Improvements in and relating to Boxes and Trunks for Packing or Storing Hats, Bonnets, Dresses, Skirts, Trousers, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Boxes and Trunks for Packing or
Storing Hats, Bonnets, Dresses, Skirts, Trousers, and the like.
I, MARY LYONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 122 West
22nd Street, in the City of New York, County 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 trunks and hat boxes.
The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved hat-rest or support;
secondly, to provide for storing a plurality of hats or bonnets; third, to provide a tray
having separate wells or compartments for storing hats and permitting said tray to be
used for other purposes; fourth to provide suitable means for holding a man's hat in a
trunk; fifth, to provide for an interchangeability of trays.; and sixth to secure garments
within a tray and hold them against sliding and becoming crumpled and also for
effecting the pressing of trousers.
In the accompanying drawing:-
Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my trunk, with parts broken away.
Figure 2 is a plan view, slightly modified.
Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views on lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view.
Figure 6 is a slight modification.
Figures 7 and 8 are, respectively, sectional and plan views of the well for a man's hat.
Figure 9 shows one of the hat-holders.
Figure 10 is a slight modification in section.
Figures 11 and 12 are details.
Figure 13 is one of the hat-rests removed.
Figure 14 is a perspective view of a hat-box provided with my improvements.
Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view thereof.
Figure 16 is a horizontal sectional view, showing a slight modification.
Figure 17 is a view of one of the rests detached.
Figure 18 is a section on line xx, Figure 17.
Referring to Sheets 1 and 2 of the drawings, A designates a trunk, a being the
body and a the lid or cover.
B is a tray having a cover band fitting in trunk A on rests b¹. Adjoining the end
of this tray is a smaller tray 62, which is divided centrally into two wells or
compartments 6, by two hat-rests C, having their base-boards placed back to back
and held by cleats 6, which permit said rest to be removed when it is desired to use
the tray other than for packing hats. Each rest C is shaped to resemble the upper
part of the human-head, being dome-shape and oval in cross-section. It is in
effect the segment of a spheroid. A full description thereof will be given later on.
But one hat-rest C may be used and the other well can be employed for holding a
man's hat (see Figures 2, 7 and 8). A board D is placed against back of rest C, and
from the bottom of the well extends a tapered rest à to accommodate hats of different
sizes. It is preferably hollow so as to hold a cuff or collar-box d¹. Four holders E
prevent the hat from moving, each holder consisting of an angular arm d³, a curved
plate d, preferably faced with soft material, and an adjustable plate dⓇ having a

page_text: slotted tube d in which the arm is held by a screw d. Four grooved plates d'
allow of the adjustment of plates d which are held by screws . Thus the holders
can be made to hold hats of different styles and sizes.
The tray B is designed to accommodate a plurality of hats or bonnets, a series of
rests e projecting from the ends, sides, bottom and lid thereof. In lieu of the trays B
and 6 one large tray F (see Figure 6) may be used, the number of rests f being
increased.
G is a second tray resting on a bottom tray G'. The former is designed especially
for ladies' garments, which are held by transverse rods g having end-plates gl
adjustable in grooved plates g', said rods being inserted through the folds of skirts,
dresses and the like, preventing any movement thereof.
The garments may also be held by being pinned to short tapes 9, or secured by
clasps attached to some of said tapes.
I employ a board H for holding flat and pressing men's trousers, said board having
handle-loops h. It is firmly held down on the trousers by the rods g.
On Sheets 3 and 4 of the drawing I have shown a box or trunk for uso exclusively
in packing hats or bonnets..
I is the box or trunk, and i the hat-rests or supports extended inward from each
side, upwardly from bottom, and depending from the underside of lid. These
supports, which are made of buckram, are covered by, and made rigid with, the
lining of the box or trunk.
The capacity of the box may be increased as shown in Figure 16. Buckram is
composed of two or more layers of tough linen or heavy fabric glued together and
after the lining has been likewise secured thereto the whole is pressed into shape with
hot dies. Each support has a smooth, unbroken, convex surface and being penetrable
a common hat pin can be easily thrust through the hat and support.
The advantage of the shape of my hat-rest is that a hat-pin can be inserted at any
point and will be securely held in position, and the under trimming of feathers,
flowers and the like are preserved uninjured. By providing a box with a plurality of
rests or supports several hats can be conveniently packed and the tops or crowns of
all of them are presented toward the centre of the box, bringing all the top-trimmings
together, and each hat or bonnet aids in preventing the others from moving or in any
way being torn by strain on the holding pins.
A hat box or a trunk or a tray having but one rest or support made of buckram
and rigid with its base is within the scope of my invention.
It will be seen that I have provided a new form of hat-rest having qualities which
insure the retention of a hat-pin; that several hats may be conveniently packed for
shipment in a box or trunk; that in a trunk a tray can be converted into two separate
wells for two hats; that a man's hat can be securely held; and that dresses or other
garments and trousers can be prevented from sliding in their trays.
Although the several improvements when used in a trunk greatly add to the
usefulness thereof, yet many features are not dependent upon others and can be used
separately, if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A trunk having a tray divided centrally into two wells or compartments by
removable hat-rests, as set forth.
2. A trunk having a tray divided centrally into two wells or compartments, and
hat-rests located therein, as set forth.
3. A trunk having a tray, a hat-rest therein, and a series of adjustable holders for
engaging a hat, substantially as set forth.
4. A tray having a well, a tapered hat-rest on the bottom thereof for hats of
lifferent sizes, and a series of adjustable holders designed to engage such hat,
substantially as set forth.
5. A tray having a well, a tapered hat-rest on the bottom thereof for hats of

page_text: different sizes, and a series of holders adjustable vertically and horizontally and having
curved plates for engaging such hat, substantially as set forth.
6. A tray having a well, a hollow hat-rest on its bottom, a box designed to fit in
said hat-rest, and a series of holders designed to engage a hat on said rest, substantially
as set forth.
7. A tray having transverse-rods adjustably engaging the sides thereof, as set
forth.
8. A tray having a flat-board designed to fit therein, and means for holding down-
said board, substantially as set forth.
9. A tray having a flat-board designed to fit therein and transverse-rods adjustably
engaging the sides of said tray and designed to hold down said board, substantially
as set forth.
10. A tray having a series of short tapes projecting from its walls, as set forth.
11. A tray having a series of short tapes projecting from its walls, and clasps
secured to some of said tapes, substantially as set forth.
12. A box or trunk having a hat-rest in the form of a segment of a spheroid, as set
forth.
13. A box or trunk having a hat-rest composed of buckram, as set forth.
14. A receptacle for hats having a plurality of hat-rests extending from the walls
thereof, as set forth.
15. A box or trunk having hat-rests extending inwardly from the walls thereof,
and also from the bottom and lid, as set forth.
16. A receptacle for hats having a series of hat-rests made of buckram and in the
form of a segment of a spheroid, as set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.