Asbestos Use in Luggage

This article describes the use of asbestos in luggage such as antique suitcases.

The luggage shown on this page might contain asbestos in a flexible liner. It has not been tested and the asbestos presence has not been confirmed.

Other suitcases and fireproof boxes are known to have used asbestos as a fireproof liner.

Use of Asbestos in Suitcases, Boxes, Luggage

Special thanks to reader E.M. for these photographs of an antique suitcase, 2018/09/27.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Asbestos in Suitcases, Trunks, Briefcases, Valises

Question: do you think this suitcase uses asbestos?

Did anyone make any suitcases out of sheet goods of asbestos ?

Reply: possibly in the flexible liner; other suitcases used asbestos for fire-resistance.

I don't think asbestos, such as in the form of cement-asbestos sheets, was widely used to make suitcases or briefcases, though there have been special fire-resistant products that used those materials.

But without doubt there were some suitcases and similar products described as using asbestos (Thorsrud 1971 and Dvorak 1976).

Watch out: In your photos of the antique suitcase I see what looks like flexible sheet flooring material, possibly a linoleum-like product.

Some of those sheet flooring products used asbestos in the body and backer of the flexible material, both as fibres for strength and as a filler.

Some examples are at SHEET FLOORING POSSIBLE ASBESTOS - 1960-1987

In addition, though I don't see it in your suitcase, some cases may have used asbestos paper as a fire-resistant component.

Examples and photos of asbestos paper are at ASBESTOS PAPER DUCT INSULATION

Often we can find examples of surprising uses of asbestos in products by searching through patent disclosures.

Luggage, boxes, chests and similar products that used asbestos in their construction pretty much all focused on fire resistance.

U.S. Patent Disclosures Describe Use of Asbestos in Luggage & Fire-proof boxes

Here are some examples found by a review of U.S. patents.

• Beyton, Lindsey Benjamin. "Sealed container." U.S. Patent 3,003,658, issued October 10, 1961.
• Bussard, C.W., "Fireproof Box", U.S. Patent 1,309,458, issued 09 July 1919
  Excerpts:
  
  This invention relates to a fireproof box or chest, adapted to be made in varying sizes, for containing articles or papers of value, such as deeds, jewelry and the like, and which is so constructed as to protect the contents from destruction by fire and heat, as well as to resist extraordinary pressure which would have a crushing effect upon ordinary so called Fireproof boxes or cabinets as now constructed.
  ...
  The body is provided with a thick lining of asbestos mortar, indicated at 15 held in position by an asbestos or other suitable fireproof board indicated at 16, the same being attached to the body and extending to the upper edge thereof.
  In order to brace and protect the asbestos lining,
  ...
  The cover is provided with a lining of asbestos mortar indicated at 20 and a covering of asbestos or like fireproof boarding indicated at 21, fastened to the cover 13, as by means of a plurality of bolts 22 extended through the cover, asbestos lining and asbestos or like fireproof board ...

• Donat, Pare. "Asbestos cement casket." U.S. Patent 3,050,817, issued August 28, 1962.

Illustration: Dvorak's asbestos-lined suitcase from his 1976 patent cited below.

• Dvorak, Sidney T. "Flame and heat-resistant luggage case." U.S. Patent 3,980,162, issued September 14, 1976.
  Excerpts:
  
  This invention relates to luggage cases and the like, and it particularly relates to flame and heat-resistant luggage cases and the like, and, preferably, cases which are impact-resistant.
  ...
  this case, generally designated 100, substitutes stainless steel in the upper layer 102 and asbestos in the lower layer ...
• Elgin, Bert K. "Fire resistant pack." U.S. Patent 3,082,713, issued March 26, 1963. [This product did not claim to use asbestos]
  
• Gamble, Edward R. "Fire retardant container." U.S. Patent 3,702,592, issued November 14, 1972.
• Rifkin, Arnold S. "Fire-resistant enclosure." U.S. Patent 3,292,748, issued December 20, 1966.
  Excerpt:
  
  ... each wall portion 16 is a center or core layer 42 of heat-insulating or refractory material, such as aluminum resin-coated asbestos.

Illustration below: Rifkin's fire-resistant luggage bag.

• Thorsrud, Agmund K. "Reinforced microporous laminates." U.S. Patent 3,578,544, issued May 11, 1971.
  Excerpts:
  The fibers used to reinforce the sheet of my invention can be virtually and fibrous material, either natural or synthetic.
  
  For example, the fibers can be asbestos, metal, cotton, hair, glass, or the filament-forming synthetic organic polymers such as nylon, polyesters, rayon, cellulosics, or other known synthetic filamentary materials.
  ...
  When using a relatively absorptive material, such as asbestos, from about 20 to about parts per 100 parts of elastomeric or thermoplastic material can be incorporated.
  ...
  The blown laminate is 180 mils thick. It is formed into a suitcase having excellent appearance, scuff-resistance and strength.
  ...
  A laminate according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic material is polypropylene and the said fibers are asbestos.
• Walger, Philip F., and William F. Walger. "Fire-resistant bag." U.S. Patent 3,637,000, issued January 25, 1972.
  
  Excerpt:
  A fire-resistant bag for carrying valuable documents or money. The bag has a multilayer sidewall with plies which are separated by heat-insulating air spaces.
  
  Each ply includes a sheet of asbestos or similar heat-insulating material, and one ply has a metal-foil outer face for reflecting heat. A zipper closure is provided, and the zipper is protected from direct exposure to flame by multilayer lips or flaps on the bag which cover the zipper. ...

...

Continue reading at ASBESTOS LIST of PRODUCTS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS

To have a material tested for asbestos see ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST and also see this possible DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE

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ASBESTOS SUITCASES at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to ASBESTOS HAZARDS

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