IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUNKS OR BOXES FOR CONTAINING WEARING APPAREL OR THE LIKE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUNKS OR BOXES FOR CONTAINING WEARING APPAREL
OR THE LIKE." A communication from abroad by Frank H. Ransom, of
Buffalo, New-York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUNKS OR BOXES
FOR CONTAINING WEARING APPAREL OR THE LIKE." [A communication from
abroad by Frank H. Ransom, of Buffalo, New-York, United States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple and convenient means for
operating the tray or trays of a trunk or box, so that all parts of the same may be
easily opened, and a ready access to the whole or any of the contents presented at
once without the necessity of taking the trays away from the trunk and laying
them aside until the contents below them has been examined.
According to the said Invention I provide a trunk with an inwardly projecting
flange arranged either along each inner side of the trunk or the ends at or near the
top in combination with one or more trays having an outwardly projecting piece
on one or two of the lower corners which project under said flange or flanges
when the tray or trays are in position, whereby the trays may be lifted up and
moved out of the way without being detached from the trunk, and from which
they may be readily taken if desired. I also provide an improved device for
holding the cover in position when open.
When the usual partition forming the inclosed space within the cover is used,
the tray or trays should drop down and rest on a flange or ledge; this arrangement
affords room for the cover to shut down. The tray is provided with two outwardly-
projecting pieces which project under flanges or ledges so as to hold it in position
and allow it to be moved along the trunk. If desired the tray may be divided in
CD

page_text: the centre so as to make two separate trays; in that case one of such trays would
be drawn out at one end and the other tray would be drawn out at the opposite
end. When the aforesaid partition in the cover is dispensed with the tray may be
arranged so as to move or slide in guideways along the top of the body of the
trunk, and another tray may be arranged directly under the first named tray, so
that when the latter is drawn out to the limit of its movement one way; the other
tray may be lifted up and drawn out at the opposite end.
When it is desired to detach the tray or trays from the trunk, all that is
necessary to do is to turn it to one side; in this position the tray may be either
removed or put in place.
The device for holding the cover in its proper upright position when opened is
constructed as follows:-A bar is fastened firmly in any suitable manner to the
cover, and another bar is fastened to the inside of the trunk by bolts or screws,
A projecting part of a bar projects under a booked part of the second bar.
The
In a modified arrangement the trays are connected to a vertical bar or rod, which
rod is rigidly fastened to the lower inside of the trunk by an angle plate.
tray in this case should be provided with a sleeve securely fastened thereto, and is
arranged so as to either turn or slide up or down on the said vertical rod or bar.
By this arrangement the tray can be also lifted up and moved out of the way, or it
may be as easily detached from the trunk if desired, and one tray can be made to lift
up and turn on the vertical rod. For some purposes this arrangement would be
preferable to either devices used alone.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th November 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUNKS OR BOXES
FOR CONTAINING WEARING APPAREL OR THE LIKE." A communication from
abroad by Frank H. Ranson, of Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in trunks or boxes for containing
wearing apparel or the like.
The object of this Invention is to provide simple and convenient means for
operating the tray or trays of a trunk or box, so that all parts of the same may be
easily opened and a ready access to the whole or any of the contents presented at
once without the necessity of taking the trays away from the trunk and laying
them aside until the contents below them have been examined.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved trunk shewing the cover of the
same open and a single tray drawn to one side.
Figure 2 is a top view of a portion of one of the trays.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a trunk shewing a tray in position within it.
Figure 4 is a transverse section through the body of a trunk shewing an end
view of a tray and the manner of attaching it.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a trunk shewing a modified arrangement of the
said Invention in which the trays are jointed to vertical bars, so that they can be
lifted vertically and turned out of the way, as shewn, or turned back into the
trunk and let down upon a ledge or support to receive them; it also represents a
device for holding the cover up.
Figure 6 is a perspective view drawn to an enlarged scale of the said device.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a trunk shewing a suitable method
of pivoting the trays, so that they may be lifted and swung out of the way into
the position shewn in Figure 5.
A represents the body of the trunk; B, the cover; and C, the tray, of which
there may be one or more.
When the usual partition B¹ forming the inclosed space within the cover is used
the tray or trays should drop down and rest on a flange or ledge E in the position
shewn in Figure 3, this arrangement affords room for the cover to shut down.
The tray C is provided with two outwardly projecting pieces F which project
under the flanges or ledges G so as to hold it in position and allow it to be moved
along the trunk, as shewn in Figure 1. If desired the tray C may be divided in
the centre so as to make two separate trays, in which case one of such trays would
be drawn out at one end, as shewn in Figure 1, and the other tray would be
drawn out at the opposite end. When the partition B' in the cover is dispensed
with, the tray C may be arranged so as to move or slide in guideways along the
top of the body A of the trunk, and another tray H, shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 4, may be arranged directly under the tray C, so that when the latter is
drawn out to the limit of its movement one way, the tray H may be lifted up and
drawn out at the opposite end. When it is desired to detach the tray or trays
from the trunk all that is necessary to do is to turn it to one side, as shewn by the
dotted lines C, Figure 2, in which the dotted lines I, J, represent the edges of the
flanges G. In this position it will be readily seen that the tray may be either
removed or put in place.
G, H, represent the device for holding the cover in an upright position when
opened. In Figure 6 it is shown in perspective and in the position it occupies

page_text: when the cover is open. The bar is fastened firmly in any suitable manner
to the cover, and the bar His fastened to the inside of the trunk by bolts or
screws (see Figure 5). In the position shewn the projecting part I of the bar G'
projects under the hooked part J of the bar H¹. When the cover is closed the
bar G¹ will be in the position shewn by the dotted lines K' in Figure 6.
In the modified arrangement represented in Figure 7 I have shewn the tray C
connected to a vertical bar or rod E2 which is rigidly fastened to the lower inside
corner of the trunk by an angle plate E¹. The tray in this case should be provided
with a sleeve D² securely fastened thereto, and is arranged so as to either turn or
slide up or down on the said rod E2. By this arrangement the tray can be also
lifted up and moved out of the way, as will be readily seen, or it may be as easily
detached from the trunk if desired, and one tray can be made to lift up and turn
on the rod E2, and the other made to operate, as shewn in Figure 1; for some
purposes this arrangement would be preferable to either of the devices used
alone.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. A trunk in which the flanges or ledges G are arranged in combination
with a tray provided with projections, substantially as above set forth and for the
purposes specified.
Second. A trunk in which the body and trays are provided with suitable means
whereby the trays can be lifted out of the body of the trunk and then moved out
of the way without detaching them therefrom, in the manner and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. ROB. LAKE.
(L.S.)