Improvements in Baskets for Enclosing Goods for Conveyance by Rail or otherwise.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Baskets for Enclosing Goods for Conveyance by
Rail or otherwise.
I, WILLIAM DICKSON of 10 Roman Bath Street in the City of London, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention has reference to baskets for enclosing goods for conveyance by rail
or otherwise, and has been specially designed for use by the Post Office for containing
letters and parcels post packages, but my improved baskets are also adapted for
commercial purposes, as they can be employed for enclosing and conveying goods
of various descriptions.
For the letter and parcels posts, cylindrical or barrel shaped baskets, made of cane
or wicker covered externally with canvas are now used. The cane or wicker soon
gets damaged, and has to be repaired, and the handles which are attached to the
canvas covering are liable to be pulled off, or to tear the canvas; the baskets have
straps inside sewn to the cane or wicker, and these soon give way and so do the
buckle straps which are similarly sewn or stitched to the cane or wicker lid. Now
by means of my invention the strength and durability of baskets of the kind
referred to are greatly increased.
In my improved baskets one, two, or more bands of hoop iron are carried down
the outside, then under the bottom, and up the opposite side, the ends of the
bands being turned over the top edge of the basket and secured inside by rivets.
or otherwise. These iron bands thus secured greatly strengthen the body of the
basket and increase its durability. The handles, instead of being attached to the
canvas covering only, as hitherto, are secured by outside and inside iron plates and
rivets, which latter also pass through the iron band above described. The basket
is lined with canvas or analogous material stitched to the outside covering. To the
bottom of the canvas covering of the basket may be attached a protecting outer
bottom of sheet iron, secured by bolts, rivets, or like devices to the iron bands. The
buckle straps are secured to the lid by outside and inside iron plates and rivets
instead of being sewn or stitched thereto as formerly. The straps inside the basket
are not sewn to the wicker or cane, but are attached to the iron bands, which are
slotted to receive them.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Baskets for Enclosing Goods for Conveyance by
Rail or otherwise.
I, WILLIAM DICKSON of 10 Roman Bath Street in the City of London, Gentleman,
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 has reference to baskets for enclosing goods for conveyance by rail
or otherwise, and has been specially designed for use by the Post Office for con-
taining letters and parcel post packages, but my improved baskets are also adapted
for commercial purposes as they can be employed for enclosing and conveying
goods of various descriptions.
For the letter and parcel posts baskets made of cane or wicker covered externally
with canvas are now used. The cane or wicker soon gets damaged and has to be

page_text: repaired, and the handles which are attached to the canvas covering are liable to be
pulled off or to tear the canvas. The baskets have straps inside sewn to the cane
or wicker and these soon give way and so do the buckle straps which are similarly
sewn or stitched to the cane or wicker lid.
Now by means of my invention the strength and durability of baskets of the
kind referred to are greatly increased.
In my improved baskets one, two or more bands of hoop iron are carried down
the outside, then under the bottom and up the opposite side, the ends of the bands
being turned over the top edge of the basket and secured inside by rivets or other-
wise. These iron bands thus secured greatly strengthen the body of the basket and
increase its durability. The handles, instead of being attached to the canvas covering
only as hitherto, are secured by outside and inside iron plates and rivets, which
latter also pass through the iron bands above described. The basket is preferably
lined with canvas or analogous material stitched to the outside covering. To the
bottom of the canvas covering of the basket may be attached a protecting outer
bottom, which may consist of an iron plate or frame secured by bolts, rivets or like
devices to the iron bands; or it may be made of other material. The buckle strap
is secured to the lid by outside and inside iron plates and rivets instead of being
sewn or stitched thereto as formerly. The straps inside the basket are not sewn to the
wicker or cane, but are attached to the iron bands which are slotted to receive them,
or, which is better, the straps have transverse cuts made in them for the iron bands
to pass through.
Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings represent a basket made according to
my invention. Figure 1 is a vertical section. Figure 2 is a plan on the line 1-1
of Figure 1, these views showing the lid in place in the position it would occupy if
the basket were full or nearly so. Figure 3 is an outside view of the basket with the
lid hanging outside as it does during packing or unpacking. Figure 4 is a view
of the underside of the basket.
a is the body of the basket made of cane or wicker and is the canvas covering
to same, this covering being as usual extended some distance above the top of the
basket to enable it to be tied over it like a bag. c is the lid and d d'are the
handles. All these parts may be of any usual form and make.
e e are two bands of hoop iron carried down the outside of the basket at one side
between the body a and the covering b, then under the bottom of same, where they
cross each other (this crossing, however, is not important) and then up the opposite
side as shown, the two ends being turned over the top edge of the basket as seen
at ff and secured inside by rivets g g; these rivets can, however, be dispensed with,
as I find that the mere turning over of the ends of the bands is generally sufficient to
retain them in place. More of the bands ee can be used if thought necessary, but I
find that two as shown give sufficient strength and durability to the body of the
basket.
The handles d d are not, as hitherto, attached to the canvas covering only, but are
secured by inside and outside plates h hand rivets i i,these rivets also passing through the
bands e e and through the cane or wicker and canvas covering of the basket. In
cases where the bands e e are not employed the rivets i i will similarly pass through
the inside and outside plates h h and through the cane or wicker and canvas covering
of the basket. is a lining to the basket made of canvas or analogous material; it
is, however, not essential; it is stitched at top to the canvas covering b, and near
the lower part at m to the canvas covering through the cane or wicker. n is a
protecting outer bottom to the basket; as shown it consists of a sheet iron plate
secured to the cane or wicker bottom of the basket by bolts and nuts p p. 9 is the
buckle strap; instead of being sewn or stitched to the lid e as hitherto it is secured
thereto by outside and inside plates and rivets in a similar manner to that in
which the handles d d are secured to the body a. s and are the two straps inside
the basket, such as usually employed, but instead of being sewn to the cane or wicker
of the body a they are attached to the iron bands e e, for which purpose they have
transverse cuts as seen at uu, Figure 3, through which the bands pass; for greater

page_text: strength the ends of the straps are doubled as shown, the transverse cuts being
made through the two folds. The other end of the straps carries a cross piece v,
which prevents its being pulled entirely through the buckle of the strap o̟ so that the
lid d always remains attached to the basket.
The basket shown in Figures 1 to 4 is cylindrical, which is the form that has
hitherto been more generally used by the Post Office, but my invention is obviously
applicable to baskets of other forms, as, for example, a rectangular basket as represented
in Figure 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a basket of the kind herein referred to the combination therewith or addition
thereto of bands of hoop iron extending down opposite sides and under the bottom,
and with the ends turned over the top edge of the basket as and for the purpose
set forth.
2. In a basket of the kind herein referred to, the securing of the handles to the
body by means of outside and inside iron plates and rivets as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. In a basket of the kind herein referred to the combination with strengthening
bands of hoop iron as claimed under claim 1, of outside and inside iron plates and
rivets for securing the handles to the body, the said rivets passing through the bands
as set forth.
4. In a basket of the kind herein referred to, the securing of the buckle strap to
the lid by means of outside and inside iron plates and rivets as set forth.
5. The improved basket herein before described and represented in the accompanying
drawings.
Datad this 5th day of Santambon 1000
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.