US2088286A - Flexible receptacle - Google Patents

Description

IJuly 27, 1937. w. RBux'roN 2,088,286

' FLEXIBLE RECERTAGLE l Filed Feb. il, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR MRA/n? 50x70/r BY ATTORNEYS Patented July 27, y1937 ,UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

and resilient material, mounted alongside and` 10 `closely adjacent one row of fingers of the fastener and functioning as a trackway for the sliding element of the fastener, guiding it in a substantially predetermined course and materially improving the smoothness of operation of the fastener slide.

l5 According to another feature of the invention, the trackway may emborder two or three sides of the receptacle and thus be arranged in sub.

stantially right-angular or U-shaped formwith*4 the advantage of stiffening the receptacle both 20 laterally and longitudinally along its margins and assisting in maintaining the shape voi the receptacle.

According to another feature of the invention, the trackway member may be made to serve as 25 a limiting stop predeterminingl the degree to f which the two covers or main walls of the receptacle can be brought together and preventing collapse of the receptacle, when empty or only partly filled.` 30 'There are (many other advantages incident to the use ofthe structure described in a receptacle of the class above set forth. These advantages and other objects will appear as the detailed description proceeds.

The invention will be disclosed with reference to the .accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a small scale view of a brief case embodying the invention, shown open;

Fig. 2 is a view ofthe brief case closed;

40 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a sectional -view taken similarly to Fig. 3 but showing the brief case partially closed;

Fig. 5 is a view of a modified form of brief case; y

Fig. 6 is a view -of an open key case embodying the invention and f Fig. 7 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 3 and 55 may extend along two edges) in any suitable way (ci. 15o-3) and along the remaining-edges by a so-called zipper" or sliding fastener. In this case,y the connection between the walls Ill consists of an integral side wall II which spaces the walls Ill, or covers of the receptacle; apart a distance about equal to that by which theyv would be spaced by the sliding', fastener means. Such means include two flexible tapes I2, usually of fabric, and each carrying a series of metallic .fastening fingers I3, which are adapted to be engaged and disengaged by moving a slide I 4, in the usual and well known way. The tapes'iZ are secured one to each cover I in any suitable way. As shown in Fig. 3, a part I2' of each tape isflaid at on the inner face of each cover andA secured thereto by adhesive and the stitches `I 5,v along the free marginal edges of its cover. 'I'he remainder of each tape and the fastener lingersr I3 extend more or less at right angles to its cover. By moving the slide I4 in thedirection shown by the arrow in Fig. 2, the fastener fingers I3 will be disengaged and the covers I0 made free'to be swung open, as shown in Fig. 1, or at least spread apart in the event that the covers are permanently connected along two edges.v By moving the slide in the opposite direction, the fingers I3 will be interlocked and the walls heldtogether to enclose the contents of the receptacle.

'I'he improvement of this invention consists in mounting a rather stiff but nevertheless flexible member I 6 on one of the walls or covers III in upstanding relation. Such member lies adjacent to one of the tapes I2, parallels the course of the tape and is substantially coextensive in length therewith. Itis substantially stiffer than the tape and stiff enough to be self sustaining and retain its upstanding relationship with the cover. At the same time, it is yieldable and can flex when required so that it doesnt detract from the fiexible nature of the receptacle. The member I6, as shown herein, is made of leather or the like and is fastened like the tape I2 to its cover. That is a portion I of the member I 6 is inturned and bent at right angles thereto to lie flat against the inner face of the cover III and such portion is secured to the latter in any suitable way. To add stiffness to the member,

, vit may in its upstanding portion be made of two plies, and if necessary, reenforced by a member such as I 'I placed between the plies. As shown in Fig. 3, the member I6 is a strip doubled over around a reenforcing cord I1 and its inner ply is skived as at I8, and secured adhesively or otherwise to the outer ply. The height of member I6 is preferably about equal to that of wall II.

Still. some oi' the advantages of the invention can be secured if member I6 is made just high enough so that its outer edge projects Just beyond the outer extremities of the adjacent series of fastener fingers I3.

The flexible receptacle is usually provided with a suitable lining 20, secured as by adhesive to the inner face of the covers I0 and wall I I. This lining overlies and conceals the margins I 2 of the tapes I2 and margin I5 of member I6.

The invention is disclosed in connection with a. brief case in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. It can obviously be used in many other types of receptacles, having flexible walls held together by a sliding fastener. Two examples of such other types are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5, the receptacle comprises two covers 2| permanently fastened together along the edges 22 and 23 and having the remaining edges held together by the sliding fastener. The member 24, shown in dotted lines, corresponds to the member I6 and parallels the course of the sliding fastener along the two edges which are not permanently secured. In Fig. 6, the receptacle is a key case, constructed in the same Way as the receptacle of Figs. 1 to 4 but on a smaller scale. Parts in Fig. 6 which correspond with parts in Figs. l to 4 have been designated by the same reference numerals primed. In Fig. 6, a series of key holders 25 are pivotally mounted in a slotted tubular support 26, fixed to a metal plate 21 riveted as at 28 to one cover I0. The other cover may have secured thereto along three sides a leather piece 29, forming a pocket for cards, or automobile license and registration papers.

In somecases, it may be desirable to provide both covers II) with members similar to the member I6. In Fig. 7, one cover I0 carries a member 30 which is mounted and functions in the same way as the member I6. The other cover I0 carries a similar member 3| which is mounted like the member 30 but preferably spaced from its tape I2 a slightly greater distance, so that when the receptacle is closed, the member 3| lies just inside the member 30. The member 3| serves like the member 30 to retain articles out of the way of the fastener fingers. In addition, when the covers close, the member 3| backs up the member 30 and reenforces the latter, affording added stiffness to the trackway, which may be desirable in the larger receptacles such as portfolios and brief cases.

The member I6 provides a track for the slide I4 to ride upon. It is set so close to the tapes that the latter are pushed outwardly from it by the slide so that a bearing of the slide on the member is insured. In Fig. 4, it will be seen that the inner face of the slide rides on the outer face of member I6. Since the tapes I2 are necessarily' very exible, they do not hold their fingers I3 in true upstanding relation with respect to the cover to which they are secured nor in an orderly row closely aligned with the edges of the cover. As will be seen from Fig. 1, the tapes I2 can bow outwardly away from the edge of the cover and they can, and frequently do, especially in the larger receptacles, assume a wavy formation. 'Ihe slide Il, of course, finally pulls the rows of ngers and their tapes into line but the operation is not smooth and often is not at all easy. The slide tends to stick because there is nothing to direct its course except the tapes I2 which are usually distorted or in wavy formation. 'Ihe slide rides up over bumps formed by outwardly bulging portions and down into valleys between the bumps and necessarily the action is rough. At some places it pulls easily and at others hard. Frequently, it sticks. The member I6, however, definitely improves the smoothness of operation of the slide and makes it much easier. A deflnite guide for the slide is provided. Not an inflexible one but one which has materially greater stiffness than the tapes I2 and one that has the quality of resiliency that is entirely lacking in the tapes. If the tapes are pushed outwardly or inwardly, they remain in the positions'to which they have been moved. They have no springiness tending to restore them to a normal position. The member I 6 has this resilient quality and tends to retain its position of parallelism with the edges of the cover. Hence it provides a deflnite guide for the slide Il.

Aside from its guiding function, the member I6 has many other advantages. It aids materially in maintaining the shape of the receptacle by stiffening it along its marginal edges. Where as shown, the member I6 parallels two or more sides of the receptacle, its effectiveness as a stiiening means is materially increased because it tends to avoid bending of the covers both laterally and longitudinally along the edges. 'I'he member I6 also indicates the limits of area within which articles should be placed on the cover of the receptacle so as not to project into the path of the sliding fastener. It also, if made as high as wall II, indicates the depth capacity of the receptacle. If an article placed on cover I0 projects above member I6, the user knows that the receptacle will be bulged and distorted when closed. So, if the user wants the receptacle to retain its normal shape, he places on the cover only articles which do not project above the member I6 and keeps them all within the area marked off by the fence-like member I6. When the receptacle is empty or only partly filled, the member I6 prevents the collapse which would otherwise occur of the receptacle. Except for the member I6, the covers III could move more closely together along the three sides having the tapes I2 secured thereto. The member I6 thus maintains the shape of thereceptacle even when empty.

T he member I6 has another important function. Naturally it acts like a wall and tends to prevent articles from sliding outwardly into a position between the rows of fingers I3 and into the path of the slide I4. But if an article does accidentally project beyond th confines of the fence-like member I6, it is helI by the member in an elevated position above one row of fingers I3. Thus, it cannot ordinarily b caught between the two sets of fingers as they interlock. If the article is not flabby and possesses sufficient stiffness so that its projecting part cannot droop onto the lower row of ngers I3, it will be pushed out of the way when the fastener slide I4 is moved into engagement with it. lThe slide I4 will slide the article along the top edge of member I6 and in many cases the article will be turned as it is moved along so that it will drop back into the receptacle. Thin metal articles and papers will actin this way, for example. In case the article, when pushed along by the slide I 4, does not become so turned or positioned as to drop back into the area bounded by member I6, the worst that can happen is that it will be pushed along by the slide until it abuts wall II. Then the user will have to extricate it in order toA fully close the receptacle. But `there will be no wedging of the article between the two sets of lingers I3 nor any injury caused to the lingers. An article, when once caught between the lingers, is difiicult to extract and usually it cannot be done without injury to the article and sometimes` injury to the ngers I 3. Thus,` it isimportant to avoid as far as possible, the chance for articles to become caughty between the rows of lingers I3. The member I6 effects this result as to all articles usually carried in a brief case, because such articles havethe degree of stiffness above set forth.

With special reference to the key case, the member I6 serves to limit the outward swinging movement of the key holders and prevents them from engaging and wearing the lingers I3. The key holders are usually made of tempered steel and the'ngers I3 of brass. Repeated engagements of these parts will eventually cause wear of the fingers, particularly when the key holder is at the same time turned about its own axis, which is possible since the key holders are mounted to swivel as well as swing in support 21.

The invention thus provides an extremely useful improvement, capable of use in any exlble receptacles having closures of the slidingv fastener type and characterized by facilitating and improving the action of the sliding fastener as well as by protective and other incidental features.

What I claim is:

A exible receptacle, comprising, a pair of matching ilat cover walls of leatheror the like permanently connected together along one pora,oes,asc

in closed position, a series of fastener ngers' mounted on each wall along the remaining portion of its margin, said last-named portion extending in a plurality of angularly related courses from one end to the other of the rst portion, a sliding element cooperating with said rows of fingers and operable when moved in one direction to cause-them to engage and when moved in an opposite direction to cause them to disengage, and a relatively stiff but not inflexible member having a right angular cross sectional shape with two legs disposed at right angles, said member bent to extend along said angularly related courses of one wall and having one leg parallel with and secured to the inner face thereof, the other leg of said member projecting at right angles from its wall beyond the free ends of the fastener lingers carried thereby and located inside said ngers but near enough thereto to be engaged by and form a track for said sliding element, said last named leg serving as a fence to keep the contents of the receptacle out of the path of the sliding element and as a stop to be engaged by the other wall and maintain a minimum spacing between said walls and as a stiiener acting by its angular cross sectional shape and its angular related courses to maintain said walls in substantially their normal ilat form and preserve the shape of the receptacle even when empty.

WARNER R. BUXTON;

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