An Improved Medicine Chest.
Year: 1887

page_text: An Improved Medicine Chest.
I, TERRY JOHN HUTTON of Fergus Falls in the State of Minnesota one of the
United States of America, Physician and Surgeon, 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:-
This invention consists in a peculiarly partitioned and constructed Medicine, Chest
of a flat shape composed, mainly, of upper and lower chest-sections hinged together
and provided with various conveniences, substantially a
as hereinafter shown and
described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Figure 1 represents a view in perspective of my improved medicine chest when
closed and locked. Fig. 2 is a face view of the chest when opened, but showing the
upper section as closed by a special lid and parts being broken out. Fig. 3 is a
further face view of the open chest with the lid of the upper section thrown back and
supported in an inclined position, for a purpose hereinafter specified. Fig. 4 is an
end view with the parts in the same position as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is perspective
view, upon a larger scale, of a section or piece of a peculiarly-struck-up metal strip
for holding the lower ends of the vials in position; and Fig. 6, a vertical section of
the front end part of the chest when closed in illustration of the peculiar fastening
used to lock or keep it closed.
The chest, which, when closed, forms a case of flat rectangular shape, and is
composed of an upper main section, A, and lower main section, B, hinged together at
their one end, as at b, may be made of wood or other suitable material and of any
desired size. The lower main section, B, is principally divided into two longitudinal
vial-holding compartments, CC, arranged one above the other, and a central com-
partment, D, which projects up into the compartment C, whereby vials of equal length
may be arranged within the compartment on each side of the compartment D, and
shorter vials over or above the compartment D, while the lower compartment C';

page_text: may be of a size to hold vials of still another or greater length. In this way the
section B of the chest is made to hold vials of several assorted lengths or depths. The
necks or upper portions of these vials rest within scooped out spaces or recesses c,
made in longitudinal strips dd, while their lower end portions rest within open-
sided pockets e e, upon the dividing-strip between the compartments CC, along
the upper side of the central compartiment, D, and along the interior of the
lower marginal portion of the compartment C. These pockets e e, which are
arranged opposite or in line with the scooped-out spaces
are made
by metal strips g stamped or cut and with their cut portions bent to form
wings, as more clearly shown in Fig. 5. Said strips y, are tacked or otherwise
secured to their places and form rests as well as pockets for the bottoms of the vials.
They will be found much more durable and stronger, and occupy less space than
wooden strips constructed to form pockets, and are very much cheaper. The upper
and lower longitudinal margins of the chest section A have slight incisions made in
their faces, but stopping short of the exterior of the chest, to more readily distinguish
the separation of the vials, and to receive label or printing between them explanatory
of the contents of the vials. The central rectangular compartment, D, in the lower
chest-section, B, may be used to contain a drop measure, plasters, a surgical needle,
and camel hair brush, and other articles.
•
The upper section, A, of the chest is divided by transverse partitions k kb, and a
longitudinal partition, m, into a lower intermediate compartment, E, which may be
used to contain mustard leaves, and two upper intermediate smaller compartments, FF,
which may be used to hold a bandage-strip in roll form, and a Spanish-fly plaster or
other articles. The partitions and m are made of less depth than the partitious kk,
to receive a hand-hook of directions over them between the partitions kk, when a
lid, G, which carries said handbook, when open as hereinafter described, is closed.
Upon either side of the compartment E and F F, are compartments III for vials,
said compartments being arranged one above the other and being formed in part of
strips d, having scooped out spaces ce for the necks or upper portions of the vials
and foot pockets and rests e e, made of or by cut and bent metal strips g, as already
described for the construction of the vial holding compartments of the section B of
the chest, incisions i also being made in the faces of the parts to which the strips are
tacked for the same purpose as the incisions in the section B. The lid G is hinged
as at along the upper marginal portion of the section A, on its inner side or face,
and is secured when closed, by a hook or other fastening, o. Upon the outer surface
of this lid is pivoted, as at r, a wire or other leg support, M, made to shut down on
the lid G when the latter is closed, and so that it may be secured by a button, s, or
other fastening. This leg or leg support M serves, when the lid G is thrown back or
open, as shown in Fig. 4, to support said lid at an angle of forty-five degrees,
(more or less) relatively to the facial services of the chest, to form a convenient
inclined reading stand for the hand-book of directions which instruct as to the use of
the contents of the chest. This book may be located on the inside face of the lid by
top and bottom guides a a', the lower one of which forms a foot rest for the book.
Opposite side clips c, serve also to hold the book when open. The one of these
clips e, is pivoted to act as a button to facilitate the entry and removal of the book,
and to provide for the turning of its leaves. A rubber band may be stretched over
the lid to hold the book open, said band being made to engage with notches d' din
the end edges of the lid, and, if necessary; to prevent any interference with the reading,
being moved from one pair of opposite end notches to another pair of the same.
When the chest is fully thrown open as in figs. 3 and 4, and the lid G set inclining
in its open position, the whole contents of the chest are exposed to view, with directions
for their use when the hand-book is in position on the lid, and there is no necessity to
remove one set of contents to get at another. The vials may be variously labeled in
different colours or be otherwise distinguished to clearly indicate the poisonous and
non-poisonous characters of their contents, &c. When the chest is fully closed, the
vials and other contents are retained from getting out of place or from being injured,
no matter in what position the chest is placed. It is fastened, when closed, by a

page_text: thumb-screw, N, arranged to work through a box or plate in the front end of the lower
section, B, and bearing by a collar, on it against a plate, P, secured to the front end of
the upper chest section, A, and having an open-ended slot g', in its lower end, so as to
straddle the screw N, back of the collar 1. This lock or fastening is a simple one for
the purpose, may be easily closed or opened, accordingly as the screw N, is turned to
the right or left and always carries its own key, as it were. Such conveniences will
be found of great advantage when there is necessity for using the chest quickly.
The locking of the closed sections is effected by the clamping of the lower slotted
end of the plate against the plate e', while a slight turning in the reverse direction
of the screw N admits of the lower slotted end of the plate P being lifted, along with
the raising of the upper chest section, A, from the clip of said screw.
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:
1. In a medicine chest composed of upper and lower case-sections, A B, hinged
together, as described, the central compartment, D, in the lower section, and longi-
tudinal partitions, provided, respectively, with open-sided pockets e on their upper
surfaces, in combination with the upper and lower compartments, CC, for vials of
different sizes, the longitudinal partitions d d, having recesses e c in them, and the
open sided pockets e along the lower inner margins of said sections, the whole being
arranged essentially as shown and described.
2. In a medicine chest provided with open-sided pockets e, for reception of the
lower ends of vials, the combination, with the chest or case sections, of the metal
strips, cut or punched and bent to form wings h, constituting the sides of said
pockets, essentially as described.
3. The combination, with the section A B of the chest, hinged together at one end,
of the lid G, hinged to one side of the upper section, A, and the leg-support M,
pivoted to the exterior of said lid, substantially as and for. the purpose herein set
forth.
4. In a medicine-chest having upper and lower hinged sections, A B, the hinged
lid G, provided on its inner face with top and bottom guides or rests, a a', and
cleats ec, for retention of a hand book on said lid, in combination with the pivoted
leg-support M on the exterior of said lid, essentially as specified.
HORN & SON,
Agents on behalf of the Applicant.