Im-* PROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLING HAT BOXES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Kossuth Scruton, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Tailor and Outfitter, for the Invention of “Im-*
PROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLING HAT BOXES."
Sealed the 24th April 1874, and dated the 15th November 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Kossuth Scruton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition;
on the 15th November 1873.
I, THOMAS KOSSUTH SCRUTON, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Tailor and Outfitter, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLING HAT BOXES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
travelling hat boxes, the object of my said improvements being to
utilize to the fullest extent the whole interior of the hat box so as to
make the said hat box serve both to contain the hat and to hold other
articles of dress and articles for the toilet, such as a night or other shirt,

page_text: collars, a comb, hair, tooth, and nail brushes, scent bottles, and the
like.
I make the body of the hat box of the general figure of a hollow
cylinder open at top and closed by a lid or cover. Within the body of
the box I fix a stand or support for receiving and supporting the hat,
the said stand or support is hollow and of a cylindrical figure, the top of
the said stand being closed by a lid or cover. The bottom of the said
support may be furnished with a flange, having on its upper side the
general figure of the brim of a hat. The hat to be carried in the box is
placed with the open end downwards upon the support described.
When the hat is thus placed and supported in the box there is left an
annular space between the hat and the inner cylindrical surface of the
box; I utilize this space by placing therein a removeable ring-like frame
provided with holders or pockets, in which holders a comb, brushes,
scent bottles, writing case, and other articles may be secured. The said
ring-like frame has legs on its under side, and tabs or loops on its upper
side, by means of which tabs the frame may be placed in and lifted from
the hat box.
When the hat has been placed upon its support in the box, the ring-
like frame containing the articles enumerated is introduced into the
annular space between the said hat and the inner side of the box, the
said frame being supported in the said box by pockets in the inner side
of the box into which the legs of the frame are dropped. By lifting the
frame from the box it may be placed with its contents on the toilet
table ready for use.
Instead of the removeable frame described holders or pockets may be
made in the sides of the box for receiving the articles or some of the
articles enumerated, the said articles being supported in the pockets
between the hat and inner side of the box.
The hollow support on which the hat is placed may be used for
holding a night or other shirt, collars, pocket handkerchiefs, and other
small articles of dress.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Kossuth Scruton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Thomas
KOSSUTH SCRUTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Tailor
and Outfitter, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Kossuth Scruton, Her
special license that I, the said Thomas Kossuth Scruton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Kossuth Scruton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLING HAT BOXES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others), that I, the said Thomas Kossuth Scruton, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Kossuth Scruton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
-
The object of this Invention is to fully utilize the whole of the interior
of hat boxes by stowing or arranging therein, besides the hat, the usual
articles of the toilet, writing materials, and light articles of dress.
The body of the box, made by preference of leather, is in the form of
a hollow cylinder or truncated cone, or thereabouts, closed at the
bottom, and having a lid to cover the top as usual,

page_text: In order that my said Invention may be more easily understood and
readily performed, I now proceed to explain the same with the aid of the
accompanying Drawing which forms part of this Specification, reference
being made thereto by the numerals and letters marked thereon, which
reference applies to each Figure of the said Drawing where the same 5
index numerals and letters appear.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved hat box without the
"fittings," shewing the hollow stand which supports the hat; Figure 2
is a vertical section thereof shewing the position of the hat when in the
box.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a moveable framing or interior case
fitted with toilet and other requisites.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of my improved hat box fitted
complete.
1
In the centre of the body of the box a I fix a hollow stand 6 of the 1
general shape or form of a hat (with or without a flange round the
bottom thereof suited to receive the brim of the hat), the hat 6' is placed
on this stand with the brim downwards to enable me to utilize the
space a¹ between the exterior of the hat and the interior face of the
box. This space may be employed for various useful purposes, but 2
generally, as now illustrated, it is fitted with toilet requisites, a few
light articles of dress, and writing materials, see Figures 3 and 4.
The toilet articles, ink, and the like are placed in pockets or loops
attached to a light skeleton framing or a case c formed to fit the
interior of the box a, and which case can be lifted out and replaced by 2
the tabs or loops c¹. The articles of dress, kerchiefs, and the like are
stowed within the hollow stand 6 which is provided with a lid or cover 6².
By lifting the framing or case c out of the box it may be placed with
its contents on the toilet table ready for use, and the hat box may theṇ
be used without the moveable framing or case containing the fittings.
Instead of the removeable framing or case c, loops or pockets may be
fixed to the inside of the box a for receiving and holding the said toilet
articles, &c.
Without confining myself to the shape or form of the hat box, as it
may be elliptical or of any other convenient form, or to the cover or lid a
thereof which may be made deeper or with the addition of an expanding

page_text: fold of leather for carrying other articles, or to the precise details now
illustrated, I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by the before
mentioned in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly. The method of forming and arranging travelling hat boxes so
as to admit the hat therein with the brim downwards, and supporting
the hat, so placed, by or upon a hollow stand, in which stand may be
placed small articles of dress.
Secondly. The method of utilizing the vacant space in such hat boxes
by the application of a moveable framing or case fitted for the reception
of toilet requisites and the like.
And, Thirdly. Utilizing such vacant space without the said moveable
framing or case by providing and fixing to the inside of the hat box, loops,
pockets, or the like, for receiving and holding toilet requisites and other
articles, all substantially as and for the purposes herein described and
shewn in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Kossuth Scruton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.