Year: 1886

page_text: I, MICHAEL FAHEY, of the city of Oakland, county of Alameda, and State of
California, one of the United States of America, Coachman 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 :-
My Invention relates to a new and useful bag or receptacle, adapted to be readily
attached to and detached from the dash-boards of vehicles; and my invention
consists in a bag, receptacle, or casing made of any suitable material and provided
with a spring-clamp flap, or simple spring-clamps on its back, adapted to fit over
the top of the dash-board.
The bag is stiffened by means of spring bars let into the material and passing
under the bottom, up the back, and into the clamp-flap, where they unite with a
cross-bar, forming a spring-frame for the clamp-flap, flexible or pliable enough to
allow it to fit over the dashboard, and still to keep it sufficiently stiff for a good
appearance. The interior of the bag may be divided into suitable compartments,
and the partional walls should, preferably, be made of some elastic material, as
should also the ends of the bag, for a purpose I shall presently describe.
The object of my invention is to provide a bag or receptacle for conveniently
containing and carrying parcels, letters, etc, and which, by reason of its construction,
is entirely out of the way, and yet perfectly secure in its position.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my receptacle, showing its attachment to the
dash-board, and one end of its cover folded back.
Figure 2 is a perspective skeleton view, showing the spring-bars D and the
bar E.
Figure 3. is a perspective view looking from one end.
The bag A has a suitable front and back made of some yielding or flexible
material such as leather,.india-rubber, or any cloth or fabric; or in cases where a
good appearance is desired, glazed oil-cloth of the same character as that on the
dash-board. The ends a of the bag, as well as the partitional walls a¹ of its
compartments, though they may be made of the same inaterial as the rest of the
bag, are preferably constructed of some elastic material, such as rubber, so that they
may the more easily allow the bag to collapse, and may also contain parcels which
are slightly longer than the compartment in which they lie, and still not interfere
with the proper closing or collapsing of the bag.
B is the flap or cover, and C is the clamp-flap at the rear top edge of the bag,
bending over and extending downwardly parallel with the back of the bag to a
short distance. The lower portion of the front of the bag, its bottom, its back,
and the clamp-flap C, are stiffened by means of spring-bars D, which are properly
let into the material, starting in the front at a point marked d, and thence extending
under the bottom (providing thus for the proper and permanent width of said

page_text: bottom,) and up the back, bending downwardly into the clamp-flap to its lower edge,
as shown. In the lower portion of the clamp-flap is a cross-bar E, which is secured,
as by welding, to the ends of the spring-bars D, thus forming for said clamp-flap a
frame which holds it perfectly smooth, but still is of such a character as to give it
the required spring for adjusting it to its-place.
Though any means may be provided for fastening the cover B of the bag,
I prefer to use the ordinary fastening of many valises, such as is here shown by
the swiveled thumb-pieces or buttons f, which engage with elongated slots or
apertures F in the cover. These buttons are seated in the forward ends of the
spring-bars D, which give them a firm support.
It will be seen that while the lower portion of the bag is comparatively stiff, and
remains of a permanent width, the top of the bag may collapse or be narrowed,
thus making it occupy a very small space, and entirely out of the way.
The elastic character of the ends of the bag and of its partitional walls conduce
further to this result.
The manner of applying the bag to the dash-board G, is as follows:-The bag is
placed inside of the dash-board, its spring clamp flap C, fitting over it's top, thus
binding and holding the bag in position. The pressure of this flap, while sufficient
to prevent the bag from moving from its place, is yet light enough to permit its
ready removal when necessary. Instead of the long spring-flap C as a clamp,
I may use two or more narrow spring-clamps to hold the bag to the dash-board.
The uses of this receptacle are many, and need not be here explained at any
length; but it is obvious that instead of placing the parcels in the bottom of the
vehicle, where they are liable to be lost by being shaken or jarred out, they can be
placed in the receptacle, and thus be carried safely and kept out of the way, and
in rainy weather they can be kept dry, a result especially to be desired where mail
is being carried.
•
The appearance of the bag is not against it, but, on the contrary, rather in its
favor, as it can be made to look as neat as other portions of the vehicle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. As an attachment for the dash-board of a vehicle, and in combination there-
with, a flexible bag, receptacle, or casing for parcels, etc, adapted by means of a
spring-flap or clamp, or by other adjustable or removable connections, to be connected
with the dash-board in such a manner that it can be easily placed in position and
again removed, substantially as herein described.
2. The bag, receptacle, or casing, having a spring-flap or clamp on its rear top
edge, for embracing the dash-board, and suitable stiffening bars, substantially as
described.
3. The bag, receptacle, or casing, having a clamp on its rear top edge for
embracing the dash-board, and elastic ends, and partitions substantially as
described.
4. An attachment for the dash-boards of vehicles, consisting of the flexible bag,
receptacle, or casing, baving elastic ends and partitions, a cover, a flap or clamp for
embracing the dash-board, stiffening bars, and buttons on the bars for securing the
cover, all-substantially as described.