Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM ROBERT SELKIRK of Dashwood House 9 New Broad Street in the
City of London Manufacturers' Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, to be as follows:-
According to this invention I construct the coal scuttle or other receptacle for
fuel or other materials with the top to open as well as the front and effect the
simultaneous opening at top and, in front, by removing the scoop or other wedge
shaped appliance from its pocket, and the simultaneous closing by inserting the
scoop in its pocket. I make the top with two lids, meeting in the middle and
hinged at each side, and I make the front or bottom lid to open from the top being
bung or hinged below. To effect the simultaneous opening and closing of these
three lids I provide a weigh shaft inside and along the back top of the scuttle
or other receptacle and fit thereon a flat lever which can protrude through a slot
into the scoop pocket, and one or more counterweights for just overbalancing the
weight of the lids.
This weigh shaft is by sector bevil wheel gear or levers and
rods connected with the hinge spindles of the aforesaid lids. Or I only work the
top lids thus and work the front or bottom lid from the top lids by levers and rods.
When the scoop or other wedge shaped appliance is inserted in its pocket it pushes
the flat lever out of the pocket and by means of the aforesaid wheel or other gear.
the doors are closed. On the other hand when the scoop is withdrawn the counter-
weight or weights will cause the lids to be opened and the flat lever to protrude
into the scoop pocket. The gear is suitably contained in the space between the
lining and the back of the scuttle. The lining is open at top and in front. The
top lids may if desired be made to close before or after the front lid has been
closed, and this may be effected by slack or lost motion in the gear. In order to
take hold of the lining with facility and at the same time have a perfectly open top
while the scuttle is in use I provide by preference a cross bar which can slide in
slanting slots formed in the sides of the lining near the top; when the scuttle is in
use the cross bar is pushed towards the back but when it is desired to lift out the
lining, the cross bar is pulled forward in its slots.

page_text: ་
The scuttle or other receptacle may be of any suitable shape and be made in
wood metal or other material or materials and may if desired be provided with a
permanent, not removable lining.
In scuttles or other vessels in which the front slants back almost to the back of
the vessel I provide the upper part of such slanting front with two lids or doors
hinged at the sides and meeting in the middle as described and provide the lower
part of such slanting front with a lid hinged below as described; or according
to a cheaper arrangement I omit the bottom lid and carry the upper doors further
down.
The handle for carrying the scoop or other. receptacle by, may be in two parts or
halves, one on each lid and be provided with a locking appliance for holding them
together, thus taking the strain off the working gear and scoop.

page_text: Improvements in Coal Scuttles and other Receptacles.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT SELKIRK of Dashwood House, 9,.New Broad Street in the
City of London, Manufacturers' Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
According to this invention I construct the coal scuttle or other receptacle for
fuel or other materials with the top to open as well as the front and effect the
simultaneous opening at top and in front by removing the scoop or other wedge
shaped appliance from its pocket and the simultaneous closing at top and in front
by inserting the scoop in its pocket.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical longitudinal section through
a coal scuttle of this construction, and Figure 2 a vertical cross section. The top is
made with two lids A. A meeting in the middle and hinged at a. a. at each side,
and the front or bottom lid B is made to open from the top being hung or hinged
below to a spindle 6 on which are fixed small brackets b' which are fixed to the
front lid B. To effect the simultaneous opening and closing of these lids A; A
and B I provide a weigh shaft or spindle C mounted in a forked bracket c which is
fixed inside near the upper part or back top of the scuttle proper behind which the
scuttle is formed with a chamber containing part of the working gear as shown in
Figure 1. On the weigh shaft CI fit a lever D flat or wide wholly or towards the.
back which can protrude through a slot E in the back wall of scuttle and reaching
into the scoop pocket F. Counterweight or weights may be provided for just
overbalancing the weight of the lid and the gear, or a spring may be provided, as
will be presently described. This weigh shaft C may be connected with the hinge
spindle b by sector bevil wheel gear or as here shown by levers and rods, viz: To
the lever D is jointed a rod G to which again the rods H. H. are jointed. These
latter are jointed each to a bracket or eye I fixed on each top lid A. The bottom
end of the rod G is jointed to a bell crank lever K. K¹ which by the rod L is jointed
to a lever M fixed on the aforesaid transverse spindle b. The bell crank lever K. K¹
is mounted on a transverse spindle k and connected with a helical spring N fixed
thereon and serving to over-balance the weight of the lids A. A. and B. and of the
gear. Or the top lids A. A. may be worked by sector bevil wheel gear and the
front lid B by levers and rods. When the scoop O or other wedge shaped appliance
is inserted in its pocket F it pushes the flat lever D which may be fitted with
friction rollers & out of the pocket F and by means of the aforesaid wheel or other
gear the doors are closed. In the example shown the lever D and rod G are pushed
down into the position shown and the lids closed. On the other hand when the
scoop O is withdrawn the spring N (or counterweight or weights) will cause
the lids to be opened and the flat lever D to rise and protrude into the scoop
pocket F. The arrows show the directions of motion of the parts when the scoop
is withdrawn. The gear is here shown contained in a chamber formed at the back
of the scuttle proper and in a cavity underneath the scuttle bottom. The lining
shown chain dotted is open at top and in front. The top lids A may if desired be
made to close before or after the front lid B has been closed and this may be

page_text: effected by slack or lost motion in the gear. In order to take hold of the lining
and at the same time have a perfectly open top while the scuttle is in use I provide
by preference a hinged handle e.
The scuttle or other receptacle may be of any suitable shape and be made in
wood, metal or other material or materials and may, if desired, be provided with a
permanent, not removable lining.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of a coal scuttle of a somewhat
different form in which the front slants back almost to the back of the scuttle case.
In this case the gear is, as an example shown, contained in the space between the
lining and the back of the scuttle and also in the cavity below the bottom as in
the former example. On the weigh shaft C is mounted the flat lever D as before
but also two levers D₁ to which the rods H are jointed which at their other ends
are jointed to the brackets I fixed on the lids A A. To the lever D is also jointed
a rod G which by bell crank lever K. K¹ rod L and lever M actuates the shallow
front lid B in the same manner as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section and Figure 6 is a plan with top
removed of a scuttle or other receptacle of a simpler form that is to say having only
two slanting front doors A which meet in the middle as the aforesaid upper lids A
in Figures 1. 2. 3 and 4 or what comes to the same thing I here omit the lid B
Figures 1. 2. 3 and 4 and carry the upper lids A right down to the bottom. On
the weigh shaft C is mounted a flat lever D as before and also two levers D¹ which
by rods H are connected with the eyes or brackets I on the doors A which are
hinged laterally at a a N is a spring for over balancing the weight of the lids A
and the gear. The lining is by preference open in front only.
The aforesaid constructions are obviously applicable to cases, receptacles or
cabinets for containing stationery articles or for many other useful purposes.
The handles for carrying the scuttle or other receptacle by may, in case of
constructions like Figures 1 to 4, be placed one on each side, and so that the
lids A A when open rest thereon. For constructions like Figures 5 and 6 and as
applied to coal scuttles I may use an ordinary handle at the top.
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
First Providing a coal scuttle or other receptacle with two hinged top lids,
hinged at the sides and meeting in the middle, and a front lid hinged at the
bottom, such lids being operated to open when the scoop or other wedge shaped
appliance is withdrawn from its pocket and to close when such appliance is inserted
in its pocket substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.
Second: Providing a coal scuttle or other receptance with two front lids hinged
at the sides and meeting in the middle, such lids being operated to open when the
scoop or other wedge shaped appliance is withdrawn from its pocket and to close
when such appliance is inserted into its pocket substantially as described with
reference to Figure 5 and 6.
Third Connecting two laterally hinged top lids A A and a front lid B hinged
at the bottom, by gear in such manner that the lids close and open. simultaneously
or at about the same time substantially as set forth.
Fourth The constructions of coal scuttle or receptacle shown and described.