or Satchels, Purses, Portmanteaus, and such like Articles.
Year: 1885

page_text: or Satchels, Purses, Portmanteaus, and such like Articles.
I GEORGE WILLIAM LEGG of Ryland Road, Edgbaston near Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
" *IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING OR SECURING HAND AND OTHER BAGS OR SATCHELS,
PURSES, PORTMANTEAUS AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
My invention relates to means whereby a bag, satchel, purse or such like article
is prevented from being clandestinely opened; that is the bag cannot be opened
secretly, other than with the knowledge of the person carrying it, as the means of
supporting the bag, constitutes a part of the device for securing and fastening it in
its closed position-Such improvements may be applied to portmanteaus and such
like articles that are not actually supported by a handle.
For convenience of description, I will first describe my improvements as applied
to a ladies bag.
The handle of the bag turns near its ends, upon joints or fulcrum centres, which
are supported by upright brackets fixed upon the outer framing. The terminal
ends of ne handle on the other side of the centres, are hooked or curved into short
fastening arms, which engage within slots pierced from the middle of standing up
brackets or plates affixed on the sides of the inner framing of the bag. The
terminal ends of the hooked quadrant fastening arms have enlargements which pass
through similar enlargements in the slotted out standing bracket herein before
described; so that in fastening the inner to the outer framing, the knob on the end
of the hooked arm, passes first through the enlargement of the slit, and then moves
up on the back of the narrowed part, thereby preventing the hooked end from
being disconnected from the fastening bracket other than in one position.
The metallic framing is that of an ordinary bag jointed at its opposite ends, the
joints being made at the terminal ends of depending sides.
. When the bag is required to be fastened or secured, the handle is turned down,
or upon one side, so that the enlarged ends of the hooked short arms, come opposite
the enlargements at the bottom of the slits of the fastening bracket, so that on the
closing of the inner within the outer frame, the ends of the hooked arms pass
through the opening, and on raising the handle into an erect position, the shanks

page_text: of the hooked arms, lie within the narrowed part of the slits with the heads
presented to the said narrowed parts, and so preventing the half bag frame from
being opened. Thus, the fastening contrivance consists of a handle cranked and
jointed near each end the said ends being provided with hooked short arms, which
pass and engage through slots or mortice openings on the opening part of the
frame; so that on a person carrying the bag by its handle it would be impossible
to extract the contents clandestinely as the handle of the bag has to be lowered or
brought at right angles to the top of the frame, in order to open the bag.
The bag requires no other fastening, other than the hooked short arms, which
constitute the means whereby the bag is securely fastened.
The handle of the bag may be made flexible or rigid as may be desired. When
flexible the ends are made into the form of mounts provided with hooked ends as
described.
Although I have described that the fastening is effected directly by the hooked
ends carried by the handle yet the bag may be fastened by a bolt operated by the
said hooked ends or short arms herein before described.
The application of my invention to portmanteaus and the like, the fastening
may be effected by securing down the handle by a lock or spring catch.
Dated this Nineteenth day of March 1885

page_text: improvements in Fastening or Securing Hand and other Bags
or Satchels, Purses, Portmanteaus, and such like Articles.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM LEGG of Ryland Road, Edgbaston near Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENING OR SECURING HAND AND OTHER BAGS OR SATCHELS,
PURSES, PORTMANTEAUS AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," 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 means whereby a bag, satchel purse or such like article
is prevented from being clandestinely opened; that is the bag cannot be opened
secretly, other than with the knowledge of the person carrying it, as the means of
carrying or supporting the bag constitutes a part of the device for securing and
fastening it in its closed position. Such improvements may be applied to port-
manteaus and such like articles that are not actually supported by a handle.
For convenience of description, I will first describe my improvements as applied
to a ladies bag.
The handle of the bag turns near its ends, upon joints or fulcrum centres, which
are supported by upright brackets fixed upon the outer framing. The terminal
ends of the handle on the other side of the centres, are hooked or curved into short
fastening arms, which engage within slots pierced from the middle of standing up
brackets or plates, affixed on the sides of the inner framing of the bag. The
terminal ends of the hooked quadrant fastening arms have enlargements which
pass through similar enlargements in the slotted out standing bracket herein beforo
described; so that in fastening the inner to the outer framing, the knob on the
end of the arm, passes first through the enlargement of the slit, and then moves
up on the back of the narrowed part, thereby preventing the knobed end from
being disconnected from the fastening bracket other than in one position.
The metallic framing, is that of an ordinary bag, jointed at its opposite ends, the
joints being made at the terminal ends of depending sides.
When the bag is required to be fastened or secured, the handle is turned down,
or upon one side, so that the enlarged ends of the short arms, come opposite the
enlargements at the bottom of the slits of the fastening bracket, so that on the
closing of the inner within the outer frame, the ends of the hooked arms pass
through the opening, and on raising the handle into an erect position, the shanks
of the hooked arms, lie within the narrowed part of the slits with the heads
presented to the said narrowed parts, and so preventing the half bag frame from
being opened. Thus, the fastening contrivance consists of hooked short arms,
which pass and engage through slots or mortice openings in the opening part of
the frame; so that on a person carrying the bag by its handle, it would be
impossible to extract the contents clandestinely, as the handle of the bag has to be
lowered or turned aside, in order to open the bag.
The bag requires no other fastening, other than the hooked short arms, which
constitute the means whereby the bag is securely fastened.

page_text: When
The handle of the bag may be made flexible or rigid as may be desired.
flexible, the ends are made into the form of mounts provided with hooked ends as
described.
Although I have described that the fastening is effected directly by the hnoked
ends carried by the handle, yet the bag may be fastened by a catch operated by 5
the said hooked ends or short arms hereinbefore described.
The application of my invention to portmanteaus and the like, the fastening may
be effected by securing down the handle by a lock or spring catch.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation a bag frame provided with improvements
made according to my invention; the bag being fastened. Figure 2 represents the
same unfastened, by the turning down, or aside, of the handle. Figure 3 is a side
elevation partly in section of figure 1; that is, the fastening loops only are shown
in section. Figure 4 is a side elevation of figure 2, showing the handle inclined or
turned down, in order to bring the enlargement on the terminal end of the hooked
portion of the handle joint, coincident with the enlargement in the slotted hole of
the fastening bracket. Figure 5 shows the bag or bag frame open.
The same letters of reference, indicate corresponding parts in figures 1 to 5 both
inclusive of the accompanying Drawings.
a is the handle of the bag or frame which turns upon the joint centres b³
supported by the brackets 63 carried by, and upon the outer framing b-The lower
extremities or the joint end of the handle a, are hooked or curved into short
fastening arms a² with knobs or enlargements as at the ends thereof, which engage
within bulbous ended slot holes c³ formed in the brackets c³ carried by the inner
frame c.
The parts c² of the said slot holes are of the breadth of the metal of the
arm, while the enlargements care of a size suitable for the free passage of
the terminal end a-d is the joint upon which the outer and inner frames of the
bag turn.
When the handle of the bag is in a raised position, or the bag suspended by the
handle, as in figures 1 and 3, the bag is fastened and the greater the weight within
the bag, the more security is obtained.
The fastening of the bag is secured, by the enlarged terminal ends a³ of the
arm a coming in front of the reduced part of the slot hole; that is, the part of
less breadth, which will not admit therethrough, the terminal ends of the arms,
thereby securely fastening or connecting together the inside and outside frames of
the bag.
On the handle of the bag being lowered, or turned aside, into the position
figures 2 and 4, the enlarged ends as are made to come opposite or coincident with
the bulbous aperture at the bottom of the slot hole c³, thus admitting of the
removal of the bracket from off the ends of the short arms, so that the inner
framing c, can be opened outwards upon its joint d and the bag unfastened and
opened as shown at figure 5.
In figure 6 the hooked fastening arm a² is situated within the frame of the bag
instead of employing raised or standing out brackets, while the bulbous ended slot
holes wherein the short arms engage are made in the front side of the inner
framing. Thus a is the handle of the bag, 6 the outer framing, c the inner framing,
a² the hooked fastening arms, a³ the enlarged ends on the ends of the said arms,
b² the joints and 6 the short brackets, the narrowed parts of the slot holes,
and the widened or enlarged parts; so that when the handle a is in the position
figure 6, the bag is fastened.
Figure 7 shows a vertical section through the principle parts of the frame or on
the dotted line A figure 6. Figure 8 represents the bag or bag frame unfastened,
and the ioner frame open. This is effected by inclining or turning the handle
aside, so as to bring the enlarged end as of the arms a², opposite the bulbous
openings c* in the gapped or slotted parts c³ made in the front framing c.
1

page_text: Figure 9 represents in front elevation, a modification of the preceding figures.
In this arrangement the fastening arm is made straight, and the terminal ends
thereof engage within slot holes, made in the top of the inner frame of the bag,
instead of on the side, or its equivalent in the form of slotted brackets. Figure 10
is a transverse vertical section on the dotted line B figure 9, in which the bag is
fastened. Figure 11 shows the same with the handle turned aside and unfastened.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts, as in the preceding figures.
When the bag is fastened, the arms a lie within the narrowed parts c³ of the
slot hole in the top c¹ of the outer framing o; and is prevented from being opened
by the enlarged end c³ lying at the back of the narrowed part c³ of the fastening
slot hole.
The unfastening of the bag is effected in the same manner as previously
described; that is, the turning aside of the handle, turns the arm a³ upon its
fulcrum centre 6, and brings the enlargements ³ opposite the bulbous opening c
in the top flange c¹ of the outer framing c, thereby unfastening the bag, and
allowing the inner frame to be opened as shown at figure 11.
In figure 12 the fastening is effected by a jointed arm which is raised and
lowered by the short arm on the jointed end of the handle; so that when the
handle is in an erect position as represented in figure 12, the jointed arm or
fastener peg e is engaged with the hole c" of the inner frame c. The said jointed
arm e turns upon a joint e³.
On turning aside the handle a for the unfastening of the bag, the short arm
raises the jointed arm or catch e out of the hole c in the top flange of the inner
frame o, thereby unfastening and liberating the said inner frame c from the outer
frame bas represented in figure 13.
Although I have described my invention as applied to a bag, yet my said
invention is equally applicable to the fastening of portmanteaus, purses and
the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Fastening and unfastening bags, portmanteaus and other like articles, or the
frames thereof, by means of the handle, or parts connected with the handle; that
is to say, when the handle is in a vertical or nearly vertical position, the bag or
other like article is securely fastened or locked; but when the handle is turned
down, or partially turned down, the bag or other article, or the frames thereof, is
or are unfastened, and can be opened. The fastening being effected by short arms,
on the terminal jointed ends of the handle, which said ends engage with, and are
disengaged from, slotted brackets or with slots made in the inner frame, substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated in figures 1 to 11
both inclusive, also the modification figures 12 and 13, in which the fastening is
effected by a jointed peg or pegs, raised and lowered, by an arm or arms on the
terminal ends of the handle, substantially as set forth.