IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ADAPTATION OF ELASTIC MATERIAL TO ARTICLES REQUIRING A BELLOWSATION OFRING ▲ BELLOWS ARRANGEMENT, OR. A PARTIALLY RIGID AND PARTIALLY EXPANDIBLE ARRANGEMENT
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Cartwright, of Tavistock Street, Covent
Garden, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE ADAPTATION OF ELASTIC MATERIAL TO ARTICLES REQUIRING A BELLOWS
Sealed the 16th March 1866, and dated the 22nd September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Cartwright
at. the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd September 1865.
-I, MATTHEW CARTWRIGHT, of Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ADAPTATION OF ELASTIC MATERIAL TO ARTICLES REQUIRING
▲ BELLOWS ARRANGEMENT, OR. A PARTIALLY RIGID AND PARTIALLY EXPANDIBLE
ARRANGEMENT," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the application or adaptation of india-rubber or
elastic material to the objects aforesaid, which I effect by using sheets or

page_text: pieces of india-rubber or elastic material for the expandible portions of ends
or bellows parts, or folding parts of articles, such, for instance, as portmanteaus,
travelling bags, expanding purses, pocket books, fishing tackle wallets, con-
certinas, accordians, and expanding hat cases, instead of the leather or other
non-elastice fabric hitherto used for the aforesaid parts of the said articles.
But in order to the efficient connection or security of the said sheets or pieces
to the non-elastic parts of the articles, I connect or secure pieces of sound
non-elastic material at or near the edges of the elastic material, which I can
do by pressing the same into the rubber or elastic material whilst in a soft
state, or by using solution and then pressing the same, so that the edges of the
aforesaid sheets or pieces may be rendered available for being secured to the
leather or other non-elastic parts of the portmanteau, bag, or such like article,
by being stitched, sewn, or secured or connected thereto. Similar arrange-
ments may be applied to knee caps for riflemen, cricketers, and others, and
knee caps for horses and other animals, and to other articles having a bellows
arrangement, or partially expandible and partially rigid arrangement.
With regard to umbrellas and parasols, I should prefer to apply the
Invention in the form of a ring or disc of the elastic material edged with non-
elastic material at the top part of the umbrella or parasol.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Matthew Cartwright, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
CARTWRIGHT, of Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Matthew Cartwright, Her special. licence that I, the said
Matthew Cartwright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Matthew Cartwright, 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

page_text: of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ADAPTATION OF ELASTIC MATERIAL TO
ARTICLES REQUIRING A BELLOWS ARRANGEMENT, OR A PARTIALLY RIGID AND PARTIALLY
EXPANDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Matthew Cartwright, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Matthew Cartwright, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
making a part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates to the application or adaptation of sheets or pieces
of india-rubber or similarly elastic material instead of leather or other non-
elastic substance for the expanding or folding parts of portmanteaus, gaiters,
travelling bags, purses, pocket books, concertinas, hat cases, umbrellas, and'
other articles of a similar character. To more effectually secure the attach-
ment of the said sheets or pieces of india-rubber to the non-elastic parts of
the articles to which they are applied, I connect pieces of strong non-elastic
material at or near the edges of the india-rubber, the two substances being:
closely and strongly united by being pressed together while the india-rubber
is in a soft condition, or by the use of india-rubber cement or solution. When
so furnished the sheets or pieces of rubber can be securely attached to
the portmanteaus, bags, gaiters, or other articles, by stitching or other
convenient means.

page_text: 1, 2, and 3. The expanding portions A are first cut or otherwise formed to the
required shape, and after their edges have been provided with a border a of
strong non-elastic material they are strongly stitched to the edges of the
leather portions of the ends B and sides C of the portmanteau; or, instead of
confining the application of the elastic material to the said ends and sides,
the whole top surface of the lid D may be of india-rubber.
When applied to leggings or gaiters, as represented in Figures 4 and 5, the
elastic fastening A may either extend to the whole length of the article, as
represented, or may be applied in the form of narrow portions or straps of
india-rubber at certain intervals. In either case the india-rubber is united
to the non-elastic portions E of the leggings in the manner already described.
Leggings and similar articles so constructed are easy to put on and off, and
the danger and inconvenience arising from the fastenings hitherto employed
are entirely obviated.
The cricketer's leg shield or covering, illustrated in Figure 6, is also
Advantageously provided with the elastic fastening, which in this case is, by
preference, applied in the form of narrow pieces or bands A secured to the
non-elastic portion F of the article in the manner already described. These
bands A may be of any required width, and in any number, and will be found
to hold the shield firmly in its position without the inconvenience arising from
the use of straps and buckles, or other similar fastenings.
In applying the elastic material to umbrellas and parasols, I prefer to make
a ring A, Figures 7 and 8, which is attached to a washer G of some strong
mon-elastic substance. The lower edge also of the ring A is provided with a
border Hof non-elastic fibrous substance, the ends of which overlap each
other. The silk or other covering material of the umbrella is stitched to the
border H, and the washer G is secured in any suitable manner to the stick of
the umbrella. The elastic ring A allows the said umbrella to be opened
without straining the cover and causing a tendency to tear away from the
points, and will also yield when the umbrella is exposed to strong gusts of
wind, and thereby prevent tearing or splitting of the covering which frequently
arises from the rigidity of the ordinary connection used for this purpose.
The elastic fastenings are also applied in substantially a similar manner to
travelling bags, collapsing hat boxes, pocket books, purses, and any other
articles of a similarly expanding character.
Having thus fully described my Invention, and shewn how the same may
be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim the applica-
sion of india-rubber or other similarly elastic material to the expanding or

page_text: folding portions of portmanteaus, leggings, umbrellas, and other articles for
the purposes and substantially in the manner herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Cartwright, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
MATTHEW CARTWRIGHT. (LS.)
Witness,
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE,
"International Patent Office,"
8, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.