US1756775A

US1756775A - Extensible fastening

Info

Publication number: US1756775A
Application number: US204950A
Authority: US
Inventors: Winning John Frederi Frankland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-05-06
Filing date: 1927-07-11
Publication date: 1930-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 1947-04-29

Description

April 29, 1930. J. F. F. WINNING 1,756,775

EXTENSIBLE FASTENING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 11, 1927 1 07m 41 flllomey.

April 29, 1930. J. F. F. WINNING EXTENSIBLE FASTENING Filed July 11. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fmrepfar Patented Apr. 29, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT,

JOHN FREDERICK FRANKLAND WINNING, OF HANWELL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNO R T0 JOHN FREDERICK FRANKLAND' WINNING, FRANCIS PERCY TOR-R, AND ALFRED HILTON, TRADING AS THE BAG FRAME AND COMPONENTS COMPANY, OF I-IOXTON,

ENGLAND EXTENSIBLE FASTENING Application filed July 11, 1927, Serial N'o. 204,950, and. in Great Britain May 6, 1927.

- or at least so that they are accessible from the exterior.

According to one feature of the present invention, a suit-case is provided internally with means which permit the capacity of the suit-case or the like to be adjusted to suit the volume of its contents and which are independent ofthe fastenings provided for the lid. According to another aspect of the invention, the suit-case comprises a main portion, an intermediate portion open at both ends having telescopic engagement. with the main portion, a lid portion adapted to close on the intermediate portion, and extensible fastening mechanism which is preferably arranged within the suit-case or the like and which permits the telescopic adjustment of the intermediate portion thereof with respect to the main portion and permits the two portions to be secured in their adjusted position. In addition fastenings will be provided for holdingthe lid in the closed position on the intermediate portion. For instance, the lid portion may be hinged to the intermediate portion at theback of the suit-case whilst catch or hasp devices with' or without key locks may be provided for the lid portion at the front of the suit-case. In orderthat the lid portion of the suit-case may close down upon the main portion thereof the latch or lock preferably comprises a latch member adapted to be secured to the downwardly extending skirt portion of the lid ofthe suitcase and provided with an inwardly extendingmovable latch proper adapted to be operated however, from the front of the suit-case whilst the hasp portion of the latch or lock with which said latch proper co-operates comprises a shaped slot in the wall of the intermediate or other portion of the suit-case which the lid closes, said slot being preferably reinforced, that is to say, in view of the fact that the materialof the suit-case is itself not of sutlicient strength for engagement by the hasp in a slot formed therein, the material is cut away as necessary and the slot is actually constituted by a metal member. Such arrangement avoids the necessity for cutting away parts of the main portion of the suitcase as would be required if fastenings of the ordinary kind were employed.

A preferred form of the extensible fastening mechanism, which has a wider application than in expanding suit-cases, is constituted as follows, four exactly similar devices being preferably employed, namely one disppsed in each corner of the suit-case or the lie.

Each device broadly-speaking, comprises 7 two members having telescopic engagement with one another one member being 1n the form of a rack or the equivalent and the other carrying a co-operating movable detent or pawl. One member, preferably the rack member, is secured to the main portion of the suitcase, whilst the member which carries the detent or pawl is secured to the intermediate portion of the suit-case. Means are associated with the mechanism by which the detent or pawl can be caused to engage or disengage the rack member. Preferably the arrangement is such that as desireda one-Way ratchet effect can be obtained or the detent or pawl entirely disengaged from one another, or the detent or pawl positively held ,in engagement with the rack member.

To enable the invention to be clearly understood and carried into effect it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a suit-case with extensible fastenings and latches or locks in accordance with the invention, the right-hand front corner of the suit-case being shown broken away to illustrate the position of the extensible fastenings, the suit-case moreover being shown ,r

J reference to Figs. 8 inclusive.

'tion 9 of the extensible fastening has assoiii-a partly expanded condition. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on a larger scale of the preferred form of extensible fastening mechanism in accordance with the invention. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan on the line VIVI of Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views of details. Fig. is a View illustrating the certain parts removed and others indicated in dotted lines of the improved latch or look. Fig. 11 is a plan view illustrating the latch orloek shown'in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the h'asp with which the latch or look illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 co 'op'erates.

Referring first toFigs. '14 inclusive, .the suit-case therein illustrated comprises in general the main portion -'1, the intermediate portion 2 and the lid portion 3. As will be clearly seen the intermediate portion 2 is open at both ends and telescopically engageswithin themain portion 1 which is open at the top. The lid portion 3 is provided in the usual manner "with skirtportions which in the present instance are adapted to surround the intermediate portion 2 when the lid is closed. The lid portion is preferably secured by means of hinges 4L (Fig. 2) to the intermediate portion 2 at the back of the suitcase Whilst the latches or looks indicated at 5 and to be hereinafter described in detail are provided at the front of the suit-case where also the handle 6 may be secured-to the main portion 1. n The preferred form of the extensible fasteningis indicated in general at 7. Four exactly-similar devices are employed, one disposedin each corner of the suit-case, As

' previously herein set forth each device comprises two members 8 and 9 having telescopic engagement with one another the former being secured at 10 to the main portion of the suit-case, whilst the latter is secured at 11 to the intermediate portion of the suitcase v(see also Fig. 5). The portion 8 is in the form of a rack whilst the portion 9 carries 'a co-operating detent or pawl which is not shown in any of Figs. 1-4 inclusive, but will be hereinafter .describedin detail with The porciated with it a member 12 by means of which the action of the detent or pawl can be controlled. At each end of the suit-case the pawl -contrc'dling members 12 are connected together by a link bar 13 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. r

The latch or look member 5 comprises in general a casing 14 adapted to be secured in the wall of the skirtportion of the suit-case,

said casing 14 carrying a horizontally slidable and inwardly extending movable latch proper 15 (Fig. 11) adapted to be operated from the front by means of a knob 16, whilst the hasp portion 17. (Figs. 4 and 12) comprises broadly speaking a shaped slot 18 pro: vided in the wall of the intermediate portion 2 of the suit-case. The hasp member 17 is preferably reinforced, that is tosay, it actu-- ally comprisesa metal member which is secured to the edge of the intermediate portion of the suit-case. The latch or look casing 14 preferably contains within it key lock mechanism, a convenient form of which will be hereinafter described by way of example more particularlywith reference to Figs. 10

and 11. I

Referrin now more .particularly to' Figs.

58 inclusive the extensible fastening mechanism will now be described in greater detail. The member 9 is in effect tubular and receives telescopically within it the member 8 which provided with the rack teeth, both members beingpreferably of square or rectangular cross-section to prevent them twistcorresponding shape in cross-section to the portion 9, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6.

The portion 9 carries within 'it a slide member 7 '22 which is also provided with *outwardlyextending iia-nges. 23, the member 22 having less channel depth and width and fitting snugly within'the member 9 so as in effect partially to close the open side of the latter. The slide member 22 is adapted to be fixed in position with "respect to the member 9, for example, by means of rivets which pass through the flanges 19 and 23 and secure these members to the intermediateportion 20f the suit-case. Upon the member 9 is pivoted the detent 24- which is shown separately in per spective and on a greatly enlarged scale in provided with downwardly turned bifurcated finger 26 which is also provided with a downwardly stepped portion 27. At the other end'the plate 25 is provided with a bi- .furcat-ed eye 28 betweenthe bifurcations of which on the pivot pin is located a coil spring '29 which presses upon the top of the plate 25 and urges the downwardly turned fingers 26 into engagement with perforations 30' pro 'vided in the face of the channel {member 8.

The perforations 30 are conveniently formed "by providing a plurality of equally spaced transverse saw-cuts.

The portions between the saw-cuts constitute-the ratchet teeth which Said detent comprises a flat plate 25 channel member 22 being retained therein by means of tongues 32 which may be punched out of the material of the slide 22 as indicated at 33 (Fig. The member 12 has a slender finger 34 terminating in a T-shaped extremity 35. The finger 34 passes between the bifurcated detent tooth 26 whilst the extremity 35 lies beneath the fiat main portion of the detent 24, the arrangement being such that when the member 12 is moved in the upward direction its extremity will op- .erate after the manner of a wedge to raise the detent as it passes beneath the stepped portion 27 of the latter. The T-shaped extremity is bevelled as indicated at 36 so that it can ride under the parts 27 without undue'friction. When the detent24 is, thus raised by the part 35 the teeth 26 are posiupon a pin 37 which is adapted to pass through perforations in both the members 9 and 22. y

The controlling member 12 is'further provided on either side of the slender finger 34 with two tongues 38 which are bent upwards with respect to, but parallel with, the finger 34 which is in the same planev as the main upper portion of the member 12, said tongues 38 being so disposed and arranged that when the member 12 is moved towards the detent 24 they will slide over the portions 27 of the detent finger and thereby lock the detent tooth 26 into positive engagement with the rack provided of course said finger lies be tween two rack teeth. Preferably in addi-' tion to the tongues 32 for retaining the member 12 within the slide 22 two additional tongues 39 are provided which may also be punched from the material of the slide member 22 and which extend inwardly in such position that they act as limiting stops for the detent and in addition as abutments for the tongues 38 when the detent is locked into engagement with the rack.

The operating member is provided with a central slot 40 within which engages a projecting tongue 41 punched up from the material of the member 8 and extending through a corresponding slot in the member 22, the length of the slot 40 being such that when the members 8 and 9 move telescopically outwards nearly to their full extent with reference to one another, which is only possible when the detent 24 is positively held out of engagement with the rack teeth by the portion 35 of the member 12, the projecting tongue 41 will engage in the lower end 42 of the slot and move the member 12 downwards so that the detent is rendered free, that is it is controlled solely by means of the spring 29.

The operating member 12 extends upwards beyond the end of the member 9 and is piv otally attached at 43 to one end of the link bar 13, the other end of which is similarly attached to an identical member 7 in the adjacent corner of the suit-case as will be more particularly followed from Figs. 2 and 4.

The member 8 is provided with a bracket 44 rigidly secured to it and having flanges 45 which may be riveted at 10 to the main portion of the suit-case.

Referring now to Fig. 12 in greater detail, the hasp member '17 is formed from sheet metal which is bent to the form of an inverted U and is secured to the intermediate portion 2 of the suit-case. (see also Fig. 4) by means of rivets or otherwise so that the wall of that portion of the suit-case lies between the two arms 46 and 47 of the inverted U,

whilst the top portion 48 lies upon the top edge of the suit-case wall. The slot 18 comprises a sloping portion 49 which may be, for example, 30 to the vertical terminating in a horizontal portion 50. The latch member 15 is in the form of a stud having a head 51 which is adapted to enter the slot 18 from the top for which purpose the portion 48 of the member '17 is provided with a widened slot portion 52 as clearly shown in Fig. 12, to allow the head51 to enter it whilst the portions 49 and of the slot 18 are only of sufiicient width to accommodate the shank portion of the latch member 15. It will'be appreciated that the leather or other material of which the suit-case is formed will be cut away in such manner that the head of the latch can freely co-operate with the hasp.

The arrangement'is such that when the lidv is turned down the latch will enter the hasp slot from the top, will move down the inclined portion against the action of the latch spring 1* and will finallyenter and remain held by the latch spring in the horizontal portion 50 of the hasp slot.

The hasp 15 projects rearwardly horizontally from the lock casing 14 which may be secured outside the skirt portion of the lid of the suit-case, but is preferably mortised into said skirt portion. The latch member 15 passes through'a perforation in a plate 53 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10 and in full casing '14 is secured to :the back'or box portion thereof. Slidably disposed on the back of the lockcasing 14 is a locking bolt 58 having a slot 59 through which passes a pin 60 riveted to the back. of the lock casing. Tongues 61 and 62 riveted to the back or" the lock easing provide, in conjunction with the slot 59 and pin 60, limited horizontal constraint for the 'bolt 58 which latter is provided with a forwardly extending abutment 68, which when the bolt is in its extreme left-hand position can obstruct the latch 15 against movement to the right. Also mounted within the lockcasing between the bolt 58 and the slide plate 53 is a lock lever member 64 which is pivoted upon the rivet pin 60 and normally urged to rotate in a counterclockwise.direction'by means of a spring (not shown). The lever is of ordinary construction and 18 so shaped as at 65 that 1t can hold the part 63 otthe bolt 58 in either of two positions as *will be readily understood bythose skilled in the l'ocksmiths art. The lever 64 is provided with a curved surface 66 which can be engaged and raised by a keyinserted through a key-hole 67 in the front plate otthc lock casing 14. Thebolt 58 is provided with the usual indentation68 so that it can be operated by the key when released by the lever '64. The latch-plate '53 is provided with a perforation 69 to permit the keyto be inserted into engagement with the lock mechanism.

. Referring now to Fig. 9a slotted plate 70 is preferably secured, for instance, by means of rivets71 to the intermediate portion of the suit-casein the position indicated in Fig. 4, a channel 72 being formed in the wall of the intermediate portion for the reception of the head 73 of a stud member 74 secured in the wall of the main portion 1 of the suitcase. The arrangement ottheheaded stud 74 co-operating with the slotted'plate 70 will prevent the main portion of the suit-case being pulled away from the intermediate portion thereof when the suit-case is carried by the handle 6. It is to be understood however, that such arrangement need not be employed it the main portion of the suit-case possesses sufiicient strength to prevent any such tendency for themain portion to pull a vay from the intermediate portion.

1 A suit-case as above set forthand having four extensible fastening devices. as above described can-be used, that is to say,-expanded or contracted as will now be described. Assuming that thesuit-case has been adjusted so that itsvolume issmallest and itis desired to pack the suit-case with articles such as clothing and hats, which it is desirable should not be crushed, the lid is opened and the two link members which are attached respectively to two pairs of operating members are engaged by the fingers of the two hands and pulled in an upward directionwhereby instance that the latter now contains all that it is desired at this time to carry and that the suit-case is not full, by merely pressing upon the intermediate member in a downward direction it can be caused to telescope into the main portion thereof, a one-way ratchet eii ect being obtained, that is to say, the intermediate portion can be moved downward until-it is estimated that the capacity of the suit-case has been adjusted to suit the volume of its contents without thelatter being undesirably compressed, the operating member occupying an intermediate position. The link members can then be pressed so that the detent members engage the rack member thereby positively locking the intermediate member of the suit-case in its adjusted pot n An important subsidiary feature of the invention consists in so locating the operating members 12 but preferably the link members 13 attached thereto that they will be engaged by the lid when in the closed position so that in CZISG'OTE torgettulness the intermediate member will be automaticallylocked in position when the suit-case lid is closed down.

It will be appreciated that with the ear-' rangement according to the invention even if heavy weights are placed on the top of the suit case as may occur during travel the contents of the box cannot be crushed by reason of the intermediate portion being telescoped further into the main portion. Furthermore, the extensible fastening devices being located in the box will be protected against damage at all times.

It is to be understood that the suite-case or the like may be provided with other forms of extensible. fastening mechanism than that hereinbefore specifically described and that such mechanism need not in all cases be lo cated entirely within the box. For the sake of example, a modified form of extensible fastening mechanism comprises two teles'copic members and an extending spring of somewhat similar construction to that previously herein described, with the exception that the cross-section of the members is circular. The outer member is provided With a longitudinal slot-from which extend a plurality of slots of the bayonet typewith which co-operates a radial projection on the inner member, the arrangement being such that by rotating to a small extent the inner member carrying the radial projection the latter can be brought into either the longitudinal slot wherein extension is permitted or into any one of the bayonet slots wherein it will be automatically held by means of the spring. Means may be provided at the top of the mechanism permitting the inner member which carries the radial projection to be r0- tated when it is desired to adjust the intermediate member of the suit-case with respect to the main portion thereof.

It is to be understood that the extensible fastening mechanism may be applied to other purposes than in suit-cases, such for instance as tables, chairs, music stands and the like which are adjustable in height. Moreover, the mechanisms specifically described may be subjected to various detail modifications without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, the detent operating member may assume difierent forms and may itself be operable from different positions from those described. Thus it may be arranged to be operable from the exterior of the main portion of the suit-case or the in- {ermediate portion thereof or even'of the It will be understood that the hasp lock according to the invention may assume other forms than that specifically hereinbefore described and the latter may be subjected to modifications of detail, and that whilst said lock has been devised primarily for suitcases and more particularly for suit-cases above described the improved lock has a wider application since it may be used for securing together other members which move into an over-lapping position substantially parallel with one another, for instance, sliding doors or shutters, lift gates and the like. It will be obvious moreover that the latch 0r lock may be so modified that it is of the snap lock type, that is to say, the latch is only releasable by means of the key but allows the suit-case to be shut at any time.

It will be understood that the hasp lock herein described is preferred since it effectively avoids the unsightliness and the weakness as would arise if ordinary locks were employed necessitating the cutting away of portions of the front of the main portion of the suit-case for accommodating such locks when the suit case is collapsed to its smallest volume with the skirt of the lid portion abutting against the edge of the main portion thereof.

I Claimas my invention:

1. An extensible fastening for a pair of relatively movable parts, comprising a pair of main telescoping members for attachment, respectively, to said parts, one of said main members having rack teeth, a pawl pivoted to the other main member, spring means normally urging said pawl intoengagement with said rack to prevent relative movement of said main members in one direction and yieldable to permit said pawl to ride over said rack in the opposite direction; and a controlling member for said pawl slidable lengthwise of one of said main members and provided with parts engageable, respectively, with one side of said pawl to hold said pawl in engagement with said rack when said controlling'member is moved lengthwise of its associated telescoping member in one direction, and with the other side of said pawl to lift said pawl out of engagement with said rack when said controlling member is moved lengthwise of its associated telescoping member in the opposite direction, said pawl being free to engage said rack when said controlling member is in its intermediate position.

2. An extensible fastening for a pair of relatively movable parts, comprising a pair of relatively slidable main members one of which is provided with a rack; a pawl carried by the other member for engagement with said rack, said pawl having a longitu dinal slot; a shiftable controlling member having a portion slidable in said slot, a portion lying beneath said pawl and operative when said controlling member is shifted in one direction to lift and hold said pawl out of engagement with said rack, and a portion operative when said controlling member is shifted in the opposite direction to engage the nose of said pawl and hold said pawl in engagement with said rack.

3. An extensible fastening for a pair of relatively movable parts, comprising a pair of main telescoping members for attachment, respectively, to said parts, one of said main members having rack teeth, a pawl pivoted to the other main member, spring means normally urging said pawl into engagement with said rack to prevent relative movement of said main members in one direction and yieldable to permitsaid pawl to ride over said rack in the opposite direction, a controlling member for said pawl slidable longitudinally of one of said main-telescoping members and provided with parts engageable, respectively, with one side of said pawl topositively hold same in engagement with said rack when said controlling member is moved longitudinally of its associated main telescoping member in one direction, and with the other side of said pawl to lift and hold same out of engagement with said rack when said controlling member is moved longitudinally of said main telescoping member in the opposite direction, said pawl being free to engage said rack when said controlling member is in its intermediate position; and a spring disposed within one of said telescoping members and tending to extend said members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this twent-y-ninth day of June, 1927.

JOHN FREDERICK FRANKLAND WINNING.