Improved Receptacle, applicable for Use as a Trunk, Wardrobe, Bed, or Desk.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1893-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Receptacle, applicable for Use as a Trunk, Wardrobe, Bed,
or Desk.
I, CHRISTIAN HEUMADER, of St. Joseph, in the County of Buchanan, and
State of Missouri, United States of America, 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 relates to an improved receptacle applicable for use as a trunk,
wardrobe, bed or desk.
The objects of my invention are:
First, to construct a receptacle that is substantial and that may be easily and
quickly arranged in proper shape to serve either as a trunk, a bed, a wardrobe or
as a desk.
Second, to so construct the different parts that the receptacle shall be neat in
appearance, when in use for either of the above mentioned purposes.
Third, to so construct said receptacle that a minimum amount of space shall be
occupied by the folding parts thereby providing a roomy receptacle
Fourth, to so attach the different parts of the receptacle to each other that said
parts cannot be transposed or wrongly placed.
Fifth, that no mechanical skill is required to convert this receptacle into any of
the above mentioned parts.
In the drawings:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing wardrobe in full lines, folded back as a
desk in dotted lines and showing it folded as a trunk in broken and dotted lines.
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the trunk transformed into a cot.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section.
Figure 4 is a cross section on the line X-X Fig. 3.
Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line Y-Y Fig. 4.
Figure 6 is a section on the line Z-Z Fig. 5, showing the parts folded as a
trunk.
Figure 7 is a detailed view of the U-shaped hinge.
A represents the body of the receptacle or trunk of rectangular shape to which
is hinged the cover or lid B by means of the hook hinges B¹. To the cover or lid B
by means of hinges B2 is secured the tray C which is held or secured in a closed
position by means of the snap spring B³. bare strips of suitable material secured to
the short sides of tray C for the purpose hereinafter set forth, and C* are pivoted
bolts the ends of which pass through slots in the sides of the tray near which they
are secured respectively.
C' is a leaf which is hinged to the tray C by means of hinges c³, and it is adapted
to lay snugly against the bottom of the tray and is removably held in this position
by means of a snap spring c³.
The short sides of the cover or lid B are provided with snap springs B' to be
hereinafter referred to, while a series of hooks B are secured in the top of the
cover B. Secured to the free end of the leaf Cis a pin or bolt c', shown in
dotted lines, Fig. 3, which, when desired, engages the socket c in the top of the
trunk proper, to hold the lower end of said leaf in rigid connection with the trunk
when the parts are arranged to form a wardrobe.
The following description refers solely to the body of the trunk proper: To the
longer sides of the trunk at one end are secured plates F' which have a suitable
opening in or about the middle. In said openings in the plates F³ the ends of a
[Ꭰ ᏄᏗ 1

page_text: On one
These
substantially U-shaped rod Fare pivoted, said rol being loosely connected to a
leaf F thus forming a pivoted hinge joint between the rod and leaf. To the leaf F
is secured another leaf G by means of the hinges E', said leaf G being provided
with a sliding bolt G, and a lock keeper G to be hereinafter referred to.
edge of the leaf F is secured a strip of metal F of greater width than the
thickness of the leaf F, the upper end of which is notched as at f. The upper
portion of this strip of metal is free and is also provided with a pin d (similar to
pin d presently described) which extends through a ledge on the under side of the
leaf F and engages with the lock keeper G when leaf G is folded beneath leaf F
thereby holding the leaf G snugly against the under side of the leaf F.
leaves and G when desired are swung into the trunk body and their free ends
rest on the cleat G2 while the opposite ends are supported by means of the
U-shaped rod F; thus when in this position they form a separate compartment X.
is a pin or suitable projection secured to the leaf F to be hereinafter referred to.
D is a leaf hinged to the trunk body by means of suitable hinges and provided
with a rib d, to which is secured a strip of metal which extends a short distance
above said rib, the upper end of said strip of metal being free and provided with a
pin which extends through the rib d. D³ is a suntable handle by which to
operate the leaf D. 3 is a pin or projection on leaf D to be hereinafter referred
to. E is a leaf hinged to the leaf D by means of the hinges E', said leaf E being
provided with a lock d to be hereinafter referred to. This leaf E folds snugly to
the underside of the leaf D and is held in that position by means of the pin d². The
leaf D is a little shorter than the leaf E. The leaves D and E when folded
together rest on cleat E2 and in this position form the top or cover of the middle
compartment of the trunk, the leaf D being flush with the top of the trunk. Thus
it will be seen that the trunk has three separate compartments.
To convert the trunk into a wardrobe the cover is turned back, the hook hinges
separated and the cover removed carrying with it the tray C and the leaf C. The
leaves D and E are swung to an upright position and the snap spring pin holding
them together is pulled out thus releasing E which is turned at right angles to
leaf D. The leaves F and G are then swung to a vertical position turning on the
U-shaped rod or binge F1, and the leaf G is turned at right angles to the leaf F.
The cover B is now placed upon the leaves D and F while the leaves E and G
bear against the outside of the cover. After the cover has been placed in this
position the snap spring es being unfastened leaf C' swings down, then snap B³ is
unfastened automatically by pressure from the hinged edge of leaf C' liberating the
tray C which swings downwaid until leaf C' and tray C rest in the position shown
in Figs. 3 and 4. The lower corners of the leaf C¹ enter suitably-arranged grooves
which together with the fastening C and the pin or bolt c which enters the
socket in the trunk body, hold the tray C and leaf C' which form the back of
the wardrobe rigidly in place. The lower part of the tray as seen in Figs. 3 and 4
forms a very convenient receptacle for small articles. From hook B articles of
apparel may be suspended. Thus it will be seen that the tray and leaf hinged
thereto form the back of the wardrobe while the leaves D and E, F and G form
the sides and door of the wardrobe. Said doors may be securely locked. The
snap springs B³ engage the projections or pins for d³ thereby securely holding
the top B to the leaves F and D while the pivotal bolts C rigidly connect the tray
and leaf C to the sides of the wardrobe. By leaving C₁in the position indicated
in dotted lines in Fig. 1 the leaf C' may be used as a desk, by supporting the same
upon any suitable article of furniture, such as a chair for instance, the leaf C being
thus held in the dotted line position shown.
If the device is used simply as a trunk and the owner desires a writing desk all
that is necessary is to turn the cover of the trunk back and release the leaf C¹ and
swing the leaf back thus presenting quite a large surface on which to write. Or if
one prefers they may entirely disconnect the cover B from the trunk and place it
upon a chair or other suitable support, then swing the leaf C' back, either way
being practicable.

page_text: A bed or cot is formed by swinging leaves F and G over an resting them on
the lid B as shown, the leaves D and E being flush with the top of the trunk
body.
It is obvious that many slight changes and alterations may be made in the parts
and combination of parts herein before described and hence I would have it
understood that I do not strictly confine myself to the specific construction shown.
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. The combination with the trunk body, of leaves hinged together and to the
ends thereof, means to support the free ends of said leaves in the trunk, means to
connect the leaf to the cover, of the cover, a tray and leaf hinged together and to
the cover, and means to connect said leaf to the trunk body, substantially as
described.
2. In a combined trunk and wardrobe, the combination with the trunk body, the
swing pivot hinge secured to one end of the same, leaves hinged together in series,
one series of which is secured to said hinge while the other series is hinged to the
opposite side of the trunk, means to support the free ends of said leaves when
folded in the trunk, and means to connect said leaves to the cover, of a cover
provided with a tray hinged thereto, a leaf hinged to the said tray, means to
connect said leaf to the trunk body, substantially as described.
3. In a combined trunk and wardrobe, the combination with the trunk body, of a
series of leaves arranged in pairs and hinged together and to opposite ends of said
trunk, means to support the free ends of said leaves, means to connect the leaves to
the cover, of the cover, the tray and leaf hinged together and to said cover, and
means to connect said leaf to the trunk body, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a trunk provided with leaves hinged together and to
the trunk and adapted to fold therein, means to support the free ends of said
leaves, of the cover provided with a tray and leaf hinged together and to the
cover, the pivotal bolts and catches C and B' secured to the tray and cover and
a suitable catch to hold the leaf to the bottom of the tray, substantially as
described.
5. The combination with a trunk body provided with a U-shaped hinge, a series
of leaves connected to the said hinge, another series of leaves hinged to the opposite
side of said trunk, the combined catch and hinge connected to said series of leaves,
means to support the free ends of said leaves when folded in the trunk, of the cover
provided with hook hinges, a tray and leaf hinged together and to the cover, the
pivotal bolts c and catches B³, B*, *, and c³, connected respectively to the cover,
tray and leaf, substantially as described.
6. In a combined trunk and wardrobe, the combination with the trunk body of
two pairs of leaves hinged to the trunk and adapted to fold and form compartments
therein, and when folded to form the sides and front of the wardrobe, of the cover
connected to the trunk body by hook hinges and provided with a tray and leaf
hinged together and to said cover, and adapted when unfolded to form the top and
back of a wardrobe, substantially as described.
Dated this th
T1000
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.