Improvements in Trunks.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trunks.
I, CHARLES HENRY MERSEREAU, of 679, East 24th Street, in the City of
Paterson, County of Passaic, and State of New Jersey, U.S.A., Contractor, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a trunk with a series of tills or
compartments-pivotally or otherwise connected together, and which tills or
compartments can be quickly and readily extended or unfolded to thus com-
pletely expose to view each and every section of the said trunk.
The invention consists in the improved trunk combining a series of separate
but connected tills or compartments, in the means for connecting said tills or
compartments between and with each other and with the said trunk, and in the
combination and arrangement of the various parts, substantially as will be herein-
after more fully described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1, represents a perspective view
of my improved trunk-when fully opened-a portion of the top till being broken
away: Fig. 2, a side or end elevation of the trunk, when closed, a portion of the end
of the trunk being broken away, to better illustrate the nature of my said inven-
tion, and Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. 2, embodying a slight modification and
illustrating the lid of the trunk opened.
In said drawings, a represents a trunk of ordinary construction, provided
with the hinged lid or cover b, and having the top or upper portion c of its front
hinged or pivotally connected with the lower or stationary portion d thereof,
which upper portion is provided on its sides with flanges, adapted to engage
the end portions al and a², of the trunk and thus furnish a firm connection with
the same, when the trunk is closed.
Within the trunk is removably arranged the base till or compartment e,
and on top thereof a series of separate tills or compartments f, g, h, which
latter are pivotally connected with and between each other and on each
side thereof, by a series of parallel links i, i, whilst the lower-most one (f) of
said separate compartments is pivotally connected with the base compartment e
by the parallel links m, m, which latter-with their upper ends--are arranged
on the rear portion of the compartment f, and with their lower ends at substantially
the central portion of the base compartment e.
For the purpose of strengthening said link connections and the said tills or
compartments, said compartments are provided on each of their sides with hori-
zontal braces or strengthening strips n, to which said links or arms are pivotally
secured by screws or rivets.
It must be remarked that the height of the base compartiment e is substantially
equal to the height of the stationary lower portion d of the front of the trunk,
thus allowing the till f to clear said lower portion d and to rest on the top edge
thereof, when the tills are opened or extended.

page_text: It must be further remarked that the various tills f, g, and h, can be opened or
extended independently of each other, that is to say-for instance the top
till can be opened without disturbing the normal position of the remaining
tills.
In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, the necessity of providing the front
of the trunk with a hinged upper portion-is avoided, and thus the folding till
arrangement can be easily and quickly applied to trunks of various makes and
construction.
For that purpose the sides of the bottom compartment p are provided with
centrally arranged vertical elongated slots 7, penetrated by the pins r, r, which
latter serve as fulcrums for the links s, s, connecting said bottom compartment
with the compartment above.
By this arrangement the compartments g¹ and h¹ can be easily raised until
the bottom of the compartment g¹ is above the upper edge of the body of the trunk,
when said compartments are opened and operate precisely in the same manner
as described in connection with Figs. 1, and 2.
For conveniently raising said tills, a loop or handle t is secured to the till g¹ and
on each side thereof and extends above the edge of the body of the trunk.
If it is desired, a leg or legs u can be pivotally arranged on one of the separate
tills for forming an additional support for said tills when opened or extended.
Dohad this 5th day of Novambar 1807
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Trunks.
I, CHARLES HENRY MERSEREAU, of 679, East 24th Street, in the City of
Paterson, County of Passaic, and State of New Jersey, U.S.A., Contractor, 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:
The object of my invention is to provide a trunk with a series of tills or
compartments pivotally or otherwise connected together, and which tills or
compartments can be quickly and readily extended or unfolded to thus com-
pletely expose to view each and every section of the said trunk
The invention consists in the improved trunk combining a series of separate
but connected tills or compartments, in the means for connecting said tills or
compartments between and with each other and with the said trunk, and in the
rombination and arrangerent of the various parts, substantially as will be herrin-
after more fully described and finally embodied in the clauses of the claims.
Referring to the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification, Fig. 1 represents
a perspective view of my improved trunk-when fully opened a portion of the
top till being broken away; Fig. 2 a side or end elevation of the trunk, when
closed, a portion of the end of the trunk being broken away, to better illustrate
the nature of my said invention, and Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. 2, embodying
a slight modification and illustrating the lid of the trunk opened.
In said drawings, a represents a trunk of ordinary construction, provided
with the hinged lid or cover, and having the top or upper portion c of its front
hinged or pivotally connected with the lower or stationary portion d thereof,
which upper portion is provided on its sides with flanges cl, adapted to engage

page_text: the end portions a¹ and a³, of the trunk and thus furnish a firm connection with
the same, when the trunk is closed.
Within the trunk is removably arranged the base till or compartment e,
and on top thereof a series of separate tills or compartments f, g, h, which
latter are pivotally connected with and between each other and on each
side thereof, by a series of parallel links i, i, whilst the lower-most one (f) of
said separate compartments is pivotally connected with the base compartment e
by the parallel links m, m, which latter with their upper ends-are arranged
at the rear portion of the compartment f, and with their lower ends at substantially
the central portion of the base compartment e.
For the purpose of strengthening said link connections and the said tills or
compartments, said compartments are provided on each of their sides with hori-
zontal braces or strengthening strips n, to which said links or arms are pivotally
secured by screws or rivets.
It must be remarked that the height of the base compartment e is substantially
equal to the height of the stationary lower portion d of the front of the trunk,
thus allowing the till f to clear said lower portion d and to rest on the top edge
thereof, when the tills are opened or extended.
It must further be remarked that the various tills f, g and h, can be opened or
extended independently of each other, that is to say-for instance--the top
till can be opened without disturbing the normal position of the remaining
tills.
In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, the necessity of providing the front
of the trunk with a hinged upper portion-is avoided, and thus the folded till
arrangement can be easily and quickly applied to trunks of various makes and
construction.
For that purpose the sides of the bottom compartment ? are provided with
centrally arranged vertical elongated slots q, penetrated by the pins r, r, which
latter serve as fulcrums for the links s, s, connecting said bottom compartment
with the compartment above.
By this arrangement the compartments g¹ and h¹ can be easily raised until
the bottom of the compartment g¹ is above the upper edge of the body of the trunk,
when said compartments are opened and operate precisely in the same manner
as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.
For conveniently raising said tills, a loop or handlet is secured to the till g' and
on each side thereof and extends above the edge of the body of the trunk.
If it is desired, a leg or legs u can be pivotally arranged on one of the separate
tills for forming an additional support for said tills when opened or extended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim, is:
A trunk consisting of the body having the upper portion of the front
hinged to the lower portion thereof, of a base compartment removably arranged
in said trunk, a series of separate tills or compartments carried by said base com-
partment, and pivotally connected with and between each other, and a series of
links connecting the said base compartment with the lower-most of said series
of tills, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2: A trunk consisting of the body having the top portion of its front
hinged to the lower portion thereof, a base compartment removably arranged in
said trunk and of a height substantially equal to the height of the stationary
portion of the front of said trunk, a series of tills or compartments carried by said
base compartment, means for pivotally connecting said series of tills or compart-
ments with and between each other, and means for pivotally connecting the lower-
most of said series of compartments with the base compartment, substantially as
and for the purposes described.
3: A trunk consisting of the body, a base compartment removably arranged

page_text: in said body and provided in its sides with one or more elongated vertical slots,
a series of separate tills or compartments in said trunk and above the base com-
partment and pivotally connected with and between each other, and one or more
links pivotally connected with their upper portions to the lower-most compartment
of said series and having their lower ends slidingly arranged in said elongated
slots in the base compartment, substantially as and for the purposes described.
4: A trunk consisting of the body having the upper portion of the front
hinged to the lower portion thereof, of a base compartment removably arranged
in said trunk, a series of separate tills or compartments carried by said base
compartment and pivotally connected with and between each other, a series of
links connecting the said base compartment with the lower-most of said series
of tills, and means carried by one of said series of compartments or tills for sup-
porting said series when opened, substantially as and for the purposes described.
5: A trunk consisting of the body, a base compartment removably arranged
in said body and provided in its sides with one or more elongated vertical slots,
a series of separate tills or compartments in said trunk and above the base com-
partment and pivotally connected with and between each other, one or more links
pivotally connected with their upper portions to the lower-most compartment
of said series and having their lower ends slidingly arranged in said elongated
slots in the base compartment, and means carried by one of said series of com-
partments or tills for supporting said series when opened, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.