US531640A - Traveler s trunk or sample-case - Google Patents

Description

(Nn Model.)

F. J. PALICA. TRAVBLERS TRUNK 0R SAMPLE CASE.

ANo. 531,640. 'Patented Jan. 1 1895.-

Ntra-D j STATES PATENT Brien.

'TRAVELERS TRUNK on SAM PLE-CASE.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 531,640, dated January `1, 1 895.

i Application filed March 26,1894. Serial No. 505,124. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LFRANK J. PALICA, of Racine, in the county of 'Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Travelers Trunks and Sample-Cases; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specication.

This inventipn relates to improvements in that class of travelers trunks and sample cases in which the upper transverse yedges of the trunk body form protecting guards for the hinged cover which ts into the open top'of the body, and in which the central portion of the front wall of the trunk is cut down, and

the front of the cover is formed to enter and fill such cut-away portion when the trunk is closed; the class of trunks referred to being represented in Letters Patent No. 425,247, granted to me April 8, 1890.

The object of my present improvement is principally to provide a strong support for the depending front portion of the cover, and, generally, to adapt the trunk as a whole to better resist the shocks incident to its handling in use. A y

To these ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

`In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a trunk embodying my invention, showing the cover raised. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3'is a front elevation of the cover removed. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional detail, taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1, but with the cover closed. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the arrangement of the cleats on the top of the trunk.

A designates the body of the trunk which is shown as being of rectangular shape, with front, rear and end walls, (1,00 and a2, rigidly.

secured to each other and to a suitable bottom a3. As hereina shown, the upper and lower end, or transverse edges, A of the trunk body are beveled off and provided with protecting cleats a4, while suitable metallic` or other binding strips a5, secured to the frontand rear walls of the trunk body and attached to or extending over the beveled ends and inward toward the center of lsaid walls, serve to bind the parts firmly together.

B designates the cover which is hinged to the rear bodywall a', and is provided on its inner face adjacent to its rear and end edges with rigid cleatsb and b dependingincontact with or in close proximity to the inner face of the rear and end walls ofthe trunk body when the cover is closed. Preferably, and as herein shown, the cover B extends beyond the said cleats b and b so as to overlap and rest upon the tops of the adjacent walls of the trunk body, and when, as in this instance, the upper ends of the trunk are beveled and provided with cleats a4, the upper portions of the end walls d2 of the trunk may be reinforced or thiclgened by. cleats a6 secured to the inner surface of said walls with their upper edges Hush with the tops thereof. In this case the ends of the cover will rest, when closed, upon said cleats a6 and will be protected by the upper edges of the protecting strips ,c1/4 which `project above the top of the body a distance equal to the thickness of the cover.

The upper edge of the front Wall a of the trunk is out down or hollowed out at its middle portion and slopes upward at each end to the normal level of the top of the. body, as shown in Fig. 1. Such cut-away portion is filled when the cover is closed by a Vertical, depending part b2 secured to the front edge of the cover B, with its outer face flush with the outer face of the front body wall a.y 'Said part b2, in my improved construction, is made much thicker than the wall a and its front face rabbeted at each end on an incline lto fit the hollow top of the body front a, leaving theportions biat its ends to depend behind, and desirably in close proximity to, the inner face of the wall mand thus form connection between the part b2 and the parts b by which the said part b2 is firmly supported, and making a complete and rigid box fitting within the open top of the trunk, and engaging or proximating the inside surfaces of all four of its walls, so as to brace the same and be itself supported in every direction. Said box may,if desired, be provided with a cover on its under side, and may thus be used as a separate receptacle to contain any articles adapted to be contained therein; The front faces of the ends b3 of the cleats b2 are in- IOO clined inwardly and downwardly so as to avoid striking the top of the wall a, as the cover swings into and out of its closed position, and in this instance, the end cleats b are also shown inclined inwardly and downwardly on their outer faces so as lo prevent their binding unnecessarily.

The joint between the Wall aand the depending front part b2 of the cover when closed is concealed by the usual Valance b4. The cover may be strengthened in any suitable manner, as by longitudinal cleats b5 and transverse cleats ZJ, the latter being placed at the end of the cover, and overlapping the protecting strips a4 of the body of the trunk. The ends of the Valances b4 are in this instance shown carried over and secured to the upper sides of the cleats b to bind the same in place, but, obviously, if desired, they may be-run beneath said cleats and engage directly the upper surface of the cover.

Although the cover Bis in this instance shown as adapted to overlap and rest upon the top of the rear wall a', it will be obvious that, if desired,said rear Wall maybe extended upward a distance equal to the thickness of the cover, and the latter so hinged as to lit Within said wall when closed, with its upper face flush with the top thereof.

Trunks and sample cases constructed in accordance with my invention, as hereinbefore set forth, being provided with rigid edges A', and with a cover if which lits Within and braces the top of the body of the trunk in every direction, are admirably adapted to sustain the severe shocks to which structures of this character are subjected in handling, and may be readily made of large size and capacity, while at the same time easily accessible, by reason of the cut-away upper edge of the front wall.

Trunks made in accordance with these improvements are particularly Well adapted for use by traveling salesmen as sample cases, since they possess great strength and durability and are of relatively large capacity.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a travelers trunk or sample case the combination with a body of which the top of 5o the front wall is cut down at its middle portion, of a hinged cover provided at its front close proximity to the rear face of the said wall of the body when the cover is closed, and

braces supporting the said depending part of the cover, substantially as described.

2. In a traveler-s trunk or sample case the combination with a body portion, the top of the front wall of which is cut away at its middle, of a hinged coverprovided on itsunderside with a rigid depending box, the rear and endl sides of which depend in close proximity to the rear and end Walls of the trunk, and the front side of which is made of greater thickness than the front wall of the body and has its front face rabbeted at its ends to fit the edge of the front wall, leaving the remaining port-ion of its ends to depend behind said wall, whereby the walls and cover'are braced in every direction, substantially as described.

In a travelcrs trunk or sample case the combination with a body the top of the front wall of which is cutaway at its middle part, and the end walls of which are thickened at their tops of a cover adapted to overlap and rest upon said end walls when closed, protecting cleats rigidly secured along the upper end edges of the trunk and projecting above the top ot' the walls in close proximity to the ends of the cover when closed, and a rigid box secured to the under side of the cover, the rear and end sides of which depend in close proximity tothe rear and end walls of the trunk, the front side of which is made of double thickness and has its front face rabbeted at its ends to lit the hollowed top of the front wall of the trunk, leaving the rear portion of its ends to depend in close proximity to the inside front wall, whereby the walls and cover are braced and supported from every direction, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I ailx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. PALICA. Witnesses: g

ANDREW DIETRICH, WILL 1T. CARPENTER.

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