IMPROVEMENTS IN LUGGAGE LABELS OR PADS
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alsager Hay Hill at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
1. February 1868.
I, ALSAGER HAY HILL of the Inner Temple, in the City of London;
Barrister-at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUGGAGE LABELS OR PADS," to be as follows:
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction
of labels or pads applicable to luggage of every description, the object
being to apply a permanent label. I propose to form a case of metal
or other suitable material with three sides and open at the top, the
edges of the sides to be slightly curved inwards or bent over to form a
ledge, the paper or card on which the address is to be written or printed
is to be placed in a number of layers or packed together; and rivetted
with a metal eyelet, the pack is then to be inserted in the case and the
eyelet being brought between two apertures cut in the plate of the case,
and in a small projecting plate above, a swivel or ring fastener can be
passed through the cards and case, and the whole becomes secured
together. By this arrangement the cards, parchment, or paper slips
can be successively used from the uppermost layer to the lowest after

page_text: which a new pack can be supplied. Or the eyelet may be dispensed
with and a hole may be punched through the pack for securing them
in the case, the edges of the cards or paper may be treated with an
adhesive solution of gutta percha, shellac, or other suitable material in
order to form a thin film or coating which will secure them firmly
together, enabling the top label to be removed from the pad without
disturbing the others. A fourth side may be given to the case, set
with a spring and hinge to the plate, so that each side being opened in
a line with the plate the pad may be inserted in the case and secured
by the closing of the spring side. By this plan the pad would not
require the eyelet or hole punched therein, and it would only be
necessary to attach a swivel or ring or other fastener to the case itself
or for application as a sliding pad between metallic channels fixed on a
portmanteau, the fastener would not be necessary, as the pad could be
secured by a compressing spring acting on a metal slip and serving to
keep the pad in position within the fixed grooves or channels. The
card or paper should be rendered waterproof by any of the well-known
means in order to prevent injury from wet during travelling, and
should also be ruled to facilitate writing the name and address, and the
labels might be tinted or colored in various ways, so that where many
articles of luggage belonging to one family should be required for
selection, the similarity of labels would attract attention and save time
in searching. A false bottom may be applied over the base or plate of
the case, and flat springs fixed between the two, so that the upper plate
may continually press the pad upwards to the level of the case, and a
similar spring and metal slip may be applied within the side or sides
of the case to press upon the edges of the cards and hold them firmly
together. The pads and cases may be made of various thicknesses to
hold any desired number of labels and of any width and length.