AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE LOSS OF PURSES, POCKET- BOOKS, OR OTHER ARTICLES FROM THE POCKET, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE LOSS OF PURSES, POCKET-
BOOKS, OR OTHER ARTICLES FROM THE POCKET, AND FOR OTHER LIKE
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Léon Chalory and Alphonse
Rogue, both of Brussels, Belgium.
(Void by reason of the Patentee having neglected to file a Specification in
pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd November 1878.
"s
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. 'AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING
THE LOSS OF PURSES, POCKET-BOOKS, OR OTHER ARTICLES FROM THE POCKET,
AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Léon Chalory
and Alphonse Rogue, both of Brussels, Belgium.
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus or device chiefly designed as a
means for preventing the loss of purses, pocket-books, or the like from the pocket
of the owner through theft, forgetfulness, or otherwise. The said Invention may
also be usefully applied for raising or lifting the blinds of railway and other carriages,
also ordinary window blinds and screens, replacing for this purpose with great
advantage the spiral spring heretofore used.
The said device or apparatus may also be used as a dress-suspender for ladies'
use.
When the said apparatus is used for the protection of purses or similar objects it
is fastened either to the outside or inside of the purse, and is attached to the pocket

page_text: by means of a connecting device at the end of a chain or cord, a ring or clasp being
fixed in the pocket to receive it; or the said apparatus may be fixed in the pocket
and may be detached from the purse or other object to be protected, the latter being
already held to the same apparatus by the said connecting device-at-the-end-of-the
chain.
In constructing the said apparatus I provide a barrel with a spring and a ratchet
wheel, also a cord or chain which winds around the barrel and passes through an
aperture in a case or cover enclosing the parts. There is also a pawl engaging in the
_teeth-of-the-said-ratchet wheel, and a spring for the said pawl. I also provide. a.
stud for detaching the pawl, also_a_safety-bolt.
The said apparatus being attached to a purse or other object to be carried in the
pocket the chain or cord with the said connecting device at its end projects-from-
-the-case of the apparatus,-and-in-taking the purse from the pocket the cord, chain,
or cat-gut which is wound around the barrel unwinds therefrom, and at the same
time compresses or winds up the spring within the barrel; the pawl engages in
the teeth of the ratchet and holds the spring, and therefore the purse is left free
from the action of the latter. When it is desired to put back the purse into the
pocket the said stud projecting from the case or cover of the apparatus is pressed
with one finger, thus releasing the pawl, whereupon the spring operates and winds
up the chain or cord around the barrel, the purse being thus drawn to the
pocket.
When the said apparatus is to be used as a dress suspender it is attached to the
waist of the person using it by means of a hinged or spring hook of spoon-bill shape
at its extremity. The clasp or holder for the dress is attached directly to the
apparatus, and thus the dress may be raised or lowered at will.
The manner of applying the said apparatus to blinds will be readily under-
stood.