US2123692A - Cigarette case - Google Patents

Description

A. J. cAMPos CIGARETTE-CASE Filed March 24, 1937 ADOLFO JUAN CAMPUS INVENTOR mam AITTORNEY July 12, 1938.

Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES CIGARETTE CASE Adolfo Juan Campos, Kearny, N. J., assignor of one-half to John N. Hemsley, Kearny, N. .1.

Application March 24,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and pertiaiiins more particularly to cigarette cases or the e. One object of my invention is to provide a cigarette case containing between its covers. a

latched two-part holder adapted to retain cigarettes stored therein in such a manner that they may be withdrawn without damage, one at a time as needed.

Another object is to provide means for positioning such holder, when the case is opened, to make the contained cigarettes more accessible for withdrawal.

Still another object is to furnish a novel and convenient finger latch to engage the two parts of the holder and yet to be ready for instant release with a slight pressure of the finger.

Other objects will appear from the description which follows:

I am aware that heretofore various types of hinged two-part containers have been in use, and for cigarettes in particular many forms have beenemployed. Objections exist to the unhandy means of extracting cigarettes from such cases and to the attendant hazard of bending, breaking or tearing the cigarettes. Generally the last cigarettes removed are more difficult to withdraw than the preceding' ones. In addition storing the cigarettes in such cases is a slow tedious operation that often causes damage to some of ,them. I overcome these and other difficulties now present in cigarette containers of the type mentioned by the controlled movement of a hinged cigarette holder between the opened covers of a. cigarette case.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a cigarette case embodying my invention, in closed 40 position with a portion broken away to show the within contained holder.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the case of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevational View of the two- 45 part hinged holder only.

Figure 4 is a side elevational View of the holder of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an end view of the holder showing the finger latch construction.

Figure 6 is a cross section in side elevation of a case in open position with part of cover I broken away showing the holder charged with cigarettes.

Referring to the drawing in which similar numbers identify the same or similar parts thru- 1937, Serial No. 132,698

out the several views, the construction) is as follows:

The cigarette case consists of a pair of dished covers I and 2, termed herein as the rear and front cover respectively, pivotally connected along adjacent edges by a hinge connection composed of locking rod 5 passing thru the eyes formed by lugs IS on cover I and lugs I on cover 2. These lugs are offset with respect to the covers and bent back on themselves to form aligned eyes. They are so disposed as to permit similarly formed eyes 8 and 9 and spring II] of the holder, hereinafter described, to be'likewise mounted on looking rod 5. The covers I and 2 areheld in closed position, or released therefrom, by catch I8 mounted near the cover edges opposite to the hinge connection.

The holder referred to hereinbefore, consists of two parts, a bottom part or tray 3 and a retaining arm 4, designed to contain two layers of cigarettes laid parallel to the hinge connection. Tray 3 is hinged by lugs 8 on looking rod 5, and retaining arm 4 is hinged by lugs 9, on locking rod 5. Tray 3 is a fiat piece turned up along three edges andperforated with openings I! to reduce the weight of the piece. At the hinged end the turned up portion is sufficiently large to nest tray 3 inside of rear cover I of the case. At the other end the portion turned up is substantially equal to the length of twodiameters of an average cigarette. Along one longitudinal edge sufiicient material is turned up to act. as a check for the ends of cigarettes brought to bear against it. Cigarettes are withdrawr'i'over the other longitudinal edge of tray 3, which is cut back along line I9 to afford a ready hold on the cigarettes by the finger.

Arm 4 is a flat strip of resilient material which fits into recess I5 in tray 3 and engages with tray 3 by clasp I3 and catch I6. It is curved near its hinged end to afford space between tray 3 and arm 4 for the storing of two layers of cigarettes as shown in Fig. 6.

Clasp I3 is a continuation .at right angles of arm 4 and at its end is offset and rolled back on itself to form catch I6. Catch I6 fits into notch I4 in tray 3 but the resilient nature of clasp I3 allows it to be engaged or disengaged at will. Notch I4 is rectangular in shape except for a semi-circular offset in the side immediately beneath catch I6. Thus a finger hold is made easy beneath catch I6 to disengage it from notch I4 preliminary to raising arm 4 of the holder and filling the holder with cigarettes.

Mounted on locking rod 5 is spring II] which consists of spring wire coiled about rod 5 with one end bearing against the inside of cover I and the other end against the under side of tray 3 so that the action of the spring raises the holder into the position shown in Fig. 6.

Secured to the under side of tray 3 and .the inside of cover I at points of attachment I2 is a flexible snubbing member H. I may use a metal chain or, as illustrated, a short length of ribbon. Any material that will fold back on itself out of the way when tray 3 is closed. upon cover I may be used.

When covers I and 2 are opened the holder is raised by spring l0 and held in position as in Fig. 6 by the restraint imposed by snubbing member I I. This positions the cigarettes conveniently for withdrawing from the holder and that position will always be the same relative to cover 1, although covers I and 2 may assume any angle. The cigarettes are withdrawn of course without raising arm 4, and any one of them is accessible and easy to extract being held by the slight pressure exerted by arm 4.

Many variations from the specific illustration given may be made. Springs to separate covers I and 2 may be added. Other shapes of tray 3 and arm 4 may be employed and other types of springs may be substituted for spring In.

It is apparent that other modifications may also be made and the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative only and in no way limiting upon the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. In a cigarette case the combination with a pair of hinged covers of a two part holder adapted to receive a plurality of cigarettes, comprising a bottom part dished to nest in one of the covers, a resilient cigarette retaining member opposed to the bottom part at a spaced distance therefrom, both parts being hinged on the axis common to the case covers at one end and being attachable at the other end by a clasp comprising the extremity of the retaining member turned substantially at right angles to itself toward the bottom part and adapted to bear on the outer surface of the adjacent turned up portion of the bottom part and to recess therein in an aligned slotted opening.

2. In a cigarette case the combination with a pair of hinged covers of a two part holder adapted to receive a plurality of cigarettes, comprising a bottom part turned up along three edges to nest in one of the covers and cut back along the fourth. edge so that stored cigarettes protrude beyond such edge, a resilient retaining member opposed to the bottom part at a. spaced distance therefrom to yieldingly hold cigarettes therebetween joined thereto at one end by a hinge connection whose axis is common to the hinge connection axis of the covers and lying at the other end in a recess in the adjacent turned up edge of the bottom part with its end rolled back on itself to form a catch engageable in an aligned slot in the upturned edge of the bottom part, such slot being enlarged on its underside to afford a finger hold for releasing an engaged catch.

3. A cigarette case comprising two covers enclosing a two part holder all pivotally mounted on a common axis with a spring and foldable connection disposed between one cover and the holder to position it in a predetermined relationship with such cover when the case is open, the said holder consisting of a tray part turned up along three edges to nest in one of the covers and out back along the fourth edge so that stored cigarettes protrude beyond such edge, a resilient retaining member opposed to the tray part at a spaced distance therefrom to yieldingly hold cigarettes therebetween when attached thereto by a clasp connection comprising a notch in the turned up edge of the tray part adapted to receive the retaining member, and the outer portion of the retaining member bent at right angles to itself to overlie such turn up edge with its end rolled back on itself to form a catch engageable in an aligned slot in the tray part, such slot enlarged on its underside to afford a finger hold for releasing an engaged catch.

4. A holder adapted to yieldingly hold a plurality of cigarettes and be contained within the covers of a cigarette case and pivotally mounted therein, comprising a tray part formed of one piece turned up along three edges to define the limits of cigarette storage space on three sides thereof, with the fourth edge out back to cause stored cigarettes to project beyond such edge, a resilient retaining member spanning across one dimension of the tray member, hinge connected thereto at one end and clasp connected thereto at the other end, such clasp connection comprising the end portion of the retaining member bent over the adjacent turned up edge of the tray part to be parallel thereto with a catch formed at the extreme end of the retaining member engageable in an aligned slot in the said turned up edge of the tray part.

ADOLFO JUAN CANEPOS.

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