
In the improved bucket the handle is formed of a fabric F folded upon itself
(Figure 10). The middle portion is mado so as to permit the sliding, upon a
portion of its length only, of a wooden hand-piece P (Figures 8 and 9), through
which passes the said handle of woven fabric. The wooden handle-piece is made
of one piece and has a groove or channel m. Thus constructed, this handle-piece,
offers the advantage that it does not warp under the action of water or moisture to
which it may be exposed.
The extremities of the handle provided with the wooden hand-piece above
described have each an opening strengthened by a metallic eye into which pass the
shanks of the bolts h h (Figure 1) attached to the bucket at its circumference. The
handle is pivotted upon these bolts and can be shortened or lengthened by means
of a fastening flap r, and reduced in length if desired to the diameter of the bucket
(Figure 4), when the latter is flattened, or be developed as in Figure. 1. This
arrangement has for its object to permit the handle provided with its wooden
hand-piece to be instantly changed from the position shown in Figure 4 to that
shown in Figure 1.
The opening or mouth of my bucket being exactly circular and rigid, a cover
(Figures 11 and 12) can be fitted to it. Any loss or escape of water is thus
obviated in an absolute. manner whatever may be the shocks to which the bucket
may be subjected during transport.
The improved bucket. like the flexible buckets heretofore made is capable of
being folded (Figure 3). But it. differs essentially therefrom in having no seam
and in the capability of making the fabric absolutely impermeable, the causes of the
imperfections which exist with the buckets now used by reason of its seams and of
.

page_text: the permeability of the fabric, disappear completely. Lastly as no thread either
pitched or unpitched is employed there is no liability to deterioration through
permanent moisture. The body or tubular part being made impermeable or of
perfectly water-tight fabric, it is no longer requisite to employ strong or rigid
fabric. The body or tubular part can therefore have sufficient flexibility to avoid
the wearing of its folds by friction. Finally, the handle which I have described
can be used much better for all purposes than that of the bucket at present
employed.
I can vary the form and dimensions of my bucket, for example I may construct
the bottom of any metal and make the bucket with á body or tubular part of
fabric, treated with india-rubber solution or otherwise rendered impermeable, or of
fabric which has not undergone any special preparation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. The improved flexible or folding bucket formed of a body or tubular part
of seamless woven fabric, the upper edge of which surrounds a ring upon which a
metal collar is fitted, the lower part of the body or tubular part surrounding a
leather or other cord or string upon which the periphery of the metallic bottom of
the bucket is folded, substantially as set forth.
Second. The employment, in the manufacture of the body or tubular part, of a
mixed woven fabric, composed of flax, hemp, or "Ramie" and of cotton, substan-
tially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third. The different modes of attaching the bottom and upper ring to the body
or tubular part, as described with reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7, of the drawings,
whereby the solid metal bottom can be hermetically united with a flexible body or
tubular part, as above specified.
Fourth. The special arrangement of the handle of woven fabric provided with
an external hand-piece of wood, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fifth. The combination, with the improved bucket, of a cover, substantially as,
and for the purpose, set forth.
D
12.
1 "
100k