IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE WRITING CASES AND DESPATCH.
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Mary Anne Boyle, of Claremont House, Hol-
land Street, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE WRITING CASES AND DESPATCH.
BOXES
land Street, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE WRITING CASES AND DESPATCH
Boxes"
Sealed the 19th April 1864, and dated the 23rd October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Mary Anne Boyle at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on
the 23rd October 1863.
I, MARY ANNE BOYLE, of Claremont House, Holland Street, Kensington,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE WRITING CASES AND DESPATCH
BOXES," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
My Invention has reference to improvements in the construction and
manufacture of portable writing cases and despatch boxes, by which a more
advantageous disposition and arrangement of the parts and requisites thereof
is effected, as also additional compartments obtained enabling the same to be
more conveniently carried in the hand by its being made upright in form
instead of flat or horizontal as at present, and consists of an outer case or
frame of rectangular form covered with leather or otherwise, in which the
front is made to open downwards from end to end so as to form a sloping desk
having a folding leaf extending outwards from the same in an oblique direction

page_text: with the upright portion thereof, which is so made as to fold or shut into the
said body, and be secured by means of a lock fastening and overlaping cover,
to which the handle for carrying the case is secured. Secret drawers or panel
partitions fitted within the back or lower portion provided with suitable spring
catch movements for disclosing the same, together with compartment separa-
tors for dividing or holding the contents of the drawers, being employed in
connection with upright-fittings-formed in the back for the reception of writing
materials, memorandum books, and draw slides, whilst the space left between
the upright fittings and the desk when closed is made to contain or hold a
rouleau for pens, ink, and paper. and the top or cover arched out and made a
receptacle for drawings or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by, the said Mary Anne Boyle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARY ANNE
BOYLE, of Claremont House, Holland Street, Kensington, in the 'County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
- Gi
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Mary Anne Boyle, Her special licence that I, the said Mary
Anne Boyle, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Mary Anne Boyle, my 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 "IM-
PROVMENTS IN PORTABLE WRITING CASES AND DESPATCH BOXES," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said Mary Anne Boyle, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that
the said Mary Anne Boyle, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and the Drawings therein referred to (that is to say) :-
My Invention has reference to the construction and manufacture of port-
able writing cases, and despatch boxes, by which a more advantageous
disposition and arrangement of the several parts and requisites thereof is
effected, thereby enabling the same to be more conveniently carried in the
hand by its being made upright in form instead of flat or horizontal, as at
present, as also additional compartments obtained, and consists of an outer
case and frame of rectangular form covered with leather, cloth, or otherwise, in
which the front, through the medium of a folding leaf, is made to open down-
wards from end to end, so as to form a sloping desk extending outwards in an
oblique direction with the upright portion of the same, and admit of being
folded or shut into the same, and secured thereto by means of a. lock and
clasp fastening fixed to the case, and overlapping cover to which a handle
for carrying the same is attached, secret drawers and panel partitions fitted
within the back or upright portion thereof for the reception of memorandum
books, writing materials, spring catch movements for disclosing the same
being also provided, whilst the space between, the upright fittings and the
desk when closed is made to contain or hold a rouleau for pens, ink, and
tapers, and the top cover, arched or hollowed for the reception of drawing
materials: '
!
And in order that my said Invention may be more fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I now proceed to describe it by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures
thereon marked (that is to say):
Fig. 1. represents a front elevation of my improved portable, writing case
or despatch box closed; Fig. 2, a front view of the case, open or unfolded;
Fig. 3, a top or plan view of the same, with the arched top or cover. removed
showing the desk or writing flap extended; Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical
section taken through the dotted line a, a, in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a transverse
vertical section or end view through the dotted line b, b, in Fig. 3, showing
the desk enclosed; and Fig. 6, an end view thereof with the hinged openings
thrown back. In each Figure the same letters of reference denote. similar
corresponding parts.
A, A, rectangular case covered with leather, cloth, or otherwise; B, B,
folding desk or flap hinged to same; C, C, writing slopes opening with hinges;
D, D, ink and pen tray, which is raised or lowered by the action of the folding

page_text: desk through the medium of guide motion grooves E, E; F, F, semi-con-
centric motion ends attached to the said tray for depressing the same by means
of the scrole projection G, G, attached to the desk; H, H, frame for stationery;
I, I, reacting spiral or other formed spring for raising the pen and ink tray;
J, J, secret partition for portfolio; K, K, drawers; L, L, book shelves or
recesses behind almanack; M, M, almanack; N and N¹, secret drawers; 0, 0,
hinged end openings for disclosing portfolio partition and longitudinal secret
drawer N¹; P, P, arched top or cover containing drawings or other requisites;
Q, Q. adjustable inner end lining covering secret openings as aforesaid,
admitting of being moved when required; R, R, handle for carrying the
case; S, S, hinges; T, T, lock and desk fastenings; U, U, pin studs for
securing and holding the desk to the sides thereof when closed; V, V, recep-
tion holes for same.
In conclusion to the foregoing description it may be here necessary to note
that in constructing the smaller descriptions of writing cases and despatch
boxes I dispense with the secret portfolio recess, arched top or cover, and
rising pen tray, substituting in lieu thereof a secret drawer placed in the
lower part of the case approached by a rising spring movement; and I would
further note that the frame containing the stationary may be made to rise and
fall by suitable springs and catches, and a single leaf or flap, employed in place
of the extending portion of the desk, as shown, as also employing in place of
the side opening a double-action hinge to portfolio recess.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed and carried
into effect, I would have it clearly understood, that I do not intend to confine
myself to the precise details herein-before set forth and described, as the same
may be varied without departing from the general principle of this my
said Invention, nor do I claim as of my said Invention the exclusive use of
the several parts and combinations above referred to, except when the same
are employed in and for the purposes of my said Invention, which I hereby
declare to consist,-
Firstly, in constructing portable writing cases or despatch boxes on an
upright form, with oblique sloping desks, folding outwards from the body
in connection with an arched cover or top for securing and carrying the same
when closed.
Secondly, in the general arrangement and disposition of the several parts,
together with the frame pin fastenings for holding and containing the various
requisites.
Thirdly, in the application and employment of spring movements for raising

page_text: and lowering the ink and pen tray simultaneously by the action of the folding
desk, as above described.
Fourthly, in the combined adaptation of drawers, book selves, stationary
frame, and mode of actuating the same in such manner as to secure and
liberate the same when required.
And, lastly, in producing by the general combination and arrangement
of the several parts and modifications, or contrivances, writing cases, or
despatch boxes on the above principle of construction, in the manner and for
the purposes herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Mary Anne Boyle, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
5
MARY ANNE BOYLE. (L.s.)
Witness,
C. L. D. ASHE,
Clerk to Messrs. Weatherdon & Co.,
77, Chancery Lane.