Improvements in Travelling Trunks and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Travelling Trunks and the like.
We, SAMUEL KAHN, of Neuilly sur Seine, Seine, France, Commission Agent,
and MICHEL POLACK, of 7, Rue d'Abbeville, Paris aforesaid, Commission Agent,
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 relates to a new folding trunk, which possesses the advantages of
ordinary trunks, without any of the disadvantages of the latter.
Although ordinary trunks are very suitable for the transport of effects and
toilet articles, yet, when not in use, they constitute a useless incumbrance, because
it is a general custom to empty them in order to put away the articles which they
contained. Sometimes, especially in the case of persons who travel only seldom
the trunks are put out of the way in cellars, lofts, etc., where they get soiled and
deteriorate very rapidly.
On the contrary, with a folding trunk according to this invention, which can
be easily and rapidly erected, and which can be made in any of the usual shapes
of ordinary trunks, there is no fear of any incumbrance of this kind, because, when
the trunk is no longer in use, it can be folded into such a small bulk that it can
be easily put out of the way.
In order that our invention and the manner of carrying it into practice may
be clearly understood, we shall describe it in detail with reference to the accom-
panying drawings, which represent, by way of example only, trunks constructed
according thereto.
Fig. 1 thereof is a plan of such a trunk when unfolded, the sides, the bottom,
and the lid resting on the ground;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lid;
Fig. 3 shows the lid in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the sides and the
bottom being packed in the lid;
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the device for connecting and disconnecting parts of
the trunk;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the mode in which the sides of the
trunk are connected according to our invention; and
Figs. 6 and 7 are also perspective views illustrating the connexion of the sides.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another trunk made according to a modification ;
and
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the same trunk folded up.
Fig. 10 shows a modification of the connecting spindle.
Fig. 11 shows a hinge that we employ for the lid.
In order to construct our trunk, we fix in any suitable manner upon the edges
of the bottom and the sides, a series of tubes placed in such a manner that on
moving the sides towards the bottom, the tubes will engage with one another, and
that by putting a rod inside the said tubes, there will be formed hinges that
will keep the parts perfectly together, adjacent sides and ends being similarly
DQ71

page_text: connected together where they meet. These tubes may be more or less numerous;
they may touch one another and in each case form a row continuous from end to
end or they may be placed more or less apart, as may be considered suitable.
A is the bottom of the trunk; it is provided with series of tubes a which are
suitably fixed on its edges and which are arranged in such a manner that they
engage with other tubes b c on the sides B B and on the ends CC of the trunk.
It will be readily understood that the tubes a b c may be fixed to the bottom A
and to the sides and ends B B C C in any suitable manner, as for example, by
means of screws e, as shown in Fig. 4. By then passing rods finto the tubes ab,
a c, hinges will be formed. When this has been done, the sides and ends B B, C C¹,
are set up, and are connected together by means of tubes bc, similar to the
tubes a b c and rods f. The lid is then added, which we have shown provided with
hinges, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 11. This has, however, no
essential importance, because instead of hinges such as shown, any other suitable
hinges may be employed. In the latter case, however, the lid would be fixed
to the side of the trunk, which would be inconvenient, and this we obviate by means
of the hinges g, because, when once the trunk has been erected, it is easy to take
the lid carrying the male parts of the hinges and to present it to the side that
carries the female parts.
In this new trunk the construction of the whole must necessarily be such as to
allow of the erection of the trunk. Thus, for example, the tubes a must not be
situated on the outmost parts of the edges of the bottom A if the sides are to rest
upon the said bottom; in such a case there must, of course, be left a space equal
to the thickness of the sides and ends B B, C C, as shown. The same holds
good in the case of the tubes 61 which are fixed on those edges of the sides B B¹
that engage with the ends C C when the said ends are situated inside. It is to
be understood that the said spaces may be left on the sides and ends B B¹ C C¹,
instead of on the bottom A. The tubes may, however, be arranged on the out-
most portions of the edges of the sides, the ends, and the bottom, especially if
these said edges are covered with metal or other material, as is often the case;
or, again, the tubes may be placed wholly or partially in recesses made in the
wood.
It is also to be noted that for the bottom, the rods f must be made of such
length that they can be inserted and removed without striking against one of the
sides or ends. "This can be prevented by making, where necessary, each rod in
two or more sections of suitable length. This device is indicated in dotted lines
in Fig. 1, and shown in full lines in Fig. 5.
For connecting adjacent sides and ends, it is preferable in each case to have
only one rod. This rod, for the purpose of facilitating the connexion of the parts,
may be bent at one end as at h (Fig. 4), or be formed with a head (Fig. 10), or
with an eye or ring, or be provided with any other suitable means whereby it
can be easily withdrawn.
The appearance of the trunk when erected can be seen from Fig. 5, which is
a broken perspective view showing one end of the trunk, with the left-hand corner,
formed by the side B and the end C¹, provided with a continuous connexion with
a single rod f. For the corner formed by the bottom A and the end C, we have
shown a connexion composed of two tubes a and two tubes c, with a single rod f.
For each of the corners formed by the bottom A and the sides B and B, we have
shown a connexion composed of two tubes a and two tubes with two rods f¹
and f. This connexion, when properly constructed, presents all the necessary
conditions of safety and rigidity, and is not inconvenient in any way.
A trunk according to this invention may, of course, be provided with everything
that it is customary to mount on ordinary trunks, such as locks, staple-plates,
handles, and straps, as also compartments, if desired.
When the trunk is no longer required, it is sufficient to withdraw the rods f,
which may be done with great ease if they are properly fitted and are provided
with a head h or as shown. Then into the lid D, when inverted, there is placed

page_text: the bottom A, then the two ends C C¹ with their upper or bottom edges together,
and finally the two sides B B', as shown in section in Fig. 3.
We have shown in perspective in Figs. 8 and 9 a modification of our trunk.
Fig. 8 shows this trunk put together and opened. In this case the sides B B' and
the ends CC can no longer be easily and quickly separated from the bottom A.
They are fixed in any suitable manner, as by nailing or glueing, to the bottom A,
but they are divided at k, in such a manner as to form lower fixed sides E E F Fi
connected, by means of hinges m or by means of tubes such as hereinbefore
described, to the movable side and end pieces B B and C C¹. It will be under-
stood that in this manner we produce a trunk lower part A EFE F which is
very strong and especially very rigid, and which allows, as in the arrangement
hereinbefore described, of folding the trunk into a small bulk (Fig. 9) when it is
no longer required for use. The movable side and end parts B B C C are placed
together as herein before described and as shown in Fig. 8.
When it is
This trunk may also be provided with partitions forming receptacles for hats etc.,
which may be supported by means of suitably arranged brackets n.
desired to fold the trunk, it is sufficient to withdraw the rods f (Fig. 8) and to
fold the sides inside the trunk. If the trunk is provided with partitions to form
receptacles as aforesaid, it is advisable to place the partitions first into the lower
portion A E F E F of the trunk, then to fold the two ends C C, and then the
two sides B B, preferably placing that side which carries the hinges g, above
the other, in order that the projection of these hinges may not interfere with the
folding. The lid D is then placed above the whole, and it can then be fixed
to the trunk by means of straps or hooks, or as we have shown, by means of any
known or suitable spring hooking device o. The manner of folding the trunk is
clearly illustrated in Fig. 9, in which we have shown the lid D broken off in
order to render the sides visible.
For trunks of very large size, the height of the sides and ends of which would
exceed the dimensions of the bottom, each side or end would be made of several
parts or flaps arranged so that one would fold over another in such a manner as
to be capable of entering the lower portion when the trunk is folded.
We do not limit ourselves either to the exact constructions of the two trunks
shown, or to the exact form of the connecting tubes or devices shown which may
be square tubes or other devices fixed in any desired manner, and which may be
continuous or spaced apart along the sides and ends, may be made of various
dimensions, and may have several rods as desired.
It will be understood. also, that instead of the hinges shown in Fig. 11, there
may be used tube-connexions such as herein before described, or ordinary hinges;.
and instead of the hinges of the connexions kl, tube connexions such as herein-
before described. As the dimensions and shapes of our trunks may be greatly
varied, we reserve the right of constructing according to this invention trunks
of any shape, according as practice may suggest.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is;-
1. In a trunk or the like of the kind described, the combination, with a bottom
provided on its sides with a series of tubes arranged at certain distances from one
another, of sides and ends formed on their edges with a series of tubes arranged
in such a manner that when the sides and ends are moved towards the bottom, the
tubes will engage with one another in such a manner that there can be inserted
therein rods, which will hold the parts perfectly together, substantially as described
and shown.
2. In a trunk or the like of the kind described, the combination with a bottom
provided on its edges with a series of tubes suitably spaced apart, of two sides
and two ends formed on their lower edges with series of tubes which
with
engage
the tubes of the bottom to which they are connected by means of rod's inserted

page_text: into the tubes of the bottom and the tubes of the sides and ends so as to form
hinges, the said sides and ends being provided respectively on their adjacent
edges with series of tubes which engage with one another and in which are inserted
rods which connect together the said sides and ends, substantially as described
and shown.
3. In a folding trunk or the like of the kind described, the combination, with
the bottom, the sides, and the ends connected together by hinges by means of
series of tubes that engage with one another and in which are inserted removable
rods, of a removable lid connected to one of the sides by means of hinges, of which
the male parts are attached to the lid and engage in female parts attached to one
of the sides of the trunk, or vice versa, substantially as described and shown.
4. In a trunk or the like of the kind described, the combination with the bottom,
the sides and the ends connected together as set forth in the preceding claims,
of a lid connected by means of hinges to one of the sides of the trunk, substantially
as described and shown.
5. Folding trunks constructed of parts arranged and connected together, sub-
stantially as herein before described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 7
inclusive, or in Figs. 8 and 9 respectively of the accompanying drawings.
100
1000
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.