IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BAGS, SACKS, POUCHES, AND OTHER FLEXIBLE ARTICLES OF CAPACITY."AL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Coles, of Gresham Street West, in the City
of London, Merchant, James Archibald Jaques, of Tottenham, in the
County of Middlesex, Chemist, and John Americus Fanshawe, of same
Place, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF BAGS, SACKS, POUCHES, AND OTHER FLEXIBLE ARTICLES OF CAPACITY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Coles, James
Archibald Jaques, and John Americus Fanshawe, at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 11th October
1864.
We, GEORGE COLES, of Gresham Street West, in the City of London,
Merchant, JAMES ARCHIBALD JAQUES, of Tottenham, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Chemist, and JOHN AMERICUS FANSHAW, of same Place, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BAGS, SACKS, POUCHES, AND OTHER FLEXIBLE ARTICLES OF
CAPACITY," to be as follows:-
This Invention, of improvements in the manufacture of bags, sacks,.
pouches, and other flexible articles of capacity, relates to a means of closing.
the neck, mouth, or entrance to such articles automatically. To this end the
neck or mouth of the article is formed of india-rubber, moulded to the proper
form and vulcanized.
In applying the Invention to small articles, such as purses, money bags,

page_text: tobacco pouches, and such like articles, the whole article may be formed of
one piece of rubber properly moulded to the required form; and in orde
to form the self-closing mouth, the latter, while the rubber is in the crude o
raw state, is twisted forcibly round, and is held in this position between dies
or clamps while being cured or vulcanized. The effect of this will be tha
the folds or creases given to the rubber while it is in the raw state will remain
permanent, so that when the folds-are-opened so as to obtain access to the
interior of the bag, the mouth will instantly close itself when released. I
will be obvious that a collapsible self-acting mouth of the above kind may be
applied to various articles, such as sacks, bags, and portmanteaus composed
of other materials less costly than india-rubber.
Another part of the Invention consists in constructing portmanteaus with
india-rubber sides, which are formed in folds, and compressed or mouled into
the required form while the rubber is raw. When the folded fabric is
vulcanized or cured, the folds will remain permanent and form an expanding
article of capacity.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Coles, James Archibald Jaques, and John Americus
Fanshawe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
COLES, of Gresham Street West, in the City of London, Merchant, JAMES
ARCHIBALD JAQUES, of Tottenham, in the County of Middlesex, Chemist; and
JOHN AMERICUS FANSIIAWE, of the same Place, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said George Coles, James Archibald Jaques, and John Americus.
Fanshawe, Her special license that we, the said George Coles, James
Archibald Jaques, and John Americus Fanshawe, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Coles, James
Archibald Jaques, and John Americus Fanshawe, our executors, adminis
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully-might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King:
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,.
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BAGS, SACKS, POUCHES,

page_text: AND OTHER FLEXIBLE ARTICLES OF CAPACITY," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said George Coles, James Archibald Jaques, and John
Americus Fanshawe, by an instrument in writing under our bands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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.
:
KNOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Coles, James Archibald
Jaques, and John Americus Fanshawe, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention, 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 Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of "Improvements in the. Manufacture of Bags; Sacks,
Pouches, and other Flexible Articles of Capacity," relates principally to a
means of closing the neck, mouth, or entrance to such articles automatically:
To this end the neck or mouth of the article is made elastic, being formed of
india-rubber or a mixture of gutta percha and india-rubber or other elastic
gum moulded to the proper form and vulcanized, so that when (after opening
the article in order to obtain access to the interior) the mouth is left to itself,
its elasticity will cause it to resume its normal position, and thus close up the
entrance.
In the accompanying Drawings we have shewn various plans of applying
the Invention to small articles; such as purses; money bags, tobacco pouches,
and such like articles. The whole article may be formed of one piece of
rubber properly moulded to the required form, or merely the mouth or
entrance may be made of the elastic material, and attached in any con
venient manner to the article to which it is to be applied. In order to form
the self-closing mouth, the article is first moulded of the required form, with
any external ornamental pattern that may be desired embossed thereon. A
moulding block of metal or hard rubber is then placed inside the article as
shewn at a, in Fig. 1, which represents a tobacco pouch prepared ready for
forming the self-closing mouth. A second block is then placed in the
mouth while the rubber is in the crude or raw state, and a wire or string is
passed round the neck of the bag to secure it to the block b. The mouth
part c, c, with the block secured therein, is then twisted forcibly round
about one-third of a circle, and is held in this position between the dies or
blocks a and b by means of tapes or bandages d, d, as seen in Fig. 2, while

page_text: being cured or vulcanized. The effect of this will be that the folds or
creases given to the rubber by forcibly twisting it while it is in the raw state
will remain permanent, so that when the folds are opened so as to obtain
access to the interior of the bag, the mouth will instantly close itself when
released: It will be obvious that a collapsible self-acting mouth of the
above kind may be applied to various articles, such as sacks, bags, and port
manteaus composed of other materials less costly than india-rubber, and
also to those of a rigid character.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of an india-rubber tobacco pouch constructed in this
manner, with a collapsible self-closing mouth as above described; Fig. 4 is a
side view thereof; Fig. 5 is a similar view shewing the mouth slightly raised
as if for the purpose of opening the pouch; Fig. 6 is a view of the same fully
opened so as to obtain access to the interior. Upon quitting hold of the
collapsible-self-closing-mouth-it will immediately resume the position and
appearance shewn in Figures 3 and 4.
"
Figures 7, 8, and 9 represent another form of pouch. In this instance
the pouch is rectangular, and when open, as shewn at Figures 7, there are four
flat vertical sides. In making this pouch an inner block is inserted, as in the
former instance, to maintain the internal capacity of the article, and the col
lapsible self-closing mouth is made by folding down the sides one after the
other, commencing by bringing the point 1, Fig. 7, down to 2, thus producing
a diagonal crease from 3 to 4, and following on with the other sides in the same
manner, so as to produce the pouch shewn in plan and side view at Figures 8
and 9. A rigid block is placed on the folded mouth, as in the former instance,
so as to keep it in place while being vulcanized.
2
Fig. 10 is a plan view of another pouch formed in precisely the same
manner as that shewn at Figures 7, 8, and 9, except that it is made round
instead of square. The sides forming the collapsible mouth are folded down
in the same manner as that described in reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 11 repre-
sents the pouch shewn at Fig. 10, open.
Fig. 12 is an end view, Fig. 13, a plan view, and Fig. 14, a sectional view
of a rectangular pouch, with a different form of mouth. In this instance the
collapsible mouth is made by rolling up the edges of the mouth instead of
twisting them round. Fig. 12 shews the pouch closed, and with the mouth
rolled up. Fig. 14 represents the mouth as unrolled ready for obtaining access
to the interior of the article.
Figures 15 and 16 are plan and side views of another form of pouch. In
this instance the mouth part is cut in vandykes, as shewn in the side view,
Fig. 16, which represents the pouch open. These vandykes are folded down

page_text: (as shewn in the plan view) while the rubber is in an uncured state, and the
parts are kept in this position by suitable dies or blocks 'while the article is:
being cured or vulcanized. In order to open the pouch it will only be neces-
sary to take hold of the ends of two of the vandykes and pull them up, as
shewn in Fig. 16.
:
Fig. 17 is a plan view and Fig. 18 an edge view of another form of pouch,
which is closed by folding over the ends and sides. Fig. 19 is a plan view;
and Fig. 20'a side view of the same pouch open. It is closed by first folding
over the two ends e, e, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 19, and then
folding down the sides f, f, as shewn in Figures 17 and 18.:
Figures 21 and 22 are side and edge views of a bag something like a
lady's reticule, which is closed by folding over the vandyke pieces glandth
on opposite sides.
In
Figures 23, 24, and 25, are side and end views of another form of tobacco
pouch or cigar case. The mouth is made with an elastic piece or flap i, with
flexible sides, as shewn in Fig. 24, which represents the pouch open.
order to keep it in shape a strip of metal, hard rubber, or cane is inserted in
the edge of the mouth, as shewn at j, and also in the edge of the elastic piece, .
as shown at k.
Figures 26 and 27 are side elevations, and Fig. 28 is a horizontal section
of a cigar case provided with a collapsible mouthpiece, made in the manner
shewn in Figures 3 and 4. This cigar case, as shewn, consists of seven
vertical compartments or chambers m, m, but any other number of compart-
ments for containing cigars may be employed. These are formed of sheet
rubber, protected or stiffened by curved pieces of perforated sheet metal, as
shewn in Figures 26 and 28 at 1, covered inside and out with thin sheet
rubber. While the rubber is in the uncured state, the sides of the vertical
compartments m, m, are made adhesive, so that when they are brought into
contact, as shown in the Figures, they will adhere together and form the
combined case. A bottom piece of rubber of suitable shape closes the lower
ends of the compartments m, and the collapsible mouth is adapted to the
upper end, and is formed in the manner already explained. Fig. 29 repre-
sents one of the elastic or collapsible mouths, made as shewn in Figures 15
and 16, adapted to a rigid box n formed of hard rubber, wood, or other
suitable material. Fig. 30 represents a collapsible or flexible mouth, such as
that shewn at Figures 3 and 4, adapted to the bung hole of a dry goods cask
or to a gunpowder barrel, or to any purpose where such a collapsible mouth
may be deemed desirable.
Another part of the Invention consists in constructing portmanteaus or

page_text: other receptaclés suitable. for containing wearing apparel, with india-rubber
sides formed in 'folds, and compressed or moulded into 'the required form
while the rubber is raw. When the folded fabric is vulcanized or cured the
folds will remain permanent, and form.an expanding article of capacity. This
form-of.the Invention is shewn at Figures 31 and 32, in which o is the col-
lapsible or; expanding receptable-with-folded sides.: The mouth or, entrance
to the receptacle, may be formed according to any of the plans above described;
but by preference we employ. either. the plan shewn at Fig. 7 or that shewn
at Fig. 17 The expanding receptacle may be enclosed within a flexible
outer case, as shewn at Fig. 31, or within a rigid case, or it may form a
package by itself, or it may be adapted to the upper part of a rigid receptacle,
so as to form an expanding receptacle.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Coles, James Archibald
Jaques, and John Americus Fanshawe, have hereunto set our hands
and seals, the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
. thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.