US1319072A - I lanogrrt - Google Patents

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E. E. HARTMAN.,v

COLLAPSIBILE SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1919.

1 3 1 9,072 Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ATTORNEY E. E. HARTMAN.

COLLAPSIBLE SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28. I919.

1,319,072. Patented Oct. 21,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR c"((e.s Z-T/kzrtmaw BY UNITED STATES P ENT OFFICE. II I I nuns u.namiirni;j m,yg

To all whom it concern v I, Be it known that I, ELLFZS E. HA 'rMAN, a subject of the King of Hungary,res1ding at New York city, county and State of New tion, in whichformation it will take up "but little space. .My improved foldable structure, whether embodied; in the form of a suit case or trunk. will be found very useful .for theatrical performers, especially those who do considerabletraveling, such as vaudeville artists, who frequently encounter limited quarters to store their trunks, etc. 1 I will now describe my improved foldable structure in detail,'reference being had tothe drawing, wherein will refer to it as a suit-case,but it will be V Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im}. proved device set up to form a table;

"Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view thereof; b

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the'manner ofcon necting the members to form. a suitcase of trunk; f

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one corner of the body of the device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, the section being ftaken on a line 5-5 in Fig.4; 7 v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectionalplan view,

the section being taken on a line 6 6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the device folded;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view thereof 5 V Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectlonal view illustrating the manner of detachably hinging the cover to the body of the structure; and V Figs. 10 and 11 are detail perspective views of the hinge-member's. In describing my improved structure, I

- understood that the same may be embodied in the form of a trunk or the like; in any event, the-structure is made up of a bottommember 12 having side members 13 and 14 and end members 15 and 16, one end mem Specifica tion bf Letters Patent.

ber beingillustrated inFig. 2, whilein Fig.

8, both endinembers are illustrated. The side-members ,13 and 14 and'end members 15 and 16 are hinged at 17, 17 , fandj 18, 18, respectively, to the corresponding edgesof the bottom-member, 12, the side-members 13 and;14 being arrangedv to fold inwardly, or toward each other, and lie upon the upper surface of the bottom 12.. The end-members 15 andlti are arranged "to fold under and lie against the'undersurface ofthe bottom 12, as illustrated in 7 l I To; look the side and end-members together when positioned to form a suit-case, I provide the ends thereof with intermeshing tongues 19 and 20 extending from plates 21 and22, respectively,(see- Fig. 5),. -the PatentedOct. 21,1919. 7

Application filed lanuary 28, 1919. Serial No. 273,629,

plates- 22 beingsecured to the end-members and 20 are each. provided with openings 23 V therethrough that will aline one with the other when the members 13, 14, 15Vand 16 are/set up to form'the suit-case. Tolock" the members aftenthey have been set up, Ifemploy locking-bars 24 and 25 connected by across-member 26, in orderthat the ,tw'e

bars can be simultaneously operated. The

bars 24 and 25 'passthrough the alined open;

ings' in the tongues19, and 20. To prevent the complete withdrawal .of the locking 7 bars, 7 Ifia tten one side thereof as at 27?- (Figs. Sand 6'), and insert a pin 28' in the uppermost tongue. 20 v(see Fig. 5:) Adja:

cent. the lower end of the bars 24 and '25,

ashould er 29 is provided which will prevent thelocking-bars from being completely withdrawn, thereby obviating the chancefof losing same. The locking-bars, when raised orpulled upwardly until pins 28 strike shoulders 29, will permit the side and end members of the suit-case tobe released one from the other in order that they can be folded. After the side and end members have been separated or moved out of en'-- gagement, one with the other, the locking" bars can be pushed downwardly through the tongues 20; hence will not project from the send-members, when said members are folded.

Another element of the combination consists' of a cover or top 29 which is hinged to one of the side-members (in this instance side-member 13), whenithecase. is set up for use, but which is disconnected from the said side-member when the case i's fol'ded. In other words, I employ a releasable hinge to connect the top and side-member. of. the' case. Referring to Fig. 9, the hinge consists of a resilient socket-member 30'; which is carried by the side-member of the case, and a trunnion-member 31 which isrounded and carried by the top or cover 29. As can be seen, the socket-member 30 is located on the inside of the side-member of the case opposite to an opening 32 therein through which the support 33 for the trunnionmember 31 passes. The opening 32 will be wide enough to permit the cover of the case to be opened sufliciently to suit all purposes. When the: case is'to be folded the cover will bedi senga-ged' therefrom by pulling the trunnions 31 out of the sockets 32. VVhen the case is to set up the trunnions 31 will be forced into said sockets.

In order that the case can be used as a table, I provide the bottom thereof with foldable legs 34 and 35 which do not interfere with the use of the devic for suitease purposes, but adapts the same for'use as a table which will be found very convenient at times. The case will be provided. with the usual lock; 36 and hasp-fasteners' 37 To fold the case the lockin'gbars" or rods will be withdrawn, the: sides folded inward tolie'uponthe'bottom member, and the ends folded under to rest against the underside ofthe bottom, the top of course having been separated from the side-member 13. After the sides and ends have-beenzfolded as' above described, the top or cover will be applied to coverthe folded over endsof'- the case as: indicated in Fig. 7. In connection with the lock and hasps', I employ straps 38 and 39 to secure the: top or cover to the body of the case: when set up for use, said straps being employed tosecure the members'of the case together when they are folded? In other words, after the case has been folded it will be turned over and the cover 29 applied to uvliat was the: .u11der portion of the case,

thereby covering the folded ends. The straps-38 and 39 will be caused to engage the buckles carried by the sidemembers l3 and 2.In a suit case, a: bottom-member, side and end-members hinged thereto, tongues carried by the side members at the ends thereof, said tongues being spaced" one from the other and provided with openings there through, similar tongues carried by the endmeniber arranged tofit in the spaces between the tongues on. the side members, said last named tongues" having openings to aline' with the openingsin the'first named tongues, locliing bars arranged to pass through the openings of all of said tongues, said locking-bars provide shoulders, and pins carried by the uppermost tongues of each end-membe'nto prevent the complete Withdrawal of the locking-bars. I

Signed at New York city, N. Y., this 20 day of January, 1919. ELLTtS HARTMAN.

Witnesses:

MnURIoE'BLocK', EDWARD A. JARVIS. 1

Gbpi'esof this p'atent may be ottained fbrfiveoents each, By addressihgthe- Gbmmi'ssioner of Patentfii I l Washington, D. C.

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