A Combined Trunk and Wardrobe or Dressing Case.
Year: 1890

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Combined Trunk and Wardrobe or Dressing Case.
I, SARAH MANDEVILLE MCCORMACK, of Main Street, Cold Spring, in the
County of Putnam and State of New York, United States of America, Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The object of this invention is to provide a roomy and convenient trunk which
may be easily opened and which when opened forms a convenient wardrobe or
dressing case.
The trunk is composed of two sections which are similar and hinged together at
the top and provided with a packing picce, preferably of india-rubber and extending
across the top above the joint so as to prevent any moisture from passing through
between the two sections. The trunk near the top has on each end a spring clasp
and a lock near the bottom on each end and it is also provided at the bottom with
a spring clasp, the clasps and locks being adapted to hold the sections of the trunk
securely together. At the upper corners the trunk has spring clasps of any suitable
construction which will lock together when the trunk is opened and thus hold the
sections of the trunk in position. The trunk has a handle on its front side near
the lower edge, supported in suitable keepers and preferably of elastic material so
that when not in use it will be held close against the front face of the trunk while
the bottom of the trunk is provided with castors to enable it to be easily handled.
When the trunk is open the one section rests upon the top of the other and each of
the sections is provided with outwardly-swinging doors which have locks so that
when the outer case of the trunk is opened the inner portion may be locked or one
portion may be locked and the other left open. When the trunk is open a wardrobe
is formed having a series of shelves therein the abutting portions of the sections
forming a central shelf therein. The lower portion has at the bottom a tray or
drawer divided by a partition and on the shelf above the tray is a drawer, adapted
for a hat drawer, which occupies one end of the shelf. The drawer has a vertical
partition, thus providing a compartment for small articles. Any desired article
may be packed on the opposite end of the shelf. On the central shelf, formed by the
abutting tops of the sections are drawers which are mounted on opposite ends of
the shelf and which are adapted to contain clothing, shoes, or other articles. The
lower shelf is left vacant and clothing or other articles may be packed thereon. A
sliding drawer is mounted on the upper shelf, said drawer having elastic loops
therein adapted to support a parasol or other similar article and the drawer is also
provided with elastic bands which extend diagonally across the bottom of the
drawer and which are adapted to hold mirrors, brushes, and other toilet articles,
securely in place. The drawer may be lined with suitable material.
When the trunk is to be opened, the one section is placed with its back against
the wall of a room, the clasps are released, the locks unlocked, and by taking hold
of the handle the other section may be swung vertically-so as to rest on the first.
The doors may then be unlocked and the contents of the trunk removed.

page_text: From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that it is not necessary to
lock the trunk when one desires to leave the room but it may be left open and the
doors locked as in an ordinary wardrobe.
Dated AL
S. M. McCORMACK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Combined Trunk and Wardrobe or Dressing Case.
1, SARAH MANDEVILLE MCCORMACK, of Main Street, Cold Spring, in the
County of Putnam and State of New York, United States of America, Inventor,
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 relates to improvements in combined trunks and wardrobes, and
the object of the invention is to produce a roomy and convenient trunk which may
be easily opened and when opened forms a convenient wardrobe or dressing case.
To this end, the invention consists in certain features of construction and combination
of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and specifically pointed out in
the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this Speci-
fication, in which
Figure 1 is a broken perspective view of the device, embodying the invention.
Figure 2 is a broken vertical transverse section of the same, on line 8
Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a broken perspective view of the open trunk, with the inner doors
opened to shew the interior construction, and
Figure 4 is a bottom plan of the trunk, on a reduced scale.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
The trunk A is composed of two similar members A' and A2 which are hinged
together at the top by the hinges a, and a suitable packing piece a' which is preferably
of rubber extends across the top above the joint between the two members A and A
so as to prevent any moisture from passing through between the two members of
the trunk. The trunk is provided near the top on each end with a spring clasp
of the usual construction and near the bottom on each end with a suitable lock c.
The trunk is also provided on the bottom with a spring clasp 61, the clasps and
locks being adapted to hold the two members of the trunk securely together and
near the upper corners with spring clasps 2 of any suitable construction which will
lock together when the trunk is opened, as shewn in Figure 3, and thus hold the two
members of the trunk in position. On the front side of the trunk near the lower
edge is a handle D supported in suitable keepers d, said handle being preferably
elastic so that when not in use it will be held close against the front face of the
trunk. The bottom of the trunk is provided with castors e to enable it to be easily
handled. When the trunk is open, the member A2 rests upon the top of the
member A and each of said members is provided with outwardly-swinging doors F
which are provided with suitable locks, so that when the outer case of the trunk
is opened the inner portion may be locked or one portion may be locked and the
other left open.
When the trunk is open, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, a wardrobe
is formed having a series of shelves therein, the lower portion A' having a shelf G
the upper portion having shelves G and the abutting portions of the members A
and A will form a central shelf G' therein. The lower portion A' has at the bottom
a tray or drawer H divided by a partition H' said tray forming a suitable receptacle
to receive any desired article, and on the shelf G above the tray H is a drawer I
adapted for a hat drawer, which may also be used for other purposes and which

page_text: occupies one end of the shelf G. The drawer I has a vertical partition thus
providing a compartment for collars, cuffs, and similar articles. Any desired articles
may be packed on the opposite end of the shelf G. On the central shelf G' formed
by the abutting tops of the members A' and A² are drawers J and J' which are
mounted on opposite ends of the shelf and which are adapted to contain clothing,
shoes, or any other articles. The lower shelf G' is left vacant and clothing or other
articles may be packed thereon. A sliding drawer K is mounted on the upper
shelf said drawer having elastic loops k therein, adapted to support a parasol or
other similar article and the drawer is also provided with elastic bands which
extend diagonally across the bottom of the drawer and which are adapted to hold
mirrors brushes and other toilet articles securely in place. The drawer may be
lined with cotton, silk, or any suitable material. When the trunk is to be opened,
the member A' is placed with its back against the wall of a room, the clasps and
are released, the locks c unlocked, and by taking hold of the handle D the member A²
may be swung vertically so as to rest on the member A, as shewn in Figures 2
and 3. The doors F may then be unlocked and the contents of the trunk
removed.
From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that it is not necessary
to lock the trunk when one desires to leave the room but it may be left open and
the doors Flocked, as in an ordinary wardrobe. The trunk should be made strong
and it may be ornamented in any desired manner and may be shaped to suit the
taste.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A combined wardrobe and trunk consisting essentially of two similar sections
or members hinged together at the top and provided with suitable locks and clasps
said members having a series of horizontal compartments therein closed by
outwardly-swinging doors having suitable locks, substantially as described.
2. A combined wardrobe and trunk consisting of two similar sections or members
hinged together at the top and provided with suitable locks and clasps, one of said
members having upon its outer face an elastic handle, the lower of said members
having a horizontal shelf therein carrying a drawer and the upper of said members
having two drawers, a horizontal shelf, and a toilet drawer, substantially as
described.
3. A combined wardrobe and trunk comprising two similar sections or members
hinged together at the top and provided with suitable locks and clasps, the joint
between said members being suitably packed and one of said members having upon
its outer face an elastic handle, the lower of said members being provided with a
tray, a horizontal shelf, and outwardly swinging doors provided with a suitable
lock and the upper of said members being provided with drawers, a horizontal shelf,
a toilet drawer having clastic loops and bands, as shewn, and outwardly-swinging
doors provided with a suitable lock, all substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day OL February 1891.
Dated UHIS ITUIT (ray L T cortar y
ICOL
S. M. McCORMACK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.