IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTMANTEAUS, BOXES, OR TRAVELLING CASES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Pratt, of No. 87, Old Bond Street, in the
Parish of Saint George, Hanover Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Trunk Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
Sealed the 7th October 1864, and dated the 8th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Pratt at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th April 1864.
I, EDWARD PRATT, of No. 87, Old Bond Street, in the Parish of Saint
George, Hanover Square, in the County of Middlesex, Trunk Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTMANTEAUS, BOXES, OR TRAVELLING CASES," to be as
follows:
It consists in novel arrangements or combinations of the parts or com-
partments in which the same are divided, and in the manner whereby such
parts or compartments are enclosed by the outside covering or case, by means
whereof I- obtain a more convenient and useful travelling commode than has
hitherto been made and used, and by causing a centre box or compartment to
fall into two divisions of the body or outside covering of the portmanteau, box,
or case, the whole of the parts or compartments when opened lay flat, and
being well supported are more conveniently packed or unpacked. This
principle is applicable to all portmanteaus, boxes, or travelling cases divided
into more than two parts or compartments, the particulars of the arrangement
of the parts or compartments are more fully set forth in the plan hereunto
annexed.

page_text: Figure is.a Drawing of one of my improved construction of portmanteaus,
boxes, or travelling cases when closed.; Figure 2 represents the same with
8 compartments A, B, and C open, E, E, E, are the doors enclosing same;
Figure 3 shews the centre box or compartment B thrown back when
packed, and the fourth compartment or bag D open. This centre box or
compartment falls into or is enclosed by the two of the divisions of the body
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Pratt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, EDWARD
PRATT, of No. 87, Old Bond Street, in the Parish of Saint George, Hanover
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Trunk Maker, sends greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto him, the
said Edward Pratt, Her special licence that he, the said Edward Pratt,
his executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as he, the said
Edward Pratt, his executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
'after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTMANTEAUS, BOXES, OR TRAVELLING CASES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that he, the said Edward Platt, his exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under his, 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 he, the said Edward Pratt, doth hereby declare
the nature of his said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:

page_text: It consists in novel arrangements or combinations of the parts or com-
partments in which the same portmanteaus, boxes, or travelling cases are
divided, and in the manner whereby such parts or compartments are enclosed
by the outside covering or case, by means whereof I obtain a more convenient
and useful travelling commode than has hitherto been made and used, and by
causing a centre box or compartment to fall into two of the divisions of the
body or outside covering of the portmanteau, box, or case, the whole of the
parts or compartments when opened lay flat, and being well supported are
more conveniently packed or unpacked. The particulars of the arrangement
of the parts or compartments are more fully set forth in the plans hereunto
annexed.
This portmanteau, box, or travelling case is constructed in the usual
manner well known to trunk and travelling equipage makers. I do not
intend to claim as my Invention any of the several parts or compartments
separately as they have been used in common, but that which I claim as my
Invention is, the construction, combination, and arrangement of the portman-
teau, box, or travelling case possessing the advantages above set forth.
Figure 1 is a Drawing of one of my improved construction of portmanteaus,
boxes, or travelling cases when closed; Figure 2 represents the same with
three compartments A, B, and C open, E, E, E, are the doors enclosing same;
Figure 3 shews the centre box or compartment B thrown back when packed,
and the fourth compartment or expanding bag D open; this centre box or
compartment B falls into or is enclosed by the two of the divisions of the
body or outside covering marked F, F, F, F.
In witness whereof, he, the said Edward Pratt, has hereunto set his
hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named Edward Pratt in
the presence of
AUG. D. SMITH, Sol.,
27, Great James St.,
Bedford Row.
EDWARD PRATT. (L.S.)