AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE WINE CASES OR BINS FOR DOMESTIC USE OR EXPORT AND A PICNIC CURST COMBINED 51
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Rawson Clark, of Drayton Villa, Thistle
Grove, West Brompton, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE WINE CASES OR BINS FOR DOMESTIC USE OR EXPORT
AND A PICNIC CURST COMBINED
51
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Rawson Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th May 1863.
I, EDWARD RAWSON CLARK, of Drayton Villa, Thistle Grove, West Brompton,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE WINE CASES OR BINS FOR DOMESTIC USE OR EXPORT, AND
A PIC-NIC CHEST COMBINED," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in providing an ordinary wood box or case, of a
suitable size for holding one, two, or three dozen or more of wine or beer
bottles packed in such a manner as will be hereafter described and shewn by
Drawings in a firm position without the use of hay, straw, sawdust, or any
other accessory whatever, so that not only will it afford safety in transport but
is very expeditous and so simple that unlike packing in the ordinary way
(which is of itself an art) the most untutored can scarcely fail at a glance to
comprehend the only method by this Invention of packing the bottles
safely.
To effect this I prepare an ordinary deal or other wood box or case and

page_text: provide 2 partitions from top to bottom fixed at about an inch from each end
or side as the case may be, each of such partitions having as many circular
holes cut in them as may be required, and each of a little larger diameter than
the usual size of wine bottles, as shewn by the annexed Drawings. The centres
of the ends or sides of the said box or case are either grooved of a dovetail
shape, or plain square, or provided with slips to form a groove fixed at about
an inch apart to receive sundry pieces of wood, as shewn in the Drawing
marked 8, and numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, one of which, Number 5, is fixed at the
bottom of the said box or case. The first tier of bottles being placed in the case,
the piece of wood No. 4 is inserted down the groove & so on until the case is
filled, when it is so arranged that the piece No. 1 comes level with the top edge
of the case, & consequently when the lid is closed, the bottles are securely fixed.
By this arrangement a case to contain three dozen bottles need only
measure outside size 2 f. 4, by 1 f. 6, by 1 f. 2, including the lid, other modi-
fications of the same principle can be made to pack from six bottles only to six
dozen bottles.
In order to illustrate my Invention more correctly, I have appended the
accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a ground plan of an empty case shewing the three divisions; Fig. 2
is a front view of one of the two divisions as shewn at A & B, Fig. 1; Fig. 3
represents the centre division at C in Fig. 1, & composed of 5 pieces; Fig. 4
illustrates the first tier of nine bottles placed with one of the five pieces on
the necks to secure them; Fig. 5 represents an end view or section of a
case filled with the 4 tiers of bottles; Fig. 6 shews a similar section but with
only one tier of nine, or any less number of bottles and three trays above as a
pic-nic chest; Fig. 7 represents a section of the front of the said pic-nic chest,
shewing the bottles and trays, the bottles secured by the piece of wood No. 1
in Fig. 3, fitting on the fixed piece No. 5, Fig. 3, and these last-named pieces
of wood No. 1 to 5 are so formed that even if the packing be done in the dark,
either piece will fit at either end.
Though this Invention is chiefly devised to meet the carrying trade in wine
or beer, it is obvious that private families can take advantage of it, and with
a lock & key added can treat it as a miniature cellar, and if made of a superior
wood it may be introduced into the dining room and in addition to the pre-
ceding properties possessed by this wine case or bin I provide for the use of pic-
nic parties and visitors to the races, one, two, or more trays for the purpose of
dividing the several varieties of provisions, plates, and glasses, used on such
occasions from the bottles.
Not the least important item in this Invention is its low price. A box or

page_text: case to contain 3 dozen of wine or beer bottles, can be made for within a few
pence of the price of a 3 dozen hamper, & will last much longer, to say nothing
of the short time required to pack it.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and how the same is
5 constructed I wish it understood that what I claim is the placing the bottles
horizontally, as usually binned in cellars, and thus in a great degree preserving
the crust of port, and securing them by such simple means, and I therefore
claim the sole right of making and selling such cases as berein described and
fully illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Rawson Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
RAWSON CLARK, of Drayton Villa, Thistle Grove, West Brompton, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Rawson Clark, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Rawson Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward Rawson Clark, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE
WINE CASES OR BINS FOR DOMESTIC USE OR EXPORT AND A PIC-NIC CHEST COMBINED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Rawson Clark,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Rawson Clark, do hereby declare

page_text: the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in providing an ordinary wood box or case of a
suitable size for holding one, two, or three dozen, or more of wine or beer
bottles, packed in such a manner as will be hereafter described and shewn by
Drawings in a firm position, without the use of hay, straw, sawdust, or any
other accessory whatever, so that not only will it afford safety in transport,
but is very expeditious and so simple that, unlike packing in the ordinary way
(which is of itself an art), the most untutored can scarcely fail at a glance
to comprehend the only method by this Invention of packing the bottles
safely.
To effect this, I propose an ordinary deal or other wood box or case, and
provide 2 partitions from top to bottom fixed at about an inch from each end
or side as the case may be, each of such partitions having as many circular
holes cut in them as may be required, and each of a little larger diameter than
the usual size of wine bottles, as shewn by the annexed Drawings. The centres
of the ends or sides of the said box or case are either grooved of a dovetail
shape, or plain square, or provided with slips to form a groove fixed at about
an inch apart to receive sundry pieces of wood, as shown in the Drawing
marked 3 and numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, one of which, Number 5, is fixed at
the bottom of the said box or case. The first tier of bottles being placed
in the case the piece of wood No. 4 is inserted down the groove and so on,
until the case is filled, when it is so arranged that the piece No. 1 comes level
with the top edge of the case, and consequently when the lid is closed the
bottles are securely fixed.
By this arrangement a case to contain three dozen bottles only measures
outside 2 f. 4 inches, by 1 f. 6 inches, by 1 f. 2 inches, including the lid, other
modifications of the same principle can be made to pack from six bottles only
to six dozen bottles.
In order to illustrate my Invention more correctly I have appended the
accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a ground plan of an empty case shewing the three divisions;
Fig. 2 is a front view of one of the two divisions as shewn at A and B,
Fig. 1; Fig. 8 represents the centre division at C in Fig 1, and composed of
5 pieces; Fig. 4 illustrates the first tier of wine bottles, placed with one of
the five pieces on the necks to secure them; Fig. 5 represents an end view
or section of a case fitted with the 4 tiers of bottles; Fig. 6 shows a similar

page_text: section but with only one tier of nine bottles or any less number of bottles,
and three trays above as a pic-nic chest; Fig. 7 represents a section of the
front of the said pic-nic chest, shewing the bottles and trays, the bottles secured
by the piece of wood No. 1, in Fig. 3, fitting on the fixed piece No. 5, Fig. 8,
and these last-named pieces of wood, Nos. 1 to 5, are so formed that even if
the packing be done in the dark either piece will fit at either end.
Though this Invention is chiefly devised to meet the carrying trade in wine
or beer, it is obvious that private families can take advantage of it, and with
a lock & key added can treat it as a miniature cellar, and if made of a superior
wood it may be introduced into the dining room. And in addition to the
preceding properties possessed by this wine case or biu, I provide for the use
of pic-nic parties and visiters to the races, one, two, or more trays for the
purpose of dividing the several varieties of provisions, plates, and glasses
used on such occasions from the bottles.
Not the least important item in this Invention is its low price, a box or case
to contain 3 dozen of wine or beer bottles can be made for within a few pence
of the price of a 3 dozen hamper, and will last much longer, to say nothing of
the short time required to pack it.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and how the same is
constructed I wish it understood that what I claim is the placing the
bottles horizontally as usually binned in cellars and thus in a great degree
preserving the crust of port, and securing them by such simple means, and I
therefore claim the sole right of making and selling such cases as herein
described and fully illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Rawson Clark have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Ninth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
EDWARD RAWSON CLARK.