Improvements in Trunks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
Improvements in Trunks.
I, PAUL HARVEY SMITH, of Columbus, in the County of Franklin, and State of
Ohio, United States of America, Mechanic, 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 :-
My invention relates more particularly to the class of trunks in which there is a
tray pivoted to one end, adapted, when raised, to be swung horizontally to one side
to expose the interior of the trunk, means being provided to mechanically raise the
tray.
My invention consists of improvements in the details of construction of said
trunks with a view to rendering them strong and durable, as well as of light weight
and of great convenience in handling and use.
In the annexed drawings:-
Fig. 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section taken through the center of the trunk,
a portion being broken out and omitted.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, the left hand portion being omitted, showing the tray as
swung outward and supported on the edge of the end of the trunk.
Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional view, illustrating in elevation the inner side
of the left hand end of the trunk that contains the lever by means of which the tray
is lifted.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the tubes in the right hand end of the trunk,
said view being taken on line x-x Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of what I term the lift upon which rests and is carried
the tray supporting tube.
Figs, 6 and 7 are plan and side views respectively showing a device for supporting
a second tray; and
Fig. 8 a plan view of the end of the supplementary tray.
I designates the outer tube that is open at its outer side and provided with walls
13 and a connecting wall 1b to form a chamber to receive pulleys 1°. The outer
edge of the pulley chamber is made with ears 1d having holes for screws by means
of which the tube 1 and pulley chamber are fastened to the end wall of the trunk.
The upper end of the tubular portion 1 projects slightly beyond the pulley chamber
and is slightly thicker to give strength.
2 designates the inner tube that fits in the tubular portion of the outer tube 1 so
as to slide vertically therein.
•
3 designates the "lift" which consists mainly of a cylindrical block or bar, the
upper portion of which is of smaller diameter than the lower. The upper portion
fits in the lower end of the tube 2 and the lower end of said tube 2 rests on the
shoulder at the junction of the upper and lower portions of the lift. The lower
portion of the lift is of the same diameter as the interior of the outer tube 1, and
has two projections 3ª, that extend toward the pulley chamber to hold the lift
from turning in the outer tube. The under side of the lift is made with a groove
or channel 3b, to permit the passage of the tray lifting cord 4. This cord 4 is

page_text: attached at one end to the lift by having its end inserted in a hole in the bottom
of the lift and secured by solder.
The cord 4 passes upward from the lift between the projections 3ª thereon
over the upper pulley 1, in the pulley chamber, then downward under the lower
pulley 1, in said chamber through the channel or groove 3b, in the bottom of
the lift and a small slot or opening 1e, in the lower end of the outer tube
across the bottom of the trunk to the operating lever on the other end of the
trunk.
1
The lever consists of a socketed part 5, pivoted to the end wall near the bottom of
the trunk and having the socket 5*, at its upper end in which slides an
extensible part 6, the handle of which projects sufficiently beyond the upper end
of the trunk body to allow it to be easily grasped. The extensible part is to be
pulled out to give greater, power in lifting the tray, and the socketed part has a
stop 5b, to prevent the extensible part from dropping too far into the trunk.
The lever and pulleys 8, 9 and 10 are covered and protected by a vertical transverse
partition 15, in the trunk forming a compartment, and a slotted strip 15ª, at the
upper end of said compartment encloses the same.
The cord from the lift and pulley chamber passes across the bottom of the
trunk to the opposite end of the trunk around a horizontally placed pulley 8,
thence over two vertically placed pulleys 9 and 10 in the rear corner of the
trunk through an eye 5°, on the rear side of the socketed part 5 of the lever to
a tension device consisting of a threaded bolt 11 in an eye 5d, said bolt being held
in place by means of a nut 11, at the under side of the eye 5d.
The bottom of the tray 12 is furnished with a horizontal bar 13 that has at its
outer end two upright arms 13ª, and 13b, that fit and are secured in tenons cut in
the opposite sides of the end board of the tray and the inner end of said bar has a
depressed portion 13, to form a recess to receive a wooden bar 14 that extends
transversely across the bottom of the tray, and the said bar is strengthened by
webs or strip 13e. The horizontal bar 13 with its upright arms, together with
the wooden bar, inake a substantial support for the tray. The under side of the
bar 13 is provided with a socket 13d, to fit upon the upper end of the tube .2
that projects beyond the upper end of the tube 1, and to enable the ready finding
of the upper end of said tube 2 when the tray is to be placed thereon the said
socket is flared at its lower end.
さ
If at any time it is desired to remove the tray from the trunk, it may be simply
lifted off the end of the tube 2 without disturbing or removing any of the other
parts; and in replacing the tray the flared socket causes the tray to be directed into
its proper place on said tube 2.
When the tray is to be raised, the extensible part of the lever is drawn up in the
socketed part and an easy pull thereon toward the front of the trunk will suffice to
bring the tray above the upper edge of the trunk after which the tray may be turned
outward and allowed to rest in its outturned position upon the end wall of the
trunk.
If desired, a second tray may be added by attaching it to the tube 2, as indicated
in Fig. 1, and the neck connecting the second tray may fit and move in a slot in the
inner side of the upper end of the outer tube.
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
claim is :-
1. In a trank, the outer tube 1 having a pulley chamber integral therewith
consisting of walls 1ª, and 1ª, and connecting wall 1b, said walls 1ª, and 1ª, having
holes to support pulleys at its upper and lower ends, a portion of said tube being
thicker and projecting above said walls, and a slot at the inner side of the lower end
of said tube, substantially as shown.
2. In a trunk, a lift consisting of a cylindrical block, the upper part being of
smaller diameter than the lower, and having guides projecting towards 'the pulley

page_text: chamber to prevent rotation of said lift, a groove across the bottom of said lift and a
hole in its centre to receive the end of a cord, substantially as described.
3. In a trunk, the bracket supporting tube 2, substantially as shown.
4. In a trunk, a removable tray, brackets consisting of a horizontal bar 13 that
has at its outer end two upright arms 13ª, and 13b, and at its inner end a depressed
portion 13c, to form a recess to receive a wooden bar 14 to extend across the bottom
of the tray, the under side of said bar being provided with a strengthening web and
a flared socket to fit upon the upper end of tube 2, substantially as shown.
5. In a trunk, a lever consisting of a socketed part pivoted at its lower end and
having a stop in its front side, and ears in its rear side, and a part fitting and sliding
in said socketed part having a pin to prevent the entire withdrawal of said sliding
part substantially as shown.
6. In a trunk, a lever having two ears on its rear side, a tension device consisting
of a threaded bolt in the lower ear having a nut at the under side of said lower ear, a
cord attached to the upper end of said bolt, substantially as described.
7. In a trunk having a cord attached to a tension device on a lever, said cord
passing around two vertical pulleys 9 and 10 thence around a horizontal pulley 8
across the bottom of the trunk through slots in the tube and lift, around two vertical
pulleys 1°, and 1°, in the pulley chamber and fastened to the lift, substantially as
shown.
DJ: outh day of March 1898
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.