US2103281A - Traveling case - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28, 1937. L. G. STANLEY TRAVELING CASE Filed May 21, 1936 y LcaMoL q. Era/M mm ,W

15 a'wb' all j Liarnqys.

Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES:

' PATENT OFFICE V TRAVELING CASE Leopold G. Stanley, Maplewood, N. J.

Application May 21, 1936, Serial No; 80,925

7 Claims.

This invention is a' novel traveling case of the brief case type, beinga closable case of generally oblong'form composed of leather or similar sheet material and therefore generally flexible, and

' adapted for various practical uses, whether as a brief case, or to carry and display stationery, and the like, or as a means of transporting'and conveniently using records-accounts, books, accessories or the like. Considered as a brief or sample case, this article may be of the general character of a portfolio, having compartments of different thicknesses or sizes to receive and accommodate various contents.

The general object of thepresent invention is to afford a traveling case of the kind referred to which will be neatand compact in structure and attractive and convenient in use. A special object-is to afford a traveling case which not only closes readily and completely. for carrying articles such as specified, but which opens in an improved manner for purposes of utility and convenience in practical use. A particular object is to afford a traveling case adapted to stand uprightlyin a steady manner upon a relatively narrow bottom wall, the case being closed by a flap fastened across the top with a top handle for liftingthe case.

Further objects and advantages will be explained in the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be manifest to those conversant with the subject. To the attainm'entof such objects and advantages the invention consists in the novel traveling 'case and the novel: features of structure, combination and arrangement herein'illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view"'of the traveling case hereof standing upon a support or table and shown in its fully opened position.

FigI2 is a transverse vertical cross section view of "the case infits closed-position.

Fig. 3, on a'smaller scale, shows thecase in its closed position' in perspective.

Fig.4 is a modification corresponding'to the lower part of Fig. 2. a

The novel traveling case hereof may be described generally as of brief case type'composed of leather or like flexible material, with certain stiffening, and comprising (1) a vertical main section of substantial thickness and of greater length and height than its' thickness, and having a-stifiened fiat bottom wall to rest steadily upon a support or table, with back and front up standingwalls, enclosing compartment or receiving space, and at each end 'a gusset or closingwall which is collapsible at its upper part, so that the bottom wall rests firmly as of its full width; while the upper part of the case may collapsev more or less according to the quantity of contents; (2) and a swingable section hinged at the front edge of said'bottom wall, having re'ceiving spaces or pockets, and adapted to swing down flatly upon the support or table, as seen in Fig. 1,. thus giving access to its receiving spaces and to the aforesaid front wall of the main section, the swingable section adapted also to swing up flatly against said front wall for the closing of the case, as-seen in Figs? and '3; (3) a cover flap constituting a flexibleextension'of one of such sections, preferably the main section, and adapted to fold over and down to close the case, and having means there to secure or look its extremity to the other section; (4) and a handle upon the exterior side of the cover flap for the carrying of the case. 0

In the drawing the main. or upright section, is marked A, the swingable front section is marked B, the cover flap C and the fasteningor locking means D, and these may be separately described in detail as follows:

The main or vertical section A consists of a base or'bottom wall a comprising some sort of flat stiffening such ascardboard a, or, asseen in Fig. 4, the metal strip a which may be bent upwardly intothe form of an angle iron both at the front and back, forming a U-shape stiffening tending to give greater stability to the upright case. Attached to or integral with the bottom wall is an outer back vertical wall a closely within which is shown a back vertical inner walla, these walls providing a thin compartment between them. At the front is a high front wall a connected or integral with the bottom wall and exterior thereto a low front wall a? forming a thin compartment between the two. This system of front and back walls affords a substantial compartment or receiving space between them,,and' the case is closed at the ends by walls or gussets a which are of the full width of the bottom wall 7 r and which are collapsible at their upper portions, 45 so that with small contents thercase as a whole may collapse at its upper portion, while retaining full width at the bottom, thuslassuming the shapeof a prism or pyramid. Inside the main section is shown a divider wall a which may be stitched to the bottom, but otherwise loose so as to be self adjustable between the front and back walls of the main section. V

The swinging front sectionB is shown hinged at b to themain'se'otion, that is, at the front edge of the bottom wall a or the bottom edge of the bottom edge of the front wall a or a The swingable section is shown as consisting of an outer wall I), which is its front wall when the case is closed. To produce a compartment of substantial thickness there is shown a high inner or rear wall N, at the inner side of which in turn is attached a low inner wall b producing a flat compartment or pocket between the walls 12 and 22 which may for convenience be subdivided by stitching b Instead of'stitching the high wall b directly to the outer wall b they are shown as being connected by gussets b at the ends, each gusset being folded flatly near the hinge but expansible at its upper end as seen in Fig. 1. Section B therefore as a whole is relatively thin.

The cover piece or flap C constitutes a flexible continuation or extension of one of the sections A or B, and when closed reaches over the top of both sections and is turned down for fastening or locking of the case. A narrow strip 0 of the cover flap is rendered stiff as by an interior strip of cardboard c, this being considerably narrower than the width of the base wall a so that the upper part of the case may be collapsed to a corresponding width. Beyond the stiffened area 0 is the flexible extension 0 folded down for fastening the case. The flap C is shown as a continuation of the wall a of the main or thick section A and as extended over and down for attachment to the outer wall b of section B. The extreme edge or margin 0 of the flap C may contain stiffening along its whole length, preventing curling at the corners. The flap C constitutes a means at the top of the case to close it, and might be replaced by a flap on each section, suitably attachable for closing the case.

The fastening or locking means D is shown as consisting of a lock, such as is frequently used on brief cases and the like, with one look part d on the flap extension 0 having inwardly extending pins or hooks d; and the wall I) carrying the complementary portion or hasp d of the lock, which may have two or more sets of holes d to receive the hooks of the complementary lock part with different adjustments necessary with varying degrees of fullness of the case. The usual finger piece d is shown, adapted to be slid downwardly to effect release of the locking means.

For carrying the case there is shown a handle E, which may be similar to a brief case handle, consisting of a flexible or leather strip having its ends loosely attached by leather or metal loops or rings e. It will be noted that the handle is so positioned that it serves conveniently for lifting the bag whether it be full and the cover flap correspondingly adjusted, or substantially empty and the upper portion of the case collapsed substantially to the width of the stiffened section 0' of the cover flap.

As it may sometimes be undesirable that the section B should swing down to flat position there is shown a quick releasing attachment, as a snap fastener F consisting of member f on section A or wall a and member f on section B or wall 13 holding together the sections at will, as when the case is set down on the floor alongside the chair of the user.

It will be noted that the front or outer wall b of the hinged section B of the case is built up of several parts, which may consist of an inner facing 17 and next to that a stiff or cardboard layer b with some fibrous or Woven material b between the stiffening layer b" and the outer face b Various modifications may be made in the described features of structure, combination and arrangement, and no limitation to details is intended except as recited in the claims.

I claim:

1. A traveling case of the briefcase type, oblong in form, composed of leather or like material and generally flexible, the same having rear and front walls with top-opening receiving space between them, and collapsible end gussets and a cover flap constituting a flexible extension of the rear wall and adapted to fold over the front to close the case, with a fastening means therefor, and a handle on the exterior side of the flap; and characterized by the following features combined therewith, namely that the bottom of the case is flat, non-collapsible and stiffened so that the case may stand steadily upright upon a support, and that connected with the main section of the case, having its rear and front walls upstanding,

is a supplemental swingable front section having an interior receiving space or pockets, said swingable section being connected with the main section only by a hinge between the swingable section and the front edge of the stiff bottom wall of the case; whereby the swingable section may be closed up vertically against the main section and confined by the cover flap when fastened or may be released to drop flat while the main section remains upright, thus fully exposing both sections to access.

2. A case as in claim 1 and wherein the facing walls of the main and swingable sections have low pocket walls forming low pockets inaccessie ble except by the swinging down of the swingable section.

, 3. A traveling case of the briefcase type, oblong in form, composed of leather or like material and generally flexible, the same having rear and front walls with top-opening receiving space between them, and collapsible end closures and a cover flap constituting a flexible extension of the rear wall and adapted to fold over the front to close the case, said flap having a fastening means and an exterior handle; and characterized in that the bottom of the case contains stiffening means rendering it flat and non-collapsible so that the case may stand steadily upright upon said bottom as a base, and in that connected with the main section of the case, having its rear and front walls upstanding, is a supplemental swingable front section having an interior receiving space or pockets, and unconnected with the main section except by a hinge between the swingable section and the bottom front edge of the main section; whereby the swingable section may be closed up vertically against the main section and confined by such cover flap when fastened or may be released to drop flat while the main section remains upright, thus fully exposing both sections to access; the said sections having between them a readily detachable fastening or snap fastener to hold up, the swingable section until released.

4. A case as in claim 3 and wherein the swingable section comprises outer and inner'walls secured together flatly near the hinge and with gussets or collapsible ends.

5. A traveling case of. the briefcase type, oblong in form, composed of leather or like material and generally flexible, the same having rear and front walls with top-opening receiving space between them, and collapsible end gussets and a cover flap constituting a flexible extension of the rear Wall and adapted to fold over to close the case, with fastening means and handle; and characterized by the following features combined therewith,

(a) that the bottom of the case is fiat, and contains stiffening means so that the case may stand steadily upright upon a support, said stiffening means comprising an angle iron incorporated in the bottom and extending up into one of said walls, and (b) that connected with the main section of the'case, having its rear and front walls upstanding, is a supplemental swingable front section having an interior receiving space, and connected with the main section by a hinge between the swingable section and the front edge of the stiff bottom wall of the case; whereby the swingable section may be closed up vertically against the main section and confined by such cover flap when fastened or may be released to drop fiat while the main section remains upright, thus fully exposing both sections to access.

6. A case as in claim 1 and wherein the swingable section comprises outer and inner walls secured together flatly near the hinge and with gussets or collapsible ends.

7. A traveling case, oblong in form, composed of leather or like material and generally flexible, the same having rear and front walls with topopening receiving space between them, and collapsible end gussets; and characterized by the following features combined therewith, namely that the bottom of the case is flat, non-collapsible and stiffened so that the'case may stand steadily upright upon a support, and that connected with the main section of the case, having its rear and front'walls upstanding, is a supplementalswingable front section having an .interior receiving space, said swingable section being connected with the main section only by a hinge between the swingable section and the front edge of the stifi bottom wall of the case; whereby the swingable section may be closed up vertically against the main section or may be released to drop flat while the main section remains upright, thus fully exposing both sections to access; the said sections having complementary means for covering and securing together the sections in their closed positions; the facing walls of at least one of said sections having pocket walls forming pockets inaccessible except by the swinging down of theswingable section; and'the swingable section comprising outer and inner walls secured together flatly near the hinge and connected along their ends to form said interior receiving space.

LEOPOLD G. STANLEY.

Images