Year: 1886

page_text: I JAMES EDWARD RANSOME of Holme Wood Ipswich in the County of Suffolk
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in travelling bags.
Travelling bags are at present broadly speaking made in either of one or two
ways. They either have their mouth or opening at the top as is the case with hand
bags dressing bags &c. in which the contents are inserted at the open mouth on the
top or they are made to open like portmanteaus and the two sides or compartments
when open lie flat on the ground. The latter known as Gladstone bags are
convenient for carrying clothes and the former are generally more useful for
carrying papers and the usual small necessaries required on the journey itself.
Now my improvement consists in so constructing a bag as to combine the
advantages of both these classes of bags. 1 accordingly so arrange and construct
my bag that one half of it always stands upright when in use and has its mouth or
opening at the top and the other half opens out flat like one half of a portmanteau.
In order to obtain this result I construct my improved bag with a separate frame
work for each of the two compartments. These frames are jointed at or near the
bottom. When closed together they are secured in the usual way by lock and
fastenings. The bottom of the bag not flat as usual, but each half of the bottom
slopes downwards and outwards from the joint and they form with each other a
right angle the apex of which is the joint above mentioned. The bag therefore
stands when shut on the two outer edges of the bottom. When the portmanteau
compartment is open the two halves of the bottom of the bag close together and
the upright compartment then stands with its outer edge resting on the ground
and the inner edge at the joint on the other compartment of the bag which is
then lying on the ground.
Both compartments can be opened at the same time or either one or the other
separately as may be required. The handle for carrying the bag is placed on the
top of the frame.
I can secure the same result by having a flat bottom to each compartment and
making the joint centre moveable vertically on the upright compartment in which
case when the portmanteau part is open and lying upon its side the upright parts
stands with its bottom on the ground.

page_text: :
}
I, JAMES EDWARD RANSOME of Holme Wood Ipswich in the County of Suffolk
Engineer 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 :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in travelling bags.
Travelling bags are at present broadly speaking made in either of two ways.
They either have their mouth or opening at the top as is the case with hand bags
dressing bags &c. in which the contents are inserted at the open mouth on the top
or they are made to open like portmanteaus, and the two sides or compartments
when open lie flat on the ground. The latter known as Gladstone bugs are con-
venient for carrying clothes and the former are generally more useful for carrying
papers and the usual small necessaries required on the journey itself.
Now ny improvement consists in so constructing a bag as to combine the
advantages of both these classes of baga. I accordingly so arrange and construct
my bag that one half of it always stands upright when in use and has its mouth or
opening at the top and the other half opens out flat like one half of a portmanteau.
In order to obtain this result I construct my improved bag with a separate frame
work for each of the two compartments. These frames are jointed at or near the
bottom. When closed together they are secured in the usual way by lock and
fastenings. The bottom of the bag is not flat as usual, but each half of the bottom
slopes downwards and outwards from the joint and they form with each other a right
angle the apex of which is the joint above mentioned. The bag therefore stands
when shut on the two outer edges of the bottom. When the portmanteau com-
partment is open the two halves of the bottom of the bag close together and the
upright compartment then stands with its outer edge resting on the ground and the
inner edge at the joint on the other compartment of the bag which is then lying on
the ground.
Both compartments can be opened at the same time or either one or the other
separately as may be required. The handle for carrying the bag is placed on the
top of the frame,
I can secure the same result by having a flat bottom to each compartment and
making the joint centre moveable vertically on the upright compartment in which
case when the portmanteau part is open and lying upon its side the upright part
stands with its bottom on the ground.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: a is the compartment which opens from the exterior and at the top and which
stands upright when in use. a is the lid or cover to this compartment. The
centre frame b forms part of the compartment a and carries the bandle c. d is the
other compartment it is formed with a separate frame and it is connected with the
compartment a by a joint near the bottom at e. The opening into the compart-
ment d is on the inner side where it closes up to the compartment a and when the
bag open as in Figures 3 and 4 the contents of the compartment d are accessible.
The bag is provided with usual fastenings. The Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate
clearly the advantages of my invention; the contents of one compartment of the
bag are accessible from the top whether the bag be opened out or closed together;
whilst as to the other compartment its contents are accessible when the bag is
opened out and then this compartment rests flat and steadily on the ground and
presents its open mouth whilst the first compartment remains upright and in a
position to be also accessible.
Figures 5 and 6 show a modification presenting the same features.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the bag as it appears when closed and Figure 6 a
like view of the bag when open. In this case the joint pin e is moveable in slots
in the frame b.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 show another like modification..
Figure 7 is an end elevation of the bag closed. Figure 8 is an end elevation of
the bag open and Figure 9 is a plan. In this case the joint is carried by a bottom
plate 6x projecting out laterally from the frame b.
Figure 10 shows an end view of a bag similar to that last mentioned but with
the lid or cover a¹ differently hung.
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. My improved travelling bags each consisting of two compartments folding
together and jointed near the bottom; one compartment having an external mouth
at the top and the other an internal mouth at the side accessible only when the
bag is opened substantially as described.
2. My improved travelling bags each consisting of two compartments folding
together and connected by a joint at the apex of an angular bottom substantially
as described.
3. My improved travelling bags each consisting of two compartments folding
together and connected at the bottom by a joint having the joint centre moveable
substantially as described.
4. My improved travelling bags substantially as described and represented by
the annexed drawings.
1
3000