IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICAL CHESTS."
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Knight, of Foster Lane, in the City o
London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICAL CHESTS."
led the 8th August 1856, and dated the 13th February 1856
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Knight at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th February 1856.
I, RICHARD KNIGHT, of Foster Lane, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICAL CHESTS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in medical chests, particularly
applicable for the army and navy, though they may also be used in other cases;
for which purpose there are in each instance an external and an internal chest.
The external chest contains the internal chest when being carried from place
to place, and the external chest forms the stand for the internal one when the
same is open and is placed in position for use. The external case consists of a
strong box of wood, strengthened with and having metal fittings; this case has
a cover, hinged at the top, and the front folds down on hinges, so that its
interior surface thereof, when horizontal, becomes level with the bottom, on
which, and on the inner surface of the front, are formed grooves or tracks, in
which parallel fixed projections on the under side of the inner chest slide when
the inner chest is taken out of or placed into the outer chest; and the upper

page_text: surface of the lid or cover of the outer case is provided with similar grooves or
tracks to receive the inner case when it is placed thereon in order to be opened
for use.
The inner chest, when closed, fits closely the interior of the outer chest. The
upper part of the inner chest is divided into two parts, and each of these parts
is fixed to its respective end of the inner chest, and each end is made in two
parts; the lower one at each end is fixed, and the upper part is hinged to the
fixed part, so that that portion of each end may, together with half of the top,
fold back. To prevent the ends going too far back; each is provided with a
projecting plate, which fits into a recess at the back of the chest. To each of
these fixed plates is attached a slotted connecting link, which admits of the
parts opening so far, that the half-cover, when opened, stands vertical. The
front of the inner chest is made into two doors, hinged respectively to the two
fixed ends of the chest, and the upper part of each door folds down on hinges.
The lower part of this chest is fitted with drawers, covered with a fixed counter.
The inner surfaces of the front doors of this chest are fitted to receive bottles
and other articles, and such is the case with regard to the interior of the chest
at the back; and when all is closed, the space over the counter is filled with a
box suitable for containing stores.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Knight in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
KNIGHT, of Foster Lane, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent; bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One; thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year-of Her
reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Knight,. Her special licence that I, the said Richard Knight,
my exécutors, administrators; and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Knight, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with; and no others, from time to time and at all times. there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEDICAL CHESTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said

page_text: Richard Knight, my exécutors 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 Richard Knight, 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:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in medical chests,, particularly
applicable for the army and navy, though they niay also be used in other cases;
for which purpose there are in each instance an external and an internal. chest.
The external chest contains the internal chest when being carried from place
to place, and the external chest forms the stand. for the internal. one when the
same is open and is placed in position for use. The external case consists of a
strong box of wood, strengthened with. and having metal fittings; this case has
a cover, hinged at the tap, and the front folds down on hinges, so that its interior
surface thereof when horizontal becomes level with the bottom, on which, and
on the inner surface of the front, are formed grooves or tracks, in which parallel
fixed projections on the under side of the inner chest slide when the inner chest
is taken out of or placed into the outer chest; and the upper surface of the lid
or cover of the outer case is provided with similar grooves or tracks to receive
the inner case when it is placed thereon in order to be opened for use.
The innner chest, when closed, fits closely the interior of the outer chest.
The upper part of the inner chest is divided into two parts, and each of these
parts is fixed to its respective end of the inner chest, and each end is made in
two parts; the lower one at each end is fixed, and the upper part is hinged to
the fixed part, so that that portion of each end may, together with half of the
top, fold back. To prevent the ends going too far back, each is provided with
a projecting plate, which fits into a recess at the back of the chest. To each
of these fixed plates is attached a slotted connecting link, which admits of the
parts opening so far, that the half cover when opened stands vertical. The
part of the inner chest is made into two doors, binged respectively to the
two fixed ends of the chest, and the upper part of each door folds down on
hinges. The lower part of this chest is fitted with drawers, covered with a
fixed counter. The inner surfaces of the front doors of the chest are fitted to
receive bottles and other articles, and such is the case with regard to the

page_text: interior of the chest at the back; and when all is closed, the space over the
counter is filled with a box suitable for containing stores.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents the inner chest open and fit for use, standing on the
external case A, the front of which case A can be suffered to fall down, and
will then serve as a standing board for the operator; B, B, represents the fold-
ing top of the inner case when open; and C, C, the folding front when open, the
top flaps of which are represented as being folded backwards; D represents.
the back of the inner chest, which is to have appropriate fittings; and within
this back, properly concealed, are projecting plates e, e, which fit into recesses
in the back D, and to each of these plates e is attached a slotted connecting
link f, which admits of the parts of the folding top B, B, opening so far, that
chalf when opened stands vertical; the slotted link acting as shown at
Figure 3, which slotted link and plate tends to the support of each half of the
folding top B, B, and at the same time prevents them going too far back.
Figure 2 represents the inner chest closed and slid into the outer chest A..
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Knight, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL:
RICHARD KNIGHT. (L.S.)