IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TRUNKS, CHESTS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES and in what manner.
Year: 1885

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I, GEORGE HENRY WELLS, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,
Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO TRUNKS, CHESTS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES
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 that class of trunks, chests, and similar articles which
are provided with hinged covers; and it consists in a novel construction and
arrangement of the parts as hereinafter fully set forth, by which more effective
and desirable articles of this character are produced than are now in ordinary use.
It is well known that an ordinary travelling trunk as usually constructed, has
its cover hinged directly to its back and so arranged that when it is opened and
elevated to a vertical position it will project beyond the back a distance equal or
nearly equal to the depth of the cover, thereby rendering it difficult when the
trunk is placed against the wall of a room or in any similar position, to raise the
cover fully without first moving the trunk away from the wall. The cover being
hinged directly to the back of the trunk also renders it liable to be broken off or
detached from the body by rough or careless handling. The same objections also
apply to nearly all chests, boxes and similar articles having hinged covers, more
especially to the chests employed by seamen, and to those used by carpenters for.
containing their tools.
My improvement is designed to obviate these objections, and to that end I make
use of means which will be readily. understood by all conversant with such matters
from the following explanation.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view of a trunk embodying my improve-
ment and represented with the cover opened.
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section shewing the trunk with the cover closed.
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section shewing the trunk with the cover drawn
forward to expose the rear compartment in the tray.

page_text: drawn to an enlarged scale, and
Figure 6 is a perspective view also drawn to an enlarged scale of one of the
stays detached.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of
the drawing.
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A represents the body and B the cover of a travelling trunk embodying my
invention, these parts being of the ordinary form and construction except as
hereinafter specified..
Two rigid arc-shaped arms C, C are employed as the principal means of hinging
the cover B to the body A, these being supplemented by one or more separable
hinges, each consisting of the plates D, E according to the size of the article.
The lower ends of the arms C are respectively pivotted to the ends x of the
body A, and their upper ends to the ends m of the cover B; said arms being so
arranged as to curve backward, or from front to rear, thereby enabling the back of
the cover to readily pass under the arms when the cover is elevated as shown in
Figures 1 and 2, and enabling shorter arins to be used than would be possible if the
arms were made straight.
In pivotting or jointing the arms to the ends of the body and cover as described,
I make use of ordinary reinforce plates, f, which are nailed or rivetted to said ends,
and provided with studs which enter holes in the arms; but said arms may be
pivotted or jointed to the body and cover in any other suitable manner.
The plate D is bent near its centre. to form arms, which stand at right angles to
each other, and is provided with a hole or socket i and is secured to the back r of
the cover B, being so arranged that its socket will be on the outer side of said
hack as shewn in Figures 2, 3 and 4 when in position for use. A straight plate
provided with a socket may however, be used, if preferred.
The plate E is provided with a laterally projecting stud dat its upper end, and
is secured to the outer side of the back t of the body A. being so arranged that its
stud d projects inward or towards the back r of the cover B and is adapted to
enter the socket i of the plate D when both plates are attached to the trunk and
in position for use.
The plates D, E constitute a separable hinge of which two are used on the trunk
shewn in the drawing, one being disposed near either end of the same; but it will
be obvious that one or more may be employed as desired.
The stud d is bevelled or inclined on its lower face, so that when it enters the
socket i the bevelled portion will strike the bottom of the socket, and press the
hack of the cover down tightly onto the back t of the body A as the cover is
closed.
A metallic stay H bent near its centre to form arms which stand at right angles
to each other, is attached to each of the lower rear corners of the cover B, said stays
being provided with friction rolls b adapted to rest on the ends of the body A in
opening and closing the cover.
A guard J is attached to the upper rear corners of the body A, said guard
consisting of a metallic plate bent to form arms which stand at right angles to
each other, said arms being respectively attached to the. back t and ends of the
body, and projecting above the same, as shown.
The object of the guards is to assist in holding the cover in proper position on
the body; but these may be omitted if desired, or suitable guards of any other
form may be employed.
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The studs d may be so arranged as to project from plates attached to the back r
of the cover B, and the sockets i be formed in plates attached to the back t of the
body A, if desired, although it is deemed preferable to have them arranged as
previously described. Any other form of separable or partially separable hinge
may also be used, if preferred, provided it is adapted to perforin substantially the
same functions.

page_text: The arms are preferably disposed within the trunk as shown but it will be
obvious that they may be disposed on its exterior if desired; also that straight
arms may be used instead of curved ones, although curved arms are preferable for
the reason stated.
An ordinary, sheet metal valance K is secured to the cover B, and projects
downwardly over the upper edge of the body A when the cover is closed.
A tray M, provided with a compartment Q is disposed within the body A, being
Bupported on ledges or rests g; the compartment may, however be made separately
from the body of the tray, or omitted, or as many trays may be employed in the
trunk as desired. Studs projecting from the lower edge of the cover and adapted
to enter sockets in the upper edge of the body, or vice versa, may also be employed,
to assist in keeping the cover in proper position when closed, if deemed necessary.
The front of the trunk can also be hinged to let down for the insertion of trays or
other articles if desired.
The body A is provided with a lock N, the catch z of the lock being secured to
the cover B; the positions of the lock and catch may, however, be transposed, if
preferred.
The stay H and roll 6 may, one or both, be omitted; and, instead of the lock,
straps and buckles, or any other suitable means of fastening the cover closed may
be employed.
The pivotal supports of the rigid arms C, where they are connected with the
cover B, being above the plane of the pivotal supports of said arms where they are
connected with the body A, and also at the rear of the same, it will be obvious
that when the cover resting on the ends is raised to open the trunk, each of said
arms will be moved forward through the arc of a circle of which its lower pivotal
support is the centre, while at the same time the cover will be partially revolved
on the upper pivotal supports of said arms, its back r moving forward towards the
front of the trunk and its front portion passing backward through the arc of a
circle of which said upper pivotal supports are the centre.
In the use of my improvement, as the cover B is raised to open the trunk, the
studs d will be withdrawn from the sockets i, and the back part of said cover
moved forward on the rolls b until the cover assumes a vertical position, as shown
in Figures 1 and 2, and its top is brought approximately into line or parallelism
with the back t of the body A, thus closing access to the compartment Q of the
tray M. If the cover, being in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, is depressed
to close the trunk, the lower part of the cover will be moved backward on the
rolls b, until the studs d enter the sockets i and the parts assume the position
shown in Figure 3. To gain access to the compartment Q of the tray M, when the
cover is in the position shown in Figure 2, the cover is drawn forward and lowered
until it assumes the position shown in Figure 4, its rear portion rising on the
arms C and passing through the arc of a circle during the operation.
It will be obvious that my invention is well adapted for trunks, chests, boxes
and all similar articles having hinged covers, and I do not, therefore, confine myself
to its use with trunks alone. It will also be obvious that the arms C subserve the
purpose of the ordinary flexible braces when the cover is opened, and assist
materially in keeping the cover in proper position when closed, resisting both.
lateral and longitudinal strains thereon.
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
First. In a trunk, chest or similar article, the combination of a body, a cover,
two rigid arms, and a separable hinge; said arms being pivotted at one end to said
body and at the other end to said cover, and adapted to move or draw the back of
the cover forward as the cover is opened; and said hinge adapted to assist in
keeping the back of said cover in proper position when the cover is closed, sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: Second. In a trunk or similar article, the combination of a body, a cover, two
rigid arms, a separable hinge, and a lock or means for securing the cover closed;
said arms being pivotted at one end to said body and at the other to said cover,
and adapted to move or draw the back of the cover forward as the cover is opened;
and said hinge adapted to assist in keeping the back of said cover in proper
position when the cover is closed, substantially as set forth.
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Third. In a trunk, chest or similar article, the rolls 6 journalled at the lower rear
corners of the cover B, in combination with the pivotted' arms C, and body. A,
substantially as described.
Fourth. In a trunk, chest or similar article, the tray M provided with the
compartment Q, in combination with the body A having the cover B connected
thereto by the pivotted arms C, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Fifth. In a trunk, chest or similar article, the body A, cover B, pivotted arms C,
plates D, E, and lock N, combined and arranged to operate substantially as
described.
Sixth. In a trunk, chest or similar article, the body A connected with the
cover B by the pivotted arms C, said body being provided at its rear with a
bevelled or inclined stud adapted to enter a socket in said cover (or vice versa) and
force the back of the cover down onto the body as the cover is closed, substantially
as set forth.
Seventh. In a trunk, chest or similar article, the guard J, in combination with
the body A, cover B, pivotted arms C, and a separable hinge adapted to assist
in keeping the back of the cover in proper position when the cover is closed,
substantially as described.