IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTEMONNAIES, PORTFOLIOS. POCKET BOOKS, CIGAR CASES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES." PROVISIONAL SPATION
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustav Lüttringhaus, of the Firm of Gustav
Lüttringhaus and Company, of Mülhiem, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTEMONNAIES,
PORTFOLIOS. POCKET BOOKS, CIGAR CASES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustav Lüttringhaus at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th February 1867.
I, GUSTAV LÜTTRINGHAUS, of the Firm of Gustav Lüttringhaus and Company,
of Mülbiem, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTEMONNAIES, PORTFOLIOS,
POCKET BOOKS, CIGAR CASES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to dispense with the clasps, locks, elastic
bands, and other fastenings usually used to secure portemonnaies, pocket
books, and similar articles when closed.
My Invention is applicable to all portemonnaies, pocket books, and similar
articles made with a flap or overlap folding on the body of the article, and
consists in fastening the article by the pressure of the flap, in or on which I
place two, three, or more bent springs, these springs extending from the edge
of the flap to some distance down the back of the body, the curve of the
springs coming when the article is closed on its folded edges or on the edges

page_text: of the contents, the springs giving to the flap the shape of an ordinary clip.
1 bind the front edge of the flap with metal or other stiffening material in
order that whatever part of this front edge be pressed upwards the strain will
be brought upon all the springs. A single bent spring or plate might be used
if preferred, and the metal or stiff edge be dispensed with.
The action is as follows:-To open the portemonnaie or similar article place
the thumb or fingers beneath the edge of the flap and lift it from the body,
this more or less straightens the springs according to the pressure, leaving
room for the body to pass from beneath the flap or clip, this movement being
further assisted by the bending of the leather or other material where the
springs end on the back of the article; to close the article pull open the springs
by the metal edging, bring the flap over the body, and on removing the fingers
the portemonnaie or other article remains firmly secured by the pressure of its
flan.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Gustav Lüttringhaus in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GUSTAV
LÜTTRINGHAUS, of the Firm of Güstav Lüttringhaus and Company, of Mülhiem,
in the Kingdom of Prussia, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Güstav Lüttringhaus, Her special licence that I, the said
Güstav Lüttringbaus, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Güstav Lüttringhaus, 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
awfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTEMONNAIES, PORTFOLIOS, POCKET BOOKS, CIGAR
CASES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Güstav Lüttringhaus, 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,

page_text: and in what manner the same was to be perfornied, 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 Güstav Lüttringhaus, do hereby:
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of:
Drawing forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and letters:
of reference placed thereon, similar letters of reference denoting similar parts
in each of the Figures respectively :-
The object of my Invention is to dispense with the clasps, locks, elastic
bands, and other fastenings usually used to secure portemonnaies, pocket.
books, and similar articles when closed.
front edge be.
My Invention is applicable to all portemonnaies, pocket books, and similar
articles made with a flap, or overlap folding on the body of the article, and
consists in fastening or securing the article when closed by means of the pressure.
of the flap in or on which I place two, three, or more bow or bent springs, these
springs extending from the edge of the flap to some distance down the back of
the body, the curve of the springs coming when the article is closed on its
folded edges or on the edges of the contents, the springs giving to the flap the:
action of an ordinary clip. I bind the front edge of the flap with metal or
other stiffening material in order that whatever, part of this
pressed upward the strain will be brought upon all the springs. A single bow
or bent spring or plate may be used in certain cases, and the metal or stiff
edging be dispensed with, but if the spring is not as broad as the overlap of:
the article the edges of the overlap are liable to curl up under the pressure.
used to open the article, and if the spring be of the full breadth of the over-
lap the article loses in flexibility and lightness, the use of two or more springs'
in conjunction with a metal or stiffened edge is therefore to be preferred,
nevertheless for cheap portemonnaies or other articles I may elect to use a
single bow spring with or without the edging..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 is a front view of a portemonnaie made according to my Invention.
with two bow springs and a metal edging to the overlap; Fig. 2, back of same;
Fig. 3, edge view of same. In these three Figures the outer covering of
leather is partially removed to show the position of the springs, the article.
being closed.. Fig. 4 shews the overlap passing over the edge of the porte-
monnaie in the act of opening; Fig. 5, the overlap passed to the back of the
;

page_text: article, and Fig. 6 a perspective view of the portemonnaie completely
opened.
A, body of the portemonnaie; B, flap or overlap; a, a', bow or bent
springs; b, metal edging to overlap connecting the springs a, a', so that they
work together; c, end of overlap at back of portemonnaie; this bending point
will vary according to the length it may be found desirable to give to the
springs. The springs are here shewn between the outer covering of leather
and the lining of the article, but they may be ornamental and riveted or
otherwise secured on the outside or even on the inside of the overlap if
desired. The metal edging 6 is bent over the edge of the overlap and encloses
one end of each spring a, a', or it may be of one piece with these springs. I
have applied but two springs to the portemonnaie shewn on the Drawing, but
a greater number may be applied between these if found desirable, and in lieu
of a metal edging bone, ivory, vulcanized india-rubber, or other material may
be used to stiffen the edge of the overlap so as to make the springs move
together.
The action is as follows:-To open the portemonnaie (or similar article)
place the thumb or fingers beneath the edge of the overlap B and lift it from
the body A, thus more or less opening the springs according to the pressure,.
and leaving room for the body to pass from beneath the overlap, as shewn,
Figs. 4 and 5, this movement being further assisted by the bending of the
leather or other material where the springs end on the back of the article at c.
To close the portemonnaie slightly pull open the springs by the metal edging,
bring the overlap over the edge of the article as at Fig. 4, down to the position
shewn, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and on removing the fingers the portemonnaie remains
firmly secured by the pressure of the overlap B.
Having now.described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is carried into practical effect; I would have it distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to the use of any particular metal or
material in the manufacture of my improved portemonnaies, pocket books,
and analogous articles, using for the spring or springs and edging plain or
polished steel, or silvered, electro-plated, or gilt steel, or india-rubber, or any
suitable material accordingly as I place the springs on the outside or on the
inside of the overlap, or within the leather or other outer covering and the
lining thereof; nor do I confine myself to the use of any precise number of
springs, as I may use one bow or bent spring only with or without metal or
stiff edging to the overlap for very cheap articles, and a central as well as the
two side springs for articles of considerable size, such as large portfolios,
pocket books, or cigar cases, or a still greater number of springs either for

page_text: ornamentation or strength; but what I claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is, keeping portemonnaies, port-
folios, pocket books, cigar cases, and other similar articles closed by the
pressure of an overlap acting as a clip, substantially as herein-before set forth
and described, and illustrated on the annexed Sheet of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Güstav Lüttringhaus, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
GUSTAV LÜTTRINGHAUS. (L.s.)