IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLING AND OTHER TRUNKS AND BOXES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, EDMUND BULLIVANT, of the firm of Edmund Bullivant and Company, of
Blakenball Works, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, tin plate workers
and japanners, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRAVELLING AND OTHER TRUNKS AND BOXES, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the
letters of reference marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This invention refers to the class of trunks and boxes in which the lid is packed
separately from the body, and has for its object to increase the facilities for packing
and unpacking such trunks and boxes, and to obviate or lessen the tendency which
the lids thereof, when packed and opened, have to overbalance the body and to
distort or strain the parts to which they are hinged.
According to this invention the lid is divided into two parts at or near the
transverse centre of the trunk or box; and these parts are hinged, respectively, to
the ends of the body so as to open to the right and left, instead of backwards as in
the case of the ordinary construction of lids. Each of the said parts of the lid
is formed into one or more separate divisions for packing.
This invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which figure 1 is a front elevation of a sheet metal travelling trunk
with the lid thereof open. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the trunk
when closed. Figure 3 is a plan of figure 1, with the lid open as in such figure.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the back fastening for the lid with just sufficient of the
lid and body shewn to make the figure clear.
The same letters of reference throughout the several views indicate corresponding
parts.
A is the body of the trunk, and B B₁ are the two parts into which the lid is
divided transversely. These parts are hinged to the ends of the body, as shewn
at a abb so as to open to the left and right hand, respectively, as shewn by
figures 1 and 3. The end of the part B¹ which is the inner end when closed, is
plain, as shewn, and upon the corresponding end of the part B is fixed a strap or
band C which projects over and around the inner end of the part B¹, when the
two parts of the lid are closed together as shown by figure 2, and this projecting
part is shaped to stand somewhat upwards or outwards from the part B¹ to admit

page_text: of a joint or pad c, of india-rubber tube or other suitable material, being fixed
either within the band C or around the part B¹, so as to form a sufficiently weather
and dust-proof joint between the parts of the lid when closed. A similar band D
is fixed in a corresponding position around the body of the trunk for the sake both
of appearance and strength. d is an ordinary hinged hasp on the front of the
band C, which when closed is fastened by the lock e on the front of the band D.
Figure 4 shews in elevation a fastening at the back of the trunk. In this
figure is a hinged hasp attached to the band C. g is a staple fixed to the band D
and projecting through a slit in the hasp f when the latter is closed down. h is a
sliding bolt upon the hasp f, and this bolt is slid down into the staple g to fasten
the hasp.
.
jj are projections or stops fixed outside the ends of the body of the trunk, and
against which the parts of the lid press when open and are thus kept clear of the
handles and supported in the position shewn by figure 1. Two of these projections
are fixed at each end of the trunk.
Each part of the lid is formed as a separate receptacle for packing, and for this
purpose is closed in at its end r (see figure 2) and also at the face 8, which is its
underside when closed. Referring specially to figure 3, m is a supplementary lid
hinged to the face 8 of the part B of the main lid at kk, and fastened by a sliding
bolt . The part B¹ is shewn as divided into two compartments, closed by the
lids nn hinged at pp etc. and fastened by a turn-piece q. The method of
closing and dividing the parts of the lid of the trunk may, however, be varied as
desired.
It will now be seen that when the trunk above described stands open, all the
divisions of it are within easy reach of a person in position in front, and that since
the parts of the lid tend to counterbalance cach other, there is no risk of the trunk
being overbalanced when open, and consequently the parts of the lid may be
packed before the body of the trunk; and, further, that the parts of the lid, being
each lighter than the whole lid and hinged to the ends of the trunk, which are
usually shorter than the back, have a less tendency to distort or strain such ends
than the ordinary lid of the same description has to distort the back.
The application of this invention to trunks and boxes generally will now be
sufficiently obvious without need for further description.
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
I claim is
1. Travelling and other trunks and boxes, in which the lids are packed separately
from the bodies, having such lids divided across and hinged at the ends so as to
open right and left, substantially as and for the purpose herein described, and
shewn by the drawings herewith.
2. The strap or band C, substantially as and for the purpose herein described,
and shewn by the drawings herewith.
3. The combination with the strap or band C of a joint or pad c of india-rubber
tube or other suitable material, substantially as and for the purpose herein described,
and shewn by the drawings herewith.
This fath of Tua 100K
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Agent for the Applicant.