IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUNKS OR PORTMANTEAUS, AND AN IMPROVED LOCK FOR TH IN TRUNKS OR PORTMANTEAUS, AND AN LOCK FOR THE SAME
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Last, of Oxford Street, in the County, of
Middlesex, Trunk Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRUNKS OR PORTMANTEAUS, AND AN IMPROVED LOCK FOR TH
IN TRUNKS OR PORTMANTEAUS, AND AN IMPROVED LOCK FOR THE SAME.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Last at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
March 1856.
I, SAMUEL LAST, of Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Trunk
Manufacturer,..do hereby. declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUNKS OR PORTMANTEAUS, AND AN IMPROVED LOCK FOR THE
SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in a new arrangement of flaps or compartments,
whereby three compartments, when opened out for packing, lie flat or on the
same level; also in fitting the leather or other covering in such manner as to
make the sides when closed flush.
My improved lock consists of a circular bolt with part cut away, turned by
a stud outside the lock plate, and of a hasp with a peculiarly shaped bolt, also
turned by a stud. After the bolt in the hasp has been inserted in the lock
plate, for which purpose the aperture in the circular bolt must be presented to

page_text: receive it, the circular bolt is turned, and thus fastens the bolt on the hasp.
Unless the circular bolt is presented in a particular position, known to the
user alone, the lock cannot be opened, thus a secure lock requiring no key is
formed; should a further security be required, an ordinary key may also be
fitted to lock the bolt in the hasp.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Last in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
LAST, of Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Trunk Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Samuel Last, Her special licence that I, the said Samuel Last, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel
Last, 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRUNKS OR PORTMANTEAUS, AND AN IMPROVED LOCK FOR THE SAME," upon the,
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Samuel Last, 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 Samuel Last, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say

page_text: My Invention consists, first, in a new arrangement of the flaps or compart-
ments of trunks or portmanteaus, whereby three compartments, when opened.
out for packing, may lie flat on the same level; also in fitting the leather or
other covering in such manner as to make the sides when closed flush.
My Invention also consists of an improved lock, which consists of a circular
bolt with part cut away, turned by a stud outside the lock plate, and of a hasp
with a peculiarly shaped bolt, also turned by a stud. After the bolt on the.
hasp has been inserted in the lock plate, for which purpose the aperture in
the circular bolt must be presented to receive it, the circular bolt is turned,
and thus fastens the bolt on the hasp. Unless the circular bolt be presented.
in a particular position, known to the user alone, the lock cannot be opened,
thus a secure lock requiring no key is formed; should further security be.
required, an ordinary key may also be fitted to lock the bolt in the hasp.
The Drawings hereunto annexed shew the manner in which I carry my
Invention into effect.
Figure 1 is a view of a portmanteau complete (constructed according to
my improvements) with all the compartments open; Figure 2 shews the same
in plan; and Figure 3 is a cross section through the line a, b, of Figure 2.
A, A, is the outside case of the portmanteau, composed of leather or any other
suitable material; B, C, D, are three cases or compartments, which when
open lie flush or nearly so with one another, as shewn in Figure 2. The
compartment B is formed in the top of the portmanteau, having a lid or door
E hinged at c. This compartment B can be made to fold or not, as required.
The body C is formed by the two side and end pieces of the trunk, and has in
it a partition, boot, or locker d, with cover e, forming a compartment for small
articles, such as collars, &c. The third compartment or tray D, with its cover
G, hinged on the opposite side of the portmanteau to the compartment B,
forms when turned over a cover to the body C, lying flat on the top thereof.
The leather forming the two sides or end pieces of the space C is cut to
correspond with the leather on the side of the compartment D, so that when
the one is folded on the other the parts shall exactly coincide or fit on to each
other. The top or lid B is made to fit when doubled over the last compart-
ment D, and there secured by straps and lock, or both.
The flap or
compartment B is hinged to an iron frame H, covered with leather or other
suitable material, forming the top of one of the side pieces of the portmanteau,
and it is raised above the end of the body C (as seen on reference to
Figure 3), so that when the compartment D falls on the space C, the flap B
being raised rests on the bottom of the compartment D, all the parts fitting,

page_text: as just described. ff, are pieces of tape or other suitable material nailed to
the covers E, e, G, respectively, for holding papers, &c.; g, g," are fastenings:
for securing the covers or doors to their cases. One end of the fastener g'is
fitted into a part of the case, and made free to move round in any direction;
the other end h of the fastener is bent at right angles to the upright piece.
On the lid or cover I fit metal discs or plates i, i, having slots in them
sufficiently large to admit the head 7 of the fastener ;"when the head his
turned it will firmly hold the lid to the case. By the use of these fastenings
straps and buckles are entirely dispensed with. k, k, are leathers for raising
the lids.
J.
T
I will now proceed to describe my improved lock. Figure 4 is a view of
the lock and hasp complete; Figure 5 shows the circular bolt; and Figure 6
is a view of the bolt and stud detached. a is the lock plate, in 'or about the
centre of which is a slot of such a size as to admit the bolt or catch c. This
bolt is fixed to a metal piece d, passing through
hole in the hasp e, con-
nected to which is the stud f. On the inner side of the lock plate.a, and
below the slot, is a circular bolt, disc, or locker g, having a notch g' cut in
its periphery; to this' bolt g is fixed a metal piece, connected to which is the
stud or thumb-piece for turning the circular bolt. Above the slot, also on the
inner side of the lock plate, is a similar bolt i, which is connected to another
metal piece passing through the plate a, and turned by the key l, shewn sepa-
rately in Figure 7, or a stud' similar to the thumb-piece 7 may be employed.
To secure the hasp to the plate, the stud'h' and metal piece must be moved
until the circular bolts are clear of the slot; the bolt c is then passed through
the slot, and turned half round by means of the stud f, the bolt c pressing
against the under side of the plate a. 'The position of the circular bolts is
then altered by turning the stud and metal piece connected to it, thus
completely filling the slot, and thereby totally preventing the bolt c from
releasing its hold. The attachment is now complete. To unlock the fastening,
the stud h and piece connected to it must be nioved until the lines marked
thereon correspond. The position of the stud f is then altered until the mark
on it is on a line with the marks on the stud and metal piece; the hasp can
then be raised. If desired, the bolt i can be dispensed with."**
2019
I do not confine myself to the use of this lock for portmanteaus only of the
description shewn, as it is obvious it can be applied to many other useful
purposes where security is required, such as to hat boxes, writing cases, &c.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-

page_text: First, the arrangement of the flaps or compartments of portmanteaus,
trunks, and similar cases, whereby they lie flat when opened out for packing;
also the fitting of the leather in such manner that the sides are all flush when
the cases are closed or folded.
Second, the improved lock, constructed and operating in the manner
herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Last, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of September, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty six
SAMUEL LAST. (L.S.)
SAMUEL LAST. (L.S.)