Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1887
Complete Left, 7th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 10th Feb., 1888
I JAMES GEORGE SMYTH of No. 21 Brentgovel Street Bury Saint Edmunds in the
County of Suffolk Printseller and Picture Frame Maker do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
An Improved Mechanical arrangement of a Folding Frame or Case and lid
wherein Prints Drawings Papers and other articles can be deposited whilst great
facilities are afforded for the inspection of the same and whereby they are also
retained in their proper order and returned to their normal positions.
The Improved Automatic Portfolio Folding Frame or Print Case is constructed of
wood or other suitable materials in an oblong shape and may be varied in shape and
size as required-To one part or top of the Folding Frame or Case I attach hooks or
rings for the purpose of hanging the same against a wall-to the other part or bottom
of the said Folding Frame or Case, the other part of the Frame or lid of the Case is
attached by suitable joints or hings, so as to form the back and front of a Folding
Frame, or a Case and lid, and so that the front of the Folding Frame or lid of the
Case will open downwards.
The front of the Folding Frame or lid of the Case can be used to display Pictures
Show Cards or other Articles thereon.
From the sides or the back of the Folding Frame or the sides or back of the Case
and near the top thereof two levers are suspended being left free to swing and having
a length about equal to the said sides-to the lower ends of these levers two set-opes
or compound levers are attached by one of each of their ends, the other ends of the
set-opes or compound levers being attached to the sides near the bottom of the front
of the Folding Frame or lid of the Case.
The combination and Mechanical arrangement of the suspending levers and set-
opes or compound levers actuate the entire construction for and in the following
manner.
Assuming a Portfolio of Prints has been placed within the Folding Frame, or a
number of Prints or other papers within the Case and it is desired to inspect them―
the downward movement of opening the Folding Frame, or the lid of the Case,
causes the set-opes or compound levers to expand or open out and press against the

page_text: suspended levers inclining the lower part of the Folding Frame or Case from the
wall to such an angle as to prevent their contents falling forward onto the front of
the Folding Frame or lid of the Case and by the time this has been accomplished the
front of the Folding Frame or lid of the Case will have reached a flat or horizontal
position and will remain there forming a shelf or rest whereon to inspect or lay the
Prints Drawings or other Articles-the action of closing up the front of the Folding
Frame or lid of the Case restores the entire construction and its contents to their
normal positions.
Dated this Fourth day of October 1007

page_text: Improvements in Portfolio Folding Frames or Print Cases.
I JAMES GEORGE SMYTH of No. 21 Brentgovel Street Bury Saint Edmunds in the
County of Suffolk Printseller and Picture Frame Maker 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 :-
An Improved Mechanical arrangement of a Folding Frame or Case and lid wherein
prints drawings papers and other articles can be deposited whilst great facilities are
afforded for the inspection of the same and whereby they are also retained in their
proper order and returned to their normal positions.
The Improved Portfolio Folding Frame or Print Case is constructed of wood or
other suitable materials in an oblong shape and may be varied in shape and size as.
required.
The annexed drawing Fig. I is a perspective view of a Portfolio Folding Frame
closed-Fig. II is a perspective view of the same opened-the same letters of
reference are use for similar parts in both Fig. I and Fig. II.
To one part or top of the Folding Frame or Case I attach hooks or rings for the
purpose of hanging the same against a wall as shown at i, i, to the other part or
bottom of the said Folding Frame or Case, the other part of the Frame or lid of the
Case is attached by suitable joints or hinges, as shown at c, c, in Fig. 11, so as to form
the back B and front A of a Folding Frame or Case and lid, and so that the front A
will open downwards as shown in Fig. II.
The front A of the Folding Frame or lid of the Case may be used to display
pictures showcards or other articles thereon.
From the sides of the back B of the Folding Frame or the sides or back of the
Case and near the top thereof two levers D. D. are suspended, by screws E, E, or
suitable hinges, being left free to swing, and having a length about equal to the said
sides, to the lower ends of these suspended levers two set-opes or compound levers F, F,
are attached by one of each of their ends by screws H, H, or suitable hinges the other
ends of the set-opes or compound levers F, F, being fixed to the sides near the
bottom of the front A, of the Folding Frame or lid of the Case, and these set-opes or
compound levers also have a hinged joint at G, G.
The combination and mechanical arrangement of the suspended levers and set-opes
or compound levers actuate the entire construction for and in the following inanner-
Assuming a Portfolio of Prints or other papers to have been placed within the
Folding Frame and that the same has been closed as shown in Fig. 1-or that a Case
containing prints or other articles is closed and in its normal condition, and it is desired
to inspect the contents, the downward movement of opening the front A of the
Folding Frame or lid of the Case, causes the set-opes or compound levers F, F, to
lengthen out by the straightening of the joints at G, G, and consequently press
against the suspended levers D, D, at the points H, H, which latter being flat against
the wall and unable to recede cause the bottom part of the back B to leave its

page_text: perpendicular and take a reclining position as shown in Fig. II which will prevent
the contents of the Portfolio or Case from falling forward, in the meantime the
front A of the Folding Frame or lid of the case has reached a flat or horizontal
position and will remain there forming a Shelf or Table upon which to lay the contents
as examined the action of closing up the front A of the Folding Frame or lid of the
Case restors the entire construction and its contents to their normal positions.
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
Improvements in Folding Frames for portfolios and papers, and Cases for prints
and other Articles constructed and arranged for hanging against a wall or other con-
venient place, the fronts of which may be used for ornamental useful or commercial
purposes, and so that the mechanical action of opening down the fronts or lids of the
same shall when so opened down cause them to form a shelf or support and also at
the same time bring the backs thereof into a reclining position to prevent the contents
from falling forward, as herein before more particularly described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings Figs. I and II or any mere modification thereof.
Dated this Sixth day of January 1888.