An Improved Covered-in or Enclosed Tray, Trough, or Salver for Preserving and Displaying Articles of various kinds.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 28th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Covered-in or Enclosed Tray, Trough, or Salver for
Preserving and Displaying Articles of various kinds.
I, WILLIAM STRAIN, of the Firm of William Strain and Sons, of 22, Great
Victoria Street, in the City of Belfast, in Ireland, General Printers, 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:-
My invention relates to the construction of trays, troughs or salvers capable of
being covered in or enclosed more especially of such as are employed for the reten-
tion of articles of manufacture and the like kept in stock on sale and in which
such articles may be preserved from injury or dirt while being easily accessible
and convenient for use or be displayed for sale or for other similar or analogous
purposes.
It consists in the use of a plate of cardboard, wood, metal or other stiff or rigid sub-
stance having a raised rim or flange and at each end a cap or hood hinged
externally to the bottom of the plate, outside the rim or flange, so that when desired
such caps or hoods cover in and enclose any article or articles placed upon it by
turning them over it and by opening and throwing back the caps or hoods until
they rest upon the table, shelf or counter on which the tray, trough or salver is laid
I elevate it and display or expose the contents. Or I may arrange such caps or
hoods at the sides of the plate instead of at the ends thereof or modified caps or
hoods at both sides and ends.
These caps or hoods are preferably formed with flat portions at their free ends to
serve as feet when the plate is raised for the display or exposure of its contents.
The rim or flange may be advantageously formed along the sides of the tray,
trough or salver as shewn in Figs. I, II and IV of the accompanying drawings
so as to provide support for the caps or hoods when brought together and closed.
I also provide a projecting ledge attached to the free top edge of one of the caps
or hoods on which the corresponding edge of the other cap or hood will rest so
that the whole top will be on the same level when the caps or hoods are closed.
And I employ external elastic straps fastened at each extremity to opposite caps
or hoods or a spring or springs so as to hold them together in position when closed.
The straps or springs are so arranged that they allow or compel the caps or hoods
when thrown open and apart to remain so.
In order that my said invention may be more fully comprehended I shall now
refer to the drawings on the sheet hereunto annexed, the same letters of reference
indicating the same parts in each of the figures.
Fig. I is a side elevation of the improved tray, trough or salver when the caps
or hoods are closed together.
Figure II is a cross section of the same on the line A, B, on Figures III and IV.
Fig. III is a side elevation of the tray, trough or salver with the caps or hoods
turned down so as to raise and support the plate, and
Fig. IV is a similar view while the plate is not raised.
a is the plate, and b is the rim or flange; c, c, are the caps or hoods hinged to the

page_text: bottom of the plate, a, outside the rim or flange b; d is the projecting ledge on the
top edge of one of the caps or hoods, c, c; and e is an elastic strap attached at its
extremities to the end parts of the caps or hoods and by which they are held
together when closed or allowed or compelled when thrown open or apart to remain
80.
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:
1. The manufacture and use of a tray, trough or salver having caps or hoods
hinged to the bottom thereof substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein before described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting my improved tray,
trough or salver constructed and employed substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein before described and illustrated by the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 18th day of March 1898.
HUGH HYNDMAN,
6, Chichester Street, Belfast, Agent for Applicant.