IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRESSING BAGS, TRAVELLING BAGS, PORTMANTEAUS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES.”
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Betjemann, George William Betjemann, and John
Betjemann, all of 36 and 38, Pentonville Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Desk and Dressing Case Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRESSING BAGS, TRAVELLING BAGS, PORTMANTEAUS,
AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Betjemann, George
William Betjemann, and John Betjemann, at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 16th August 1877.
GEORGE BETJEMANN, GEORGE WILLIAM BETJEMANN, and JOHN BETJEMANN, all of
36 and 38, Pentonville Road, in the County of Middlesex, Desk and Dressing Case
Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRESSING BAGS,
TRAVELLING BAGS, PORTMANTEAUS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
The Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of dressing
bags, travelling bags, portmanteaus, and other similar articles, with a view to a
convenient arrangement and action of parts thereof.
For this purpose we mount on an axis coincident or nearly so with the axis of
the cover, or of one or both parts of the cover, where the latter is divided into two
parts, a flap or receptacle, which, as the cover or part of cover is being turned
during a part of its motion, on opening the article, remains in its lower or normal
position, but after such cover or part of cover has traversed a certain portion of its
motion, it acts by suitable connections upon the flap or receptacle to raise it from
the horizontal to a vertical position, or thereabouts, and thus expose all the con-
tents of the bag or other article.
In cases where the cover is divided into two parts, and each part is provided
with a flap or receptacle, the latter may be arranged to meet together or to overlap
each other, as may be desired.

page_text: One mode in which we carry our Invention into effect is by mounting on an axis
a cranked lever, one end of which is acted upon by the cover, whilst the other acts
upon the flap or receptacle to raise it after the cover has traversed a certain
distance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Betjemann, George William Betjemann, and John Betjemann,
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th February 1878.
GEORGE BETJEMANN, GEORGE WILLIAM BETJEMANN, and JOHN BETJEMANN, all of
36 and 38, Pentonville Road, in the County of Middlesex, Desk and Dressing Case
Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRESSING BAGS,
TRAVELLING BAGS, PORTMANTEAUS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
The Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of dressing
bags, travelling bags, portmanteaus, and other similar articles, with a view to a
convenient arrangement and action of parts thereof.
For this purpose we mount on an axis, coincident or nearly so with the axis of
the cover, or of one or both parts of the cover, where the latter is divided into two
parts, a flap or receptacle, which, as the cover or part of cover is being turned
during a part of its motion, on opening the article, remains in its lower or normal
position, but after such cover or part of cover has traversed a certain portion of its
motion it acts by suitable connections upon the flap or receptacle to raise it from
the horizontal to a vertical position or thereabouts, and thus expose all the contents
of the bag or other article.
In cases where the cover is divided into two parts, each part may be provided
with a flap or receptacle, and the latter may be arranged to meet together or to
overlap each other, as may be desired.
One mode in which we carry our Invention into effect is by mounting on an
axis a cranked lever, one end of which is acted upon by the cover, whilst the
other acts upon the flap or receptacle to raise it after the cover has traversed a
certain distance.
And in order that our said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
Figure 1 is a cross section of a dressing bag constructed according to our Invention,
and representing both halves of the cover, turned a quarter revolution or thereabouts
on their hinges.
Figure 2 is also a cross section of the same bag, but showing one half of the cover
turned nearly a half revolution on its hinge, and Figures 3 and 4 are detail views of
parts drawn to a larger scale. a is the body of the bag; b are the two half covers,
which are hinged to the body of the bag at c; d is a flap or receptacle which is
carried by fittings e, mounted on extensions from the axes c₁ of the hinges c, these

page_text: fittings e are formed with curved slots e¹, e², forming arcs of circles struck from the
axes c; a pin a² fixed in each of the cross bars a¹ works in each slot e¹, and a pin
62 fixed in each end of the frame b¹ of one of the half covers b, works within each
slot e, whilst spring catches fact at times in combination with notches e³ formed
in the fittings e, and at other times move out of such notches e³, and work on the
exterior of the curved parts e of such fittings.
Thus in opening the bag the half covers bare first moved into the position shown
in Figure 1, in which the flap or receptacle d is represented as remaining in a
horizontal position; as the half cover b, carrying the pins 62, travels from its closed
position to the position shown in Figure 1, the studs or pins 62 traverse from one
end of the slots e² to the other without giving motion to the fittings e, thereby
leaving the flap or receptacle d in the position shown at Figure 1; but in travelling
a further quarter revolution the studs or pins 63 giving motion to the fittings e, and
consequently to the flap or receptacle d, until the parts arrive in the position shown
in Figure 2, when the spring catches will rest in the notches e³; then in closing the
half covers b the fittings e and flap or receptacle d are caused by the catches f acting
in the notches e³, to move with the half cover during a quarter revolution around
the axis c', until they arrive in the position shown in Figure 1; then in completely
closing the half covers b, the spring catches f first spring out of the notches e³, and
then run over the curved parts e of the fittings c. The studs or pins a² serve to
prevent the flap or receptacle in opening the half covers b, passing beyond the posi-
tion shown in Figure 2.
If desired, instead of employing a single flap or receptacle d extending entirely
across the bag, two of such flaps or receptacles & may be employed, in which case
one would be operated by each half cover and meet at the centre, or they might both
pass entirely across the bag, but be so mounted as to lie one above the other, in
which latter case each half cover would require to be opened and closed separately;
and our Invention is equally applicable to travelling bags, portmanteaus, and other
similar articles, whether they are provided with a single cover or with two half
covers.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode we prefer
to employ in carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that what
we claim is, mounting and operating flaps or receptacles in dressing bags, travelling
bags, portmanteaus, and other similar articles in manner and for the purpose sub-
stantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Betjemann, George William Bet-
jemann, and John Betjemann, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
G. BETJEMANN.
G. W. BETJEMANN.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)
JOHN BETJEMANN. (L.S.)