Improvements in Letter Cases, Portfolios, and other similar Articles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1094-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Letter Cases, Portfolios, and other similar
Articles.
I, ALFRED ERNEST ARTHUR RAY, of 18 Lady Somerset Road, Kentish Town,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates mainly to improvements upon the invention for which I
made application for Letters Patent, No. 20310, bearing date November 10th 1892,
and the main object of my present invention is the construction of an improved
form of back to replace the hollow spring back described in my aforesaid
Application.
The said hollow spring back, though effectively serving its required purpose,
necessitates care in its manufacture, but the back which is the subject of my
present invention, while free from any such objection, is at the same time equally,
if not more effective in practice.
The improved back is formed, preferably of sheet metal, in two parts, of any
suitable shape, which are connected by a hinge. One of the said parts is rigidly
fixed to one of the covers of the letter-case or other article to which it is to be
applied, while the other part, which is hinged and therefore free to move upon the
first named part is attached to the other cover in a manner to be presently
described. One or more suitable springs are connected to the said hinge in such
manner as to cause the movable part of the back to close down upon or towards
the fixed part. Thus for example, one or more helical springs may be employed,
one end of each said spring being attached to the fixed part, while the other ends
are attached to the movable part.
The edge of the said movable part is attached to its cover through the medium
of suitable springs. For this purpose I may employ the arrangement described in
my aforesaid Specification No. 20310 of 1892, but in practice I prefer to use one
or more helical springs, one end of each said spring being fixed to the outer edge
of the movable part of the back, while the other ends of the springs are fixed to
the cover of the case, in such manner as to cause the said cover to keep closed.
A light rod, or tube is placed within the said spring or springs, to keep them in
form and position, and may be affixed by any suitable means to the movable part
of the back. If preferred the ends of the springs may be fixed to the said rod
instead of the back, and the said rod is made the same. length as the back and in
one piece.
The movable part of the back may be divided into three or more parts, and
certain of these parts only be provided with springs; the other parts are in this
instance affixed to the aforesaid rod, to ensure their moving with the spring parts
when the case is opened or shut.
The attachment of the springs to the said movable parts is preferably effected
outside their extremities, thus avoiding the necessity of slots, as described in my
prior Specification.
The back is so shaped, and the hinge is placed in such a position therein, that
when the case is filled to its maximum capacity, the covers still remain in their
correct relative position to each other.
In a case having two movable covers or sides, as described in my said prior
Specification, a hinged joint can be provided on both edges of the backbone and
springs fitted in duplicate, in a manner similar to that above described.

page_text: It is necessary in all instances that the springs operating the hinged joint
exceed in strength those operating the cover.
The apparatus is in effect and action similar to that described in my said prior
Specification.
Dated this 16th day of November 1893.
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Letter Cases, Portfolios, and other similar
Articles.
I, ALFRED ERNEST ARTHUR RAY, of 18 Lady Somerset Road, Kentish
Town, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 mainly to improvements upon the invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to me, No. 20310, bearing date November 10th 1892,
and the main object of my present invention is the construction of an improved
form of back, to replace the hollow spring back described in my aforesaid
Specification.
The said hollow spring back, though effectively serving its required purpose,
necessitates care in its manufacture, but the back, which is the subject of my
present invention, while free from any such objection, is at the same time equally,
if not more effective in practice.
In the accompanying four sheets of drawings, which form part of this Specifica-
tion, and in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a letter case, constructed in accordance with my
present invention.
Fig. 2 is a detached view of a portion of the fixed part of the back.
Fig. 3 is a detached view of a portion of the movable part of the back.
Fig. 4 is a cross section shewing the case empty and closed, and
Fig. 5 is a cross section shewing the case filled.
Fig. 6 is a cross section of a letter case having a hinged back in accordance with
my present invention and a movable cover attached thereto in the manner described
in my aforesaid Specification No. 20310 of 1892.
Fig. 7 is a cross section of a letter case empty and closed, having a hinged back
and two movable sides, and
Fig. 8 is a similar view shewing the case filled.
Fig. 9 is a cross section of a letter case empty and closed, shewing a modified
arrangement for attaching the covers, and
Fig. 10 is a similar view shewing the case filled.
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a letter case opened, shewing a modified form of
spring, and
3.
Fig. 12 is a similar view, shewing a further modified form of spring.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the improved back is formed, preferably of sheet
metal, in two parts D and D¹, of any suitable shape, which are connected by
hinge M. The part D is rigidly fixed to one of the covers B of the letter case,
while the part D', which is hinged and therefore free to move upon the part D,
is attached to the other cover C in a manner to be presently described. One
or more suitable springs are connected to the hinge M, in such manner as to
cause the moveable part D' of the back, to close down upon, or towards the fixed
part D. Thus, as shewn in the drawing, helical springs N may be employed,

page_text: one end of each said spring being attached to the fixed part D, while the other
ends are attached to the inoveable part D'.
The edge of the said moveable part D' is attached to its cover C through
the medium of a hinge P and helical springs Q, one end of each said spring
being attached to the moveable part D', while the other ends are attached to
the cover C. It is not necessary that the ends of the springs N and Q be
actually fixed to the several parts mentioned. It is sufficient in most cases, if
the ends of the springs are straightened out and merely bear against the said
parts.
R is the pin of the hinge M and S the pin of the hinge P. These pins-
preferably extend, as shewn, throughout the length of the hinge, passing through
the helical springs; but if desired, the said pins may be in short lengths and
avoid the springs, a separate pin or tube being placed within each spring to keep.
it in form and position. Where a continuous pin is used, the said pin may be
fixed in one half of the hinge and have one set of spring ends attached to it..
The covers B and C are preferably of skeleton form, as shewn, to save weight,
and may be covered with leather or other suitable material, but such covering
material is omitted in the drawings.
In the cross section of a letter case shewn in Fig. 6, the hinged back D, D' is
made as above described, but the moveable cover C is attached thereto by spiral
springs E and bars H, as described in my prior Specification No. 20310 of 1892.
In a case having two moveable covers or sides, as described in my said prior
Specification, a hinged joint M with springs N can be provided on both edges of
the back bone L, see Figs. 7 and 8, the covers B and C being both attached by
hinges P and springs Q, as above described. The said backbone L is provided
with an inwardly extending horizontal plate or projections L', which serve to
retain the back in correct position.
It is not essential that a case constructed with two moveable covers should
have a double hinge in the back, as shewn, as a single hinge may be employed if
preferred.
Figs. 9 and 10, shew a letter case having a metal back, so constructed as not to
require any leather covering and formed with clips or grooves T adapted to receive
and hold the covers B and C. A back of this description can be readily applied
to existing cases.
In the letter case shewn in Fig. 11, the helical springs N and Q are formed of
flat strips surrounding their pins R and S, and are enclosed, if desired, within the
joint of the hinge. The ends of the said springs may be secured to, or bear against
the required parts in any suitable manner. This arrangement enables the springs
to be made of sinaller diameter than when round wire is used for the purpose, and
forms a neat joint.
A still simpler and neater method is shewn in Fig. 12. Here the pins R and S
are of steel, hardened and tempered to a spring temper.
One end of each pin is fixed in any suitable manner in one half of the hinge and
the other end in the other half, and by this means the pin itself forms the spring
to actuate the hinge, as the pins are twisted by the action of opening the joints.
In all instances, no matter what form of spring be employed, it is necessary that
the springs operating the back hinge N, exceed in strength those operating the
cover hinge P, also the back is so shaped and the hinge is placed in such position
therein, that when the case is filled to its maximum capacity, the covers still remain
in their correct relative position to each other.
The present apparatus is in effect and action similar to that described in my said
prior Specification, that is to say the springs operating the back being stronger
than those operating the cover, when the cover is opened to receive or abstract
papers the back springs do not necessarily yield, but only open more or less to
accommodate a greater or less bulk of papers, while the cover springs always keep
the covers pressed parallel to each other, whether the case be full, partly full, or
empty.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim, is :—
1. In a letter case, portfolio, or other similar article, the combination of a back
provided with a spring hinge, a cover affixed to one part of said back and a cover
attached by a spring hinge to the other part of said back.
2. In a letter case, portfolio, or other similar article, the combination of a back
provided with a spring hinge or spring hinges, and a cover attached by a spring
hinge to each part of said back.
Dated this 16th day of August 1894.
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.