IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR TRAVELLING BAGS, PORTMANTEAUS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philipp Schäfer and Frederick Schäfer, of Brewer
Street, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers of Travelling Bags,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR TRAVELLING BAGS,
PORTMANTEAUS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
Sealed the 5th October 1858, and dated the 13th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philipp Schäfer and
Frederick Schäfer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 13th April 1858.
We, PHILIPP SCHÄFER and FREDERICK SCHÄFER, of Brewer Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Manufacturers of Travelling Bags, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR TRAVELLING
BAGS, PORTMANTEAUS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
Hitherto, it has generally been the practice to close carpet bags by a lock
or other fastening placed at or about the centre of the frame of the mouth of
the bag. When the bag is packed there is consequently a tendency in the ends
of the frame to separate'; to obviate this, straps and other contrivances have
been adopted, but all acting prejudicially on the bag, causing it to wear or tear.
Now, our present Invention consists in fixing upon the top of the outer frame
of bags, portmanteaus, and other like articles, and towards each end thereof, a

page_text: spring catch to be acted upon by a spring bolt or key, and in attaching at or
to corresponding parts of the inner frame a single or double hinged tongue.
When the bag is closed the two tongues are brought over and made to engage
in the spring catches. The central lock may, if desired, be dispensed with,
and one or both of the spring catches may be used as locks, by having keys
instead of bolts to shoot the catches.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Philipp Schäfer and Frederick Schäfer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PHILIPP
SCHÄFER and FREDERICK SCHÄFER, of Brewer Street, in the County of Middle-
sex, Manufacturers of Travelling Bags, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Philipp Schäfer and Frederick Schäfer, Her special licence
that we, the said Philipp Schäfer and Frederick Schäfer, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Philipp Schäfer and
Frederick Schäfer, our executors, administrators, 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FASTENINGS FOR TRAVELLING BAGS, PORTMANTEAUS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Philipp Schäfer and
Frederick Schäfer, or one of us, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and seals,
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Philipp Schäfer and Frederick.
Schäfer, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described, and

page_text: ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
Hitherto, it has generally been the practice to close carpet bags by a lock or
other fastening placed at or about the centre of the frame of the mouth of the
bag. When the bag is packed there is consequently a tendency in the ends
of the frame to separate; to obviate this, straps and other contrivances have
been adopted, but all acting prejudicially on the bag, causing it to wear or tear.
Now, our present Invention consists in fixing upon the top of the outer frame
of bags, portmanteaus, and other like articles, and towards each end thereof, a
spring catch, to be acted upon by a spring bolt or key, and in attaching at or
to corresponding parts of the inner frame, a single or double hinged tongue.
When the bag is closed the two tongues are brought over and made to engage
in the spring catches. The central lock may, if desired, be dispensed with,
and one or both of the spring catches may be used as locks, by having keys
instead of bolts to shoot the catches.
One method of carrying our Invention into effect is illustrated in the
Drawings hereunto annexed. Figure 1 is an external view of the upper part
of a carpet bag, with two of the improved fastenings attached; Figure 2 is a
side view; and Figure 3, a plan of the fixed portion of one of the fastenings
detached; Figure 4 is a side view of the detached fastening complete and
closed; Figure 5 is a plan shewing the internal parts of the fastening;
Figure 6 is a side view, shewing the same; and Figure 7 is a vertical section
of the fastening; Figure 8 is a plan; and Figure 9, a side view detached of
the hinged tongue or folding portion of the fastening. The same letters refer
to like parts in all the Figures. a is the hasp; 6 is the catch or holder which
takes into a; c is the spring; and d, the button or knob by which the spring
is compressed when the catch is to be unfastened; e is the case of the fixed
portion of the fastening; and f is the hinged tongue. To fasten the bag, turn
the movable portion of the hinged tongue f over and down until the hasp a
comes upon the catch b, which must then be pushed back by the button d.
The hasp then comes fully down, and when the button is released the catch b
springs back into the hasp a, and the bag is fastened. To unfasten the bag
press back the button d, withdraw the hasp a, and the unfastening is effected.
And baving now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do not confine ourselves
to the precise details herein set forth, but that we claim the method of fixing
upon the outer frame of bags, portmanteaus, and other like articles, and towards
each end thereof, a spring catch to be acted upon by a spring bolt or by a key,

page_text: and of attaching to corresponding parts of the inner frame a hinged or jointed
tongue furnished with an eye or aperture, into which the spring catch takes,
essentially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philipp Schäfer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
PHILIPP SCHÄFER. (L.S.)