IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF PORTABLE CABINETS AND BOXES HAVING HINGED DOORS, DRAWERS, OR MOVABLE PANELS
Year: 1881

page_text: Ef
LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hodges Bishop, of Liverpool Road, Islington, in
the County of Middlesex, and Alfred Samuel Bishop, of Gibson Square,
Islington aforesaid, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF PORTABLE CABINETS AND BOXES HAVING HINGED DOORS,
DRAWERS, OR MOVABLE PANELS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hodges Bishop and
Alfred Samuel Bishop at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
30th November 1881.
ROBERT HODGES BISHOP, of Liverpool Road, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, and ALFRED SAMUEL BISHOP, of Gibson Square, Islington aforesaid.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE CABINETS AND BOXES
HAVING HINGED DOORS, DRAWERS, OR MOVABLE PANELS."
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple means of opening and closing
the doors or panels of coal boxes, cigar cabinets, and other receptacles for goods,
and also for advancing or withdrawing shelves or trays which may be contained
therein.
The Invention in its simplest form as applied, for example, to a coal box, consists
in pivotting the side frames or standards of the handle at or near the top of the
box, and prolonging the said side frames or standards so that they will project
downwards through slots in the top of the box. Near the lower end of each of
these rocking side frames is arranged a link rod, which is connected to one of the
two hinged panels of which the door or lid is composed, so that by pushing back
the handle to rock the side frames the link rods will act upon and open the two
halves of the door or lid. These link rods may each be made in two pieces,
the one screwing into the other, thus affording a ready means of adjustment in
length.
In addition to opening and closing the doors, the rocking of the handle may be
made to thrust forward a drawer placed on a shelf suitably arranged in the upper
D
11

page_text: part of the box. This is effected by means of a pin placed at the lower end of
each side frame, and which takes into a vertical groove formed in either side of the
drawer.
Instead of hinged panels sliding shutters may be used, the movement of the
shutter being effected by means of arms oscillating on a centro and actuated by
the rocking of the handle.
In place of a rocking handle a single knob may be employed. This knob will
be fixed to a disc placed inside the box or cabinet. To this disc and on opposite
sides is connected by link rods a pair of bell crank levers, which are also connected
by link rods with the doors or lids. By turning the knob, and with it the disc, the
cranks will be pulled over and push forward the link rods to open the doors. The
drawer may also be connected to the disc, and will be drawn forward when the
disc is turned.
The box if desired may be made to open on both sides, in which case the
rocking bandle with its link rods will be duplicated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Hodges Bishop and Alfred Samuel Bishop in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 27th May 1882.
ROBERT HODGES BISHOP, of Liverpool Road, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, and ALFRED SAMUEL BISHOP, of Gibson Square, Islington aforesaid.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE CABINETS AND BOXES
HAVING HINGED DOORS, DRAWERS, OR MOVEABLE PANELS."
The object of this Invention is to provide simple means for opening and closing
the doors or panels of coal boxes, cigar cabinets, stationery cabinets, and other
portable receptacles for goods, and also for advancing and withdrawing shelves or
trays which may be contained therein.
The Invention in its simplest forin consists in prolonging the side frames or
standards of the handle, so that they may project downwards through openings in
the top of the box, and pivotting the said sido frames at or near the top of the box.
To the lower ends of these rorking side frames the doors or panels of the box are
connected by link rols, so that by rocking the handle in one direction or the
other the doors will be caused to open or close as required.
In the accompanying Drawing we have shewn at Figures 1, 2, and 3 a coal box
constructed according to our Invention, and at Figures 4, 5, and 6 a stationery
cabinet, also constructed according to our Invention.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a coal box, and Figures 2 and 3 are respectively
a plan and a front view of the same.
A is the coal box; B, B, are the doors or panels. The handle consists of a pair
of side frames or standards a, a, and a cross bar b similar to the handles usually
employed for cual boxes.
In currying out our Invention the side frames a, a, are pivotted to the top of the
box as at a', and they are formed with prolongations a², a², which project through
slots c formed in the top of the box, as clearly shewn in Fig. 1. To the lower
ends of these prolongations a, a, the doors or panels B of the box are connected
by the curved link rods d. It will thus be seen that rocking the handle into the
position shewn in dotted lines, Fig. 1, the doors or panels will be thrown open, and
vice versa.
If desired a sliding shelf or tray e may be placed on the underside of the top of
the box to carry the coal scoop. In this case the shelf or tray e will be moved in
and out by the rocking of the handle, the prolongations a working in notches el
formed on the sides of the shelf, or pins on the prolongations may work in slots or
grooves in or on the sides of the shelf.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are respectively a longitudinal sectional elevation, a front
view with the doors open, and a plan view of a stationery cabinet. In this case
the construction of the handle and its connection with the door of the cabinet will
be the same as that already described for the coal box, and the action being the
same, further description will therefore be unnecessary.
In this cabinet e may bo
a drawer driven forward in the manner described above, or it may be simply a
pocket for envelopes.
The shelves will be fixed, but a sliding drawer or tray for pens and ink will
be placed at the bottom of the cabinet, to be pushed forward by a spring when the
doors are open, as shewn in Fig. 4. A slate or tablet will be affixed to one door,
and a holder for paper knife, eraser, and other writer's necessaries to the other
door.
The link rods d may if desired be made in two
other, thus affording means for adjusting the length.
parts, one screwing into the
The box or cabinet may if

page_text: desired be made to open both front and back, in which case the rocking handle
with the link rods will be duplicated.
Having now described the nature of our Invention for "Improvements in the
Construction of Portable Cabinets and Boxes having Hinged Doors, Drawers, or
Movable Panels," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, we
claim,―
Constructing coal boxes and portable cabinets having hinged doors or movable
panels and drawers with rocking handles in connection with said doors or panels
and drawers, substantially as and for the purpose herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Samuel Bishop, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
ATEDER RISHOP (2.9)