CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUNKS, TRAVELLING BOXES, PORT- MANTEAUS, AND OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrieu Ernest Sablons, of No. 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUNKS, TRAVELLING BOXES, PORT-
MANTEAUS, AND OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES."
Sealed the 28th November 1854, and dated the 29th May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrieu Ernest Sablons at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th May 1854.
I, ANDRIEU. ERNEST SABLONS, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUNKS, TRAVELLINO BOXES, PORTMANTEAUS,
AND OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing trunks, travelling boxes, portmanteaus,
and other similar receptacles of wood, leather, or any other light and suitable
material, and in the fitting of them up with one or more drawers; and also to
produce, by the union or superposition of the said receptacles, regular articles
of furniture, such as a chest of drawers, chiffionicer, &c.
Figure 1 represents a leather trunk fitted up with one drawer or compart-
ment only. In this Figure, A represents the drawer opened at 3d of its
depth; B is a stud, fixed on the leather strap or rod C, to prevent the

page_text: drawers from falling out of tho trunk. This strap or rod, which may be
made either of wood, metal, or leather lined with metal, is bent, to be pro-
longed into the sides D of the trunk, in which it is fixed, to maintain
these sides at the same distance one from the other. The packing up of
clothes in the drawer of the trunk takes place in the same manner as in
the ordinary trunks; when the trunk is filled, I close it by means of the lid or
flap E.
To shut and fasten the trunk, I take up the lower apron F, to whose
extremities are fixed two screw rings, and bring it over the lid of the trunk;
I then bring in contact with it the upper apron H, which operation I perform
by seizing it by the ears I, and engage the iron flaps J in the screw rings G,
which unite both aprons, and allow of the shutting of the trunks by means of a
padlock engaged in the screw rings, as shewn in Figure 2.
The rod C can, if thought convenient, be suppressed; and whenever the sides
D are sufficiently strong, I can fix to one of the aprons a lock, and fix a staple
and screw rings to the other; I can also suppress one of the aprons; in that
case the remaining apron is either fastened to the lid of the trunk, or may also
be fastened to the sido of the trunk under the drawer. These aprons can be
replaced also by metallic or leather straps fastened to the upper part of the
lid, and to the under part or bottom of the trunk, to which they may
either be nailed or hinged, and to which extremities I can place either screw
rings, to receive one or more padlocks, or else locks and staples.
When I want to make use of like trunks as a chest of drawers, after the
apron is undone I fold the lower apron F under the trunk, I remove the lid
of the trunk, withdraw from it the clothes, and shut the lid, which I then
secure by means of the upper flap H. This operation allows me to use the
drawer, which is secured by the lock K, to place valuables, &c. in safety,
without having the unpleasantness of unpacking or repacking the trunk; the
lock being unfastened I open the drawer by pulling towards me the handles
M, as shewn in Figure 3. This drawer can, optionally, be divided in one or
more compartments, to receive hat, boots, dresses, &c.; each of these compart-
ments being movcable, can be taken out at any time it may be convenient, as
shewn in Figure 4.
To preserve the lock and screw rings, and to compensate for their jutting
over the sides of the trunk, and preventing them from being injured while
being shifted from one place to another or during their loading, I have placed
at the sides of the trunks, as shewn in Figure I., pattens or bars, projecting
over each end of the trunk. The patterns can be made of wood, leather, or any
other similar material; they may either be immoveable, that is to say, nailed or

page_text: screwed to the four sides of the box, or may be made so as to be shifted at
will. Their use is for the two front ones to compensate for the thickness of the
lower aprons F, when folded under the trunk, thereby preventing the screw
rings from being injured by the weight of the trunk. The two placed at the
back of the trunk compensate for the bulk shewn by the folding of the apron
F, and in some instances, as will be herein-after explained, the two aprons
when two trunks are placed over each other. The four pattens or corners
prevent the bottom of the trunk resting on the ground. The four pattens
can be removed at pleasure, and may be replaced by two shifting bars, placed
under the bottom of the trunk and running from end to end.
Figure 5 represents a trunk, portmanteau, &c. with two drawers. This
trunk with two compartments is constructed of the same shape as the present
trunks, with the difference, that in each development the drawer extends the
whole length of the trunk. In Figure 5, the drawers of the trunk are opened
and ready to be packed. after each drawer will have been introduced into its
recess, as shown at O, P; the flap Q serving to maintain in their proper
places the clothes placed in the developement R, when it is put up over the
other, to which it acts as a lid; when arrived at the destination it is only used
as a supporter to the drawer O, when the developement R is turned up and
used as a drawer, as herein-after described.
This trunk is shut and secured by the same means as those previously
described, and as shewn in Figure 6. The trunk having been opened, as
shewn in Figure 5, and emptied of its overplus, I withdraw the drawer O
from the developement R and fold the said developement R under the other;
the aprons are then put in their place, having replaced the drawer O over the
first drawer, and I have then a chest of drawers, Figure 7. The lock S,
Figure 7, can be provided with a bolt fastening in the bottom of the drawer O,
which would permit of locking both drawers at the same time. The drawer
O will then only have a sham lock. Each drawer may also be provided with
its lock, but the bolt of each lock must always fasten itself in the transverse T,
Figure 5, of the developement R, which said transverse T rests on the trans-
verse U of the lower developement, when the said developement is folded over
the last-named (Figure 8) in such a manner that the lock S maintains the
developement R on the drawer P, to which it acts as a lid.
It is well understood that this kind of trunk drawers or trunk portmanteau
is to be manufactured with the same materials and the same workmanship as
those now in use, and that it is only requisite for show to ornament the inner
drawers, which are the only parts seen in the room; neither will it be necessary

page_text: to make the sides and bottoms of the inner drawers of the same thickness of
material as the one used for the outside.
It will be well understood that I can, by placing the drawers or compart-
ments one next to the other, or placing them on the top of each other, produce
a trunk with as many drawers as may find it requisite. This mode would
be particularly useful to country travellers who carry often a great quantity of
samples. The lid of the one-drawer trunk can be made so as to form an
expanding top to receive the overplus of clothes, &c.
It may clearly be seen from what I have just now stated that one of my
trunks will be sufficient to contain all the luggage and effects of a traveller,
and enable him at any time, without being compelled to unpack all his trunk,
to place his hand, on any article he may be in need of. For instance, if I
intend to form an escritoir, I have one of the drawers of my trunk manu-
factured as a writing-desk, that is to say, I construct and hinge the drawer so
as to form a tablet; the interior of that drawer can be fitted up with compart-
ments and secret. drawers, as seen at No. 1, Figure 9. The trunk so fitted
up being placed at the top of another trunk would make a handy and service-
able piece of furniture. As it might happen that two or more trunks so
manufactured--might not present all the solidity and security required, I
have fixed to each pattern and at the upper corners of each trunk screw
rings X, (Figure 8,) into which I introduce a bolt or a padlock to maintain
them. I have also, for embellishment, adapted moveable castors under the
first trunk, which will serve as legs, and will enable me to raise the escritoir
at any required position, No. 1, Z, (Figure 8).
As it will be seen by my improvements I obtain a comfortable travelling
trunk, which enables me to obtain any article required without having constantly
to unpack and repack, consequently a great saving of time. By placing two
or more trunks one over the other, any kind of furniture can be represented,
and to have all valuables received under lock and key without being exposed
to lose or forget them on their removal from one place to another.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrieu Ernest Sablons in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDRIEU
ERNEST SABLONS, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
0
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said Andrieu Ernest Sablons, Her special license that I, the said Andrieu
Ernest Sablons, my executors, administrators, & assigns, or such others as I,
the said Andrieu Ernest Sablons, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUNKS, TRAVELLING BOXES,
PORTMANTEAUS, AND OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Andricu Ernest Sablons, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrieu Ernest Sablons, do hereby
declare tho nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the several Figures of
the Drawings hereto annexed, and to the letters marked thereon, that is
to say.:-
.
The manufacturers of trunk or portmanteaus, and other travelling boxes
or receptacles, have never hitherto constructed such an arrangement that they
afford the traveller when travelling on laud or on board ship, in the field or his
own house, the means of obtaining under the form of a portmanteau, leather or
otherwise, or receptacle answering a part of household furniture, or presenting,
by means of such portmanteaus placed one upon the other, a veritable piece of
furniture having all the convenience and elegance of a single or double chest
of drawers, or even of a scrutoire; the said articles being at the same time

page_text: sufficiently light, and as convenient for the packing of effects, as the portman-
teaus which have in view the latter requirements simply. The travelling
boxes at present used, of whatever form or name, have no other conveniences
but those absolutely necessary for actual travelling, these limited qualification
being real inconveniences as soon as a traveller makes a short residence
at any place, the very time when the use of the luggage is most frequently
required, and, therefore, when the travelling box should afford such facilities
and comforts.
Thus, the usual travelling boxes, constructed with lids to be raised or with
several complicated compartments, either to open, to turn, or to fold, having
only the herein-before necessary requirements for the motionary part of the
journey, present only trouble and annoyance when a sojourn takes place,
together with the necessity of frequently opening and packing them; in such
case no articles can be put on the opposito sides. The trunks cannot be placed
anywhere, moved under a bed, table, or shelf, unless the space for them be
double the height of the travelling box; above all, they cannot be put one
upon the other, to avoid when numerous their being scattered disorderly about
the room, but must be removed from their several positions whenever a search
becomes necessary.
Some of these travelling boxes contains drawers in one or the other of their
parts, the upper surfaces of which being closed and immoveable, they are
thereby prevented from receiving any more packing or overloading; these
drawers, besides, do not remedy the inconveniences or afford the desiderata
herein-before stated. To replace them with advantage it was necessary
to construct receptacles which unite the advantages at the same time of
trunks, portmanteaus, or other similar travelling receptacles, with those of
chests of drawers composed of two parts, or other piece of furniture of a like
nature, and avoid their several inconveniences, and make entirely a new
arrangement, answering with utility & advantage the numerous exigencies of
a journey.
The manner in which these requirements are met by the arrangements
constituting my Invention I will proceed to describe, by the aid of the
accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a piece of furniture
answering the purposes of a chest of drawers and serutoire. It is formed of
four leathern boxes, superposed one upon the other conveniently, for a tem-
porary residence. The boxes are raised above the ground by means of four
moveable feet, and are provided with hooks or pegs for hats, coats, &c.,
&c., &c.
The three boxes, marked No. 1, are portmanteaus with two compartments,

page_text: each containing a drawer; all three are similar, excepting one, which has
the front of its lower drawer made to let down flapwise, and form a writing-
desk. The box marked No. 2 has but one compartment, which also contains a
drawer; by means of this mode of superposing, the portmanteaus form together
a chest of drawers.
Figure II. represents one of the portmanteaus, No. 1, of Figure I., shewn
detached, and adapted for residence, having two drawers, A, B, one half, the
other three-quarters, opened; and two aprons, C & D, set one above the other
underneath the box. The drawers are provided with handles let into &
flush with the front; the locks have hooked bolts, for keeping the drawer
under the part covering it, and to shut both the lid and drawer at the same
time.
Figure III. represents the portmanteau of Figure II. as required for a
journey. The drawers A & B are set in and shut into their compartments E, F.
The drawer A in that Figure occupies in its compartment the reverse position
to that represented in Figure II. This drawer has been withdrawn from and
again replaced in the compartment after the compartment has been raised and
turned over in a different position to that it occupied when covering the com-
partment F, of Figure II. This simple operation leaves during travelling
the drawer A opened, and capable of being easily loaded or overloaded with
articles, in the same manner as the drawer B is also open. When the compart-
ment E covering it is raised and turned over, the flap G serves to close the
opening of the drawer A during the journey; it serves also for support to the
bottom of the same drawer when prepared for residence, as represented in the
herein-before described Figure II. The aprons C, D, are free and convenient
for protecting the front part of the drawers A & B, and especially shutting
the box or portmanteau, Figure III. A represents the frame of the boxes
No. 1 in Figures I., II., & III., without flap or drawers.
Figure 1V. is the box marked No. 2, of Figure I., in the present Figure
shewn detached and disposed for residence, with the lid H shut, drawer I open,
and aprons C & D folded back.
Figure V. is a view of the same box No. 2, Figures I. & IV. shown open
and ready for travelling; the drawer I is shut, the lid H open, to allow the
packing of the drawer, and the aprons C & D free, to protect the front of
the box and shut it up.
Figure VI. also represents the box shewn in Figure IV. completely shut
and ready for travelling. The two aprons C & D are drawn in, and one
lapping over the extremity of the other; they are both kept steady by means
of the punched plates of the upper apron, fitted on the screw rings, for the

page_text: also
padlocks of the lower apron (see Figure 5), which shews the apron of Figure
IV. open. The Figure 5 represents also the mode of locking the apron,
shewn in Figure II.
1
Figure VII. represents the box No. 2 (of Figure IV.) In this Figure the
front of the drawer is so constructed that it can be used as a writing, dining,
or dressing table. All the drawers of the several models can be constructed in
the same manner, and by such an arrangement greatly facilitate the placing of
the effects in the inside. In this Figure (VII.) the drawer is represented half
open and the front down.
Figure VIII. shews the same box, No. 2, supplied with moveable divisions
on the bottom, and a compartment J detached, which is placed above. This
Figure shews that, whon required to search the bottom of the box, this com-
partment may be placed on the lid of the box, although the box be quite open.
Figure IX. represents the same box, No. 2, provided with several drawers,
open in different degrees, and capable of containing samples of commerce or
other articles.
Figure X. also represents the box No. 2, but with one apron only, K, in
place of the aprons C, D, of the Figure IV. During the journey-it is shut
with four straps and buckles instead of the padlocks; the upper straps may
serve to fix an additional parcel on the outside of the trunk, and those on the
sides to steady the aprons during a sojourn. The apron K is placed under the
box, leaving free the lid and drawer. This mode of shutting with one single
apron having straps and buckles can be applied to all the boxes, as the locks
of all the drawers shut the drawers, as well as the part covering the opening,
and therefore the box itself.
Figure XI. represents the same box No. 2, but without the aprons. In this
Figure the lid and drawer are partly open. The box constructed of wood and
sheet iron replaces, the ordinary trunk, having the convenience of a drawer,
and may be placed upon another.
The boxes, drawers, & all other parts constructed according to my Inven-
tion aro made of leather and iron, leather, iron, and wood, varnished cloth,
iron, and wood; finally, by any convenient substance, and by all the means
usually employed for such apparatus, either by sewing, rivetting, or joining, by
screws, nails, or glue, having supports or shoulders of iron or brass, and lined
with stuff or papers.
In Figure I.; L are moveable metallic hooks, set in sockets fixed in the sides
of the box; M, wooden, cast, or caoutchouc feet, having a brass small end for
adhering to the plate of the box.
In Figuro III., A, N, are iron rods forming the framing, and screwed at cach

page_text: end into the wooden and leather covered sides E & F. If these sides were made
of leather, the rods N will be made to surround horizontally and vertically, and
therefore will support the leather. The rods which are in contact with the top
and bottom of the box when this one is shut, as in Figures II. & III., can
be placed inside the leather, or between the leather and the lining, or again,
outside of the leather; in the latter case they would secure the box against
any external injuries. O, staple of the lock, made flush with the drawer A,
when it is placed in Figure III. P is the same staple, when the drawer A is
placed as in Figure II. Q, projecting staple of the lock, set on drawer B,
which enters the flush staple R, and passes through it in order to be caught by
the bolt of drawer B, as represented in Figure II.; it serves also to keep the
compartment E over the compartment F, which it covers. R is a flush staple,
serving to receive the projecting staple Q. S represents the leather passing
round the box and ending in the aprons. N, N, are rods bored to form hinges
by means of rivets which are set on the leather. T, sheet iron edges covering
the compartment E.
In Figure V., U are iron rods forming the framing, as herein-before described.
When speaking of the rods N, Figure III., the rod which is placed over
the front of the drawer is provided with a hole, to allow the passage of the pro-
jecting and corresponding staple fixed on the lid, by which means the drawer
lock secures the lid. T are sheet iron edges serving as a cover.
In Figure VII. the front of the drawer is lowered by means of hinges and
the usual segments; these can be replaced by metallic bows, represented in
Figure XVI.
In Figure IX. the drawers are supported by grooves set on the sides of the
box, or by 'means of partitions, either open or with a grooved work passing
horizontally underneath each drawer.
The apron.K, in. Figure 10 is made of leather, and is a prolongation of the
leather piece placed underneath; the buckles on that side are adapted to the
handles of the box.
In Figure XI. the iron rod V supports the sides of the box, and is kept in
that position by means of a pin passing through it. The front of the drawer has
two holes of the size of a finger, and which replace the handles; they are shut
inside by means of iron plates lined with skin. These plates act as springs,
and move when the fingers are inserted into the holes....
Figure XII. represents the four separate parts of the drawer. X is the
bottom and back part, in a single piece, made of leather or wood, capable of
being folded square like; that piece can be made of any other thin, light,
and strong substance.. The narrow return edge of the bottom is nailed to the

page_text: interior of the front part Z; the sides V, which are of the same substance, are
also nailed to the front Z by means of the return edges of their right sides, and
are nailed or stitched by the return edges of their left sides, and of the bottoms
On the back part, and bottom X. The front Z of the drawer is made of wood,
or leather lined with wood, either in small bands or in full, or with any other
substance.
Figure XIII. represents wooden, leather, or metallic soles, placed at the
four corners underneath each box, with double aprons, as seen in Figures
I., II., III., III, IV, V., VI., VII., VII., & IX. These are used as
follows:-
1st, those in front serve to compensate the thickness of screw rings of
lower apron when the last is folded under the box, and prevent, therefore, the
box from bearing on these screw rings.
2ndly, those on the back compensate the thickness of the lower apron and
even of the upper one. When many boxes are placed one upon the other, as
represented in Figure I., those on the back are therefore a little thicker than
those in front, and are made according to the thickness of the apron. These
four soles secure the bottom of the box, and prevent its being in contact
with the ground; they can be made so as to lie the whole length of the
box, instead of being one quarter of it only, as represented in Figures VI.
& XIII.
They can also be made moveable, and placed where required. When only
one box is employed, the thickness of back ones can be compensated by doubling
the fold of the lower apron when it is folded underneath.
These soles for the boxes with one apron only, as in Figure X., can be sup-
pressed, or be replaced by iron or wooden rods of the same thickness; the aprou
does not require any compensation of equilibrium when folded and spread
underneath the box. They can also form a part of the rods N, berein-before
described in Figure III. A, and which are set underneath the compartment F',
by which means they would be so much strengthened.
Figure XIV. represents the screw rings which are to be placed at the four
corners of each box, see Figure II.; the screw is of the same diameter as the
ring, and enters a nut of the same size prepared in the sides; such diameter as
required for the case, when moveable screw rings are employed, will increase
the solidity, and will prevent the threads of the nut from being choked up
when the screw rings are not set in.
It is seen in Figure II. that the screw rings for boxes having two aprons
are placed in the following manner:-Those of the lower part in the ends of
the soles of the box, and those of the upper part near the edge of the box,

page_text: & as they are not moveable they are not constructed with a screw, but with
a hook or nail end, in the usual manner.
In Figure X., which represents a box with one apron only and without sole,
they form a prolongation of the iron rods employed for framing. These screws
can also be used for boxes with two aprons, especially when the plates are parts
of the rods; in that case, the rods of the upper parts will form one single
piece with the plates & screw rings; these last serve to join together the
boxes when they are placed upon the other, as seen in Figure I. A padlock
is made to pass through the screw rings of oue box and the corresponding
screw rings of the next upper box, or simple pins are employed for the same
purpose. When screw rings on the front part of the boxes are only employed,
instead of placing them at the four back corners of the box they are set in
at the back, at a quarter of the length of the box distant from each side.
Figure XV. represents rings, with a notch of the apron D, see Figures
III., V., & VI.; the lower notch serves to retain the ears or flaps of the
apron C. When these aprons are shut before the locks are set through
the rings, they are fixed to the aprons by means of tenons & pins, see
Fig. III. A.
Figure XVI. represents a metallic bow, serving to support the lid of the
box No. 2, (see A, A, Figure V.) When the lid is taken down, the bow,
which acts as a spring, is made to lay along the internal side of the box, above
the side of the drawer, without impeding the movement of this last. The
part B, B, is fixed into the lid, and the spring A, A, slides into it when the lid
is raised or lowered; it is freely screwed to permit of swinging. In Figure XI.
the elbowed part of the box is seen laying along the edge of the lid, and
inclined to the same degree as the lid, the movement of which it follows; it
replaces the straps & the segment, which are costly and troublesome. The
aprons can be shut with locks, or in any other way, instead of using, as herein-
before described, either ears, screws, rings, bands or straps. The aprons,
instead of forming part or a prolongation of the lower and upper part of the
box, can be made moveable with straps, or by any other means, and placed at
the top or bottom of the front of the box; these aprons can be replaced by
metallic bands or straps, or by hinges, with locks or buckles. The bottoms,
sides, and back parts of the drawers in the boxes Nos. 1 and 2, with one
drawer only, are capable of serving as bottom, sides, and back of the box itself,
especially for a wooden box. The box No. 2, thus made without its drawer,
should have no other plain surface than the lid; the bottoms, the sides, and
the back parts will be mostly open, and will form as many casings for the
bottom, sides, and back parts of the drawer. The box No. 1, thus made, and

page_text: without its two drawers, will be open its six surfaces, and will be constructed
only of wooden or iron rods forming the casings.
In this case the flap, instead of being attached to the middle, which serves
as the hinge of the box, should be attached to the upper part of the back of
the drawer A, and instead of buckling to the front rod of the compartment E
should buckle at the front of the drawer A. The fronts of the drawers of
these open boxes should be secured by means of aprons, like the others. The
handles of the box will be set flush on the plain sides of the drawers, or on
one of the upright parts of the frame. The drawers, instead of being made
rigid, for joining together, as in Figure XII. may be flexible, and capable of
stretching and collapsing.
For this purpose, the joining of the five parts or sides which comprise it
can be made by means of leather or cloth ligatures, glued, nailed, or stitched
to the same, leaving between each part thus joined a play of about half an
inch, which facilitates the taking out of the drawer, and allows it when in the
box to occupy & exactly fill the internal space. They can also be constructed
according to the ordinary methods, altho' it is better to keep as much as
possible to an extreme lightness, and diminish the thickness of each part,
while maintaining a relative solidity in the stronger parts of the box.
From what has been herein-before described, it will be understood that
my Invention consists in the application of the following system, viz., the
construction of trunks, portmanteaus, and other similar travelling boxes or
receptacles, capable of being superposed of forming a piece of furniture, and
meanwhile retaining when so placed the facility of access to their several
interiors without removing one from the other, & also in such a manner that
cach box may in certain cases be opened entirely from the front by means of
one or more drawers, occupying its interior extent, and having the special
qualities of a piece of room furniture rather than those of a travelling box;
& that in certain other cases, each of the same boxes may, like other trunks,
portmanteaus, &c., be opened from the upper part alone, and thus present
more the special features of travelling furniture than a piece of household
furniture.
The application of this system, as herein-before described and referred to in
the annexed Drawings, constitute. the subject & object of my improvements.
Thus, in the first place, as I have herein-before described, on stopping at a
place, as at an inn, or in the cabin of a vessel, in a barrack, camp, or in
a private house, these boxes, trunks, or portmanteaus of wood, leather, or
other material, have their upper parts fastened, and open entirely from the
front, which is drawn towards the person opening it; he may use the top as a

page_text: permanent sideboard to hold any description of articles, and the whole can be
placed anywhere, but more particularly under a bed, table, sofa, book-case, or
in any other place, of a height reduced to that of the boxes themselves; above
all, such boxes can be superposed, & even, though they are of different dimen-
sions, can, without derangement either to the top or to the boxes themselves,
serve for this purpose.
Then in a sojourn, the arrangement of these boxes into drawers, their
junction in the state of superposition, and their compactness, when they are
all of similar widths (the fronts of the drawers can be ornamented in any style),
will form a pieco of household furniture, as stationary in appearance as any
others; as commodious as a chest of drawers, for example, large or small,
according to the dimensions or number of boxes, secured by a key, and serving
as an ornament to a room rather than an incumbrance; avoiding every incon-
venience found in trunks, portmanteaus, and other travelling boxes; dispensing
with the use of inn furniture, which may not always be clean; sometimes badly
formed, subject to neglectfulness; and, in fine, since they can be used as house
furniture on the return from a travel, avoids sending them to the lumber room
where they would be deteriorated or destroyed. In the second case, that is to
say, when on the road, and the luggage is on a beast of burden, or in a rail-
way or other carriage, or in the hold of a ship, and only necessary for occa-
sional opening, these boxes, representing in some measure house furniture,
serve also for holding goods even to overcharging, and being separated one
from the other, and changed from pieces of furniture to trunks or port-
manteaus, have their drawers fast in this case; they open by the upper side,
which serves as a lid, being at the same time the most convenient form to
repack and to overcharge them when required. Then, on the road, these
boxes, by their ordinary form, with lids and compartments, as in Figure III.,
or with simple lids, as in Figure V., in wood, leather, or other material similarly
appropriated, present all these conveniences, and facilitates the transport of
improved trunks and portmanteaus, forming separately real baggage boxes,
which may be used by the traveller with advantage in the most ardious
travel.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein laid down; but what I claim is,-
First, the mode of constructing and arranging trunks, travelling boxes,
portmanteaus, and other similar receptacles, as herein-before described and
referred to in Figures I., II., III., & IV. of the annexed Drawing.

page_text: Secondly, the metal bow, as herein-before described and referred to in
Figure XVI. of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrieu Ernest Sablons, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred & fifty-four.
SABLONS. (L.S.)