Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug
1888
Specification Accepted, 28th Sept., 1888
1, JOHN F. ZIMMERMAN, of 26 Irving Street, Jersey City Heights, Jersey City,
Hudson County New Jersey, United States of America, Manufacturer of Trunks
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be perforined to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
My invention relates to trunks, or to chests or boxes used for the purpose of holding
clothes, samples, tools or the like.
The object of the invention is to provide the trunk or chest with a series of trays
which are provided with means by which they are raised and their contents brought to
view as the trunk is opened or its lid raised.
The invention consists of a trunk provided with a series of trays, which trays are
connected to the body of the said trunk and to the lid thereof by a system of levers
or arms in such a manner that as the lid is raised and turned back the trays will also
be lifted from the body of the trunk and separated from each other so that they may
be filled or their contents be removed.
The invention also consists in constructing the lid or cover part of the trunk, and
attaching the trays thereto, in such manner that the lid when turned back serves to
help support the trays and hold them in their extended position.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trunk embodying my improvements shown in its
open position, that is, with its trays extended.
Figure 2 is an end view of the trays of the trunk in their closed position, the end
of the body and lid of the trunk being in cross section.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 show ears for securing the levers to the trays and to the body
parts of the trunk.
Figure 6 shows one of the levers that operates the trays.
A is the body part of the trunk, and B is the lid part thereof. This lid is hinged in

page_text: the usual manner to the body A, but it is to, be specially observed that the depth of
the lid is greater than that of the body. This is to cause the lid to rest upon the floor,
as shown in Figure 1, for the purpose of affording a firm support for the trays when
they are extended, as the weight of the trays is largely thrown upon the lid, and the
lid should therefore rest solidly upon the ground or floor. The front of the body is
provided with a flap D which fits into a corresponding opening in the front side of
the lid which opening is for the purpose of permitting the trays to extend backwardly
and over the lid as they are opened out.
To each end of the lower tray Dare pivoted two levers or arms E E, the other ends
of which are pivotted to the inside faces of the ends of the trunk. The arms F are
likewise pivoted to this tray and to the inside faces of the ends of the lid.
To the front of the second tray G are pivoted the arms H, the lower ends of which
are pivoted to the middle of the lower tray. The middle arms I of this second tray
extend to and are pivoted to the front of the upper tray J and to the back side of
the lower tray, while the arms K extend to the front side upper corner of the lid, and
the arms are pivoted to the rear side of this tray G and to the middle of the top
tray J.
By this arrangement of these arms or levers, it will be seen, that the trays may be
folded upon each other so as to lie compactly together in the trunk, as seen in
Figure 2, and when lifted out they will rise out of the body of the trunk, backwardly
over the lid and separate from each other. The arms F and K are essential to the
opening out of the trays and their support when extended; that is to say, being
connected as they are to the lid, as the lid is turned back these arms serve to lift the
trays with the lid, and as the lid is brought to position on the floor they have been
swung under the trays in such position as to serve as firm supports to hold the trays
and their contents in the extended position of Figure 1.
When the trunk is to be
closed, these same arms F and K, by the return of the lid cause the trays to close
together in proper relation. Thus a usor of the trunk has but to open and close the
lid in the common way to operate the trays.
It will be obvious, since the trays are usually made of light wood or other similar
material, and since their weight when filled must be supported upon the rivets of the
extending arms, that to connect these arms directly to the trays would be impractic-
able because their rivets would crack the wood and tear loose. To obviate this
difficulty I employ metal ears or pivot pieces which are attached to the trays by two
or more tight rivets or screws and to which the ends of the arms are pivoted.
Figures 3 to 6 show this improvement, where M represents one of these pivot pieces.
It is bent up or outwardly in the middle as shown, to make room for the rivet head of
the levers and to allow the arm free movement without rubbing on the trays. It is
also provided with rivet or screw holes by which to attach it to the trays. If desired,
three or more screw holes may be employed, as seen in Figure 5 to more firmly
secure the ear to place, as in cases where it may be subjected to extra strain.
These rivet cars or plates serve also to strengthen the trays, especially where they
are used at the corners of a tray and are shaped to pass around the corner.
Such
form is seen in Figure 4. It serves as a pivot plate and a binding for the corner.
The form of the arm K is to be noted. As the lid of the trunk is turned back and
forth, its axis not being coincident with the pivots of the extending arms, the opera-
tive length of this arm K must necessarily change for the various positions of the lid
to the trays as they are opening or closing. This arm K, therefore is slotted at its
inner end or the end that connects with the inside front corner of the lid. This
slot is represented at O, Figure 6 and is of such length as to permit this arm to slide
on its pivot at this end thereof sufficiently to allow for the changes of position of the
lid relatively to the trays as it is closed or opened. This arm K is also preferably bent
as shown at P to permit it to pass readily over the other lovers without interfering
therewith.
The trays when in position in the body of the trunk rest upon cleats Q.
I have described these improvements as embodied in a trunk, but it will be obvious
that they are equally applicable to various other forms of chests and boxes.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is;
First. The combination in a trunk having a hinged lid of greater depth than its
body, a series of trays held above each other and connected by arms or levers with
each other and with the body and lid of the trunk, substantially as shown and
described.
Second. The combination in a trunk having a hinged lid, of greater depth than the
body or bottom part thereof a series of trays connected together and to the body of
the trunk by pivoted arms and to the lid thereof by two arms at each end, substantially
as shown and described.
Third. The combination in a trunk, of a hinged lid, a series of trays held above
each other and connected together and with the trunk and its lid by arms pivotally
attached to plates or ears fixed to the trays and to the trunk and its lid, substantially
as shown and described.
Fourth. The combination in a trunk, of a hinged lid of greater depth than the
body of the trunk, a series of trays, pivoted arms connecting the trays together and
to the body and lid, and a hinged front flap on the body adapted to fit in the front of
the lid, substantially as shown and described.
Fifth. In combination, the trunk A, the lid B, the trays and the pivoted arms
connecting them together and to the body A, and the arm K arranged as shown and
slotted at O, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Sixth. In a trunk having a series of trays adapted to be extended from the body of
the trunk and separated from each other by a system of arms or levers connecting said
trays and the body and lid, pivot plates or cars M for attaching the lever arms to the
trays and body part of the trunk, as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 97th dox of August 1888
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.