US2479824A

US2479824A - Convertible handbag-shopping bag

Info

Publication number: US2479824A
Application number: US632392A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fass Morris
Original assignee: MORTON FASS
Current assignee: MORTON FASS
Priority date: 1945-12-03
Filing date: 1945-12-03
Publication date: 1949-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1966-08-23

Description

Aug. 23, 1949.

Filed Dec. 5, 1945 M. PASS CONVERTIBLE HANDBAG-SHOPPING-BAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTOR Marrz's 721 8 WMJ A TORNEY 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 23, 1949 Morris Foss, Bronx, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Merton'l ass, West Forest Hills, N. Y.

Application December 3, 1945,;SerizLNo. 632,392

2 Claims.

makeup accessories, handkerchief, money and sundry articles. If other articles are purchased whileshopping, these have to be carried also, and the usual handbag is not adequate for bulky packages. Ordinarily a separate shopping bag of tough paper is furnished by the store, at a nominal cost, for carrying the extra packages and the shopper is burdened with .two bags. Attempts have been made to provide a handbag which is convertible into a shopping bag, but such bags have not been commercially successful for various reasons, such as excessive cost, complicatedlstructures, and utility impairment.

The present invention aims to provide an improved, inexpensive, convertible handbag which normally has no similarity to a shopping bag'but has the utility and appearance of a handbag. When converted to a shopping bag, the articles normally in a handbag may be kept separate from the bulky articles purchased, with the appearance of an attractive shopping bag.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved handbag which may be readily converted into a shopping bag.

Another object of the invention "is 'to provide an improved means forconverting a handbagto a shopping bag and vice versa.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive shopping bag which may be readily converted into an attractive handbag.

Another object of the invention ist'oprovide a convertible handbag-shopping bag in which all of the compartments are closed at the sides to prevent loss ofartlcles which might accidentally get into the wrong compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slide fastener attachment which securely holds the folded parts when in handbag form and which permits ready conversion by operation thereof.

A more specific object is to provide an improved means of attaching the slide fastener to the handbag.

A further object is to simplify the constructionand to reduce the number of parts in a convertible handbag.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various ad- 2 vantages not referred to herein will .occur to one skilled .in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

.A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposesof illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings. forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the handbag, illustrating its use as a handbag;

Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the bag with one side partially opened .to convert from a handbag to a shopping bag;

v Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view along the line 313 of Fig. 1 with the parts spaced to some ex tent to Illustrate the construction thereof;

Fig; 4 is ahorizontal sectional view along the libel-4 of Fig. 1, illustrating the construction of the bag;

Fig. 5' is a perspective view illustrating the bag converted to a shopping bag, with the flap open for receiving packages;

Fig. dis a detailed view illustrating a preferred way of attaching the slide fastener to the bag; and

Fig. 7is a sectional view along the line 1-1 of Fig; "6.

Referring again to the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bag is shown in Fig. 1 with a handle I secured to a nap or closing means 2 at 4 and 5. The ends of the handle may be sewed to the flap for carryin the bag. In many cases the bag will be carried under the arm; in other cases shoulder straps may be desirable.

Tneconstruction of the bagis illustrated more clearly in 5 where the bag has beenconverted to a shopping bag, and this figure will be described in some detail. The flap or closing nieans zmay be the endof a relatively long strip of material which forms the two sides or panels and bottom of the bag, producing the open mouth or upper end 6.

In the description and likewise in the drawing, the parts of the bag are shown as made of a single thickness of material. It will be understood'that thebag may belined, if desired, and in many cases will have stiffening members to cause the bag to retain its shape. Any suitable means, such as cardboard or the like, may be utilized for this purpose, but to simplify the drawing and description, these customary parts have not been illustrated.

Suitable end members or end gussets 1 and '8 are provided to give the bag the necessary width and volume to serve as a shopping bag. These end members or gussets I and 8 may likewise be a fabric, leather, leatherette or similar materials, and are adapted to collapse so that the bag may be folded into a very compact structure. In the embodiment illustrated, the edges of the members or gussets i and 8 are folded, outwardly and sewn to the outer edges of thestrip of material 3 forming the sidesor front and rear panels of the bag and the flap 2 of the bag. The stitches are indicated diagrammatically at 9.

Preferably the lower ends of the

members

1 and 8 are rounded so that the bottom of the bag, as extended into a shopping bag and as shown in Fig. 5, has a rounded appearance. This gives a more attractive construction, both as a handbag In order to accomplish this, the usual type of slide fastener is completely opened and the edge of the fabric l l opposite the fastener edge is sewed ;to the bag adjacent the edge of the bag, as shown in detail in Figs. 6 and '7. When sewed on the bag, the sewn edge will face outwardly toward the edge of the bag and the fastener edge will face inwardly toward the opopsite end of the bag. Thisis indicated in dotted line position as shown in Fig. 5 and as indicated in the full line position shown in Figs. 6 and '7.

Where the ends of the two strips forming the slide fastener join; that is, at the middle of the bag where the fastener I4 is shown in Fig. 5, the end of the joined strips, which is normally square,

is rounded so that the edge is substantially and as a shopping bag.

n the edges of the members or gussets I and 8, opposite the side of the bag having the flap 2 thereon, a slide fastener i0 is secured. A slide fastener ordinarilycomprises a fabric portion II with metal fasteners l2 closed by a sliding member it. In the present construction, the fabric l I for the two sides of the fastener is attached to the edges of the members I and 8 respectively so that the joined ends of the two side members meet at the middle of the bag, where the slide fastener is shown in Fig. 5. The slide fastener is at the top in Fig. 1 and in partially opened position in Fig. 2.

By folding the bag from its extended position shown in Fig. until thebottom of the bag rests against the top, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the fabric members I! of the slide fastener will be brought together with the fastener at the bottom. By pulling the slide fastener M up, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, the slide fastener may be closed to hold the bag in its folded position. It will be noted also that in [closing the slide fastener, the slide fastener fabric extends over and conceals the inner or adjoining edges !5 and 16 so that the ends of the bag has the appearance of a handbag with only the outer edges ii and is exposed.

, Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the handbag may be converted to a shopping bag by pulling the slide fasteners 14 down as shown in Fig. 2 until the fastener is at the folded portion of the bag on each end thereof. The bottom of the bag may then be folded down to provide a shopping bag, as shown in Fig. 5. Likewise when it is desired to change from a shopping bag to a handbag, the bottom of the bag may be folded up, as shown in Fig. 3, and the fasteners pulled upwardly as shown in Fig. 2 to close the slide fastener over the inner edges l5 and I6 of the bag to provide a neat and compact handbag. The bag then looks like a handbag and not merely like a folded shopping bag; this is important to women who use such articles.

The flap 2 has a suitable fastener, here illustrated as a snap fastener l9, and there is an eyelet 20 on the bag for co-operating therewith. A similar eyelet 29 is provided on the opposite side of the bottom of the shopping bag, as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3, so that the flap may be secured in position in handbag form or in shopping bag form. It will be understood, of course, that any suitable fastener may be utilized for the conventional snap fastener shown.

While the slide fastener may be attached to the bag in any suitable manner, it is desirable that it be as inconspicuous as possible. -This is particularly true when used as a shopping bag.

straight at this point as shown more particularly at 4!. Usually there will be slight plaits at this point to take up the extra material due to the straightening at the end, but this ordinarily is not noticeable.

By. attaching the slide fastener in this manner, the fabric l i has to be folded back over the sewn edge as shown in Fig. 4 and 5 in order to be in the position shown in Fig. 2 for holding the bag in closed position. When the bag is opened up into shopping bag form, the slide fastener will automatically fold back into the fold of the bag asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 and as shown in full lines in Figs. 6 and 7, The addition of packages into the bag and the forcing of the ends outwardly will enhance this tendency for the slide fastener to return to its concealed position. The slide fastener part has to be pulled out at the time the bag is :to be folded for conversion into a handbag. but this is quite simple by reason of the handle on the fastener M which is easily accessible. While there is no intention of limiting the invention to this particular feature relating to the attachment of the slide fastening device, it is very advantageous and-is illustrated in the preferred embodiment.

It is desirable to have compartments for coins, bills, cosmetics and similar small articles which may be readily accessible .both in the handbag form and in the shopping bag form. This is achieved in the present construction by forming pockets at the oposite sides of the upper end of the bag as shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and v5. A pocket on one side may be formed by the two

members

22 and 24, secured to the side of the bag by stitching 25 at the bottom of the pocket and by stitching 30 at the sides. The pocket is closed at its upper end by a slide fastening device 26. An additional pocket may be formed on the other side of the bag by the members 21 and 28, secured at their bottoms to the side of the bag by stitching 29 at the bottom and stitching 3| at the sides. This pocket is illustrated in the drawings as open at the top but it may also be closed if desired. In this way pockets are available for small articles and change at all times and there is no danger of their mingling with the articles in the shopping bag.

Where the preferred embodiment is to be used for a substantial period as a handbag, the inner fold, as illustrated more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, forms a pocket or compartment 32 which may be used to contain any articles desired, and this of course increases the utility as a handbag. Such articles cannot accidentally fall out of the ends of this compartment for the slide fasteners at the sides thereof form a tight and continuous, seam-like closure. The articles would have to be removed when the bag is converted, but they could easily be placed in the shopping bag at that time. Likewise articles can be put in the compartment 34 formed by the mouth of the bag proper. Again the articles will drop down into the shopping bag when it is converted, if not removed prior to the conversion. Normally, of course, there would be no objection to this.

In extremely cold weather, the slide fasteners at the respective ends may be opened and the hands inserted into the folds of the bag to provide a muif for keeping the hands warm.

In the operation of the preferred embodiment, the bag is normally used as a handbag and has the appearance shown in Fig. 1. When it is desired to convert to a shopping bag, the slide fasteners I i are pulled down from their upper position as shown in Fig. 1 to their lower position, as illustrated more particularly in Figs. 2 and 5, at which time the bag may be unfolded to provide a shopping bag as illustrated in Fig. 5. By reason of the fabric ll of the slide fastener being attached to the edges of the bag in reversed position, as shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7, the slide fastener will tend to fold back into its dotted position shown at 2! in Fig. 5 and become substantially concealed while the bag is used for shopping purposes. Likewise the attachment of one end of the slide fastener at the middle of the bag facilitates the movement to concealed positlon and also facilitates the operation of the slide fastener.

The pockets on the inside of the bag for coins, bills and similar small articles are separate from, and maintain their contents separate from, the rest of the articles in the bag and are always readily accessible.

The bag may be converted back to a handbag by folding it as shown more particularly in Fig. 2 and by pulling the slide fasteners from their bottom position to their top position. In doing this, the inner edges of the bag are concealed by the slide fastener to give the appearance of the usual handbag and, also, additional compartments are provided by the closed end portions where extra compartment space is desired in the handbag.

It will be seen that the present invention provides an improved handbag construction which may be readily converted into a shopping bag and likewise readily converted back to a handbag. When used as a shopping bag it loses its appearance as a handbag and vice versa. The utilization of means for fastening the side edges of the bag provides a more ready conversion and a more secure construction when used as a handbag. Likewise it prevents open ended compartments into which articles might be placed when used as a handbag and hence be lost. The construction is inexpensive, made with a minimum number of parts and is readily adaptable to vari ous types of material, such as fabric, leather and similar materials. The construction is rugged and fully capable of withstanding the rough usage to which it may be subjected as a shopping bag and still retain its proper form for conversion into a neat and attractive handbag.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to he understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A combination handbag and shopping bag comprising a front panel and a rear panel connected together adjacent their lower portions to form a closed bottom, and gussets interconnecting adjacent side edge portions of said panels and forming therewith a shopping bag having an open upper end, means for closing said upper end, said panels being transversely foldable inter mediate their length against the upper portion of one of said panels to provide a handbag, and slide fastener means connected with side edge POT-1 tions of said. front panel for connecting together the side portions thereof when the panels are in said folded relationship, whereby in the folded condition of said panels the handbag is expandible to the full width of said gussets.

2. A combination handbag and shopping bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the slide fastener means is carried by tapes secured inwardly of the side edges of the panels.

MORRIS FASS.

H file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,604,658 Post Oct. 26, 1926 1,606,107 Simms Nov. 9, 1926 1,705,149 Brady Mar. 12, 1929 2,079,401 Eisenberg et a1 May 4, 1937 2,313,884 Mattoon Mar. 16, 1943 2,412,007 Plapler Dec. 3, 1946