IMPROVE. MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUNKS, PORTMANTEAUS: AND BOXES. PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PORDOSRS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Myers, of Wigmore Street, Caven·lish
Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUNKS, PORTMANTEAUS: AND BOXES.
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL
PORDOSRS"
Sealed the 9th April 1867, and dated the 10th October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Myers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th October 1866.
I, MICHAEL MYERS, of Wigmore Street, Cavendish Square, in,the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUNKS, PORTMANTEAUS, AND BOXES.
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
trunks, portmanteaus, and boxes formed of wicker or basket work, wood,
leather, or other light material or combination of materials.
I propose, firstly, to form the portmanteau, box, or trunk in such manner
as to be entirely collapsible; for this purpose I form the top and bottom of
-the portmanteau,-box, or trunk of the ordinary materials, the sides being
capable of completely folding in creases similar to the bellows of an organ,
so that the portmantean, trunk, or case may be partly or wholly filled, and
Price 8d.1

page_text: secured by straps or otherwise, and when empty completely collapsed or folded
down, so as to occupy but little space.
Secondly, I propose to make the top or upper body of the portmanteau or
box unyielding or solid, and the bottom collapsible or folding; or, if desired, I
may form the portmanteau or box with a solid body and with a collapsible top
and bottom compartment; this portion of the Invention being more especially
applicable to wicker or basket trunks covered or not with leather or other
waterproof material. I also propose to form any other portion of the article
collapsible to any extent; for example, the top and bottom may be rigid or
solid, and the middle division collapsible. I also propose to form boxes,
trunks, or portmanteaus with a lid or cover in the form of a cap, so as to
close down with a sliding or telescopic motion, such lid or cover being forced
upwards by the spring action hereafter described, or by any other suitable
springs; in wicker work this arrangement would be very applicable. Springs
may be applied to any or all of the collapsible divisions or compartments of
the portmanteau or box. I propose to apply a new form and arrangement of
spring especially applicable for the purpose required, viz., to expand or open
the collapsible divisions or compartments when they are released from the
confinement of straps or other fastenings. I propose to attach to the upper
and lower interior surface or edge of the compartment, and at either the two
or four opposite sides, my improved spring; it consists of four connecting
rods of iron or other metal jointed together by three hinges after the manner
of a rule or compass or other suitable joint, the two ends of the rods when so
joined being attached to helical springs, the springs being fixed if necessary
to a plate perforated with holes for attachment to the portmanteau or box by
screws or rivets or other method of fastening, or these helical springs may be
fixed directly into the substance of the portmantenu. The middle joint or
hinge of the levers must be left free to turn as far as the spring will actuate
the same, but the other two joints or hinges are regulated by lugs, projections,
or stops, so as to never allow the springs to force the rods to a straight line but
only to assume a series of obtuse angles, whereby when vertical pressure is
applied to compress the spring and collapsible division of the box, trunk, or
pormanteau, the rods will be forced towards each other nearly to the parallel
position, and carry down the flexible sides of the article. I also form the
spring with only two rods jointed instead of four; in this case the lug, stop,
or projection is applied at the joint to limit the angle of the two rods when
completely elevated; in this arrangement one helical spring will suffice at one
end of the compound jointed rod, but two may be used if desired. The
helical spring may consist of a duplicate spring, and the rod set between

page_text: and attached to the two. The flexible sides of the article should be
attached to the points of junction of the rods, or the helical spring may be
at the middle joint of the rods, which would then be attached to the sides
or edges of the interior of the portmanteau; the action would be similar to
the former-example. This compound spring may also be applied to other
useful purposes than those specified.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Myers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, MICHAEL
MYERS, of Wigmore Street, Cavendish Square, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Michael Myers, Her special licence that I, the said Michael
Myers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Michael Myers, 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 veud, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain'
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUNKS, PORTMANTEAUS, AND BOXES,
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Myers, 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 Michael Myers, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what mauner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:--
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of

page_text: trunks, portmanteaus, boxes, and cases formed of wicker or basket work,
wood, leather, leather cloth, or any description of waterproof fabric or
other light material or combination of materials.
I propose, firstly, to form the portmantean, box, case, or trunk in such
manner as to be entirely collapsible in the form of the bellows of an organ. I
also form the top and bottom or any other parts of the portmanteau, box,
case, or trunk which are rigid of wicker or basket work or other material or
combination of materials adapted for the purpose, the sides or other
collapsible portion being capable of completely. folding in creases similar
to the bellows of an organ, so that the portmantean, trunk, or case may be
partly or wholly filled and secured by straps or otherwise, and when empty
completely collapsed or folded down, so as to occupy but little space.
Secondly, I make the top or upper body of the portmanteau or box un-
yielding or solid, and the bottom or lower portion or compartment collapsible
or folding; or, if desired, I form the portmanteau or box with a solid body and
with a collapsible top and bottom compartment; this portion of the Invention
being more especially applicable to wicker or basket work trunks covered or
not with leather or other waterproof material. I also propose to form any
other portion of the article collapsible to any extent; for example, the top and
bottom may be rigid or solid and the middle division collapsible. I also form
boxes, trunks, or portmanteaus with a lid or cover in the form of a cpp, so as
to close down with a sliding or telescopic motion, such lid or cover being
forced upwards by the spring action hereafter described, or by any other
suitable springs; in wicker work this arrangement would be very applicable.
Springs may be applied to any or all of the collapsible divisions or compart-
ments of the portmantean or box, or to the interior of the portmanteau or case
(which is entirely and completely collapsible, as before d'escribed), for the
purpose of expanding and collapsing the same; these springs may be of any
description suitable for the purpose of expanding and collapsing the gussets of
the sides of the article, but I propose to apply a new form and arrangement
of spring especially applicable for the purpose required, viz., to expand or
open the collapsible divisions or compartments when they are released from
the confinement of straps or other fastenings. I propose to attach to the
upper and lower interior surface or edge of the compartment, and at either
the two or four opposite sides, my improved spring; it consists of four
connecting rods of iron or other metal jointed together by three hinges after
the manner of a rule or compass or other suitable joint, the two ends of the
rods when so joined being attached to helical springs, the springs being fixed
if necessary to a plate perforated with holes for attachment to the portmanteau

page_text: or box by screws or rivets or other method of fastening; or these helical
springs may be fixed directly into the substance of the portinanteau. The
middle joint or hinge of the levers must be left free to turn as far as the
springs will actuate the same, but the other two joints or hinges are regulated
by lugs, projections, or stops, so as to never allow the springs to force the rods
to a straight line, but only to assume a series of obtuse angles, whereby when
vertical pressure is applied to compress the spring andcollapsibledivisionofthe
box, trunk or portmanteau, the rods will be forced towards each other nearly
to the parallel position, and carry down the flexible sides of the article so as
to collapse or fold the sides in creases. I also form the spring with only two
rods jointed instead of four; in this case the lug stop or projection is applied
at the joint to limit the angle of the two rods when completely elevated. In
this arrangement one helical spring will suffice at one end of the compound
jointed rod, but two may be used if desired. The helical spring may consist
of a duplicate spring, and the rod set between and attached to the two. The
flexible sides of the article should be attached to the points of junction of the
rods; or the helical spring may be at the middle joint of the rods, which
would then be attached to the sides or edges of the interioroftheportmantenu.
The action would be similar to the former example. This compound spring
may also be applied to other useful purposes than those specified. The lid of
the trunk, portmanteau, box, case, or basket fits or laps over the upper
portion of the main body of the trunk or portmanteau, box, or basket, and
rests on a lip or ledge, so as to prevent rain or damp from entering the trunk
or other receptacle named.
An improvement on the construction of the trunk, case, or portmanteau
consists in forming the upper body or any portion or dimension thereof
collapsible, the lower portion being made rigid and containing a drawer or
hinged compartment or compartments in any portion of the same, which may
be drawn out or thrown over and outwards; this or these compartments or
drawers may contain fittings, which in turn may be exposed or opened; the
lower compartments or drawer may be enclosed by a flap, which being let
down allows of the lower part of the portmanteau orcase beingopened without
interfering with the upper part of the article; thus, the case or other article
may be furnished with a flap or flaps hinged at their upper or lover edges or
sides -to the body of the case with flaps in a duplicate form meeting in the
middle like folding doors, so as to fall down or otherwise open, and when
opened expose a drawer or drawers or fittings of any descriptions, or a plain
shelf or shelves or compartments without any fittings, which drawers or
fittings could be withdrawn from the body. These flaps might be on either

page_text: side or end of the case or orher article, and at any portion thereof, either the
bottom, top, middle, or at two separate elevations or portions thereof. By
these means any portion of the portmanteau, case, or trunk where the flaps
and drawers or compartments are situated may be opened, and the contents
withdrawn without the necessity of opening the cover or lid, the object being
that any portion of the interior of the article may be readily accessible
without the necessity of opening or raising the cover or upper portion or
compartment.
I claim the sole right of the application of the jointed or compound spring,
substantially as described, to portmanteaus, trunks, boxes, cases, and baskets,
for the purpose of expanding the collapsible portions or divisions when
released by the straps or bands or otherwise, and also the pplication of
helical springs, curved springs, carriage-formed springs, or any other descrip-
tion of spring whatsoever capable of effecting the same objects, as I claim the
sole Invention of applying springs of any and every description to the
collapsible compartments, of portmanteaus, boxes, cases, trunks, and baskets
for the purpose of expanding the collapsible divisions or compartments.
'I also claim the application of the collapsible portions or compartments of
the portmanteau, box, trunk, case, or basket in conjunction with the rigid
part or parts, either at the upper or lower compartiments or both, or in the
middle compartiment, or at any other portion whatsoever of the portinantean
or trunk or other article named, and also the manufacture of the said articles
of an entirely collapsible and expanding receptacle, together with the other
improvements, substantially as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Myers have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
ALEXR. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square.
M. MYERS. (L.B.).