US1861974A - Brief case, portfolio or similar container - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1932. N. OTTINGER 1,861,974

;.RIEF CASE, PORTFOLIO, OR SIMILAR CONTAINER Filed March 21, 1951 INVENTOR. 116172072 flfz'rzyer BY 5 1 A TTORNEY Patented June 7, 1932 NATHAN o'rrmenn, on NEW YOR-K,1\T. Y.

BRIEF CASE, roia'rronro on SIMILAR CONTAINER I Application filed March 21, 1931. Serial No. 524,251.

This invention relates to brief cases, portfolios or similar containers for documents or other articles, of the kind referred to in my pending application Serial No. 521,760,

) filed March 11, 1931.

As in my pending application, the case or container constructed of leather or other flexible material, is provided with a body wall having a pocket-like retainer extended over a portion of said body wall on one side thereof together with relatively foldable parts cooperating to securely and completely close the open side of the pocket without the use of extraneous or additional locks of any kind and which will be adequate to securely retain the papers or other articles within the case against accidental loss therefrom.

It is the primary object and purpose of my present improvements to provide the relatively foldable pocket closing parts of the case with directly coacting means operative to securely hold said parts in connected relationship and in their pocket closing positions.

It is another object of my invention to provide improved means for securely connecting the pocket closing flaps or sections of the case which is exceedingly simple, does not involve any intricate or difiicult manipulation of the parts, or detract from the neat and symmetrical appearance of the case when closed. 7

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved brief case, portfolio or other analogous container possessing the above noted advantageous features, and in the form. construction and relative arrangement of its severalparts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims. 7

In the drawing, wherein I have disclosed several simple and practical embodiments of the invention, andin which similar reference characters desi nate corres ondin arts throughout the several views Figure 1s a plan now of the blank from which the case 15 formed, lllustratmg one simple and practical embodiment of my present invention Fig. 2 is a. similar view showing certain parts of the blank arranged in permanently connected relation to form a retaining pocket; Y

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing one ofthe pocket closing parts or sections in folded position to close the open side of the pocket;

Fig. 4is a plan view showing the other 7 pocket closing part in folded position and connected with the part closing the side of the pocket to close one end of the case; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views corresponding to Figs. 3 and 4, and illustrating a slightly modified form of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 thereof, the body of the case or container is produced in the form of a blank sheet'of leather or other similar material which includes the intermediate section 5 of any suitable dimensions to form one side wall of the case and the substantially triangular shaped sections 6 and 7 respectively, constituting the opposite end portions of the blank and extending inwardly from the section 5. Theobliquely inclined edges 8 and 9 respectively, of the end sections 6 and 7 are disposed in substantially parallel relation so that the said sections 5, 6 and 7 of the blank, thus together define an elongated parellogram.

The section 5 at one of its lateral edges is provided with an integral triangular shaped extension 10, and along one edge of this extension for a predetermined portion of its length, a narrow tongue or flap 11 is provided. The sections 6 and 7 are adapted to be folded inwardly upon one side of the section 5 along the lines indicated at 12 and 13 respectively, while the extension 10 is foldable inwardly over the end of the folded section 7 along the line indicated at 14. The narrow tongue or flap 11 is adapted to be folded upon the inner side of the triangular section 10 along the line 15 and closely pressed thereon so that owing to the inherent nature of the material, it will retain amore. or less set or permanent relation to the inner face of the extension 10, though capable of being manually flexed with respect thereto.

As herein shown, I provide the flap 16 which may be of the same or different material from the blank constituting the body of the case. In the present instance, this flap is cut to provide an obliquely inclined edge 17 which is disposed upon the inner side of the section 7 of the case body in inwardly spaced parallel relation from its inclined edge 9 and permanently secured thereto in any preferred manner, as by the stitching. indicated at 18. This line of stitching extends from one lateral edge ofthe section 7 of the case to the fold line 13, the other free edges of the flap 16 preferably extending at right angles to each other as shown. This flap is of less length than the body wall of the case, and the free lateral side edge 19 thereof is inwardly spaced from the corresponding parallel side edge 20 of the body wall 5. The inclined edge 9 of the section 7 does not intersect the juncture point of the edge 20 with I St the fold line 13 but extends beyond the edge 19 of the flap 16 and joins an extension of the side edge 20 of the section 5 in spaced relation to the fold line 13 as indicated at 21. This is an important feature which insures the easy and quick inward folding of the parts 7 and 16 and the closing of the open side of the case pocket.

Having provided the structure as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the formation of the caseis completed by merely folding the triangular section 6' inwardly along the line 12 upon the body section 5 and then permanently securing this triangular section along its lateral side edge in any preferred manner to the body wall section 5 of the case, as by the stitching shown at 22. Thus, there is produced a retaining pocket on one side of the body wall 5 extending over a portion of the area thereof, the edge 8 of the section 6 at the open side of the pocket extending diagonally between the opposite corners of the case.

I It will be apparent that by the attachment of the flap 16 to the inner or under side of the section 7 in spaced relation to the edge 9 of said section, there is thus produced by said obliquely inclined edge portion of the section 1'; 7 extending outwardly from the line of stitching 18', a relatively yieldable flap indicated at 23. Thus, inclosing the case, when the section 7 is folded inwardly along the line 13, the flap 16 extending beyond the edge 9 of said section is inserted beneath the pocket section 6 upon the papers or other articles contained therein, the edge 8 of the section. 6 at the open side of the pocket being received between said flap 16' and the flap 23, said latter flap along the edge of the section 7 overlying the edge of the pocket wall 6 and yieldingly pressing upon the outer surface thereof- To complete the closing of the case pocket, the triangular laterally projecting section on the body wall 5 is now folded inwardly upon the section 7 and as it is pressed downwardly thereon, the flexible locking tongue 11 is manually manipulated and engaged over the obliquely inclined edge 9 of the flap 23 so as to extend under said flap and between the same and the pocket wall 6. Thus, as seen in Fig. l of the drawing, there is secured a close interlocking coaction between the tongue 11 and the flap 23, said interlocking parts mutually functioning to retain the sect-ions 7 .and 10 respectively, in their closely folded relation without necessitating the use of a lock or other extraneous or additional mechanical fastening device. The locking tongue 11 is of sufficient width so as to per mit of a certain amount of relative flexing movement of sections 10 and 11 when the side walls of the case pocket are distended or bulged by the contents thereof without re leasing the interlocked connection between:

said tongue and the flap 23.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing, I have indicated a slight modification of the device, in which the edge portion of the flap 23 with which the locking tongue 11 on the section or flap 10 is adapted to engage, is cut down or recessed for a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the material as indicated at 24. Thus, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing, when the locking tongue 11 is folded under this relatively narrow part of the flap 23, the outer surface of said folded tongue along the fold line 15 thereof Will extend substantially in alignment with the remaining obliquely inclined edge portion of the flap 23. This side of the case, when the same is closed by the relatively folding parts, will thus present a very neat appearance. This construction will also lessen the possibility of the cuff of a sleeve. or other part of the clothing being accidentally caught under the end of the locking tongue 11 whereby the same might be disengaged from the flap 23 and the closure section 10 released for movement to the open position. v

When a brief case or portfolio constructed in accordance with either embodiment of the invention as above described is closed upon the contents of the retaining pocket, it will be evident that thecase and its contents may be conveniently carried without possibility of the accidental loss of papers, documents, or other articles contained therein, notwithstanding the fact that no straps, looks or other additional fastening or securing means is provided.

It will be apparent that the brief case or portfolio of the above construction will be of great convenience in daily use or service by lawyers or others whose profession practically necessitates the use of such carriers, the contents of which must be frequently displayed or used in the course of the day. Thus, by means of my novel case or portfolio construction, instant access may be had to all of the case contents by merely first releasing the locking connections between the tongue 11 and flap 23, and then lifting upon the flap 23 whereby the flap 16 will be withdrawn from the interior of the case, and the foldable parts or sections 7 and 10 moved outwardly in extended relation to the body wall 5 of the case. The major portion of the case contents is thus exposed to View below the obliquely inclined edge 8 of the retainer wall 6 of the case pocket. Without removing the contents from the pocket of the case, any particular individual paper may be easily and quickly selected and withdrawn. The numerous papers which may be contained in the case pocket will therefore, not become scattered with the danger of possible loss of important documents, as occasionally occurs in the use of the ordinary lawyers brief case, in which the selection of an individual paper or document cannot be made without considerable inconvenience or difliculty unless all of the papers are removed from the case.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of use and several advantages of the described embodiments of my present invention will be fully understood. In either of the constructions herein referred to, it is evident that if desired, instead of attaching the flap 16 to the inner side of the section 7 this section of the case may be of substantially rectangular form, and a diagonally extending sealing flap of yieldable material attached to the outer side thereof to overlap the edge of the pocket wall 6 and resiliently act upon the outer surface thereof when the part or section 7 is in its folded position over the contents of the case.

It will further be apparent that while I have herein referred to several container constructions of simple and practical form embodying the essential features of my present invention, such a container might also be produced in various other alternative constructions, and it will accordingly be understood that the privilege is reserved of resorting to all such legitimate changes in matters of form. construction and shape, as well as the materials of which the several parts may be produced, as may be fairly considered within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A container having a body wall, a wall extending over a part of one side of said body wall and in conjunction therewith forminga pocket-like retainer, said latter wall having a free edge at the open side of the pocket extending across said body wall, and closure means for the container pocket including a part movably connected to the body wall along one edge thereof and a member connected with said part in spaced relation to one of its free edges, said part being adapted to overlie the remaining area of-said body wall when in closed position and the free edge of said part and said memberextending beyond thefree edge of said second named wall and-upon the inner and outer surfaces thereof, and an'end closure for the pocket movably connected with anotheredge of said body wall foldable into superimposed.rela tion upon the part closing the'open side of thepocket and having means for releasable interlocking engagement with the element extending from said part upon the outer-side of said second named wall.

'2'. A container having a body wall, a wall extending over a part of one side of said body wall and in conjunction therewith forming a pocket-like retainer, said latter wall having a free edge at the open side of the pocket extending across said bodywall, and closure means for thecontainer pocket including a part .movably connected to the body wall along one edge thereof and a member connected with said partin spaced relation to one of its free edges, said part being adapted to overlie theremaining area ofsaid body wall when in closed position and the free edge of'said part and said member extending beyond thevfree edge of said second named wall and upon the inner and outer surfaces thereof, and an end closure for the pocket movably-connected with another edge of said body wall foldable intov superimposed relation upon the part closing the open side of the pocket and having a relatively flexible part extending along one edge thereof for releasable interlocking engagement under the edge of the element extending from said first named part upon the outer side of said second named wall.

3. A container having a body wall, a wall extending over a part of one side of said body wall and in conjunction therewith forming a pocket-like retainer, said latter wall having a free edge at the open side of the pocket extending across said body wall, and closure means for the container pocket including a part movably connected to the body wall along one edge thereof and a member connected with said part in spaced relation to one of its free edges, said part being adapted to overlie the remaining area of said body wall when in closed position and the free edge of said part and said member extending beyond the free edge of said second named wall and upon the inner and outer surfaces thereof, and an end closure for the pocket movably connected with another edge of said body wall foldable into superimposed relation upon the part closing the open side of the pocket and having an integrally formed part projecting inwardly from one edge thereof for releasable interlocking engagement under the edge of the element extending from said first named part upon the outer side of said second named wall.

4. A container comprising a blank of parallelogrammatic shape embodying an intermediate section and relatively foldable substantially triangular shaped end sections, one of said end sections of the body being inwardly foldable upon one side of said intermediate section and secured thereto to form a pocket-like retainer with one free edge of said triangular shaped end section extending diagonally across the intermediate section at the open side of the pocket, the other triangular shaped end section constituting closure means for said open side of the pocket and carrying parts projecting upon opposite sides of said first named triangular shaped section beyond the free edge thereof when said second named end section is in closed position, and said blank also including a section extending laterally from one end of said intermediate section and foldable inwardly upon said second named triangular shaped end section to close the end of the pocket, and said latter section having a: relatively flexing tongue extending inwardly from one edge thereof and adapted for interlocking engagement with the edge of the part on said second named triangular end section extending exteriorly upon said first named triangular section.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed by name hereto.

NATHAN OTTINGER.

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