A Collapsible Letter Rack or Portfolio.
Year: 1899

page_text: I, JOSEPH HILBERT, Merchant, of Ahnfeldstrasse 105, Düsseldorf, Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object, to provide a collapsible portfolio which can
be used also as a rack or shelf for holding letters and other papers, and mounted
on a table or desk.
The apparatus chiefly comprises a series of shelves mounted in a collapsible
frame similar to a concertina, which frame can be maintained in the extended
position by a pair of stays placed right and left of the frame, each stay being
provided in the centre with a hinge joint, so that it can be folded.
The right and left hand stay are connected at each end by means of an angle
iron or bent plate, which forms a foot to support the row of shelves in the
extended position, or the stays, after they have been folded together.
Instead of a pair of rigid stays, a pair of lazy-tongs or an expansible trellis
work may be mounted right and left of the collapsible frame, so that it will
collapse simultaneously with the concertina-shaped frame holding the shelves.
Dated this 27th day of June 1899
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicant.
A Collapsible Letter Rack or Portfolio.
I, JOSEPH HILBERT, Merchant, of Ahnfeldstrasse 105, Düsseldorf, Germany,
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 has for its object, to provide a collapsible portfolio which can
be used also as a rack or shelf for holding letters and other papers, and mounted
on a table or desk.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view and Fig. 2 a side view
of an apparatus embodying my invention; both showing the apparatus when
erected ready for use. Fig. 3 represents one of the sides or stays S on a large
scale, and Fig. 4 shows the apparatus folded together.
The apparatus chiefly comprises a series of shelves a, a mounted in a collapsible
frame similar to a concertina, which frame can be maintained in the extended
position by a pair of stays S, S placed right and left of the frame, each stay being
preferably provided in the centre with a hinge joint S', so that it can be folded.
D
031

page_text: The stays are connected at the top and at the bottom by means of cover plates d
and angle irons or metallic fasteners m, the latter being fixed to the stays S and
made to pass through eyes or holes formed in the plates d.
Other suitable means may, however, be adopted for connecting the plates or
the base d with the sides S.
As mentioned above, the stay S may be provided in the centre with a hinge
joint S¹ (Fig. 3) to facilitate folding and transport. The stays may also be pro-
vided with hooks or pins for suspending less important papers.
Instead of a pair of rigid stays a pair of lazy-tongs or an expansible trellis
work may be mounted right and left of the collapsible frame, so that it can col-
lapse simultaneously with the concertina-shaped frame holding the shelves.
The shelves may be open on both sides, so as to render thein accessible from
either side of the writing table or desk on which the apparatus is mounted.
At the close of business hours, or whenever it is desired to remove the letter
rack, the stays S are taken off, after which the apparatus forms a portfolio the
compartments of which may be closed like other portfolios, by means of flaps k.
For further securing the contents the apparatus may be provided with a lock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
A portfolio extensible like a concertina, and provided with stays or side sup-
ports adapted to secure the portfolio in the extended position, so that it may be
used as a set of shelves or a letter rack, substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of March 1900
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents, 37 and 39, Essex Street, Strand, London.